Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/29023311.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: F/M
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Relationships: Zuko (Avatar)/Original Female Character(s), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Iroh
(Avatar) & Original Female Character(s)
Characters: Zuko (Avatar), Original Female Character(s), Iroh (Avatar), Azula
(Avatar), The Gaang (Avatar), Order Of The White Lotus (Avatar), Aang
(Avatar), Sokka (Avatar), Katara (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Pre-banishment
Zuko, Minor Lu-Ten, Suki (Avatar), Ursa (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar), Ikem |
Noren
Additional Tags: Family, Romance, Self-Sacrifice, Protective Zuko (Avatar)
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2021-01-27 Completed: 2023-05-22 Words: 562,020
Chapters: 106/106
 Water Lily in a Sea of Fire
by DelphianOracle

Summary

Years before the Siege of Ba Sing Se, General Iroh discovers a young girl among the remains
of a decimated Water Tribe village. Raised in the heart of the Fire Nation, she grows close to
the young crown prince and accompanies him and Iroh on their adventures.

Notes

A/N: This is a story I had written in my head years ago when the series was still on
Nickelodeon. Having just recently discovered fan fiction, I thought I'd flesh it out a bit and
put it out there for others who might find it entertaining. I apologize for any lack of detail or
imagery-I don't have much time to devote to it as I'd like, so the time is and has been spent
getting dialogue out of my head.
For the most part it will follow canon, but diverge briefly, follow again, and diverge.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the world of ATLA.

 The Orphan

General Iroh of the Fire Nation stood on the deck of the ship that was headed back to his
Nation. He had only been away from home for a month, but it seemed much longer as he sat
through meeting after meeting as plans were being made for the Fire Nation's movements
through the Earth Kingdom. His last stop had been a week at the Pohuai Stronghold from
where he had sent a message to a Fire Nation camp in the far northwestern Earth Kingdom
requesting a company of soldiers to be stationed there. Now, sailing east along the coast, he
stood on the upper deck of the ship. His dark hair was pulled back from his receding hairline
and tied into a tight topknot that barely moved in the light wind blowing over the deck. His
long dark sideburns, however, gently swayed in the breeze while his amber eyes scanned the
horizon ahead of them. Black smoke rising up from the land on the port side caught his eye,
and as the ship drew more level with it, he could just make out fire blasts between the trees.

“That's Fire Nation,” he said to Lieutenant Jee who was standing next to him. “I requested
Captain Idem to take a company to the Pohuai Stronghold. It could be him and his men in the
area. He may be in trouble.” He turned to Jee. “Have Captain Maza get closer. I want to take
a few soldiers ashore. I'm sure Admiral Jeong Jeong will understand the delay.”

“Yes, General,” Jee nodded before doing as requested.

Landing on the shore, Iroh rode his komodo rhino flanked by two Imperial Firebenders. He
led a squad of soldiers towards the battle. Cautiously approaching the fire that could be seen
through the trees, they rode up to what had once been a village but was now destroyed. Most
of the buildings were on fire; the villagers were dead, and the surviving Fire Nation soldiers
were gathering bodies to burn the remains. Spotting Captain Idem, Iroh dismounted from his
rhino to walk up to him.

“What happened here, Captain Idem?”

“General Iroh,” he said not expecting to see him. “It was just a Water Tribe. Nothing to worry
about anymore.”

“Nothing to worry about?” asked Iroh in a low voice. “Tell that to the families of our soldiers
who will not be returning home alive.”

“They seemed like an easy target, but the savages fought harder than I expected.”

“It was not your mission to attack,” said Iroh, struggling to control his anger. “You were to
merely move your company to Pohuai.”

“They were given a chance to surrender, General. I gave the order to kill every villager who
fought back. None of them stood down, not even the women.”

“This was just a civilian village, not a camp of warriors,” argued Iroh looking around at the
remains of men, women, and children. “It was completely unnecessary to attack it.”
“If they had just surrendered this would not have happened.”

“If you had just followed your orders this would not have happened!” yelled Iroh in a tone
that reminded everyone who heard him that he was the Dragon of the West.

General Iroh severely reprimanded the captain for his actions, but there was not much more
he could do. He knew it would be seen as an act of self-defense as the soldiers defended
themselves from a barbaric Water Tribe that did not do as they were ordered.

Iroh climbed on his komodo rhino and slowly rode off by himself to look around. Not one
villager surrendered, and it appeared to Iroh that not one villager survived, but not without
taking out their share of Fire Nation soldiers. He was disgusted by the devastation and the
loss of life, not just of his own people, but the people of this innocent village, especially the
women and children, and he deeply regretted he had not been able to prevent it. He stopped
his rhino, and after climbing down, he walked around to get a closer look at the remains. Lost
in his thoughts as he walked among the smoldering ruins, he thought he heard a soft
whimpering. He approached the burning remains of a building, and on the ground nearby lay
a young woman; her throat had been cut, and her arms had been badly burned. Next to her lay
a bloody sword. Despite her horrific death, her beauty did not go unnoticed by him. He could
not help thinking that it was a waste that such a beautiful woman had been destroyed. His
eyes were then drawn to the small figure of a little girl next to her pouring water over her cut
throat. She was the source of the whimpering he heard. He walked up and stood over her. It
would be easy to kill the girl; one quick slice with his knife would end her life and suffering.
Any of the soldiers, had they found her, would have immediately put her to death. He looked
at her; she could not have been much younger than his own nephew.

“This is something you should not see,” he said as he knelt down next to her.

She looked up at him with beautiful green eyes the color of the sea. Tears had left streaks
down her face as her skin had been blackened by the ash of the burning buildings. He
wondered if her long curls were naturally black, or if they, too, were darkened by the soot.
Her wrists and arms were covered in the blood of her mother whose wound she was trying to
clean. There was a chain diadem embedded with precious gemstones around her mother's
head. Iroh removed it and placed it around the girl's neck, and then he stood up and looked
around. He stepped over a bow and empty quiver to move a broken beam from the
smoldering remains, and then he picked up a partially burnt blanket nearby using it to cover
her mother's body. He continued looking around until he found a large canvas bag, and after
emptying out the contents he walked back over to the little girl still kneeling next to her
mother, her little hand resting on top of the lifeless, burnt hand that was all that could be seen
now.

“You must be very quiet,” whispered Iroh. “Do you understand?”

The little girl nodded her head almost imperceptibly.

“I'm going to make sure no one hurts you.”

He picked her up and carried her to his rhino where he held open the bag.
“Climb inside,” he said, “and do not make any sound and do not move.”

She did as he ordered crouching down in the bag. He tied it to the side of his rhino making
sure there was an opening through which she could receive air. Suddenly, several of his
soldiers appeared.

“General Iroh, we were looking for you.”

He turned towards them. “I was looking around for survivors,” he said in a low, unemotional
voice.

“This village is a dump,” said the soldier. “They had nothing of value.”

“Considering the fight they put up, you'd think they'd have something valuable,” said another
soldier.

“Some consider their freedom most valuable,” said General Iroh sadly as he regretted the
massacre.

“At least it's one less Water Tribe,” said the soldier.

“Is that how the Fire Nation is going to share its greatness with the world?” asked Iroh. “By
killing everyone who is not of our Nation?”

The soldier did not respond.

“It looks like you may have found some things worth taking,” said the first soldier looking
curiously at the bag.

“It's worth nothing to you,” said the general.

“Let's see what you got,” said the soldier as he pulled out his knife and went to stick it in the
bag.

Iroh grabbed the man's wrist but not before the knife pierced the bag.

“It's not your business what is in the bag,” said Iroh deeply. He turned to another soldier.
“Omu, take the company to Pohuai as per their original orders. Do not engage any civilians.”

The Fire Nation company obeyed his command and left the Water village.

Iroh rode back to his Imperial Firebenders. “I want you and the others to return to the ship.
Have Captain Maza set course for the northwestern campsite.”

“Sir, what about you?” he asked.

“I'll meet you at the camp in about a week; I have business I need to take care of first.”

“It would not be wise to leave you on your own, General Iroh, especially for so long. If
anyone escaped here, they may go after you.”
“I can take care of myself. I'll meet you at the camp. That's an order.”

His soldiers reluctantly obeyed, and Iroh set out on his own in a different direction. He rode
southeast for hours before stopping. Opening the bag, he saw the little girl crouched down
inside. She did not move, and she was still quiet despite the blood that had run down her left
arm from where the soldier's knife had cut her. Iroh was amazed that she had not made a
sound after being sliced by the knife.

“You can come out now,” he said.

She lifted her head and looked around the strange forest as she slowly stepped out of the bag.

“You must be thirsty.” He offered her a canteen.

While she was drinking he knelt down next to her and began cleaning her wound. He glared
at it feeling angry at the soldier who had inadvertently injured her.

“What is your name?” he asked her.

She did not say anything.

He pointed to himself. “I am Iroh.” He pointed to her.

“Chiara,” she said softly.

“Chiara,” he repeated. “Such a beautiful name.”

When he finished dressing her wound, he cleaned her arms removing the dried blood that had
been her mother's. Once her arms were free of the blood, he returned to his komodo rhino.
Pulling out food he sat next to her and allowed her to eat, but she ate little. After resting for a
short time he put her on top of his rhino, climbed on behind her, and they moved on.

They traveled for hours, and late that night, he decided to stop near a river and make camp
until sunrise. After dismounting, Iroh pulled the little girl down before offering her water.
After quenching their thirst, he walked her to the river. The moon was bright, but he still
carried a lantern with him setting it on the rocks nearby, and he stood her in the river where
he began cleaning her face.

“Let's see what color your hair is,” he said as he began wetting her hair. “It looks like it's as
black as the ash,” he said holding it near the light.

Chiara saw blood on his lower arm from a wound he had sustained earlier when he moved
the beam. She pointed to it. He looked at it before scooping up a handful of water to wash the
blood away. She reached down scooping up water in her cupped hands and held it over his
wound. His eyes grew wide as the water began to glow and the wound began to close. He
was stunned as he looked closely at it in the firelight.

“You are a waterbender,” he said, impressed by her ability to heal.

He thought about her pouring water on her mother's wound, and it occurred to him that she
had been trying to heal it. He unwrapped the bandage from her knife wound.

“Now yours,” he said.

She looked puzzled. He sprinkled water over her wound and motioned for her to heal it. She
moved her hand over it, the water glowing, but her wound did not change. Now Iroh was
puzzled, and he wondered why her wound did not heal. He wrapped it up again.

After cleaning her up he began gathering sticks in order to build a fire. He laughed to himself
as Chiara followed him around imitating him by gathering sticks too. Kneeling down near
their camp, he arranged the sticks and leaves they had collected in a small pile before sending
a little blast of fire into it. He gently laughed as she imitated him trying to make fire.

“I don't think you will be able to do that, little one. You have a much different gift.”

He heated his rations, and they ate. After their small dinner, he folded a blanket and placed it
on the ground where he had her lie down. He covered her with another blanket to keep her
warm. As Chiara lay there listening to the sound of the crackling fire amid the chirping
insects and occasional call of the distant cat owl, tears fell from her eyes as scenes of her
mother's lifeless body came to her mind. Iroh heard her soft sniffles and suspected she was
mourning her family, and he waited until she was silent and still before he lay down himself
and eventually fell asleep.

As the sky was lighting up the next morning, the rising sun was drawing Iroh from his
slumber. Glancing over at the other blankets he saw they were empty and Chiara gone. He
quickly rose from his spot to look around, but he could not find her. Heading towards the
river he finally spotted her near the water where she was carefully placing rocks on the
ground in the shape of a circle. He slowly approached her, his eyes on the different sized
rocks and pebbles laid out in an intricate design. He sat down nearby to watch her finish her
arrangement. After setting the last rock in its place, she knelt down next to it. Iroh knelt down
on one knee next to her.

“What is that?” he asked.

She touched the chain around her neck. “Mamma,” she said with tears in her eyes.

He realized the design she made on the ground was a perfect replica of her mother's diadem.
Iroh felt great sympathy for her, and he wrapped his arms around her and held her. The image
of his wife Mina flashed before his eyes as well as the daughter they never had the chance to
have. He was tempted to take her as his own child, but if anyone discovered she was a
waterbender, he worried that her life would be in peril.

He packed up the camp, and they rode for another day, stopping again in the evening to sleep.
It was on the third day of their journey that he found a road leading to an Earth Kingdom
village. He spent the day stealthily scouting the area, and that night after another cleaning at
the river near their camp, he brushed her long hair, and wrote a note. Early in the morning
about an hour before sunrise the next day, he walked her towards the village and stood her in
front of the door of the first house they came to.

“Be very quiet,” he whispered in her ear. “These people will take good care of you.” Or at
least he hoped.

He placed the note in her hand and then he turned to leave.

 A New Family
Chapter Notes

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the world of ATLA.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Chiara stood before the door of a strange house while Iroh quietly walked down the path
leaving her to her new future. He had not been far away when he made the mistake of turning
back and glancing at her. Guilt swept over him as he took in her solemn demeanor standing
alone in the unfamiliar surroundings, and he came to a halt. Turning back, he walked up to
her and took her hand leading her back into the forest. Chiara's big green eyes were glued to
him as he led her along to where his komodo rhino was waiting. Gently picking her up, he
placed her in the saddle. After taking the note from her, he held it in his hand until it turned to
ash gently floating to the ground.

“Remain in the saddle,” he said before disappearing through the trees.

He had not been gone long when he returned with clean garments in his hands. He climbed
on his rhino and began traveling northwest.

Iroh headed back towards the main Fire Nation camp where the ship with his men would be
waiting for him. Just as before, he stopped and made camp by a river each evening. The first
night, he gave her the garment he had taken, and she changed out of her blackened and
scorched Water Tribe clothing. A couple days later, as they were nearing the camp he stopped
for a short time to take a break.

“Chiara, I must ask you to do something for me,” he said. Her green eyes were focused
intently on him. “You cannot show anyone your gift. Do you know what gift I'm talking
about?” He poured some water into his cupped hand. “You have a special gift with water, and
where we are going, you can never show anyone. Do you understand?”

She nodded.

“If anyone sees what you can do, they will not see it as a gift, but they will hurt you. So you
will do as I ask?”

“Yes,” she said softly as she nodded.

“And you can't ever tell anyone where you come from.”

She nodded again though she was not even sure where she came from. Iroh went through his
rations while Chiara strolled around in the sunlight carefully looking at the various plant life.
“Chiara, are you hungry?” he called to her.

She walked over to him and shook her head but held out the plants in her hand. “Mint,” she
said, her voice soft and delicate.

Iroh's eyes widened and brightened as he took them from her hand and smelled them. “It is.”
He looked at her. “You are a treasure,” he said. “How would you like mint tea?”

She nodded. Iroh prepared the tea and added a little of the honey that he carried with him. He
allowed hers to cool a bit before giving it to her.

“Be careful. It's still hot.”

After resting and drinking their tea, they continued traveling until they arrived at the camp
where his soldiers were relieved to see the Crown Prince who had just disappeared for nearly
a week.

“General Iroh,” his servant Ezih greeted him. “Everyone's been so worried.”

“There's no need for that,” he said. “I took a much needed break.”

“But without your Imperial Fire...”

Iroh raised his hand to silence him. “It's not the first excursion I've taken on my own, Ezih.
Besides, I wasn't alone this time,” he added looking down at Chiara. “I found someone to
keep me company.”

“And who's this?” asked Ezih.

“This is Chiara,” he said. “Chiara, this is Ezih. He'll take care of you here.”

He looked at Ezih who nodded in understanding.

“Are you hungry, Lady Chiara?” asked Ezih.

She gently shook her head.

Ezih smiled. “I have a treat that might make you change your mind.” He took her hand and
looked at Iroh. “Admiral Jeong Jeong's been asking about you.”

“I'll deal with the Admiral.”

Ezih led Chiara away while Iroh dealt with military business.

Soon they boarded the ship and left for the Fire Nation. Ezih kept Chiara by his side as he
served Iroh, and he began teaching her the customs, manners, and gestures of the Fire Nation.
When he was not busy, he took her on deck where she marveled at being completely
surrounded by the endless ocean on such a large vessel and with no land in sight. Ezih
followed her as she walked the deck of the ship staring out over the sea from every side.
Getting permission to take her onto the upper deck, he softly chuckled to himself enjoying
her childlike wonder as she gazed out at the view.

Every evening, however, when she lay in bed, she quietly cried to herself knowing she would
never see her mother or father again or any of her people from her village. Her inability to
save her mother troubled her deeply, and the images of her bleeding body haunted her
dreams.

Late on the third evening of their voyage, Ezih went to Iroh's cabin where he was sitting at
his desk.

“General Iroh,” he greeted him with a bow.

“Come in, Ezih,” he said looking up from the paperwork in front of him. “How is young
Chiara doing?”

“She's quite quiet, General. I don't believe she's spoken a word.”

“She'll need time to adjust.” He lay the document in his hand on his desk and leaned back in
his chair.

“She seems troubled in her sleep,” said Ezih. “At times I've checked on her in the evening,
and she's been quite restless in her bed.”

Iroh looked down and gently nodded. “The poor thing's seen violence that probably plagues
her dreams.”

“Do you think it wise to bring her back with us?”

Iroh momentarily contemplated the question.

“I would not have done so if I thought otherwise,” he said thoughtfully. “And I've given my
father fair warning of my little guest. I doubt he'll think much of it.”

Arriving at the First Lord's Harbor, Iroh disembarked with Ezih and Chiara. Leaving Ezih to
take care of business, Iroh took Chiara with him in the palanquin which carried them to his
estate in Royal Caldera City where he was welcomed home by his son Lu Ten.

“Dad,” he said embracing his father. “How was your mission?”

“Full of many boring meetings,” answered Iroh a bit stiffly.

“You don't sound pleased.”

“I encountered a great failure on my return,” he said sadly. “Many lives were lost.”

“I'm sorry, Father.” His amber eyes, very much like his father's, peered around Iroh to see
Chiara practically hiding behind him. “Who's she?”
“She lost her family,” said Iroh softly to Lu Ten as he beckoned her. “This is Chiara.” He
knelt down next to her. “Chiara, this is my son Lu Ten.”

She bowed towards him in the proper Fire Nation greeting that Ezih taught her. Lu Ten
smiled and he bowed back.

“Welcome, Chiara,” he said, his long, dark ponytail falling forward with his bow.

“She'll be staying with us,” said Iroh.

Lu Ten's eyes suddenly became glued to hers, and he was looking deeply into them. “I've
never seen eyes that color.”

“They look very much like the sea around the northern Earth Kingdom.” He turned to his
head female servant, a squat woman whose dark hair had streaks of gray and was pulled back
into a tight bun. “Amiku, send someone to get her proper clothing and prepare one of the
rooms for her. I'll be leaving for the palace.”

“Yes, Prince Iroh,” she bowed.

When Iroh returned home from the palace, Chiara was there to greet him after he entered the
house. He was impressed by how beautiful she looked all cleaned up and in clean Fire Nation
clothes. Her hair hung in long, dark locks, and her big green eyes absorbed everything they
saw.

“Are you doing okay, Chiara?” he asked her as he patted her head.

She nodded.

“She's a quiet little thing,” said Amiku. “She hasn't spoken once.”

“Give her time,” said Iroh.

“Dinner is ready,” said Ezih.

“Are you hungry?” Iroh asked Chiara.

She nodded again. They went to the dining room where Iroh sat with Lu Ten and Chiara, and
they ate dinner together.

“It's good to be home again with family,” said Iroh.

“How's grandfather doing?” asked Lu Ten.

“He's doing well. He was a bit moody at first—something about his lunch being late, but he
warmed up after a while.”

They continued talking, and when they were finished eating Iroh stood up.
“I'll have my tea in the garden,” he said to Ezih who nodded.

“I'm going to practice some katas, Dad,” said Lu Ten. “I'll join you for tea afterwards.”

Iroh nodded. Meanwhile, Chiara had begun helping another servant collect the dishes on the
table.

“General,” said Ezih softly to Iroh before he walked out of the room.

Iroh turned back and Ezih nodded towards Chiara who was busy helping the servant. Iroh
smiled.

“Chiara,” he called. She looked at him. “Would you like to visit the garden?”

She nodded, but before walking towards him, she finished helping the servant.

The garden was enormous with beautiful flowering and fruiting trees and many different
types of flowering plants everywhere, including in several raised beds. Iroh was amazed at
how Chiara carefully studied everything around her. She looked at each type of flower and
tenderly touched them; she watched the insects buzzing around and sometimes followed them
observing everything they did; and she carefully watched the birds that flew in and out of the
garden.

The next day, Iroh took her with him next door when he went to visit his brother Ozai and his
family.

“I heard you were returning, Prince Iroh,” Ursa greeted him with a bow. “It's good to see you
again.”

“And you as well, Princess Ursa.”

She looked down at Chiara. “Who's this?”

“This is Chiara,” he said. He knelt down next to her. “This is your Aunt Ursa.”

Chiara bowed to her making Ursa smile, and she returned an equally graceful bow.

“I thought she would enjoy spending time with someone close to her own age,” said Iroh.

“Zuko's in the garden. He'll be so excited to see you.” She turned to a servant. “We'll have tea
on the terrace.

The servant nodded and disappeared while Iroh and Chiara followed Ursa towards the
garden.

“How's my little niece doing?” he asked.

Ursa smiled. “She's so active, and quite talented with her firebending.”
“Yes, I read your letter. Such control at such a young age...even Lu Ten was not so skilled. It's
very impressive. Ozai must be very proud.”

“He is, of course. He's sure she's a prodigy.”

When they arrived in the garden, Iroh quietly observed Zuko who was practicing with
wooden swords.

“Zuko,” called Ursa, “your Uncle Iroh has returned.”

“Uncle!” he said.

He ran up to Iroh who took him up in his arms and hugged him.

“You are getting bigger every time I see you,” said Iroh as he set him down. “Soon you'll be
as big as Lu Ten.”

“But by then, Lu Ten will be even bigger and I'll still be smaller than him.”

Iroh chuckled. “Don't worry, Nephew. You'll catch up to him one day.”

“Who's this?” asked Zuko when he spotted Chiara.

“She's your new cousin,” he said. “Her name is Chiara.”

“I'm Zuko,” he said to her.

She bowed to him, and he bowed back.

“She's quite shy,” Iroh whispered to his nephew.

“Would you like to see the pond?” Zuko asked her.

She looked up at Iroh who smiled at her and nodded. “You may go.”

Zuko led her to the pond while Ursa and Iroh sat at a small table in the shade on the terrace
where a servant set a tray before them, bowed, and left.

“Aunt Ursa?” she said as she poured their tea.

“She lost her family,” said Iroh sadly.

Ursa could see the sorrow in his eyes. “You feel responsible?”

“I am responsible,” he said softly. “If I had given clearer instructions...or arrived sooner...”
He did not finish his thought. “When I saw her...I could not resist rescuing her. She was so
young, I imagined that could be my nephew.”

“She's a beautiful child,” she said as they watched the kids in the garden.
“And sadly, she has seen ugly things no child should ever see. Even some of our soldiers
have not seen such bloodshed.”

Ursa felt heartbroken as she sympathized with the young girl.

Meanwhile, Zuko was taking Chiara to the small pond in the garden.

“Have you ever seen turtle ducks?” he asked.

She nodded. He picked up half a loaf of bread from a nearby bench, and they walked to the
edge of the pond where he broke off pieces of the loaf tossing them into the water. The
anxious little turtle ducks hastily swam over nibbling at the crumbs.

“Here,” he said as he held out the bread. “You try.”

She tore a small piece off the loaf and tossed it in the water. She smiled as the turtle ducks
raced towards it. She bent down closer and held her hand out with crumbs on it holding very
still, and she softly giggled as they ate from her palm. Zuko knelt next to her and did the
same. When they went through all the bread they stood up.

“Do you want to see my swords?” he asked her.

She nodded, so he took her to where he had been practicing.

“These are just wooden ones for practice,” he said picking them up to show them to her. “But
someday I'll have a real ones.”

He held one out to her and she took it. He quickly, but gently, grabbed her other hand, his
eyes gazing into hers. He looked closer.

“Your eyes are green,” he said. “I never saw green eyes before.”

“Yours are fire,” she said softly.

He laughed. “That's because I'm a firebender,” he said playfully as he imitated firebending

moves. “Are you a firebender?” he asked her.

She shook her head.

“Have you ever tried?”

She thought about how she imitated Iroh when he built a fire. “With the General.”

“You mean Uncle?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Try this,” he said.

He set his wooden sword down and stood in position before starting a basic move in which
he produced a small flame. Chiara set her wooden sword down too in order to follow his
directions.

“Stand like this,” he directed her.

She imitated him and perfectly mimicked his movements, but she produced no fire.

Iroh and Ursa were softly laughing as they watched them.

“It's good to see her talk,” he said to Ursa. “She's spoken so little since I found her.”

While Zuko continued teaching her firebending, Iroh left for a short time to speak to Ozai.
When he later returned to the garden, the young prince was showing her what he knew of
sword fighting.

“One day, I'll study with a master,” he said. “For now, though, Lu Ten's been helping me.”

Iroh studied them for a short time before walking over to them. He began directing Chiara in
her stance, and then he helped Zuko, and he continued instructing them as they dueled.

After playing with the kids for a while, Iroh stood up.

“It's time to go, Chiara,” he said.

She set the sword down.

“Oh, does she have to, Uncle?” asked Zuko. “We're having fun.”

“Yes, we must get home, Zuko, but she will be right next door; you'll see her again,” he
assured him.

Chiara bowed towards the little prince. “Thank you.”

He bowed back. “Bye, Chiara.”

The following day, Iroh was in his study when Ezih appeared in the doorway.

“General, Lady Ursa is here to see you.”

Iroh looked up from the letter he was writing. “Send her in.”

Ezih bowed, and a few minutes later, Ursa entered the room.

“Princess Ursa, what brings you here?” asked Iroh as he stood up.

“Zuko hasn't stopped asking for Chiara all morning. Do you think she'd like to come next
door for a while?”

“We can find out. She's out in the garden.”

He escorted her to the garden where they saw the young girl walking through the flowers.

“Chiara,” called Iroh.

She ran up to him.

“Lady Chiara,” said Ursa, “would you like to come next door and spend time with Zuko?”

Her eyes lit up, but she said nothing and looked at Iroh as if asking permission.

He smiled. “You may go if you like.”

Chiara nodded her assent to Ursa who smiled and held out her hand which she took.

“I'll have her home for dinner, Prince Iroh,” Ursa said to him as she led her out the door.
“Maybe Zuko will calm down for a while.”

Iroh laughed. “Have a good time, Chiara,” he said.

When Ursa arrived home, Zuko ran out anxious to play with her.

“Chiara!” he said excitedly.

The nanny was following him carrying little Azula in her arms.

“He's been quite a handful since you left, my Lady,” said the nanny as she set Azula on the
floor.

Ursa smiled at her. “With someone close in age now, he may calm down some.”

Chiara tenderly caressed Azula's head as the toddler walked over to her.

“This is my sister, Azula,” said Zuko.

“Zuzu!” said Azula pointing at him.

“She just turned three,” he told Chiara. “Azula, this is Chiara.”

“Chara!” said Azula happily.

Chiara smiled at her. “Hi, Azula,” she spoke softly.

“Come on, we can play in the garden,” said Zuko.

He gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her along leading her outside.

“What happened to your arm?” he asked her when he noticed the bandage that had been
covered by her sleeve the day before.

“I got cut.”
“By what?”

“I think a knife. It was dark; I couldn't see.”

He carefully lifted her hand while intently looking at her skin. “Your skin is dark,” he said as
he tenderly ran his fingers over her hand and arm.

His pale skin contrasted greatly against hers. His golden eyes were drawn to her hair which
fell in long locks down past her waist. He lifted one of the curls and closely inspected it.
Turning it his eyes seemed to grow brighter as he enjoyed the way the sunlight reflected in
each curve.

“Your hair looks like obsidian,” he said.

He smiled at the way it coiled up after he pulled it straight. He let it fall and looked in her
green eyes.

“Do you want to feed the turtle ducks?”

She nodded and followed him to the pond. Afterwards, they explored the garden searching
for wildlife. After identifying as many insects and birds as they could find, they practiced
archery, a skill at which Chiara was already adept despite her young age. Finally, they
practiced fighting with wooden swords which was Zuko's favorite past time.

Ursa had been sitting in the shade entertaining Azula while keeping an eye on the kids. It was
during their swordplay that Ozai walked out and sat with her under the tree. He was not
thrilled to see his son wasting his time playing with a non-bender's toy, but the new addition
peaked his interest.

“Who's that?” he asked Ursa.

“Iroh's little girl, Chiara.”

He glared at the girl taking in her dark skin. “When did he get that?”

“He brought her home with him,” she answered.

He huffed. “Why?”

“She lost her family, so he took her in.”

The gentleness in her tone made him cringe. “So the Crown Prince has stooped to taking in
refugees?” he said disgustedly.

“She's really precious,” said Ursa. “And Zuko adores her.”

He frowned at the thought. “He really shouldn't get too attached to the peasant. It's clear she
isn't from the Fire Nation.”
Knowing Ozai's hatred for other Nations, she said nothing. They continued watching as the
two battled with their wooden swords.

“Zuko,” called Ozai, “use a fire blast.”

“Ozai,” said Ursa reprovingly.

“But, Father, she's not a firebender,” said Zuko.

“That'll teach her not to fight against firebenders,” said Ozai.

“Zuko, do not firebend at her,” said Ursa. “Ozai, I can't send her back to your brother with
burns.”

“That'll teach him not to bring home useless little urchins and then dump them on us,” he
growled.

“I brought her over today. Zuko was asking all morning. He has someone close to his own
age to play with now, and she seems to enjoy the same things he does.”

As they watched the kids Ozai grew more and more displeased with the situation.

“This is how he tries to compete with me,” he spat. “He can't have anymore children, so he
just brings home strays. I hope he doesn't think that thing is going to have a claim to the
throne.”

“I'm sure that wasn't his intention. She's a sweet little girl. Zuko, Chiara,” she called. “Come
here.”

They set down their swords before running over to Ursa and standing before her.

“Chiara, this is your Uncle Ozai,” she said.

Chiara bowed to him respectfully.

“I am not your uncle. You will address me as Prince Ozai,” he said to her.

“Yes, Prince Ozai,” she said softly but politely.

“Where are you from, child?” he asked.

“I don't know, sir,” she answered honestly.

“You don't know where you come from?”

“No, sir.”

“Where did Iroh find you?” he demanded.

“The General found me with my mother.”

 “Your mother? Where is she?”

“She's dead, sir.” Tears formed in her eyes.

His heart was void of sympathy. “Who killed her?” he asked.

“I didn't see.”

Ozai was curious as to where she came from, but he found it to be futile getting any
information out of her.

“Can Chiara come to Ember Island with us?” asked Zuko.

“Uncle Iroh and Lu Ten will both be there,” said Ursa. “I'm sure he'll bring Chiara too.”

“Can we go play?” he asked.

“Yes,” said Ursa. “You may go.”

Chiara bowed to Ozai and Ursa before following Zuko back to their sparring spot where they
continued battling with swords.

“Not a very bright child, is she?” said Ozai.

Ursa looked at him wondering if anything could touch his heart. “Iroh said she's seen
bloodshed no child should ever see.”

“Then Iroh should've left her with her dead mother,” he said coldly.

He stood up and walked off.

Chapter End Notes

Years ago, the first version I wrote had Iroh leave Chiara in the Earth Kingdom village
after he found her. They would meet up again years later after Crossroads of Destiny
after she had been raised by an Earth Kingdom family. I extended the time between
Crossroads of Destiny and Day of Black Sun and altered the ATLA storyline a bit more
in order to accommodate my story. This version will do the same, but the biggest
difference is now Chiara grows up with Iroh and Zuko and is involved in most of their
adventures.
 Life in the Fire Nation
Chapter Summary

This chapter and the next are basically made up of different short stories that take place
over the next few years. I would love to elaborate more and offer more scenes of their
childhood, but for now this is all I've been able to get down.

Chapter Notes

Disclaimer: I own nothing in the world of ATLA.

Chiara settled into her new life in Iroh's home, though the first few weeks she struggled with
vivid nightmares involving her mother, blood, and fire. She dealt with her trauma by
immersing herself in learning everything she could and always keeping busy.

Early one morning after a particularly vivid nightmare and unable to get back to sleep, she
wandered about the house trying to take her mind off her dream. Hearing the servants in the
kitchen she entered to see them busily working preparing the meals for the day.

Tai, the head chief, was startled when he spotted their young guest, and seeing how small and
young she was, he understood why Iroh could not resist bringing her home.

“You must be Lady Chiara,” he smiled.

She nodded. “Yes, sir,” she said softly.

“The sun isn't even up yet, little one. Are you hungry already?”

She shook her head. “No, sir.”

“Can't sleep?”

She shook her head again.

The other servants in the kitchen were taking quick, curious glances at her as they worked.

“May I help?” she asked Tai.

He looked surprised. “I'm not sure Prince Iroh wants you working in the kitchen. Besides,
what would you want to do in here?”
She looked around before pointing at the carrot yams.

“Those need to be peeled,” he said.

She nodded her head, and he raised his eyebrows when he saw her pick up a knife and
carefully peel one of them. He smiled as he watched her.

“Just be careful. The last thing I want is to be gutted by that knife if the prince finds out you
were hurt because I let you work.”

She nodded again.

Before breakfast, Iroh was surprised to learn she had been helping in the kitchen so early in
the morning. He knew she had been struggling with nightmares, and he suspected it was her
way of coping with her trauma, so he did not restrict her from laboring with the servants. She
did not limit herself to the kitchen, though, and it soon became apparent how helpful she was
as she could often be found aiding everyone in the house no matter how menial the labor.

Everyday, Iroh, Lu Ten, and Chiara ate their meals together and engaged in various activities
together as well when Iroh was not busy with his princely or military duties at the palace.
Zuko spent a great deal of time at Iroh's as he and Lu Ten practiced firebending, and Chiara
always joined in learning the moves of the firebenders despite not being one. After
firebending practice, Zuko and Chiara always battled with swords taking advice from Lu Ten
and taking turns sparring against him as well.

It was a couple weeks after Iroh's return to the Fire Nation that Fire Lord Azulon had a royal
ball. The royal family, the nobles, and high ranking officers that were not deployed, as well
as their families, were in attendance. Iroh and Lu Ten looked regal in their princely clothing,
the elder wearing the headpiece marking him as Crown Prince. Chiara was by his side
dressed like a member of the royal family. Azula, Zuko, and Chiara were the youngest to be
present, but for the noble families only those over the age of twelve were allowed to attend,
and there were quite a few. With Azulon growing older, many suspected Iroh would soon
take his place as Fire Lord making Lu Ten the Crown Prince, and many parents were anxious
to show off their teenage daughters hoping they might catch the eye of the young man.

Iroh entered the enormous ballroom lit up by large braziers running the perimeter and torches
along the wall. Lu Ten was on his right and Chiara on his left, and they approached the high
seat where Fire Lord Azulon sat. He sat stiffly, the top of his long gray hair pulled into a
topknot supporting the flaming golden headpiece of the Fire Lord. He had a stern expression
as he looked out over the room, but his yellow eyes seemed to soften as they fell upon his son
who stood before him. Iroh genuflected on his left knee while Lu Ten and Chiara imitated
him.

“Fire Lord,” Iroh greeted Azulon.

“Prince Iroh.”

“Fire Lord,” greeted Lu Ten.

“Prince Lu Ten,” he greeted back. He motioned them to stand. “You may rise.”

Iroh and Lu Ten stood up as Chiara followed their lead. Azulon's eyes were drawn to the little
girl standing close to his son.

“And this is your young ward I heard about?” he said to Iroh.

“Yes, Father. This is Lady Chiara.” Iroh looked down at Chiara. “Lady Chiara, this is Fire
Lord Azulon.”

She bowed and greeted him, “Fire Lord Azulon, I'm honored.”

Azulon gave her a warm smile that was rare for the elderly Fire Lord outside of his family.
“Prince Iroh has made quite a princess of you.”

After greeting the Fire Lord, Iroh took his seat on Azulon's right with Lu Ten and Chiara next
to him. After Ozai greeted his father, he and his family sat on Azulon's left.

Typically, the ball would open with a dance by the Fire Lord and Fire Lady. When Azulon's
wife, Ilah, passed away, the honor fell to Crown Prince Iroh and his wife, Princess Mina. In
recent years, though, it was Prince Ozai and Princess Ursa who would start the dance.

As couples joined them on the floor, Lu Ten stood up and held his hand out to Chiara. Her
eyes moved from his hand to his soft amber eyes.

“Lady Chiara, may I have this dance?”

She hesitated briefly before taking it. Lu Ten led her to the floor where he bowed to her, and
she responded with a graceful curtsy just as Amiku taught her. He leaned down to take her
hands and danced with her to the entertainment of everybody present who enjoyed watching
the young prince dance with the little girl. Several of the nobles' daughters glanced longingly
at the handsome young teenager, their hearts stirring over his gentle demeanor with a child,
and more than a few had hopes of being his future chosen princess and mother to his
children. Iroh joyfully laughed as he watched his son dancing with Chiara who was so much
smaller than him, and it warmed his heart to see her smiling and enjoying herself. When they
finished their dance he took her back to the table.

“She's quite graceful, Father,” said Lu Ten. “Before long, there'll be many nobles wanting to
dance with her.”

Iroh laughed. “And you as well, Son. There were quite a few fair eyes following you on the
dance floor.”

Lu Ten was about to return to the floor when Zuko called on him. After their short exchange,
Lu Ten took turns dancing with a few of the young girls while Zuko approached Chiara.

“Um...” He tried to remember what Lu Ten told him. “...may I have this dance...Lady
Chiara?” he asked her nervously.

She looked up at Iroh who was chuckling to himself. “May I, General?” she asked softly.
He smiled at them. “Already boys are lining up to dance with you. You may.”

Zuko took her hand and led her out to the floor where they danced, again to the entertainment
of those present as they watched the little ones keep up with the adults.

As the night wore on, the fire wine relaxed everyone's moods, even the old Fire Lord. Azulon
leaned towards Iroh.

“It seems there are several prospective young women out there eyeing the brave general.”

Iroh chuckled. “I doubt anyone would want this old general,” he said.

“Old? Then what would you call me?”

“Ancient?” Iroh joked.

Azulon was laughing. “Wait 'til your hair is gray, Son. Then you can call yourself old. For
now you're still young enough to attract a fair maiden.”

“I love the fair maidens too much to punish them like that, Father.”

Azulon chuckled taking another sip of wine. “It wouldn't hurt for you to dance with one or
two.”

Iroh looked at him. “You know, Father, you're right. I think I will dance with one of the fair
maidens.”

He stood up and turned to Chiara. “Lady Chiara, may I have this dance?”

She put her hand in his allowing him to lead her to the floor where he bowed to her and she
curtsied. Azulon softly laughed as he watched them dancing. He suspected Iroh's decision to
take in the young orphan was to fulfill that longing he and his wife had for more children
before her untimely death.

After Iroh and Chiara's dance, Zuko took another turn with her. Little Azula had become
restless by now with sitting still and watching everyone moving around, and she managed to
squirm away from her nanny who might have sneaked a sip or two of the fire wine. The
youngest of the family ran out to Zuko and Chiara on the dance floor. Chiara softly laughed
and took her hand allowing her to dance with them.

When the time came for the trip to Ember Island, the two families boarded a vessel and set
sail. Zuko stood with Chiara at the railing on the bow.

“You're going to like Ember Island,” he told her as they were looking out over the sea. “We
can play at the beach in the water.”

“I enjoy the water.” She smiled as she watched the sea part as the ship sailed forward.
When they arrived on the island, they all stayed in the family beach house. During their
vacation, Iroh spent as much time with the kids as he could knowing it would not be long
before he was sent on another military mission. He often practiced firebending with Lu Ten
and Zuko at the beach. Chiara enjoyed watching them firebend, and she joined in imitating
them just as she did at their home in the Caldera. They spent the week playing in the water,
building sand castles, and practicing with their wooden swords, and one evening Ursa took
them all to the theater to watch the latest play performed by the Ember Island Players. Ozai
was the only one who never joined in the outdoor activities feeling that such recreation was
frivolous and a waste of time.

Zuko and Chiara enjoyed their time on the island since they could spend more time together
than when they were at home, though Chiara still helped the servants around the beach house.
She often served Iroh his tea, which surprised Ozai and Ursa, and they were amazed at how
much she looked up to him. But they were also impressed that she was always ready to serve
everyone when she thought they might be hungry or thirsty.

Their vacation felt like the blink of an eye, and soon they returned to their homes and duties.
Iroh continued spending most of his down time with Lu Ten and Chiara. One day at his estate
he and Lu Ten were practicing with wooden swords outside while Chiara was watching them.
During a break in their training, Iroh looked over at her.

“Come, Chiara, your turn.”

She walked over to him and he handed her the bokken. Lu Ten began the attack while Iroh
instructed her on defense.

“She's a natural, Dad.”

“I noticed she's quite comfortable with the sword,” he said not forgetting the sword next to
her mother's body. He would always regret not bringing it with him to give to her one day.

“You're going to have to send her to Piandao,” said Lu Ten.

Iroh nodded. “I'm sure he'll take her as a student.”

“He's just started training Zuko.”

Lu Ten often practiced with her, and both he and Iroh were thrilled with her fast growing
expertise in the art. Many times, Zuko would climb over the wall to spend time with them
when they were outside training, and she and Zuko practiced whenever they were together. It
was clear she already had basic training in archery, and Iroh remembered quite well the loss
of many Fire Nation soldiers to the archers of her village. He decided to have her trained in
all types of weaponry, including the bo staff and shurikens, and he wanted her to be able to
defend herself against firebenders.

Months had gone by, and Iroh planned for her to receive a formal education, but he did not
want her subjected to the typical Fire Nation curriculum. He wanted her to receive a well-
rounded education including an accurate history of the four Nations, so he provided a private
tutor, a personal friend of his, Akio, who was well-educated in all subjects, including Pai Sho.
She was also trained in the etiquette of the royal court. She attended the royal banquets
always sitting with Iroh and Lu Ten, and she was in attendance at other royal family
functions. Though she was not officially adopted by Iroh, she was treated as his own daughter
and as a member of the royal family.

There were many evenings when Iroh, Lu Ten, and Chiara would sit in the garden and play
music. Iroh most often played the tsungi horn, while Lu Ten and Chiara would alternate on
the pipa and erhu. Whenever Zuko heard them playing he would climb the wall and watch
them. Many times, Iroh would encourage him to join them giving him the tsungi horn so he
would be free to sing.

Sometimes, when Chiara was outside practicing on her instruments, Zuko would sit on the
other side of the wall and practice his tsungi horn. They enjoyed making music together and
often got playful with their instruments. Chiara would play a tune which Zuko would imitate
and expand on, and she would play it back with a new addition, and so on. Eventually one of
their playful tunes became a unique composition of their own, one they would play solo when
they were apart and thinking of the other. Some days when Zuko was busy practicing his
firebending lessons in the yard, Chiara would play the erhu or pipa outside to secretly
entertain him; and Zuko would do the same for her with the tsungi horn when she was busy
in the yard and unable to spend time with him.

When the time came for her to train with a sword master, she and Iroh set sail for one of the
Fire Nation islands where the village of Shu Jing was located. At the dock, a carriage took
them through the beautiful countryside and eventually to a large castle settled on a high cliff.
Iroh exited the carriage, followed by Chiara, and they stood before a large gate. As Iroh
knocked, Chiara looked up at the large Fire Nation symbol surrounded by a white lotus that
embellished the two doors. When the door opened, a man with large sideburns looking quite
bored greeted them.

“Prince Iroh,” he bowed respectfully.

“Ah, Fat, it's a pleasure to see you,” said Iroh jovially in contrast to the butler's pensiveness.
“I'm here to see the sword master.”

“Please come in,” said Fat unmoved by the prince's cheerfulness.

They followed him inside the castle.

“Wait here,” he said as he led them to a large, sitting room. “I'll let him know you're here.”

“Thank you,” said Iroh.

They made themselves comfortable on the plush pillows. A few minutes later, Fat returned.

“Prince Iroh, follow me.”

Iroh looked at Chiara. “You wait here.”

She nodded. Iroh stood up and followed Fat to another room.

When Iroh entered Piandao's office, the sword master stood up from behind his desk.

“Prince Iroh, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

“The pleasure is all mine,” said Iroh pleasantly, “as I'm here to request your services.”

“And what services are those?” he asked, but not without a slight hint of suspicion.

“I have a student for you.”

Piandao raised an eyebrow. “A student you say? You know I rarely accept students, even if it
is at the request of the Crown Prince.”

“I understand,” said Iroh. “I'll let you decide. After all, it's only a request.”

“Send him in then,” said Piandao.

Iroh exited the room and a minute later Chiara entered. Piandao was standing at the window
behind his desk gazing at the green mountains in the distance. When he heard the door close,
he turned around to study the potential student, but he was surprised to lay his eyes on such a
small, seemingly fragile young girl stepping towards him. He walked around his desk to
stand before her. She bowed and greeted him.

“Master Piandao, it's a great honor to meet you,” she said as reverently as she could. Having
learned his history, Chiara looked up to Piandao as a hero. She knelt down before him
bowing her head. “I am Chiara.”

Iroh returning with a young orphan girl was news that had spread through the nation. “You
are the child Prince Iroh brought to the Fire Nation?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Rise.”

She did as he ordered.

He considered her for a moment. “Tell me why you've come to me.”

“I wish to train under a great master in the art of swordsmanship.”

“And for what reason do you wish to be trained?” he asked.

“Knowledge, sir,” she answered. “I enjoy learning, and I want to learn as much as I can.”

Her voice was so young, and he wondered if Iroh had directed her in what to say.

“Do you believe yourself worthy of this training?”

“Only you can answer that, Master,” she said.

He was impressed by her humility.

“How much training have you had so far?”

“Only the basics and what the General and Prince Lu Ten have taught me, sir.”

He stood in silent thought.

“Go send in Prince Iroh.”

Chiara nodded and stood up to do as he requested, though she felt sad as she suspected he
was rejecting her.

“General,” she said softly when she entered the sitting room, “Master Piandao wishes to
speak to you.”

“Will he take you as a student?” he asked her.

“I don't know. He didn't say.”

He went to Piandao's office while Chiara remained in the sitting room.

“She's quite young,” said Piandao to Iroh when he entered.

“She can't be much younger than Zuko...who would enjoy a challenging opponent,” added
Iroh.

He wondered why the prince was so eager to have her learn the art. “Why do you want her
trained?”

“She shows quite a talent for the sword already. I believe she's a promising student.”

Piandao's gray eyes bore into Iroh's amber ones. “I suspect there's more to your request than
I'm being told. Why is it that you really want her trained?” he asked in a lower voice.

Iroh hesitated as he contemplated his answer. “She is a delicate water lily surrounded by a sea
of fire,” he said in a soft voice.

Understanding glinted in Piandao's eyes as they softened, and his lip curled ever so slightly.
He nodded. “I will teach her.”

“It is much appreciated.”

“Tea?” he offered.

“Oh, yes, please,” said Iroh happily.

“Fat,” called Piandao. Fat entered the room. “Bring the Lady Chiara in, and then bring some
tea.”
When he returned with Chiara, Piandao spent the next hour evaluating her to see her form
and learn what she knew.

“Do you have any preference for a weapon?” he finally asked her.

“Jian, sir, but I also enjoy the duel broadswords.”

Iroh laughed. “She spends a lot of time sparring with Zuko.”

Piandao smiled and nodded.

“Fat,” he called. “Take care of the Lady Chiara. Show her the grounds and offer her
refreshments.”

Fat bowed, as did Chiara before leaving the room with him.

“You were correct in your assessment,” Piandao said to Iroh. “She seems quite familiar with
the sword. You say she's been practicing often?”

“She and Lu Ten, and whenever she and Zuko are together, though I suspect she may have
had some basic training prior.”

“She'll travel here with Prince Zuko then?” asked Piandao.

“I'll leave it up to you when you choose to train her.”

“It'll be beneficial to have her train with him. I can use his firebending skills to assist in her
instruction.”

The prince chuckled. “He may be reluctant to firebend at her.”

“Once I've given her a few exercises to practice, it'll be helpful for you and Lu Ten to work
with her at home as well.”

“I understand. Amiku will also be traveling with her.”

Piandao nodded understanding the propriety for a young girl to have a chaperon among the
men.

“Do you have time for a game of Pai Sho?” he asked Iroh.

“Always.”

When Chiara began her formal sword training, she traveled with Zuko, and they would spend
one week a month at Piandao's castle in Shu Jing. Amiku would travel as her chaperon, and
they would be escorted by Imperial Firebenders who remained with them. In between their
sword training exercises and practice, Zuko and Chiara worked on their school lessons, and
Chiara would often help Fat in the kitchen and play Pai Sho with Piandao. During the rest of
the month back in the Caldera, they would practice the lessons Piandao taught them as often
as possible.

As time went on, Iroh was sent on short military missions, but Chiara was always glad to
have him back home again, and he always enjoyed being greeted by her and his son upon his
arrival.

One day, when Iroh and Lu Ten were both home, they were practicing with real swords in the
yard as Chiara watched. During one unintentionally aggressive move, Iroh inadvertently cut
Lu Ten's arm giving him a lengthy gash. Chiara felt nervous and ran to him to see his injury.

“Lu Ten, I'm sorry,” said Iroh looking over the wound. “I'll get a bandage.”

When he walked off, Chiara ran to the table where she picked up a cup of water before
running back to Lu Ten. Blood was running down his arm and falling into the grass, and the
sight of it brought tears to her eyes. She took his hand in hers.

“It'll be okay,” he tried to assure her. “It's not very deep.”

She poured the water over the cut washing away the blood. Pouring more water in her cupped
hand, she held it over the wound, and it began glowing. Lu Ten's eyes grew wide as he
watched the skin reseal itself inside the mysterious glowing water. He pulled his arm away
from her and began backing away. The water instantly stopped glowing and fell on the grass.
Iroh was approaching them carrying cloth and a bandage, and he was puzzled by the shocked
expression on Lu Ten's face.

“What is it, Son?” he asked.

He pointed at Chiara. “Where is she from, Father?”

Iroh looked at her. He hesitated, but then looked at Lu Ten and spoke, “A Water village that
was in the northwestern Earth Kingdom.”

“She's a waterbender.”

Iroh nodded his head.

“You knew?” asked Lu Ten, his eyes still wide.

“I did.”

Lu Ten's emotions were stuck between nervous and angry. “But...but we're at war with them.”

“We slaughtered her people,” said Iroh softly.

“How could you bring her here? She should've been destroyed with the rest of them,” he
blurted, out of shock and anger.
Iroh was taken aback by Lu Ten's harsh attitude before recognizing just how deeply the
hatred of the other Nations ran in the Fire Nation. He pulled out his knife and held it out to
his son as Chiara watched and listened to their conversation.

“If you believe she should be destroyed, Lu Ten, I will not stop you.”

Lu Ten was stunned as he looked at the knife and then at his father. He was sure his father
meant it, but as the idea sank in, he knew he could never take her life. Chiara stood watching
them understanding that they were arguing over her, but she said nothing. Lu Ten finally
turned and walked off. Iroh put the knife away, and then he gently caressed Chiara's head.

“Did I hurt Lu Ten?” she asked him.

“You did nothing wrong. He was not expecting your special gift.”

Tears filled her eyes again. “There was so much blood; I didn't want him to die. I wouldn't be
able to help him if he died.”

His heart melted at her words. He was sure she was reminded of her mother. He knelt down
in front of her.

“I know you meant well, but do you remember what I told you years ago? If others see what
you can do, they will hurt you.”

“I know, but it would be worth it to save Lu Ten.”

He was stunned as he realized how much she loved his son. He could not help but embrace
her.

“You have been a treasure to us, Chiara,” he said as he held her tightly.

When he released her, he tenderly caressed her head.

“But I must forbid you to use your gift without my permission. Do you understand?”

She nodded, and he stood up.

“Go clean up. Dinner will be ready soon.”

“Should I eat in the kitchen?” she asked.

He was puzzled. “Why would you eat in the kitchen?”

“If Lu Ten is mad at me, I should eat in the kitchen so he won't be upset.”

“You will eat with us at the table.”

Chiara went off to clean up while Iroh went inside to Lu Ten's room where he found him
pacing.

“Why would you bring a waterbender into our home?” he demanded when Iroh walked in.
Iroh gestured to the table, so Lu Ten knelt down on a cushion. Iroh made himself comfortable
across from him before folding his hands resting them on the table.

“Her tribe was needlessly attacked,” he answered in a calm, low voice. “On the captain's
orders the soldiers burned down the village and killed anyone who resisted. Everyone fought
back. I found Chiara with her dead mother's body. After sending the men back to camp, I
traveled with her for several days as I had planned on leaving her in the first village I came
to. When I was cleaning her up in the river, she healed one of my wounds. That's when I
discovered her ability. When we arrived at an Earth village, I walked her up to one of the
houses and left her at the door with a note. But...” He slowly shook his head. “...I couldn't do
it.”

“I still can't believe you would bring her here,” his son argued.

“Lu Ten, she's been living with us for two years. She looks up to you like a big brother. She
even offered to eat in the kitchen tonight because she's worried it will upset you if she eats at
the table.”

Lu Ten was surprised.

“My offer still stands, Son,” said Iroh. “If you wish to get rid of her, I won't stop you.”

“Then you don't care about her?” asked Lu Ten, still stunned by Iroh's offer.

“I do, more than I ever thought I could,” he said softly.

Lu Ten could hear the paternal love his father had for Chiara expressed in the gentle tone of
his voice, and he could see it in the softness of his amber eyes as he spoke of her.

“But you are my son and you come first,” said Iroh.

Lu Ten sat silent in thought.

“Does anyone else know?” he finally asked his father.

“No.”

“What about Zuko? She spends a lot of time with him.”

“I instructed her to tell no one,” said Iroh. “I don't believe she has.”

“But she just showed me.”

“She thought there was too much blood and she was afraid you were going to die.”

Lu Ten could not help feeling touched by Chiara's concern for him.

“I imagine the blood reminded her of her mother whose throat had been cut open,” said Iroh.

A guilty feeling suddenly welled up inside the younger prince.

Iroh motioned for his arm. He held it out across the table so his father could inspect the
former wound. The skin had closed, but it was not healed completely leaving what looked
like a scratch on his arm.

“You should've let her finish healing it,” he said. “It's quite an amazing gift.”

His son just shrugged still overwhelmed by the discovery.

“Are there any other questions?” Iroh asked him.

He shook his head, so Iroh stood up.

“Dinner will be served soon,” he said before leaving.

Lu Ten remained in his room until he was called for dinner. He opened his bedroom door to
find a bouquet of flowers on the floor in the hall. He knew it was from Chiara. He picked it
up and put it in his room.

The three of them ate at the table together, and although Iroh was casually conversing with
them as usual, Lu Ten and Chiara said very little except to respond as necessary.

The next day Chiara and Zuko were practicing with their swords in the yard when Lu Ten
came out to practice with them. After Zuko was called back home, Chiara walked up to Lu
Ten.

“Lu Ten, I'm sorry if I hurt you yesterday,” she said softly.

He looked at her and regretted acting cold towards her, so he knelt down and hugged her.

“You didn't hurt me. It...it just took me by surprise. And I don't want anyone to hurt you,” he
said softly.

“The General said not to do it without his permission.”

He smiled at her. “We have to keep it a secret just between the three of us,” he whispered.
 Growing Friendship
Chapter Summary

More short scenes thrown together.

Chapter Notes

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the world of ATLA.

Soon, Lu Ten graduated from the academy and joined the army as he had always planned,
and both he and Iroh were gone for brief periods of time. Though Chiara still kept busy with
the household, she spent even more time with Zuko. Azula, who used to join them often,
started growing a bit distant from them as she got older. The more Ozai pushed her as a
prodigy, the colder she became to those around her.

As they often did, Zuko and Chiara were practicing with their wooden swords. Azula, in a
bored mood, stepped out in the garden and watched them for a few minutes.

“Can't you guys do anything else?” she asked.

“We're supposed to practice,” said Zuko.

Azula huffed. “You're always practicing.”

“It's how we perfect our techniques,” said Chiara nearly “slicing” Zuko's right side before he
blocked her.

The princess rolled her eyes. “Well, Dad says you're too old to play with your toys.”

“They're not toys, Azula.” Zuko sounded offended and lunged a little more forcefully than
usual, but Chiara managed to parry his attack.

“I guess with the way you firebend you'll need to use a non-bender toy,” she said arrogantly.

Zuko tried to ignore her insult and focus on his battle as Chiara brought her bokken down
forcing him to quickly block it.

“Come on, Zuzu, you're going to let a stupid Earth girl beat you?”
Chiara lightened up on her fighting without trying to look like she had done so. It allowed
Zuko to get the upper hand and win the fight with a fatal swing to her neck.

“This is boring,” said Azula. “Let's play a game.”

“What do you want to play?” asked Zuko as he and Chiara set their bokkens down.

“Let's play Battle of the Nations,” she said.

“That sounds stupid, Azula,” said Zuko.

“Come on. I'll even let you be fire. Chiara can be Earth.”

“We don't even know how to play your stupid game,” he said.

“It's easy. Since you're Earth, Chiara, you can earthbend at Zuko and he can fight with fire.”

“I can't earthbend,” said Chiara.

“Sure you can,” said Azula.

She picked up a few rocks and threw one at Zuko who was not expecting it, and she hit him
on his arm. Chiara immediately stepped over to him.

“Ow! That hurt, Azula!” he said.

“Azula,” said Chiara, “don't throw rocks at him.”

“Then you should've used your earthbending to keep it from hitting him.”

While Chiara looked at Zuko's arm, Azula quickly threw a rock at her hitting her on her
cheekbone.

“Azula!!” yelled Zuko. He moved Chiara's hand to look at her face. Seeing her blood
infuriated him. “You're bleeding.”

“I'm fine,” she said, though it stung.

Zuko looked back at Azula. “You're going to pay for that!”

He moved towards her, but Chiara held him back.

“Don't,” she said not wanting him to fight with his sister because of her. “I'm okay.”

“But what she did to you is not okay,” he insisted.

“I'm just trying to prove she's an earthbender,” said Azula innocently.

“It wouldn't matter if she was,” said Zuko, his voice full of anger. “You still don't throw rocks
at her! You could've hit her in the eye.” He looked at Chiara. “Come on. Let's go find
something else to do.”
He pulled her away from Azula.

“Fine,” said Azula looking annoyed. “Go play with your peasant girlfriend,” she spat.

Zuko picked up a pitcher of water nearby.

“Azula,” he called.

When she turned towards him he threw the water at her.

“I decided to be a waterbender in your game,” he said.

Her mouth dropped open at his attack on her, and she was enraged, her hair and clothes
soaked. “Mom!!” she cried.

“You tell Mom, I'll tell her what you did to Chiara.”

Azula stomped off dripping water.

“Come on,” he said to Chiara.

Before they made it to the pond they heard Ursa calling Chiara.

“I'll be back,” she said to him.

She ran to Ursa who was at the steps with a wet Azula.

“Chiara...” Ursa saw the blood and bruise on her cheek. “...you're bleeding. What happened
to your face?”

Chiara wiped some of the blood away. “It'll be okay.”

She sent a servant to get a clean cloth and water.

“Chiara, why did you throw water at Azula?”

Chiara was shocked.

“But I didn't, Aunt Ursa...,” she started.

“Azula said you did.”

“I wouldn't do that...”

“Are you calling me a liar?” snapped Azula.

Ursa placed her hand on Azula's shoulder. “If you didn't do it, then who did?” she asked
Chiara.

Chiara hesitated because she did not want to get Zuko in trouble.
“Chiara, I asked you who threw the water at Azula. If you're telling me the truth, then tell me
who did it.”

“...please don't make me say,” she said.

“Just admit you did it then,” said Azula in a snobbish tone.

“I won't lie,” said Chiara.

“Then tell me the truth,” said Ursa. “Who threw the water?”

“I'll take the punishment,” she said. “You can punish me for it.”

Ursa was stunned, and she suspected she might be protecting Zuko. “I don't want to punish
you if you're telling the truth.”

Zuko ran over to them wondering what was taking Chiara so long.

“Zuko,” said Ursa, “did you see Chiara throw water at your sister?”

“What?! She didn't do it. I did,” he admitted.

“Why would you do that?”

“Azula threw a rock at her. Look at her face.”

“Oh, Chiara...,” said Ursa sympathetically.

“And she hit me on the arm...,” said Zuko showing the small bruise forming on his pale skin.

“Azula, why did you do this?” asked Ursa as she was looking over Chiara's face.

“Those were accidents,” said Azula. “We were playing a game, and she knew she was
supposed to earthbend. She let herself get hit,” she said, passing the blame.

“And why did you tell me Chiara threw water at you?”

“It happened so fast it looked like she did it,” she said innocently.

Zuko rolled his eyes knowing she was lying.

Ursa started cleaning the blood from Chiara's cheek. “I think it's time for her to go home.”

“But, Mom...,” whined Zuko.

“For her own safety,” she said sternly. “And Azula, you need to apologize.”

“Then Zuko needs to apologize for throwing water at me,” she demanded.

“Young lady, being hit with water is very different than being hit with a rock,” Ursa chided
her. “I want to hear an apology for this now.”
Azula huffed. “Fine. I'm sorry,” she said, her tone anything but apologetic.

After Chiara left, Azula laughed at Zuko. “Ha, Mom made your girlfriend leave.”

“Shut up, Azula. You did that on purpose.”

“She was going to let Mom punish her.”

He looked puzzled. “What are you talking about?”

“She wouldn't tell Mom you threw the water. She told Mom to punish her for it because she's
a stupid peasant.”

“Stop calling her that,” he snapped at her.

“But it's true. One day you're going to find out she's an earthbender.”

He started walking away from her.

“How will you like your girlfriend then?” she called after him.

“Better than you,” he said in a low voice.

That evening, Chiara was sitting at the table for dinner when Iroh and Lu Ten sat down with
her. Servants began setting plates of food before them.

“What happened to your face?” Iroh asked her as he lifted her chin and looked at the cut and
bruise on her cheekbone.

“We were playing a game next door, and I couldn't earthbend a rock from hitting my face.”

“And how did the rock take flight?” he asked.

“Azula insists I'm an earthbender.”

“She threw a rock at you?” asked Lu Ten.

“She was trying to get me to earthbend.”

“You may not be able to earthbend,” said Iroh, “but you could've moved out of the way.”

“I was distracted. She had already hit Zuko's arm and I was making sure he was okay.”

He was always impressed by her caring nature.

“Did you throw it back at her?” asked Lu Ten hoping she got revenge.
“No.”

“You should've.”

“I wouldn't do that,” she said. “But Zuko pretended to be a waterbender and threw water on
her.”

Iroh and Lu Ten laughed.

“Good for him,” said Lu Ten.

“And good for you for your self-control,” said Iroh.

“She needs to be put in her place once in a while,” said Lu Ten. “Her behavior's been getting
out of control lately.”

“I don't want to get Zuko in trouble,” said Chiara. “And I don't want to be banned from
playing with him.”

“Yeah, I bet Uncle Ozai would love that. He probably encourages her,” he added.”

“I agree,” said Iroh. “But it's not for us to interfere with another's parenting.”

Chiara looked at Lu Ten who just rolled his eyes disgusted by Ozai's “parenting.”

One afternoon, Chiara was in the yard practicing with her shurikens throwing them at the
archery target. Suddenly, she heard Ozai yelling from next door as she threw the last one in
her hand.

“Your form is all wrong!” he yelled. “Look at your sister. Her form is excellent giving her
perfect control over her bending! Try it again!”

Chiara walked down to the target and started pulling out the shurikens. Seeing she only had
seven she looked around the ground for the eighth one. She finally spotted it embedded in a
tree a short distance away having completely missed the target. She pulled it out of the trunk
with some effort before returning to her throwing spot feeling frustrated over Ozai's cruelty.
She took aim at the target, and just as she was throwing her blade she heard Zuko gasp.

“Did you even hit the target?” asked Lu Ten who had just walked up behind her.

She looked up at him and then looked down at the target not seeing the weapon she just
threw.

“Why are you so off today?” he asked her.

“Leave it alone! If you were a prodigy like your sister, you wouldn't have deserved that!”

Lu Ten's shoulders sank as he heard Ozai yelling. “Oh,” he said softly.

“Why does Prince Ozai have to be so cruel to him?” she whispered.

“I don't know,” he said. “I'm so glad Dad isn't like that.”

It broke her heart to hear Ozai punish him and rebuke him so harshly. “Poor Zuko. I want to
help him so much.”

“Me too.”

“I'm trying, Father,” said Zuko.

“If you were trying you wouldn't be such a failure!”

Lu Ten and Chiara both winced.

“We should go inside,” he said not wanting to listen to Ozai anymore.

Chiara ran down towards the target and quickly looked around for her shuriken, this time
finding it lying on the ground beyond the tree. After going inside, she went to her room
where she grabbed her erhu and returned back outside to sit near the wall between the two
yards.

“Do it again!” demanded Ozai angrily. “You'll keep practicing 'til you get it right.”

Chiara began playing a solo of a duet she and Zuko had composed. She heard Ozai huff, and
she could imagine a burst of fire coming from his mouth, but she could care less; she
continued playing. She tried concentrating on her music trying to make it as relaxing as
possible, but a part of her felt tense expecting Ozai to start yelling again. She played on, but
she no longer heard yelling from next door, but only the sound of Zuko practicing his fire
blasts.

“You still have yet to master it,” said Ozai, disappointment in his voice, though it was the
closest thing to a compliment that Zuko would receive from his father.

A few minutes later, Zuko jumped down next to her. She stopped playing as she looked up at
him.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Thanks for the music,” he said as he sat down next to her. “It actually helped
with that last set.”

She saw the mark on his arm. “You're burned!”

He looked down at it. “It's no big deal...”

She was already standing up and pulling him to his feet.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“You need salve on that.”

She took him to the kitchen where they kept the burn ointment and they sat down at a table
where she tenderly put some salve on his wound.

“Thanks,” he said softly.

She looked in his golden eyes. “I can't wait 'til we're at Master Piandao's in a few days.”

He smiled at her. “Me too.”

“I think you're a really good firebender,” she said sincerely.

“You're the only one.” His voice sounded sad.

“Lu Ten thinks you're good too, and so does the General.”

“I wish my father thought so.” He looked down.

She placed her hand on his. “Do you want some cookies?”

He perked up. “You have some?”

“No.” His disappointment showed in his expression. “But I'll make you some,” she smiled.

He softly laughed. “That sounds good.”

Once she gathered the ingredients on the table, she started mixing the dough.

Lu Ten walked into the kitchen just after she started baking the cookies. “Hey, lesson's over?”
he asked Zuko.

“Yes,” said Zuko deeply.

He sat down at the table with him. “Anything I can do to help?”

“Want to trade dads?”

“Couldn't help you with that if I wanted to.”

“I wish I could live over here with you guys,” said Zuko softly.

Lu Ten gave him a small smile and a reassuring pat on the back. Chiara placed small bowls of
cookie dough in front of them and sat down with them to eat while the rest of the cookies
were baking.

The years went by, and sometimes the families would vacation together on Ember Island.
Other times, Iroh would take Lu Ten and Chiara and they would stay there alone. After Lu
Ten learned of Chiara's ability, Iroh allowed her to practice waterbending when it was just the
three of them. Both were impressed by her abilities despite her having no formal training.
Sometimes, Iroh would instruct her using his knowledge of firebending which would often
improve her waterbending skills.

For over a year the Fire Nation had been making plans to lay siege to Ba Sing Se, and the
time arrived for them to put those plans into action. General Iroh was sent by Fire Lord
Azulon to the Earth Kingdom to lead the attack. He was gone for a year before Lu Ten was
sent to the front lines as well. He wrote to Lu Ten and Chiara regularly, and they always
responded, and Lu Ten and Chiara kept in touch also. With the men gone, Ursa often sent
Zuko next door to spend time with Chiara to keep her company. They always practiced with
weapons or played their instruments in the garden.

Chiara had always enjoyed the gardens on Iroh's estate, and she spent much of her free time
strolling through them. One day, on one of her walks she stopped to watch a cicada cricket
molt out of its old exoskeleton.

“Chiara.”

She peered around the tree to see Zuko looking over the wall separating their properties.

“I need a place to hide,” he said.

She ran to him as he jumped down, and taking his hand she led him towards a large bed of
flowers. They crouched down.

“Azula and her friends are chasing me,” he said.

“Zuko!” they heard Azula calling him from the other side of the wall.

Zuko and Chiara looked at each other and giggled.

“Thanks,” he whispered.

When Azula sounded farther away they crawled out and went to the far side of the garden.

“What happened?” she asked.

“She's trying to make me play with her stupid girlfriends,” he frowned.

“What do you want to do?”

He shrugged. “We can't practice or she might hear us.”

“Pai sho?”

“Anything's better than going back home,” he said.

Zuko stayed with Chiara for a few hours before climbing back over the wall.
A week later Chiara was practicing archery in the yard when Zuko appeared at the wall.

“Chiara, I need a place to hide,” he whispered.

She laid her bow down and ran to him as he jumped down. They heard Azula calling him.

“Come on,” she said.

Taking his hand she led him to the archery target.

“Stay behind the target.”

She went back to where her bow was and picked it up.

“Zuko!” Azula climbed up on the wall and looked around. “Earth tramp, have you seen
Zuzu?”

Zuko was feeling angry at Azula's insult, and he wanted to run out and yell at her for it, but
he held still.

“Yes,” answered Chiara to Zuko's surprise.

She took aim at the target, but kept a weak pull on the string.

“Well?” said Azula impatiently. “Where is he?”

“I saw him come home from school,” she answered speaking the truth.

Azula glared at her. “I meant now, stupid.”

She lowered her bow. “I don't see him now. He's probably inside with Aunt Ursa.”

“He's not with mother,” she said sounding frustrated with Chiara's answers.

Chiara looked up at her. “Did you check the pond?”

“Never mind, Earth tramp,” she snapped before disappearing behind the wall.

Chiara walked down to the target.

“Go hide behind the flower bed just in case she comes back,” she whispered.

Zuko did as she said, and Chiara continued practicing with her bow.

“Earth tramp,” said Azula at the wall again, “I can't find him. I know he sneaked over here.”

Chiara let her arrow fly and hit the target dead center.

“I'll look around for him then,” she said nonchalantly.

Azula rolled her eyes at Chiara's apparent indifference. “You tell that little sneak to get back
home.”

“If I see him I'll let him know.” She still sounded unconcerned which was infuriating to
Azula.

When the princess disappeared, Chiara ran over to the flower bed.

“You could be a Yuyan Archer,” he said admiring her skill with the bow.

She smiled at him. “You always say that.”

“It's true.”

“Well, I'm supposed to tell you that Azula said to get back home.”

He had heard the girls' conversation, and he looked down at the thought of returning home.

“So now that I've told you, do you want to go to the kitchen with me?” she asked.

His golden eyes lit up. “Yes.”

They went to the kitchen where Tai provided them treats, and then they helped the staff peel
vegetables. After spending the rest of the afternoon with Chiara, Zuko went back over the
wall when no one was looking.

Whenever Iroh was away at war, Ursa would often invite Lu Ten and Chiara to Ember Island
with her family. She made sure to always invite Chiara when Lu Ten was deployed as well
since it left the young girl alone, except for Iroh's servants.

One day on the beach, Zuko and Chiara battled with their bokkens as they often did. Ozai
was sitting outside near the beach house sipping his tea and watching their battle from a
distance. It irked him to see his son spend so much time with the non-bending foreigner, and
even more so that his wife encouraged it. That Azulon even allowed the little stray, who was
clearly not Fire Nation, to be treated like a member of the royal family just to spoil his first
born son's petty pity project made him think the Fire Lord was growing senile. He despised
how his own son indulged the peasant girl by devoting so much time to a non-bending
weapon when he considered the boy's firebending skills to be below average. The time he
spent on such a foolish activity could be time spent working on his substandard firebending.
He took one last sip of his tea before deciding to get closer to their action. Casually walking
down to the beach, he approached the two kids as they fought.

“Zuko,” he called, “send a fire blast at her.”

They immediately stopped their practice as the prince drew near.

“I don't want to hurt her, Father,” said Zuko.

“How else will she learn to defend herself from a firebender if you don't send fire at her?”
Zuko lifted up his bokken. “But these are only our practice swords.”

Ozai looked towards the house. “Azula,” he called.

Azula came running towards him as Ursa followed wondering what Ozai was up to as he
rarely went down to the beach anymore except to practice firebending.

“Yes, Father?” said his daughter.

“Show your brother how to send a fire blast towards an opponent,” he said.

“Don't do it, Azula,” said Zuko as he went to step towards her to prevent her from hurting
Chiara.

Ozai grabbed hold of Zuko to hold him back. He struggled to no avail as Azula drew back
and threw fire towards Chiara.

“No!” yelled Zuko.

To Ozai's complete surprise Chiara instantly parried it with her bokken, though it left it
scorched.

“Azula, don't firebend at Chiara!” scolded Ursa catching up to them.

“But Father told me to,” she said innocently.

Ursa gave Ozai an admonishing look.

“It's only to teach her how to defend herself against firebenders,” said Ozai justifying his
actions. “She got lucky that time. Again, Azula.”

“No...,” said Ursa.

It was too late as Azula sent fire again, but Chiara again blocked it further burning her
bokken.

“Enough,” said Ursa as she walked over to Chiara.

“It seems she might have already been instructed,” said Ozai. “Who's your teacher, child?”

“Master Piandao, Prince Ozai,” she answered.

“Another non-bender.” He shook his head.

“Go get ready,” Ursa instructed the kids. “We'll be leaving for the theater soon.”

They obeyed her order and ran up to the house.

“Ozai, she's just a child,” said Ursa. “You can't punish her for who she is.”
“I have nothing against her. It's my brother, the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation,” he added in
a scathing tone. “He never should've brought her here. She's better off with the servants than
fighting with swords.”

Ursa was disgusted by Ozai's attitude, so she turned and walked back to the house.

Later, she took the kids to see the Ember Island Players performing Love Amongst the
Dragons. It was a play they had seen often; however, they enjoyed it better when performed
at the theater in Capital City.

That afternoon when they returned to the beach house, Zuko, Azula, and Chiara went to play
down at the beach.

“We could do that play better than them,” said Zuko. “That was terrible.”

“Let's do the final battle scene,” said Azula. “You can be the Dark Water Spirit,” she said to
him.

“I'm always the Dark Water Spirit,” he moaned.

“'Wretched Water Spirit!'” emoted Azula ignoring his protest. “'Now that I've escaped your
curse and regained my true nature, you shall pay for your trickery!'”

Zuko rolled his eyes, but took his position. “'Have you learned nothing from your time
amongst the mortals? By threatening me, you invite your own doom!'”

They playfully fought one another as Azula jumped towards Zuko and they pretended to do
battle with the Dragon Emperor dealing the final fatal blow to the Dark Water Spirit.

“'Nooo! Curse you, foul dragon!'” said Zuko as he fell to the ground feigning death.

Azula turned to Chiara. “'Though I was trapped in the body of a mortal, you willingly gave
me your heart. I cannot help but give you mine in return.'” Her lines were delivered a bit
over-dramatically, and not much different from the Ember Island Players.

“'Only with your glory hidden in false form could you finally recognize my devotion,'”
responded Chiara tenderly.

Hearing her touching response, Zuko sat up. “I should be playing the Dragon Emperor,” he
said desiring to have her speak those words to him.

Azula frowned at him. “You're supposed to be dead, Dark Water Spirit.”

“What if we change it?” suggested Chiara.

“What?!” said Azula. “You can't change it.”

“Change it how?” asked Zuko.

“What if the Dragon Empress falls in love with the Water Spirit instead?” she suggested.

“That's stupid,” said Azula. “We're not changing it.”

“You always make Zuko play the Water Spirit; why don't we give him an ending that's
happy?”

Zuko laughed at Chiara's suggestion. She knelt by his side.

“Oh, great Water Spirit, your bravery in battle has won my heart and my devotion...”

“This is stupid.” Azula stomped her foot in the sand. “He's dead.”

“But your love for me has brought me back to life,” Zuko made up. He took Chiara's hand.
“And I give you my heart in return.”

“You're ruining it,” whined Azula.

Zuko and Chiara were giggling at their improvisation, but even more so at Azula's angry
reaction.

“So what, are you two going to kiss now?” asked Azula.

They looked at each other, both blushing at the thought.

The next day before leaving the island, Zuko and Chiara walked along the beach by
themselves. Zuko had been thinking about their play reenactment the day before, and the
thought of kissing Chiara never left his mind. He stopped walking. She turned and looked at
him.

“What is it?”

“I was just thinking about the play.”

“What about it?”

“Azula always plays the Dragon Emperor. If you're the Dragon Empress, then I should be
Noren.”

Chiara smiled. “I think you'd make a better Dragon Emperor.”

He was touched by her words and he stepped closer to her. “'Though I was trapped in the
body of a mortal, you willingly gave me your heart,'” he said gently his golden eyes locked
onto her green gems. “'I cannot help but give you mine in return.'”

Chiara felt her heart beating harder at his words. “'Only with your glory hidden in false form
could you finally recognize my devotion,'” she responded sweetly but with more heart in it
than the day before.
He desired to kiss her. He hesitated, but just for a second. He leaned towards her and tenderly
kissed her lips. She could still feel her heart pounding in her chest as she felt his warm lips
pressed against hers. Zuko's heart, too, was beating nervously as she did not resist him. He
slowly pulled back and looked in her eyes.

“I like this role much better,” he said softly.

She smiled at him. “Me too.”

“Zuko! Chiara!” they heard Ursa calling them.

“I'll race ya,” said Zuko as he turned, and they ran back to the house.
 Devastating Loss

One afternoon a letter arrived at Iroh's residence. As Ezih read it, he was filled with grief.

Amiku saw the blood drain from his face. “What is it?” she asked anxiously.
“Nothing...nothing's happened to Prince Iroh, has it?”

He held the letter out to her and she also grew pale as tears began falling down her cheeks,
and Ezih quickly grabbed a chair and pushed it under her just in time to catch her.

“No...,” she cried. “...no, no...”

Chiara, hearing her crying, entered the room, and seeing their expressions, she wondered
what was wrong.

“What is it?” she asked.

Amiku looked at Ezih. They did not want to tell her, but they knew they could not keep it
from her.

“Did something happen to the General?” she asked worriedly.

Amiku held out the letter to her. Taking it, tears flowed down her cheeks as she quickly read
it.

“Not my Lu Ten,” she said softly.

“Lady Chiara...,” started Amiku.

“And the poor General,” she said as she thought about Iroh's loss.

Amiku took her in her arms and held her. Chiara cried on her shoulder as Amiku tenderly
caressed her head.

Standing up straight, she wiped the tears from her eyes. “I need to go to him. I need to be
with the General.”

“Lady Chiara, he's outside Ba Sing Se...,” said Ezih.

“I need to go,” she insisted. “He shouldn't be alone now.”

“It's impossible for you to go to him,” said Amiku.

“It's not. I'll get there if I have to do it on my own,” she said adamantly. She turned and went
to her room where she knelt on the floor next to the bed and cried.
At that same time, a letter had been delivered to Ursa who was in the garden where Zuko and
Azula were playing. After reading it, she stood up as tears fell down her cheeks. Zuko and
Azula stood before her wondering why their mother was crying.

“Iroh has lost his son,” she said sadly. “Your cousin Lu Ten did not survive the battle.”

Zuko was heartbroken by the news. “Poor Uncle,” he said. “And poor Chiara.”

A few moments later, a servant of Iroh's appeared before Ursa.

“What is it?” asked Ursa.

“It's Lady Chiara,” he said softly. “She's insisting on going to Ba Sing Se to be with General
Iroh.”

Ursa looked down at Zuko who was looking up and listening with a worried expression on
his face.

“I'll speak to her,” said Ursa.

A short time later, there was a knock on Chiara's door. She opened it to see Ursa.

“Chiara, I'm so sorry...” She knelt down and hugged her.

“I hate this war,” cried Chiara.

“I know,” said Ursa as she comforted her. Ursa released her and tenderly wiped her tears
from her cheek. “They told me you want to go to Iroh,” she said as they sat down on her bed
next to a small bag she had started packing.

“Yes. I have to be with him.”

“But he's at the front lines, Sweetheart.”

“I don't want to lose him too,” she cried.

Ursa held her again. “You can't go on your own.”

Chiara pulled back and looked at her. “But he's alone right now. I need to be with him. He
shouldn't be alone. Not now.”

Ursa felt bad for her.

Tears were still streaking down her cheeks. “I'll find a way to get to him,” she insisted. “Even
if I have to do it alone.”

She tenderly caressed the girl's face. “Let me see what I can do.”

She left to talk to Ezih.

“How is she?” said Amiku.

“She's insisting on going to Iroh,” said Ursa.

“She can't go.”

“I'm worried she's going to do this whether or not she has help,” said Ursa.

“I'm sure there'll be a brief period of mourning before they continue the siege into the city,”
said Ezih. “She may be able to spend time with General Iroh then.”

“But being so close to the front lines,” said Amiku. “It's too dangerous for her.”

“There are other camps where she can stay that are safe from the battle,” he said. “But I think
it would be good for the General to have her there with him even if it's just a short time.”

“She's just a child,” argued Amiku. “She shouldn't be going off to a war zone.”

“They already broke through the outer wall, so it shouldn't be much longer before they
conquer the city and the war will be over.”

“I don't like it,” continued Amiku. “It's still dangerous.”

Ezih looked at Ursa. “I'll accompany Lady Chiara, and I'll bring her back again on the
General's orders.”

“Thank you, Ezih,” said Ursa. “I'll work on providing you with proper security.”

“Thank you, Princess Ursa.” They bowed to her.

Ezih began making the arrangements to travel to Ba Sing Se while Ursa returned home to
make arrangements for an Imperial Firebender escort. Zuko, who had been waiting anxiously
for his mother's return, finally found her.

“Mom, how's Chiara?”

“She's upset,” she told him. “She's worried about Iroh, so she's going to the Earth Kingdom to
see him.”

“What?! But...but isn't that dangerous? You can't let her go.”

“Ezih will be going with her, and they'll be escorted by an Imperial Firebender and a unit of
soldiers. They'll keep her safe.”

Zuko turned and ran off. After running outside, he sprinted across the large yard, leaped up
on the wall, and jumped off into Iroh's yard. A few minutes later, he burst into Chiara's room
and saw her kneeling on the floor. Her long dark hair surrounded her like a veil, and the letter
about Lu Ten's death lay on the floor next to her. Zuko walked over and knelt down next to
her.

“I heard what happened,” he said. He tenderly pulled her hair back over her shoulder. “I'm
sorry about Lu Ten.”

More tears fell down her cheeks, but she sat up and wiped them away.

“Mom said you're going to the Earth Kingdom,” he said.

“I want to be with the General.”

“When will you be back?”

“I don't know.”

“I want you to take this,” he said holding out his knife.

She looked at him. “But this is yours. I can't take your knife.”

“I still have the one Uncle gave me.”

She felt touched, but she also felt bad. “I can't take it from you.”

“I want you to have it,” he insisted, “...to...to remind you of me.”

More tears fell from her eyes as she took it. He put his arms around her and hugged her.

“I'm going to miss you,” he said.

Tears fell down her cheeks as she knew she was going to miss him too. “I'll miss you too,”
she said as she held onto him.

“You have to write,” he said.

“As often as I'm able.”

He let her go. Zuko realized he was going to be lonely now. He lost his cousin, and now he
was losing his best friend, but he hoped she would return soon.

The next day Chiara left the Fire Nation with Ezih and an Imperial Firebender as an escort.
During the trip she was very quiet, ate very little, and kept to herself. She was filled with
grief at the loss of Lu Ten, worry over Iroh, and also sadness from leaving Zuko.

Just over a week later they disembarked from their ship onto the shores of Full Moon Bay
and made a stop at a Fire Nation camp. Chiara could see the outer wall of Ba Sing Se off in
the distance, and even from so far away she could tell it was enormous.
“General Iroh is at a camp just inside the wall,” said Ezih when he walked up to her. “I've
been told they've ceased fighting for now, so we'll head there in the morning.”

She looked up at him and nodded. “Thank you, Ezih.”

He could still see the sadness in her eyes, and he was touched by how much she cared for
Iroh and Lu Ten.

“You really should eat something, Lady Chiara. You haven't eaten much this past week.”

“I haven't been very hungry.”

She continued staring at the wall in the distance.

The next morning, they headed out on komodo rhinos towards Iroh's camp. A group of
soldiers were sent with them as escorts in case of any attacks. Though they were not close to
the wall, it was still visible in the distance, and they were considered to be in enemy territory.
Approaching the location of the breach in the wall, Chiara was amazed by the size of it as it
seemed to grow before them. Witnessing the enormity of it as they rode through the breach,
she understood why it took so long to break through. Looking far ahead in the distance
beyond the Fire Nation camp, she could see the inner wall of the city standing massive and
untouched. Despite the sun shining brightly, the darkness that seemed to lie over the camp
was thick. Standing within the outer wall of Ba Sing Se should have been a cause of
celebration and encouragement among the Fire Nation soldiers, but there was no celebration,
no excitement, no victory. It was clear that Lu Ten was loved by those who knew him and
admired by those with whom he served. But now their prince and future Fire Lord was gone.
Ezih and Chiara were led through the camp where they met with the colonel.

“Colonel Tezam, I'm Ezih, General Iroh's valet.”

“Yes, I received the letter saying you would be arriving.” He looked down at Chiara. “I
wasn't aware you would have a traveling companion.”

“This is Lady Chiara, the General's daughter.”

“Colonel Tezam, I'm pleased to meet your acquaintance,” she said as she bowed and greeted
him.

He was impressed with her manners and returned her bow. “And I yours.”

“I only wish it had been under better circumstances,” she said.

He nodded. “I too.”

“How is the General?” she asked.

“After seeing...” He hesitated. “After seeing...the prince,” he said softly, “he retired to his tent
and hasn't left.”
“Has anyone checked on him?” asked Ezih.

“Yes. He's been taking small meals, but it's not much.”

“And...Lu Ten?” asked Chiara unable to control the tears that filled her eyes.

Tezam, feeling uncomfortable talking of death to such a young child, looked at Ezih who
nodded.

“The Prince is...is still lying in state waiting for the cremation rite.”

“May I see him?” she asked.

Tezam again looked at Ezih who nodded.

“This way,” said the colonel.

They followed him to a tent where Lu Ten's body was lying on a pyre. Whatever blood there
may have been had been cleaned away, and though his body had been covered in a special oil
to slow the rate of decay, death had taken his handsome features, and he looked almost
desiccated and unnatural. He had been dressed in a clean Fire Nation uniform, and though
Chiara could see minor bruises, any fatal injuries were hidden. As she looked at his face, she
realized she would never get to see his bright smile again or his amber eyes. Her eyes moved
to his hands—the same hands that held hers as he taught her to fight with swords, the same
hands that showed her how to defend herself and fight like a firebender. She remembered the
last time she felt them as he hugged her goodbye before he left to join Iroh. She walked up to
him and tenderly laid her hand over his; it felt stiff and cold to her, but she did not care. Tears
ran down her cheeks as she wished she had been able to save him. She stood there quietly
crying until Ezih walked up and placed his hand on her back.

“My poor Lu Ten,” she said in a near whisper.

After spending time in the tent, they walked out and approached Tezam.

“How did it happen?” Chiara asked him softly.

“As we were setting up camp inside the wall, First Lieutenant Lu Ten took a small unit of
soldiers to scout the inner wall, but they were ambushed by a group of earthbenders.”

Tears filled her eyes.

“Where's the General's tent?” she asked softly.

The colonel led her to Iroh's tent.

“Thank you, Colonel,” she said.

She quietly entered. She saw Iroh lying on a mat with his back to the entrance. She said
nothing, but placed her belongings on the floor before silently stepping towards him. She
knew he was sound asleep by his slow rhythmic breathing, and he never moved when she
picked up a blanket and laid it over him. Chiara carefully leaned against his back, placed her
arm over him, and she laid her head on his upper arm allowing her tears to fall.

It was nearly an hour later that Iroh felt something soft around him. He looked down and saw
long dark locks flowing down in front of him. He reached up and felt Chiara's arm; he was
surprised and wondered if he was dreaming. He rolled on his back waking her up.

“Am I dreaming?” he asked.

“I wish this was all a dream,” she said softly as tears fell down her cheeks.

He wrapped his arms around her and she laid her head on his chest as he held her.

“How did you get here?” he asked her.

“Aunt Ursa arranged an escort so I could be with you.”

“I'm surprised she would send you here.”

“I would've come to you without the escort even if I had to stow away on a ship and walk
here on foot.”

Though his heart ached for his dead son, he could not help but feel comforted by Chiara's
desire to be with him. He tenderly caressed her head.

“I hate this war,” she said sadly. “It took my mother away and now my Lu Ten.”

Her grief deepened Iroh's own grief, but it made him realize just how much Chiara loved his
son. It also saddened him as he realized how much loss she suffered through the death of her
foster brother and her mother for which he felt some responsibility. He had lost his taste for
war as soon as he learned of his son's death. He now realized that he, too, hated the war.

After speaking with Colonel Tezam, Chiara was able to convince Iroh that it was necessary to
perform the funeral rites. The following day the funeral pyre was set alight as Iroh and Chiara
stood in front. Iroh stood stiffly, forcing an icy facade. Inside, however, he felt broken and
empty as he stared at the flames that were consuming part of his heart. The death of his wife
had been terribly difficult, and now he was forced to endure the same pain of another loss.
Chiara stood next to him. She was quiet and still, but an endless stream of tears flowed down
her cheeks. The sudden loss of another family member gouged a wound deep into her heart,
and the pain felt unbearable.

After the funeral, they quietly returned to his tent. Colonel Tezam later delivered the ornate
box that contained all that remained of Lu Ten. Iroh prepared a small shrine surrounded by lit
candles. He rarely left his quarters, and Chiara, though sad herself over Lu Ten's death,
attended to his needs bringing him food and keeping him company. She wrote to Zuko
shortly after arriving, and for her his reply was the one bright ray of light that shone in on the
dark mood of the camp.
About a week after Lu Ten's cremation, Iroh decided to formally end the siege and head back
to the Fire Nation. Chiara wrote a letter telling Zuko they would be heading home.

During their trip back, they stopped to camp at Full Moon Bay before boarding the ship for
home.

As Iroh sat in his tent, a soldier entered and bowed to him before handing him a scroll.
“General Iroh, this just arrived for you.”

He nodded as he took it from him. While reading it, the color drained from his face.

“Is everything okay, General?” asked Ezih.

Iroh scanned the letter again just to make sure he understood.

“Assemble the men,” he said gravely. “This is news that concerns everyone.” He sounded
worn as if there were little more he could handle.

When the soldiers of the camp had been gathered, Iroh walked out of his tent and stood
before them. Seeing the general and his solemn state, they immediately quieted down.

“I regret to inform you that Fire Lord Azulon has passed away...”

A murmuring spread through the group. Chiara was near Iroh and she looked up at him, tears
filling her eyes. Her heart ached for him as he suffered another loss.

“Long live Fire Lord Iroh,” one of the soldiers yelled.

Suddenly the chant was echoed by others, but Iroh raised his hand and shook his head.

“The new Fire Lord has already been crowned,” he said to everyone's surprise. “Hail Fire
Lord Ozai.”

There was a moment of stunned silence before 'Hail Fire Lord Ozai' sounded
unenthusiastically through the camp.

That night as the soldiers sat around the fires, Iroh sat down by the water of Full Moon Bay
lost in thought and grief. Chiara carried a cup down to the bay and knelt next to him.

“I found some mint,” she said. “I made you tea.”

She held it out to him, and as he took it, he appreciated her tender concern for him. She stood
up assuming he wanted to be alone.

“Chiara,” he said.

She turned back to him. He held his arm out and she sat down next to him and placed her
head on his chest as he wrapped his arm around her.
“Thank you for the tea,” he said. He took a sip. “This is very good.”

“I'm sorry about your father,” she said softly.

He gently rubbed her arm and sipped his tea as he looked at the water sparkling in the
moonlight.

“I wish I could heal your pain,” she said.

He was touched by her words, and though he knew no one could ever take away the scar that
would be left by his grief, the comfort her presence provided was like healing salve on a
wound.

“You do help with the pain,” he said to her, and amid his grief he felt a renewed sense of joy
in his decision in bringing her into his family years earlier.

The next morning they boarded the Fire Nation ship where Iroh spoke privately to Colonel
Tezam and the captain.
 Beginning of a Journey
Chapter Notes

I originally didn't plan on writing these next 2 chapters, but I felt that Iroh's journey
during his year after Lu Ten's death should be given some attention. Since they were late
additions, I really wanted to sit on them and do more with them; however, the time I
have to devote to this is fairly limited, so I'm posting them as they are. Apologies for
any lack of creativity.

After a few days at sea, Iroh entered Chiara's cabin early one morning.

She was sound asleep, and he gently touched her shoulder to wake her. “Chiara, it's time to
leave.”

She rubbed her eyes and looked up at him. “Are we home already?” she asked tiredly.

“Not yet.” He set Earth Kingdom clothing on the bed next to her. “Gather your things and
change into these before we go. Don't bring any Fire Nation clothing.”

She was puzzled by his instructions and wondered if they might be under attack, but
everything sounded quiet, even the constant low hum of the engines was absent.

“I'll wait for you up on deck,” he said before leaving her room.

She slowly got up and changed her clothes, and on her body she carried her sword, shurikens,
and the knife Zuko had given her. She emptied her bag of her Fire Nation clothes, keeping
only the personal items, and she left her cabin to go up on deck. She walked up to Iroh who
was speaking to Ezih. She had never before seen him out of Fire Nation clothing, usually his
princely attire or military uniform. But now he was dressed in civilian Earth Kingdom
clothing and it looked odd to her.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Ezih was asking him.

“I think it's for the best,” said Iroh softly.

“It could be dangerous if anyone discovers who you are.”

“It's not the first excursion I've taken,” he said with a forced smile.

Ezih might have scolded him about his “excursion” had he not understood that Iroh wanted to
grieve over his loss in his own way and that he was not ready to return to his estate where
there were so many painful reminders of his son.
“Besides,” said Iroh placing his hand on Chiara's head, “I discovered quite a treasure during
my last trek.”

Ezih smiled. “You have a safe trip then, General Iroh.” He looked down at Chiara. “You be
careful too, Lady Chiara.” He knelt down next to her. “Take care of the general,” he
whispered in her ear.

She nodded, but she was not sure what was going on.

“Oh, and, Ezih, you will make sure he will be placed next to Mina,” said Iroh.

“Of course, General,” he said bowing his head.

Ezih bowed to them both before Iroh turned to go below deck. Chiara followed him to one of
the small steamers kept on board. They boarded it with a few crewmembers and set out
towards an island. Iroh and Chiara sat below the deck of the steamer eating a light breakfast
and drinking tea.

“Are we not going home?” she asked him.

“No.” He was looking down at his tea. “I don't wish to return to the Fire Nation yet.”

“Where are we going?”

His amber eyes met her curious green ones. “We will explore the world.”

“Where are we at now?”

“We are heading to Kyoshi Island.”

She was intrigued. “The home of Avatar Kyoshi?”

“Yes.”

“How long are we staying?”

“I don't know,” he said thoughtfully gently stroking his beard. “Until we decide to move on.”
He looked at her. “We will need new names, Earth Kingdom names. We can't let anyone
know we're Fire Nation.”

“I don't know any Earth Kingdom names,” she said.

“Hmm...how about we call you Lin. And I will be Xin. Of course, as my daughter, you
should call me 'father.'”

She nodded, but she knew she would have to get used to that.

“We'll be from Ba Sing Se,” he continued. “The city is big enough that no one can prove
otherwise.”
Chiara felt like she was starting life over for a third time. First, she was a young child of a
Water Village, then a royal of the Fire Nation, and now she was a child of the Earth
Kingdom. She considered Iroh's point of view wondering if he was trying to start over again.
At Ba Sing Se, he lost the life he had, and now he was being reborn as Xin.

“Do you no longer want to be Fire Lord?” she asked softly.

He carefully contemplated her question. “Honestly, I do not.”

“You would be able to stop this war.”

“My brother has always desired power and now he has it. To try and take it from him would
result in a civil war in the Fire Nation.”

Chiara started thinking about Zuko. He would now be the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation
and next heir to the throne. She wondered if he knew his father had usurped the throne.

“I wonder how Prince Zuko's doing,” she said thoughtfully as she missed him.

“As Crown Prince he will be starting his new life in the palace now.”

“He would stop the war if he were Fire Lord,” she said. She looked down. “At least, I hope
he would.”

Iroh thought about Zuko and worried about him being under the influence of Ozai.

“I told him we were coming home in my last letter,” she said.

“Write another telling him we'll be away for a while, and as soon as we're able, we'll send it
out. Do not give our location or any clues to our location just in case it's intercepted by the
wrong party.”

She nodded.

One of the crewmembers stepped inside the room and bowed. “General Iroh, we're
approaching the island.”

Iroh nodded, and he and Chiara gathered their belongings and went up on deck.

“Look at that koi!” She was pointing at the large colorful fish ahead of them. “It's a school,”
she said as more broke the surface of the sea.

“Elephant koi,” said Iroh. “They are quite popular around here.”

When the steamer reached the shore, Iroh and Chiara stepped onto the beach, the seamen bid
them farewell and returned to the ship as Chiara followed Iroh inland.

---------------------------------------

They traveled on foot through a valley between the mountains.

“Such a beautiful waterfall,” said Iroh. “It's a perfect place to take a break.”

He started a fire while Chiara began preparing the tea and a small meal from their supplies.

“May I go swimming?” she asked after they ate and rested.

“That sounds nice. I think I'll swim too.”

After a short swim, Iroh sat on the shore while Chiara remained in the water not far away.

“Chiara,” he called.

She swam over to him and walked out of the water.

“Show me what you can do,” he said.

She moved her hand over him and pulled the water out of his clothes and then dried her own
clothes and hair.

He was amused by her ability. “Very good,” he smiled, though it was not his usual smile that
reached his eyes, like one he might have given her had they been on Ember Island with Lu
Ten. “That's very useful.” She sat down next to him. “I think we should find you a
waterbending teacher.”

She looked up at him in surprise. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“Where will we find one?”

“Most likely with the Northern Water Tribe.”

The chance to learn new techniques filled her with excitement.

“And I don't want you to hide your waterbending skills anymore unless we're in a Fire Nation
village,” he said.

She wondered about that. “But won't that be dangerous?” she asked.

“It is rare to find a waterbender in the Earth Kingdom, but not dangerous.”

Now she felt excited about being able to waterbend more freely.

“Have you ever been to the Northern Water Tribe?” she asked.

“I have not.”

She started feeling worried about him as she thought about the war. “Should...should you go
there?”

“Where else can we find you a teacher?” he asked.

She leaned close to him. “But if they find out who you are,” she whispered, “they might
imprison you or hurt you.”

He gently laughed impressed by her concern for him. “You say that as if I don't deserve it.”

She wrapped her hand around his arm and leaned against him. “I don't want you imprisoned
or hurt,” she said.

“We will hope it doesn't come to that then.”

A thought came to her mind and she sat up. “You don't plan on leaving me there, do you?”
she asked softly.

He was surprised she thought he might, but then he imagined her standing before a random
door in a random Earth village years ago. “Only if you want me to.”

She looked up at him. “No. I don't want you to leave me.”

He tenderly smiled at her as he put his arm around her and held her. “Then I won't leave
you.”

----------------------------------------------------

As they were packing up their things getting ready to move on, Iroh briefly stopped working.

“Did you hear that?” he whispered as he resumed the packing.

She nodded, but she continued working pretending as if she did not hear anything while
trying to listen for more sounds and their locations.

Just as they finished packing, they found themselves surrounded by female warriors. Chiara
immediately withdrew her sword and stood back-to-back with Iroh who stood defensively. As
he realized who were standing before him, he relaxed his stance and turned slightly towards
Chiara.

“Put away your weapon,” he said to her. “We are in the presence of the Kyoshi Warriors.”

Chiara obeyed.

“It is an honor,” said Iroh as he bowed.

“You may not think so after we throw you to the unagi,” said one of the warriors. “Tie them
up,” she ordered.

Iroh calmly put his hands out allowing the warriors to bind them. Chiara was more reluctant,
but she followed his lead. After blindfolding both of them, the young women guided them
towards their village.

“It's a shame we can't see more of the scenery,” said Iroh as he stumbled across the ground.
“Silence,” demanded the warrior.

“I imagine it's a beautiful island,” he continued.

“I think we're going to have to keep imagining it,” said Chiara, clearly unamused by their
situation.

“I said silence!” the warrior insisted.

When they arrived in the village, their blindfolds were removed. Before them stood a man
with gray hair wearing a large topknot on his head and big frown on his face.

“What are you Fire Nation spies doing in my village?” he demanded.

“Your Kyoshi Warriors were kind enough to bring us here,” answered Iroh cordially.

The man looked annoyed.

“If you don't answer our questions, you'll be fed to the unagi,” said the lead warrior.

“He did answer your question,” said Chiara calmly.

Iroh smiled. “My daughter and I traveled here in order to learn about Avatar Kyoshi and the
infamous Kyoshi Warriors.”

“You had no boat,” said the female warrior suspiciously. “How did you get here?”

“Some generous sailors gave us a ride to the island.”

“Likely story,” said the man. “Who are you?”

“I am Xin and this is my daughter Lin. As I've said, we traveled here to learn about Avatar
Kyoshi.”

The man's eyes narrowed. “Information that will help the Fire Nation take over Kyoshi Island
no doubt.”

“Not at all,” said Iroh pleasantly. “It's just that I learned in Chin Village on the mainland that
Avatar Kyoshi murdered Chin the Great...”

“What?!” said the man in a tone of offense. “That's crazy talk.”

“I thought so too,” said Iroh. “As a lover of truth and an avid student of history, I, of course,
wanted to learn all the facts about such an accusation.”

The man looked at him a bit skeptically, but he nodded to the girls who began to untie them.

“I am Oyaji,” he said. “I'm the leader of this village.” He pointed to the Kyoshi Warrior
standing in front of them. “This is Soshi. She trains the Kyoshi Warriors of our village.”

“It's an honor to meet you,” said Iroh as he bowed, Chiara imitating him.
Oyaji began telling them the history of Avatar Kyoshi and the island, some which they
already knew, but they still found it interesting.

They were allowed to remain in the village, and they were given shelter and food, and that
night after they ate, Chiara began writing her letter to Zuko.

“I must thank Akio when we return home,” said Iroh softly. “His knowledge of the history of
Chin Village and Kyoshi Island proved to be quite valuable.”

Chiara giggled. “If it wasn't for him, we would've been unagi food.”

Now Iroh laughed. “Yes. That would not have been a good way to start our journey.”

Chiara finished her letter and rolled it up.

“You and Zuko are quite close,” he said.

“He's my best friend. I'm going to miss him living next door.”

“It's probably for the best now. He'll soon be busy with his duties as prince. And one day he
will have to take a wife from the Fire Nation,” he added in a whisper.

“I understand,” she replied softly. She was saddened by the thought but she accepted it. “Is it
okay if I continue writing him?”

He gave her a tender smile. “Of course. Just don't write our location or too much detail of
where we are,” he repeated his request.

She nodded.

The following day, just as Iroh promised, they sent her letter to Zuko. When they returned
from sending it, they passed by the hut where the Kyoshi Warriors were training.

“May I watch them?” she asked Iroh.

“Of course. I'm going to take in some more of the cuisine,” he said.

She smiled. “Be careful. Those pastries looked really fattening.”

Iroh laughed as he walked off while Chiara went inside the hut and watched the warriors.
During a break, one of them close to Chiara's age walked over to her.

“You're here to learn about Avatar Kyoshi?” she asked.

“Yes. I read about her in school,” answered Chiara. “How long have you been a Warrior?”

“Since I was eight. I'm Suki.”

“I'm Lin. May I train with the Warriors?”

“We don't train outsiders,” said Soshi walking over to them.

“Are we allowed to spar?” asked Chiara. “I can fight in my own style.”

Soshi thought about it. “I think that'll be okay.”

Suki smiled. “It'll give me a chance to practice fighting against another style.”

Suki told Chiara all about the history of the Kyoshi Warriors, including the meaning of their
dress and makeup and other information she had never learned before. Later, the two girls
enjoyed sparring together which gave Chiara a chance to study their fighting style more
closely. She also got the chance to spar with the other Warriors.

After a few days, Chiara wrote Zuko another letter when Iroh decided they would remain on
the island for a couple weeks.

Dear Prince Zuko, I'm writing you again so soon to let you know that we'll be staying where
we are for half a moon cycle—I suspect this is due to the numerous pastries to which the
General has become quite attached. I hope you're adjusting well to your new duties, and I
understand if you don't have time to write. Everything here has been very quiet and is so
different from the noise at the camp. Even at home there was the noise of our routine with our
studies and weapons practice and conversation during meals. The General is quite quiet and
reserved now, understandably, and he meditates often, but he seems quite calm. I only hope
the quiet and peace will in some way ease his grief. Your humble and loyal subject, Chiara.

After writing her letter, they sent it, and she was happy to receive a response from Zuko by
the end of the week. However, it did not bring good news as she hoped to hear.

Dear Chiara, I'm sorry to hear you're not coming back home yet. I hope for your safety as
you travel, but I also hope your journey will be short and you'll come home soon. I have
really bad news—Mom disappeared. The day I found out Grandfather died, Mom was gone. I
thought I dreamed that she came into my room the night before wearing a traveling cloak.
When she hugged me it was as if she was saying goodbye. Now I know it wasn't a dream. No
one knows where she went, and when I asked my father he refused to say anything. I hope she
comes home soon. I hope you come home soon too. Zuko.

Chiara was saddened by the news of Ursa's disappearance, and she wondered what had
happened. Her heart was also broken for Zuko as she understood how hurt he must be over
the absence of his mother. Iroh noticed her sad disposition after reading the letter.

“And how is the young Crown Prince doing?” he asked her.

“Not good,” she said. “Aunt Ursa's gone.”

“Gone?!”
“Prince Zuko said she disappeared,” she clarified. “And his father won't tell him where she
went.”

Iroh had a thoughtful and concerned expression on his face.

“I hope she's okay,” said Chiara.

He nodded. “As do I,” he said, though he was not entirely sure.

Chiara sat down to immediately write another letter.

“Dear Prince Zuko, I am so saddened by your latest letter. I'm so sorry to hear about Aunt
Ursa. I hope she's okay, and I'm sure she wouldn't have left if it wasn't for an important
reason. I really wish I was there with you to keep you company during her absence. I
understand it wouldn't be as consoling as having your mother, but I do desire to bring you
some comfort during a time of so much loss. Hopefully, she'll return soon. Your humble and
loyal subject, Chiara.

------------------------------------

It was only a few days later when she received his reply.

Dear Chiara, I wish you were here too. We're living in the palace now, but nothing's the same
without Mom. Father is busy with his duties as Fire Lord, so I don't see him much, sometimes
not even at meals. I also have private tutors now, so I don't get to see my friends at school
anymore either. The only company I have is Azula, and you know how she is. I look forward
to your return. I miss sparring with you, and I could really use the sword practice outside of
training with Master Piandao. Stay safe in your travels and come home soon. Zuko.

Iroh and Chiara spent a couple weeks on Kyoshi Island where Chiara learned everything she
could about Avatar Kyoshi and the history of the Warriors, and though she could not train
with the Kyoshi Warriors as she desired, she did enjoy watching them train and sparring with
them.

For the next six months, they would travel through the Earth Kingdom slowly making their
way north. One of the most difficult adjustments for Chiara was that she had to be careful not
to greet people in the Fire Nation manner as she was accustomed to doing. After leaving
Kyoshi Island, they stayed in Chin Village. It was there that they heard about an underground
earthbending tournament in Gaoling. After buying two ostrich horses, Iroh and Chiara set out
to see Earth Rumble.

During their first night in Gaoling, Iroh was looking at a map in their room at the inn where
they were staying.

“I think we should make our way to Omashu,” he said.

“Is that a good idea?” Chiara asked him. “I know it's a pretty big city, but it might still be
dangerous, especially since a lot of the Earth Kingdom troops come from there.”
He was stroking his beard in thought. “I would like to meet with King Bumi.”

She looked up from the letter she was writing to Zuko. “How do you plan on doing that?”

Iroh gently laughed. “Oh, I think he'll want to meet with me.”

“Of course he would, but what if they...what if they hurt you?” she asked softly with worry in
her voice.

“I don't believe they will—not if I introduce myself properly,” he said confidently.

She was puzzled by his explanation.

“I heard he's quite...eccentric,” said Iroh. “And over a hundred years old.”

“Aiku said he was born years before the war.”

“Earth Rumble is at the end of the week,” he said. “We'll leave the next day.”

Chiara nodded and continued her letter, but she still felt worried about him going to Omashu.

At the end of the week after attending Earth Rumble I, they left Gaoling, and started traveling
towards Omashu. They would ride during the day, and at night they would stay in any village
where there were accommodations. During the longer trips, they would stop between villages
just to take a break.

One afternoon, they stopped by a river to rest.

“It shouldn't be much farther to the next village,” said Iroh, “but I could use a nice cup of
tea.”

“You start the fire then,” said Chiara as she turned to walk to the river.

He gently took hold of her wrist. “Keep your eyes open,” he warned her.

She nodded and then turned away. After collecting water, she stood up and turned around to
see a man standing behind Iroh and holding a knife to his throat. Feeling more anger than
fear, she glared at the man.

“Little girl,” said the criminal, “just get me what I want and Daddy won't get hurt.”

She looked at Iroh whose lip curled ever so slightly and he winked at her. She suddenly felt
more at ease and she slowly approached them.

“Where's your money?” the man asked.

“You do realize it's rude to interrupt tea time,” she said.

“I agree,” said Iroh calmly. “The violence is uncalled for. We would have happily shared our
tea.”

“I'm not here for the tea, old man!” he yelled. “Give me your money!”

In a swift move, Iroh pulled the man's knife hand from his throat and elbowed him in the gut.
Chiara immediately stepped in and brought an ice club down on the man's head causing ice
chunks to fly everywhere. He dropped to the ground unconscious.

“Impressive,” said Iroh as he looked at Chiara. “I wasn't aware you could do that.”

“Neither was I.” She stepped over to him while pulling up water. “You're bleeding.”

After Iroh picked up the man's knife, Chiara reached up to heal the small wound on his neck.

He looked down at the unconscious bandit and shook his head. “He would've been wiser to
join us for tea.”

Chiara softly laughed. “It would've been better than the headache he'll wake up with.”

“Let's just move on,” he said. “We'll get tea at the next village.”

Before climbing on his ostrich horse, Iroh threw a few coins down next to the unconscious
man.

“Maybe he'll learn to beg before trying to steal,” he said.

They went on to the next village where they stayed the night at an inn.

The next day as they were traveling again, Chiara felt a change in the air.

“It feels like a storm is coming,” she said.

“I feel it too,” he said. “We should find shelter.”

They looked for lodging at the first village they entered. No sooner had they corralled their
animals and took up shelter at an inn, the dark clouds that had taken over the skies let loose.
They were eating a warm meal when the door flew open and a woman rushed in with two
kids. Chiara looked at Iroh.

“Should I dry them off?” she asked him.

He smiled. “Of course.”

Chiara stood up and walked over to them. “Let me help you,” she said softly.

She moved her hand and pulled the water from their clothing.

“You're a waterbender,” said the mother, surprised. “Thank you.”

Suddenly, there was a loud clash of thunder and a flash of lightning. The woman, who was
near the door, screamed as she saw her husband fall to the ground outside.

“Rin!!” She ran out to him. “Rin!”

Chiara ran out after her, followed by Iroh. The lightning flashed around them, and they could
feel the electricity in the air. Iroh lifted the man up and carried him inside where he laid him
down on the floor.

“Rin,” cried the woman as she held her children close to her so they could not see their
injured father.

Chiara knelt on the other side of Rin, and seeing that he had been struck by lightning, she
held water over the injury trying to heal him. The woman's eyes grew wide when she saw the
water glowing beneath Chiara's hands.

“Can you help him?” she asked hopefully.

Chiara did not speak; she only focused on trying to heal the injury, but she could tell the
internal damage was extensive.

“Please help him,” his wife cried when Rin did not move. “I can't lose my husband.”

Chiara continued working, but she could feel the man's life force slipping, and no matter how
hard she tried, she could not seem to save him.

“Help him,” said the woman, still crying.

Tears fell from Chiara's eyes as she knew down deep there was nothing more she could do for
the man. She looked up at Iroh and shook her head.

“No!” cried the woman. She knelt on the floor next to Chiara and grabbed her. “You have to
help him!”

“I'm...I'm so sorry,” she said softly.

The woman lay over her husband and cried. Chiara got up and walked over to the young kids
and took them to another room where she remained with them. Later when Rin's body had
been removed and the woman and her children were given a room, Iroh took Chiara to their
own room. She broke down crying as Iroh held her.

“It's okay, Chiara,” he said gently rubbing her back.

“It's not okay,” she cried into his shoulder. “I should've been able to save him.”

He shook his head. “Lightning causes too much damage in the body.”

“I tried to heal it all. I felt the path it took.”

“You did the best you could, but you will not be able to heal everybody.”
She continued crying. “But his poor kids are without a father now.”

“I know,” he whispered while tenderly caressing her hair wishing he could take away her
sorrow.
 More Than Just a Game

Over the next few days after the rain had ceased, the woman had to prepare to bury her
husband. Chiara took care of her kids while their mother was busy, and Iroh did what he
could to help the woman, as did many of the villagers.

It was about a week later when Iroh and Chiara were ready to continue their journey towards
Omashu. As she was busy packing their ostrich horses, she heard Iroh talking to the woman.

“Nisha, I think it would be best if your family travels with us,” he told her. “It's safer
traveling in numbers.”

“You've done so much for us already...”

Iroh was shaking his head. “Nonsense. You said you were already on your way to Omashu,
so your family must be quite worried.”

“I wrote them and told them what happened,” she said.

“Then you should continue your journey with us. You and your children can ride one of the
animals, and Lin and I will ride the other.”

She started giving in, nodding her head. “Okay. Thank you, Xin.”

The two families loaded up and started their trek towards Omashu together. Every few hours
they would take a break from riding and Chiara would prepare tea for Iroh, Nisha, and
herself.

-----------------------------------------

A few hours from the next village, they were all anxious to take another break.

Iroh leaned back and whispered to Chiara, “Keep your eyes open. I think we're being
followed.”

“Okay,” she whispered back.

“This looks like a good place to stop,” he said as they approached a bridge. “I'm ready for
tea.”

They took the animals off the path into a clearing not far from the river. While Iroh began
building a small fire with Nisha's help, Chiara took the animals down to the creek to water
them and collect water for the tea. The kids followed her and played around in the river.

“Give us your money!” demanded a deep, angry voice.

Chiara looked up the bank and saw two men mostly likely holding weapons. She reached for
Nisha's two kids and pulled them next to the ostrich horses.
“Stay here,” she whispered. “Be very quiet.”

They looked up at her with wide, scared eyes and nodded.

“Do not give him anything,” Iroh calmly said to Nisha as she had been nervously reaching in
her pockets. “Anyone who interrupts tea doesn't deserve a reward.”

“You're gonna get yourself killed, old man!!”

Suddenly, the man in front of Nisha yelled out, his knife dropping from his hand. He reached
back for the shuriken sticking out of his upper shoulder blade. The instant the other thief
turned towards his injured partner, Iroh took advantage of the distraction. Grabbing the
bandit's wrist, he disarmed him and twisted the man's arm around pushing it up against his
back. Iroh held the guy's own blade against his rib cage. Before the other thief could react
after removing the shuriken, Chiara was on her knee holding her sword up with the point
against his midsection. Surprised by all the action, Nisha took a few steps back and looked
around for her kids. She spotted their little faces cautiously peeking around one of the ostrich
horses down by the river. She breathed a sigh of relief.

“This knife, while primitive, I'm sure can draw your insides out with enough force,” said
Iroh. He pressed it up against the man who gasped in fear at the pressure of the blade. “You
have both behaved very badly in front of two lovely ladies, one of whom is an expert with the
sword. I believe you both owe them an apology.”

He forced his hostage to face Nisha, but the man remained quiet.

“I'm not hearing an apology for the trouble you caused this woman,” said Iroh in a deep,
dangerous voice, one Chiara could only imagine being the voice of the Dragon of the West.

“I...I...I'm s-sorry,” the man stuttered after feeling the point of his own knife being pushed
harder against his ribs.

“You're speaking to a lady,” insisted Iroh.

“I...I'm sorry, ma'am.”

Iroh turned him towards Chiara who was still kneeling down with her sword keeping the
other thief at bay.

“I...I-I'm sorry, Miss.”

“Now your turn,” said Iroh to the other guy over Chiara.

“I'm...I'm sorry, Miss, Ma'am,” he said nervously, but without turning towards Nisha as he
was afraid to move.

“Now, you two are going to go back the way you came and leave us in peace because if
there's a next time we will not be so merciful,” threatened Iroh. “And I suggest you find a
way to earn money, otherwise you might cross a traveler who will not give you a second
chance.”
The bandits nodded nervously, and as soon as Iroh released his captive, the man quickly ran
off. The other one continued nervously looking at Chiara who never took her eyes from his
and she never moved, so he carefully and slowly stepped back away from her sword before
sprinting off after his accomplice.

“Are you okay, Nisha?” asked Iroh walking over to her.

She still looked to be in shock. Seeing the strange men gone, her kids ran up to her and she
knelt down and wrapped her arms around them.

“Thank you,” she said looking up at Iroh and Chiara. “I...I don't know what I would've done
without you.” Tears were falling down her cheeks as she contemplated the frightening
possibility of being attacked by the men while alone with her children, and the thought made
the wound of the loss of her husband sting deeper.

Chiara picked up her shuriken and the knife from the ground which she held out to Iroh.

He looked over both knives which appeared to be handmade. “Sorry excuse for weapons.”

“I'm going to get the water,” she said.

“Here.” He held out the two knives. “Throw them in the river.”

She returned to the river where she disposed of the knives, washed the blood off her shuriken,
and collected water for tea. Iroh had a fire started when she returned.

“Where did you learn to fight with your sword?” Nisha asked Chiara over tea.

“My father taught me,” she said which was partly true.

“Weren't you scared?” asked one of the kids.

“Not as long as I have my sword and the upper hand,” she answered.

“Those men were not well-trained,” said Iroh. “Even their weapons were poorly made.”

“Unfortunately, the Fire Nation's attacks on the Earth Kingdom have driven many to poverty
and crime,” said Nisha. “These roads were considered safe at one time, but as more people
lose their homes and livelihoods, it makes it dangerous for all of us.”

Iroh and Chiara silently sipped their tea.

A few days later they arrived at the gates of Omashu. They stepped off their ostrich horses,
and Chiara, feeling a bit apprehensive, looked at Iroh who just smiled reassuringly at her.
They slowly approached the sentries standing guard at the wall.

“What is your business in Omashu?” one of them asked.

Nisha stepped forward. “I'm here to visit my brother, Lau. These are friends that'll be staying
with us.”

The guard nodded. “Welcome to Omashu,” he said as he stepped aside.

Chiara watched as the solid wall before them slide open like doors, followed by two more.
They entered the city to see its enormous delivery system made up of numerous slides that
Chiara had only heard about from her tutor. Nothing he taught her could prepare her for the
sight she saw before her.

“This is incredible,” she said.

Iroh laughed at her excitement.

“My brother lives this way,” said Nisha.

They took care of their animals and then followed her to her brother's home where they were
invited to stay. Lau was appreciative of Iroh's generosity towards his sister, especially in her
recent state of widowhood and the attempted robbery on their way to Omashu. He was happy
to have them remain in his home as long as they chose.

After a few days of rest with Lau's and Nisha's families, Iroh decided it was time to go to the
royal palace. Nisha and her kids were sorry to see them go, but they said their goodbyes and
wished them a safe journey. They made their way to the palace where they approached one of
the sentries dressed in green standing guard at the entrance.

“State your business here,” said the tall sentinel tightening his grip on his spear.

“We've come for an audience with King Bumi,” said Iroh pleasantly.

The guard eyed him suspiciously. “And what's your business with the king?”

“This is my business with him.” He handed the guard a lotus tile. “Just give that to him. I'm
sure he'll want to see me.”

The guard studied the lotus on the face of the tile before flipping it over and running his
thumb over the smooth reverse side. He handed it to his comrade who disappeared inside the
palace.

Chiara was tempted to make a comment to Iroh about the tile being a really weak bribe, but
she thought better of it. It was not the first time he had flashed his lotus tile on their journey,
but Chiara had not expected it to get them an audience with the King of Omashu, and she was
quite surprised when they were soon being led through the palace. After leaving their
belongings, including their weapons, in a small room, they were taken to the throne room.
Though it was large, Chiara noticed how plain the Omashu palace's throne room was. The
walls were high and the entire room, bathed in green light, was very modest with its simple
throne sitting at the top of three very low steps nearly level with the main floor. She found it
nothing like the Fire Nation throne room with its large columns, decorative ceiling and walls,
and the large ornate baldacchino under which the Fire Lord sat, and despite the fire that
burned brightly before the throne, it always seemed dark to her. They followed the guards
along the green carpet towards the chair where the old king sat with two guards standing
behind him.

As they drew closer to the throne, they saw more clearly just how old King Bumi looked. He
sat hunched over on his throne almost as if his green robes were too heavy for him and
weighed him down. His white hair stuck out in all directions, and Chiara had to stifle a giggle
at his unusual headdress with its enormous feathers sticking out and up like giant horns.
Whoever told Iroh that the king of Omashu was eccentric was definitely accurate.

Iroh bowed in respect and Chiara followed his lead.

The king's light green eyes, one wide and one narrow, studied them from beneath his bushy
eyebrows. His unamused expression and scrutinizing gaze made Chiara feel a little unnerved.

Bumi held up the lotus tile. “So this is your business with me?”

Chiara had expected his voice to be much deeper.

“Are you challenging me to a game?” he asked.

“If I may,” said Iroh pleasantly.

Bumi stared intently at them.

“I think that you are...,” he started.

Chiara found herself holding her breath when he paused.

“...Fire Nation spies,” he finished accusingly. “Lock them up.”

Immediately they were surrounded by several guards pointing spears at them. Iroh was
stunned to see Chiara stand protectively in front of him.

“He's not a spy,” she said.

She was surprised to hear Bumi cackle.

“That sounds like something a spy would say. Put them in the prison,” he ordered.

She was worried about Iroh.

“It's okay, Lin,” he said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. “We will go quietly...or at least
calmly.”

The guards led them away. Outside the throne room, they were led down a dim hall.

“While we're waiting we'll take a cup of tea,” said Iroh politely.

The guard scoffed at Iroh's request. “This isn't an inn, spy.”

“No, but I'm sure you feed your prisoners. I'll have ginseng, and Lady Lin will have
chamomile.”

Despite their situation, Chiara wanted to laugh at Iroh's insistence on tea and the very cordial
manner in which he asked for it.

“Yeah, we'll get right on that,” said the guard in a dry sarcastic tone.

She laughed under her breath finding the guard's annoyance even funnier.

At the end of the hall, he directed Iroh to the right. “This way.”

Another guard looked down at Chiara. “You'll be going this way.” He pointed to the left.

She stopped and looked back at Iroh not wanting to be separated from him.

“Let's go,” demanded her guard when she hesitated.

Iroh turned to see her staring worriedly at him.

“It will be okay, Lin,” he assured her. “I'm sure you'll get your tea.”

Her worried expression turned to one of disbelief as Iroh happily continued going with the
guards in the opposite direction. She decided to trust him, but she could not help letting out a
small sigh before following the guard down the hall. He stopped at a blank stone wall, and
with a simple movement of his foot, a section of the wall dropped down creating a doorway.
The dimly lit area inside was small with a simple cot on the other side of the cell. The guard
motioned her inside.

She looked up at him. “Don't forget my chamomile.”

He just glared at her. She stepped into the cell and turned back in time to see the section of
wall close leaving her completely sealed inside. She sat on the cot quietly wondering what
was going to happen to Iroh.

------------------------------------

It was nearly six hours later that the doorway opened up. Chiara had been calmly meditating
when the guard walked in.

“Where's my father?” she asked him.

“He's being judged by King Bumi.”

“I want to see him.”

He motioned her into the hall. She followed him to another room where she saw Iroh sitting
comfortably on a cushion at a Pai Sho board across from Bumi.
“Lady Lin, come in,” said Iroh happily when he spotted her at the doorway. “You met King
Bumi earlier.”

She walked over to them.

“So how did you enjoy your prison cell?” Bumi asked her.

“I never got my tea,” she said.

Iroh laughed while Bumi cackled.

“Bring this young lady a cup of tea,” demanded the king.

“Chamomile,” she said.

“Please sit,” Iroh said to her. “This is our second game.”

“Who won the first?”

“I did,” said Iroh.

“You're very lucky he won,” said Bumi. “If he had lost you'd both still be in prison.”

“That doesn't seem a very fair reason to take prisoners,” she said.

The king snorted and cackled again.

-------------------------------------

The king was quite cordial from then on, and they were invited to stay at the palace during
their time in Omashu. Chiara was relieved that they were given much nicer chambers rather
than being returned to the prison cells which she half-expected considering the king's
eccentricity.

During their stay they were invited to an enormous arena where Bumi demonstrated his
impressive earthbending skills much to Chiara's astonishment. She suspected Iroh had
already been warned of the king's muscular physique since he did not seem to be surprised
that the seemingly fragile old man was nothing but muscle. Bumi and Iroh also spent much of
their time playing Pai Sho. Even Chiara played against Bumi but discovered that his bizarre
personality did not hinder his skill, and she was unable to beat him.

They stayed in Omashu for a week before moving on. Traveling through the Earth Kingdom,
Chiara continued writing Zuko telling him what she could of her travels, and he always wrote
back when he knew she was not traveling.

Dear Prince Zuko, I hope you're doing well. I keep hoping you'll hear from Aunt Ursa soon
too. It's been quite an adventure here as we encounter so many different things. Some of the
marketplaces we've visited are enormous. I've never seen such an assortment of items being
sold, including musical instruments I never knew existed. There's an incredible variety of
food here too, though I have yet to find it as good as it is at home. I really miss Tai's cooking.
Cabbage dishes seem to be really popular; there's even one merchant who makes his living
selling just cabbages. I found that I don't care much for it, except for one dish in which it's
wrapped around chicken and rice (I bet it would be better with komodo chicken). Though it's
been fascinating witnessing and experiencing the different cultures in so many cities and
villages, I can't wait to be back home. You're humble and loyal subject, Chiara.

As they continued their journey, they passed through Gaipan Village, they stayed in Yu Dao
for several weeks, they spent time at the Pohuai Stronghold, and they remained for a while at
a village resort on the Su Oku River, a stay which Iroh found especially relaxing. Chiara felt
most at home in those places as they were occupied by the Fire Nation, and she and Iroh were
both relieved to enjoy the Fire Nation cuisine after months of Earth Kingdom food. It was
from the village resort that Iroh could find transport to the North Pole, but they decided to
wait a few more weeks until after spring arrived before going.

Leaving the resort, they traveled west staying in small villages or camping out under the stars
as there were fewer villages in that area of the kingdom. As they journeyed towards one of
the Fire Nation villages, Chiara saw wanted posters.

“Admiral Jeong Jeong's still wanted by the Fire Nation?” she asked.

She remembered hearing about his defection years earlier, and though he was considered a
deserter and wanted by the Fire Lord, she had always secretly admired his strength in
deserting the war cause.

“They were never able to capture him,” said Iroh.

She smiled. “Good for him,” she said softly.

Iroh chuckled. “I agree.”

“Can I take this down?” she whispered.

Iroh smiled and nodded. After she removed the wanted poster, he held his hand out and she
gave it to him. In a few seconds it was nothing but ash slowly falling to the ground making
Chiara giggle.

---------------------------------------

They continued to the village where they stayed for about two weeks in order to be present
for the Fire Days Festival. She wrote to Zuko as soon as they arrived there, and she was
happy to receive a reply several days later.

Dear Chiara, it's good to hear from you again, and I'm glad you made it safely to the village.
I wish I could be there with you. Nothing's changed much here. I've only been busy with
school lessons and firebending training. I thought I would be learning how to lead our
nation, but father's almost always in the throne room and I don't see him very much. I tried to
leave the palace the other day. I wanted to go back to our old manor and sit by the pond, but
a guard at the gate wouldn't let me leave. (I'm going to try it again, but I'm going to sneak out
next time). I can't wait to hear from you again. Say hi to Uncle for me. Zuko.

A few days after the festival they started their trek back to the village resort. Stopping at a
river on their journey, Chiara prepared tea over the fire that Iroh started.

“Keep your eyes open,” he warned. “I believe we have a guest.”

“I suspected as much,” said Chiara having sensed they were being watched.

“And what am I to make of the Dragon of the West traveling alone with a child?” came a
deep voice from the trees.

“Join us for tea, Admiral, and I'll tell you,” said Iroh.

Jeong Jeong stepped out of the forest and walked towards their little campfire, though he did
so cautiously. Chiara had a vague memory of the former admiral in his uniform, his long
silver hair held neatly in a topknot on his head. Now he appeared in ragged clothing, his
topknot cut off with his silver hair sticking out wildly. Only the two scars near his right eye
remained unchanged.

“General Iroh,” Jeong Jeong greeted him.

“Retired general,” said Iroh.

“And retired admiral,” said Jeong Jeong sitting down near the fire.

“Of course,” chuckled Iroh. “Ginseng?”

“Please.”

Chiara held out a cup which Jeong Jeong took from her.

“Jeong Jeong, this is my daughter Lady Chiara,” said Iroh.

The firebending master took in her green eyes and dark skin. “Ah, yes, she's grown quite a bit
since I saw her at the camp.”

She was on her knees, but she bowed respectfully to him. “I'm honored to meet you, Master
Jeong Jeong,” she said.

“She's quite a fan of yours,” said Iroh before taking a sip of his tea.

Jeong Jeong raised an eyebrow. “Is she now? And why would that be?”

“I admire your bravery in choosing the path that leads away from destruction,” she said.

For such a stern looking man, he gave her a smile that was surprisingly gentle. “Is that so?”
he asked.
“She's quite familiar with the destruction from which you're running,” said Iroh. “It wasn't far
from here somewhere along the coast where her entire village was completely destroyed, her
family slaughtered.”

Chiara looked at Iroh. She had not known they were so close to her home town, and Jeong
Jeong now understood that it was her village for which Iroh stopped his ship years earlier.

“A child of the Water raised amid Fire,” said Jeong Jeong thoughtfully. “You took quite a
chance.”

“A decision I have never regretted.”

Jeong Jeong nodded and took a sip of his tea. “I was sorry to hear of your loss,” he said
sympathetically. “Prince Lu Ten was a fine young man. It's truly a loss to the whole Fire
Nation.”

Tears filled Chiara's eyes at the mention of Lu Ten, and Iroh was silent for a moment staring
blankly into his teacup.

“I only wish I had chosen to follow your path,” he finally said softly.

“It changes a lot when the destruction hits home,” said Jeong Jeong.

Iroh nodded sadly.

“I understand your decision to get away, but was it a good idea to leave the throne to Ozai?”
asked the former admiral.

“That wasn't my decision,” answered Iroh staring at the flames. “I was informed that my
father left it to him before his...sudden death.”

“And you believe that's the truth?”

“What I believe does not matter. What's done is done. Any attempt to take the throne now
will result in civil war.”

The former admiral grunted. “Ozai will follow Azulon in this greater war.”

Iroh nodded his head in agreement. “Then it's time we prepare ourselves.” He looked up from
the fire. “How about a game of Pai Sho?”

Jeong Jeong smirked, though Chiara was a bit puzzled by the sudden change in the discussion
from war to Pai Sho.

“Come. I'll take you to my camp,” he said as he stood up.

They packed up their teapot and cups onto the ostrich horses and followed him to a small
camp hidden deep in the woods.

“You live here alone?” asked Iroh.

“Being hunted by the Fire Nation makes it difficult to make friends.”

Iroh chuckled. “I suppose it would.”

Jeong Jeong led them to his tent.

“Chiara,” said Iroh, “why don't you go down to the river and practice while Jeong Jeong and
I play Pai Sho. You can play the winner.”

“Yes, General.”

As she turned away to go to the river, Iroh realized she addressed him as 'General' rather than
'Father.' He wondered if sending her away hurt her feelings, but he had to speak to Jeong
Jeong privately just as he had done with King Bumi and several others during their journey.

The candles in the tent immediately lit up when Jeong Jeong entered. “Will you be returning
to the Fire Nation soon?” he asked as he sat down at his Pai Sho table.

Iroh sat across from him. “We have only one more place to visit before going home.”

“And where is that?”

“The Northern Water Tribe,” answered Iroh.

Jeong Jeong looked up at him. “Risky business for the former Crown Prince of the Fire
Nation to go to the North Pole.”

“Possibly,” he said. “But it's quite necessary.” He started their game by placing a white lotus
tile on the board. “Besides, Chiara is in need of training that she can only receive from the
Water Tribe.”

Jeong Jeong could only admire Iroh's audacity in raising a waterbender right under the nose
of the Fire Lord as well as his daring to go into Water Tribe territory, and a smile spread
across his face. “And that chance you took years ago just became more dangerous.”

Iroh laughed. “No regrets.”

--------------------------------------------

After their game and their discussion, Iroh went down to the river where Chiara was
practicing her waterbending.

“Very impressive,” he said as she drew up a large stream of water and guided it through the
air.

“Who won?” she asked.

“You'll be playing me...if you're not mad at me,” he added softly.

When she looked at him curiously the water dropped back into the river. “Why would I be
mad at you?”

“You called me 'General.'” He seated himself on a large rock near the water.

She smiled. “I guess I feel more at home here.”

He nodded in understanding. “I wasn't trying to get rid of you. I just needed to talk to Jeong
Jeong...okay, I was trying to...”

She started laughing. “You don't have to explain it to me.” She drew up another stream of
water. “I know you've been up to something with all your Pai Sho connections and that this
has been a partial business trip. I trust whatever you've been up to is something good.”

They heard Jeong Jeong's deep laugh as he stepped out of the forest and approached the river.

“You're right, Iroh. She's quite wise for her age.”

“Not wise enough to beat him at Pai Sho though,” said Chiara guiding the water ribbon she
created.

Iroh chuckled. “That doesn't necessarily take wisdom as much as strategy.”

Jeong Jeong seated himself on another boulder and watched Chiara's movements. “Your
waterbending skills are quite advanced for someone who's never had a master,” he said. “You
are blessed with a great gift.”

“Thank you, Master Jeong Jeong, but your firebending is legendary.”

“Fire is destructive; it only destroys,” he said deeply. “Water, however, gives life.”

She allowed the water to fall around her. “Fire is life too,” she said. She stepped out of the
river and stood by Iroh. “Give me a flame.” He held up his hand producing a small fire in his
palm. She drew a small orb of water from her clothes and held it over the flame. “Without
fire,” she continued, “there would be no hot tea.” She allowed the water to become steam.

Iroh was softly laughing, and he felt proud of her.

Even Jeong Jeong was laughing. “You are definitely Iroh's daughter.”

-------------------------------------

Iroh and Chiara remained with Jeong Jeong for several weeks. During their time with him,
they traveled to the closest village to provide him with supplies that he had trouble getting on
his own. Chiara helped him hunt and prepare food, and he taught her many survival skills,
including how to dry meat. In between games of Pai Sho, he and Iroh had lengthy
discussions, and Chiara was surprised to learn that he considered his firebending ability to be
a curse rather than a gift. He would often watch her waterbend at the river, and he was
impressed to learn that she could heal.
When Iroh decided it was time to visit the Northern Water Tribe, they left Jeong Jeong and
returned to the village resort to find transport there. Of course, Iroh decided to enjoy a few
more days at the resort before arranging their trip to the north, so Chiara wrote Zuko another
letter.

Dear Prince Zuko, I'm sorry it's taken so long to write you. There was no way to get a letter
out where we've been for the last several weeks. But we're both safe. Unfortunately, we'll be
out of contact again for a time as we'll be traveling to a different location. We'll be leaving in
a few days. The General bought this messenger hawk so we could stay in touch where we're
going. I've named him Raptor. I understand if you don't have time to reply, but if you send
Raptor back immediately, I'll write to you as soon as we arrive at our next destination.

I'm happy to tell you that the General seems to be slowly recovering. Though his heart still
bears the pain of his loss, he's been more sociable of late. I hope you've been keeping up with
your Pai Sho game because he's been challenging everyone we meet and is becoming quite
an expert.

Your humble and loyal subject, Chiara.

---------------------------------------

Iroh and Chiara were able to book passage on a ship that would take them to the Northern
Water Tribe. The day before they were to leave, Raptor flew in with a message from Zuko.

Dear Chiara, I was relieved to receive your letter. I've been really worried about you and
Uncle. I'm happy to hear you're both safe and he's doing better. Unfortunately, I don't get to
play much Pai Sho. Master Piandao is the only one willing to play with me; no one in the
palace seems to have time for it.

I've been sneaking out of the palace whenever I can, but I've only been able to do it at night.
Our houses seem so dark and empty now, and the turtle ducks are all asleep then. I still like
to sit there when it's dark and quiet, but it just isn't the same. I really miss Mom.

I hope you have a safe journey to your next destination, and I can't wait until you and Uncle
come home. Zuko
 The Northern Water Tribe

There were very few merchants ships that visited the Northern Water Tribe, but Iroh was able
to find one that was willing to take them as passengers. As they sailed north, Chiara stood on
the deck amazed at how blue the water looked as the giant icebergs gleamed around them.
When they approached the land of the Northern Tribe, both she and Iroh were stunned by the
large ice fortress that rose above the horizon beyond the ice wall that protected it. For as high
as the wall grew as they sailed towards it, both Iroh and Chiara could not help noticing that it
still was not as massive as the wall surrounding Ba Sing Se. They were not far from Agna
Qel'a when Water Tribe barges surrounded their ship, and once the merchant ship was
identified, cargo was unloaded onto the Tribe's boats. Iroh and Chiara also stepped aboard
one of the smaller boats with the merchant with whom they were traveling. Waterbenders
created a tunnel in the wall of ice through which their barge sailed, and once inside, other
waterbenders dropped another wall as they raised the water to allow them to enter the canals.
Both of them were in awe as they sailed through the canal taking in the breathtaking design
of the city with its gleaming ice bridges and flowing water. Chiara had gotten used to the
different dress and styles of the Earth Kingdom, but the Water Tribe styles were completely
new to her. And though she did not remember her own village very well, their location in the
northern Earth Kingdom did not require the heavy winter clothing that was necessary so far
north. For their own attire they continued wearing the colors of the Earth Kingdom. Iroh had
no intention of hiding their identities, but he at least wanted a chance to speak to the chief,
and he did not want to be immediately judged by appearance. Even in their neutral colors,
however, they stuck out among the blue of the tribe.

After docking, they stepped off the barge and were eventually led to the palace as Iroh had
asked to speak to the tribal chief.

“Look at all the waterfalls,” said Chiara pointing at them as they surrounded the palace.
“They're so beautiful.”

Iroh softly chuckled at her excitement, but he was equally impressed by the beauty. Crossing
over the ice bridge they walked between two ice totems towering over them. As they climbed
the steps they marveled at the ice pagoda palace crowned with the moon and water symbol of
the Water Tribe. Two warriors stood guard at the entrance at the top of the staircase.

“What is your purpose here?” asked one of the warriors.

“I wish to have an audience with Chief Arnook,” said Iroh pleasantly.

“And your business with him, foreigner?”

“I have a request to make of him.”

The warrior eyed him suspiciously. “Who may I tell him is making the request?”

“I am General Iroh of the Fire Nation,” he said, again in an amiable voice.

Chiara had not expected him to be so blunt about his identity so soon.

Upon hearing his name the guard had immediately stepped back, and with a simple, but quick
gesture, several more warriors suddenly appeared and surrounded both of them holding them
at spearpoint. Again, to Iroh's surprise, Chiara stood protectively in front of him between him
and one of the spears just as she did in Omashu.

“Please don't attack him,” she said.

He placed his hands on her shoulders, but she refused to move. The warriors, however, paid
no regard to her, seeing her as non-threatening, but they did not remove their piercing blue
eyes from Iroh.

“And what request could the Dragon of the West be making of the Northern Water Tribe?”
asked the entrance guard deeply.

“It is a simple one,” said Iroh. “One I would prefer to discuss with Chief Arnook. But I can
assure you it is merely personal and unrelated to the war.”

The warrior's dark blue eyes considered the old general.

“Keep them here,” he ordered before disappearing into the palace.

“It might've been more effective if you tried bribing him with your white lotus tile instead of
your name,” said Chiara.

Iroh merely chuckled at her comment.

After discussing the matter with his advisers Chief Arnook agreed to meet with Iroh. After
having their belongings and weapons removed, they were led towards the throne room of the
Royal Palace surrounded by a group of warriors.

“It seems my name carries some weight after all,” said Iroh jovially as they stood before the
throne room doors.

“Enough weight that it might land you in prison,” Chiara chided him.

The decorative ice doors before them were opened to reveal the brightest throne room Chiara
had ever seen. Lining the room were towering ice totems rising to the snow white ceiling.
Even Iroh admired the magnificent pure white architecture so different from the Fire Nation,
and he found it fascinating that the Tribe was completely surrounded by their element. They
walked along the icy floor towards the enormous ornate ice structure at the other end. Behind
it a magnificent waterfall continuously flowed producing a misty cloud where it fell. Chiara
was surprised to see that there was no throne, but a group of men who sat upon the steps
beneath the structure.

Standing among the sitting group was a tall grave-looking man staring at them with icy blue
eyes.
“Chief Arnook,” said Iroh as he bowed respectfully, Chiara imitating him. “We are honored
that you have accepted us in your presence.”

“I must say I'm surprised to see the famed General of the Fire Nation standing before me,”
said Arnook stiffly. “Is it normal for the Fire Nation to send the former Crown Prince with a
child on a diplomatic mission?”

His words revealed the knowledge the Northern Tribe had of the current events taking place
in the world and in the Fire Nation.

“My mission is not a diplomatic one, but a personal one,” he said. “This is Lady Chiara.”

She bowed again. “It's an honor to meet you, Chief Arnook.”

“She is a child of the Water Tribe who's been in my care for over six years,” said Iroh.

The chief, as well as several others in the room, leaned forward as they looked closer at her.

The chief's eyes glared at Iroh. “And how did a Water Tribe child fall under your care?” he
asked deeply.

Every bit a brave general, Iroh did not cower under the angry stares. “Years ago, a Water
Tribe village in the northwestern Earth Kingdom was attacked by a Fire Nation company,” he
explained, feeling that it would be best to be honest. “Chiara was the only survivor, so I took
her into my home.”

There was murmuring among the advisers.

“And you led this attack?”

“I did not. I was on a ship off shore when I saw the smoke from the village.”

“Why was the village attacked?”

“The captain did not follow his orders,” answered Iroh.

“And what were his orders?”

“Only to travel to another site. He didn't expect to come across the village, and he made the
wrong decision to attack it.”

“And was he punished?”

“I reprimanded him and filed a formal complaint, but it was not for me to punish him.”

“So this captain got away with slaughtering an entire tribe!” said one of the advisers who
stood up.

“I understand your anger at the injustice,” said Iroh. “And I cannot adequately express my
sorrow and regret over the incident.” The warriors looked skeptical. “However,” he
continued, “it is not why I have come here.”

“So your purpose here now is to return our sister to us after all these years,” said the chief.

Chiara looked up worriedly at Iroh.

“Not exactly,” he said. “My purpose here is to find her a waterbending master.”

“If she's a waterbender, she will be trained, but as we are her extended family, she will remain
here.”

“It's not my intention to leave her here; however, that is a decision Chiara is free to make
herself. If she so chooses to remain, then I will not dispute it.”

“She's just a child,” said one of the other warriors. “She should not be forced to return to the
Fire Nation.”

“Again,” said Iroh, “I will not force her to return with me. I believe she should be free to
decide.”

“How interesting,” said another. “A Water Tribe child raised in the Fire Nation, and you want
her trained in waterbending. Is it your intention to have her fight against her own Tribe when
the Fire Nation decides to attack the North Pole? Or study our waterbending techniques
which might aid you in a siege against the north?”

“As I'm sure you've heard, I abandoned the Siege at Ba Sing Se. Just like many others in all
the Nations, this war has cost me dearly. I have chosen to follow a different path. I'm not
interested in spying or fighting, but only knowledge. As a child of the Water Tribe, I believe
it's Chiara's right to study where she comes from and develop her skills regardless of where
she chooses to live.”

One of the advisers stood up. “And you have proof that she is of this...obliterated Water
Tribe?”

Iroh looked at Chiara and nodded, so she removed the chain diadem from her neck and held it
out. One of the warriors took it from her and handed it to the man who had asked the
question. After studying it, he looked at the chief and nodded. Everyone was stunned, and
even offended to hear of the attack and to learn that the survivor was raised in the Fire
Nation.

After inspecting the diadem, another adviser stood up. “Chief Arnook, it was the tribe of
Chief Kolos. They were the ones whose remains we discovered years ago after losing contact
with them.”

There was a low gasp among some of the men. A tall warrior with long black hair adorned
with blue beads walked over and took the diadem to inspect it.

His pale blue eyes glared at Iroh. “Was this among your spoils?” he asked deeply and angrily.

Chiara was feeling nervous for Iroh.

“It belonged to Chiara's mother,” he answered. “It has not been out of her possession.”

“Then she's the missing daughter of Chief Kolos,” he said turning to the chief. “This
belonged to his wife Chiana.” He turned back to Iroh. “You not only murdered our people,
but you took the chief's daughter as a slave?!” he asked angrily.

Chiara struggled to keep from yelling out.

“I assure you, Chiara is not a slave,” said Iroh calmly. “I raised her as if she were my own
child.”

“But she's not your own!” yelled the man, his blue beads bouncing just as angrily around
him. “She was my cousin's daughter. You had no right to take her back to your murderous
nation!”

Both Iroh and Chiara were stunned.

“Surak,” said Arnook. “Enough.” The chief looked at Iroh. “Were you not the Crown Prince?
Are we to believe that you raised a Water Tribe child in the Capital of the Fire Nation?”

“Lady Chiara was raised in Royal Caldera City. No one in the Fire Nation knows where she's
from. My own father, Fire Lord Azulon, did not even know her true origin. This is, of course,
information I expect to remain confidential if she decides to return to the Fire Nation,” he
added as a warning.

“She is the descendant of my murdered cousin!” said Surak. “She is to remain here with her
family.”

Chiara now regretted visiting the Northern Water Tribe, and she took a small step back and
closer to Iroh.

“I believe that's a decision that should be left to her,” said Iroh patiently.

“She's just a child,” said Surak. “She doesn't know what's best for her.”

Iroh raised an eyebrow. “I believe you will find Chiara wiser than most her age.”

There was more murmuring among the group.

“This is something we will need to discuss,” said the chief.

“Then if it will help in favor of her training, I would like to add that I'm willing to be held
here as a prisoner of the Northern Water Tribe in whatever way you feel is necessary.”

Chiara placed her hand on his left arm as she looked up at him with worry again, but before
she could say anything, he raised his right hand to keep her silent.

Arnook nodded. “We will let you know our decision.”

They were taken to a guarded room where they sat and waited.
“So you have a cousin here,” said Iroh conversationally.

“Not all family is by blood,” she said softly to his surprise.

His heart melted, and if there had been any deficiency in his love for her as his daughter, it
was quickly remedied.

“And training isn't worth it if you're imprisoned,” she said.

Iroh gently laughed. “I will be okay. I believe it'll be much better than a Fire Nation prison,”
he added.

----------------------------------

After a short time, a man stepped into the room.

“They would like to speak to the child alone,” he said.

Chiara looked at Iroh who nodded. She left the room and followed the man until she stood
again before Chief Arnook. Unlike when she stood with Iroh, there were no warriors
surrounding her with spears.

“Tell me, child, what do you remember of your village before it was destroyed by the Fire
Nation?” the chief asked her.

“I only remember my mother, sir, her face and the diadem around her head.”

“Do you have any memories of the attack?” asked Surak.

“No, sir,” she answered.

“How was your life in the Fire Nation?” asked Arnook. “And I want you to be honest with
me. No one from the Fire Nation can hurt you now.”

“I felt at home there, sir. The General treated me well.”

“Your home is here with your own people,” said Surak. “Do you not want to live among your
own Tribe, your own family?”

“I want to live wherever the General does. I consider him my family.”

“He's Fire Nation,” said Surak disgustedly. “He's responsible for the death of your real
family.”

“The General didn't murder my family, and if it wasn't for him my death would've been
certain. He saved my life.”

“He is the general of the Fire Nation Army! And for how many deaths is he responsible?!”

Chiara remained calm despite Surak's anger. “I can't answer that, but I can say that his path is
no longer of war,” she answered.
Surak was frustrated that he could not convince her to turn against Iroh.

Another man stood up and spoke, “Having grown up in the Fire Nation Capital, is there
anything you can tell us about their naval operations?”

“Sir, I never made it my business to follow military operations, but even if I had, I'm not a
spy, neither for the Water Tribe nor Fire Nation.”

“Do you agree with the war then?” he asked her.

“I do not,” she answered honestly. “Too many people have lost their lives, including in the
Fire Nation. I myself lost someone recently who was very dear to me.”

There was silence. Chief Arnook looked around but no one else spoke up.

“You may go,” he said to her.

“May I add something?” she asked.

He nodded.

“I don't wish to train if it means the General will be imprisoned,” she said. “He's been a father
to me, and it's not worth him being punished.”

She bowed and then returned to the room with Iroh.

---------------------------------------

After the council discussed the situation, they were both called back in to stand before Chief
Arnook. They were once again surrounded by warriors, though fewer than before.

“It is our decision,” he started, “that Chiara may remain here to be trained, but only at the
discretion of Master Pakku. I only ask that you both try to assimilate to our culture.”

“And as to her leaving here with me?” asked Iroh.

“That will be left up to her.”

“Thank you, Chief Arnook,” he said.

“Thank you,” said Chiara.

They returned her diadem.

“Provide them with quarters and clothing before they see Pakku,” said the chief to one of his
men. He turned to Iroh. “Any incoming or outgoing correspondence will be read by us, and
there will be two...escorts that will remain with you at all times. I hope you understand our
caution.”

“I understand,” said Iroh. “We are just thankful for the opportunity and hospitality you are
providing.”
He and Chiara both bowed, and then they were taken to their quarters in the city.

“Tomorrow you will meet with Master Pakku,” said the tribesman. “There's food and
clothing in your room.”

“Thank you,” said Chiara.

They went inside where they first changed into Water Tribe clothing. When Iroh walked out
of his room in Water Tribe blue, Chiara smiled at him.

“The blue really brings out your amber eyes,” she said.

“Who would've known I look good as Water Tribe? But I think it makes me look bigger,” he
said, squirming a bit in the clothing.

She laughed. “That's because you are bigger.” She adjusted his belt for him. “I told you not to
indulge so much in those Earth Kingdom pastries.”

“But they were so good,” he said.

She threw a few treats into Raptor's cage before she sat down to eat with Iroh, and they
remained in their quarters for the evening.

Two waterbending warriors were posted outside their room and were to escort them wherever
they went.
 Life in the North

Early the next morning, Iroh and Chiara left their quarters to meet with Master Pakku, the
waterbending instructor. The two warriors who were assigned to them took them to the
master's quarters. When they entered, Pakku stood up to meet his guests. Chiara thought he
looked quite the opposite of Iroh. His tall, thin build contrasted with the general's shorter, and
now heavier, frame. His pale blue eyes were crowned by white eyebrows that matched his
white hair, and she wondered if they ever relaxed from the piercing glare he was giving them.

Iroh paid no attention to the harsh, icy look the man gave him.

“Master Pakku,” he greeted him merrily as he and Chiara bowed to him.

Chiara wanted to giggle at Iroh's cheerfulness. She was sure he filled his greeting with far
more cheer than he usually would just to offset the irascibility of their host.

“I am Iroh and this is Lady Chiara...”

“Yes, I know who you are,” Pakku interrupted curtly.

Iroh's pleasant disposition never wavered amid Pakku's animosity. “We've been sent to you to
request waterbending training for Chiara.”

“Do you know nothing of our customs?” the master asked in a condescending tone.

“I'm afraid I do not,” said Iroh calmly.

“Then let me enlighten you. It is forbidden for women to learn waterbending.”

“I don't believe I ever heard of men-only waterbenders,” said Iroh.

“Women waterbenders learn to heal from Yagoda,” said Pakku.

“But what about Avatar Kyoshi and Avatar Yangchen?” asked Chiara.

He turned his pale blue eyes to her. “Are you the Avatar?” he asked rudely.

“Not that I'm aware of, sir,” she answered simply.

Iroh held back a chuckle at her answer. “Thank you for enlightening us, Master Pakku,” he
said politely. “Where do we find Master Yagoda?”

“Yagoda is in the healing hut.”

They bowed again and walked with the warriors to the healing hut where they entered to see
an elderly woman preparing for her class.

“Are you Master Yagoda?” asked Iroh.

“I am. You must be General Iroh of the Fire Nation,” she said, her voice lacking any of the
hostility of Pakku.

Iroh smiled. “I see the news travels fast here.”

“And this is the young waterbender?” she asked stepping closer to study her.

“This is Lady Chiara,” introduced Iroh.

“Master Yagoda,” said Chiara as she bowed to her. She was relieved to find that Yagoda was
far more welcoming than Pakku.

“Clearly you've shown signs of waterbending if you came all this way to be trained.”

“Yes, Master Yagoda,” answered Chiara.

“Have you had any formal training?”

“I have not.”

“Have you ever healed any wounds?”

“Yes,” she answered softly. There was a sadness in her voice that Yagoda did not catch, but
Iroh knew she was reminded of the victim of the lightning strike.

“Since you've had no formal training, we'll start with the basics.”

Chiara nodded her head. “I understand.”

“I am quite curious,” started Iroh, “Chiara has shown some skill in healing others, but she is
unable to heal her own wounds.”

Yagoda considered her thoughtfully before finally speaking. “Let me see your hands,” she
said to her.

Chiara held them out, and Yagoda took them in her own, her crystal blue eyes studying them
closely.

“I have heard of this before. It's very rare. I've only known one healer who could not heal
herself.”

“What does it mean?” asked Chiara wondering if she was just weaker than other
waterbenders.

“I believe it means you were born to serve.”

“Born to serve?” asked Iroh with a strong emphasis on 'serve.' Despite his recent humbling
journey, the royal blood in his veins struggled with this.

“Like a mother serves her family,” said Chiara.

“Yes, exactly,” smiled Yagoda with a hint of excitement in her voice. “You understand.”

Iroh's struggle disappeared and was replaced with amazement at Chiara's point of view and
even more so at her wisdom.

“You recognize your destiny already,” said the older woman. “It is for you to take care of
others.”

Memories filled Iroh's mind: images of Chiara always helping and serving in his household,
her coming to him after Lu Ten's death to take care of him and comfort him, her willingness
to help others during their journey through the Earth Kingdom.

“And you've known of only one other healer like this?” he asked.

“Yes. She was the greatest healer in all the Northern Water Tribe. She was my master, Kurra.
At one time, before the war people from all the Nations traveled here seeking her touch.”

Young girls began entering the hut.

“Come,” said Yagoda to Chiara. “We will begin lessons.”

Chiara bowed to Iroh who then left as both warriors followed him.

------------------------------------------

After leaving Chiara with Yagoda to learn healing techniques, Iroh returned to Pakku's
quarters. The waterbender looked up, the annoyed expression on his face making it clear that
the guest was not welcome.

“I believe I directed you to Yagoda. Unless you are in need of a waterbending instuctor?” he
asked rudely.

Iroh simply smiled and chuckled. “Learning the movements of waterbending might do me
good.” He rubbed his belly. “Especially if it helps me slim down.”

The master was clearly not amused. “It seems to me you would have better luck with that by
keeping your mouth closed.”

Pakku had not expected the loud laughter that came from the general.

“Lady Chiara has been telling me that quite often lately,” said Iroh still chuckling, “though
far more politely than I deserve.”

The Water Tribesman just glared at him. “Why are you here?” he asked bluntly.

Once Iroh let out the last of his chuckles, his expression became more thoughtful. “Master
Pakku,” he addressed him in a more serious and polite tone, “if I may have a word with you.”
He looked at his warrior escorts. “Privately.”
Pakku considered him for a moment and then gave a terse nod to the two warriors who left
the room.

“I see you enjoy Pai Sho,” said Iroh eyeing the board.

Pakku raised an eyebrow.

“I have a proposition for you.” He pulled out a white lotus tile.

---------------------------------------

That afternoon, Chiara returned to their quarters. She knew Iroh was inside since the two
warriors were standing outside the door, and when she approached she bowed to them.

“May I get you warriors anything to drink or eat?” she asked.

They looked at each other surprised by her offer, but they were also a bit suspicious.

“No,” they said.

She bowed her head respectfully and then entered the room.

“Welcome home, Lady Chiara,” said Iroh as he worked in the tiny kitchen area. “How was
your training session today?”

“It was very basic, but still very interesting. And it's already improved what I can do.”

“I've always said basics are very important. And healing is a gift that will be quite useful...it's
been quite useful,” he said remembering their journey through the Earth Kingdom and the
few people they encountered that she was able to help by her skill. “Even Jeong Jeong
admitted to preferring your gift over his own...and I can't say I wouldn't mind having such a
gift myself,” he added softly.

“If becoming an expert healer's the only thing I'll learn here, it'll be worth it,” she said as she
was hanging up her coat.

Though she was inwardly disappointed that she would not learn how to defend or fight, she
appreciated that the trip would not be a complete waste.

“Tomorrow, you'll begin waterbending training with Master Pakku,” said Iroh casually.

“What?” she asked shocked as she walked over to him. “How? I thought it's forbidden.”

“We discussed the necessity of your training over a friendly game of Pai Sho.”

“That's incredible. You're amazing.”

“I told you Pai Sho is more than just a game.”

“I figured that out in Omashu,” she smiled.

He was chuckling as he walked by her. “You will still continue your healing training. You'll
train every other day with Pakku.”

She nodded now inwardly excited that she would be learning everything she could about
waterbending.

“What is that?” he asked of the small package she had in her hand.

“Fish for Raptor.”

She unwrapped it and held the small fish over him in his cage. He nipped at it with his beak
and then grabbed it from her pulling it into his cage. Holding the fish down with his talons he
tore off small pieces of its flesh.

“After a week of this diet, you're not going to want to leave Prince Zuko,” she said to the
hawk.

“It's quite a coincidence,” said Iroh as he placed their food on the table. “That's exactly what
we're having.”

“You're going to be as good as Tai soon,” she said as they sat down.

“Oh, how I miss Tai's cooking,” he said dreamily. He looked at her. “Not that you're a bad
cook,” he said. “Earth Kingdom food just wasn't the same as it is at home.”

“I agree,” she said.

They took a bite of their dinner.

“Nor is Water Tribe food,” he whispered.

She softly laughed and nodded.

“I offered some food to your escorts outside, but they refused,” she said.

“My escorts,” he said dryly.

“Apparently, I'm not that much of a threat.”

Iroh laughed. “If they knew how well you fight with your sword, they would have two more
escorts just for you,” he said in a low voice.

She smiled.

“It doesn't seem much different than having Imperial Firebenders following you
everywhere,” she said.

“Now I have Imperial Waterbenders,” he laughed. “Destiny is a funny thing.”

-----------------------------------------
The following day, Chiara began her studies with Master Pakku. Often during training he was
harsher with her than he was with his male students as he was not happy about training her,
but she patiently endured any humiliation or extra tasks he set her to without complaint.

Several days after their arrival, Chief Arnook decided to have a feast as rumors about their
guests had been spreading through the Tribe. When Iroh and Chiara entered the hall, Chief
Arnook greeted them.

“General Iroh, Lady Chiara,” he said. “This is my daughter Princess Yue.”

They were both astonished to see the princess's snow white hair. Iroh immediately bowed to
her.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Princess Yue,” he said.

Chiara followed his lead. “Princess Yue, I'm honored.”

The princess nodded her head to them before they all knelt around the table, Yue and Chiara
sitting next to each other. Yue was curious about their new guests. She had never known
anyone close to her age from outside the North Pole.

“I've been told that you're a waterbender,” she said to Chiara.

“Yes, Princess,” she said. “Are you as well?”

“No,” she answered. “But please call me Yue. Aren't you a princess too?”

“No.”

“But I heard that your father was chief of his tribe. Doesn't that make you a princess?”

This made Chiara smile. She was reminded of how Zuko used to tease her about having to
call her princess one day when Iroh would become Fire Lord.

“I guess it does,” she answered. “But he died when I was young, and I only just found out he
was the chief. In the Fire Nation they address me as Lady Chiara.”

“So you grew up in the Fire Nation?” asked Yue.

“I did.”

“What was that like?”

“There's no ice,” smiled Chiara. “The General's manor is made of stone, and he has the most
beautiful garden with flowers of all colors and fruit trees.”

Yue was smiling at her description, and it reminded her of a place hidden in the city.
“There are all kinds of birds and insects that fly around,” continued Chiara. “And it's also
much warmer there.”

“You don't like the cold?” asked the princess.

“Actually I enjoy it, but after living so long in the Fire Nation, I had to acclimate to the lower
temperatures here.”

“My father said you plan on returning to the Fire Nation. Why don't you want to remain
here?”

“The General is like a father to me. Wherever he is is home,” answered Chiara. “Besides, my
best friend lives in the Fire Nation. We only have a few years left to...to be together.”

“Why only a few years?” asked Yue.

“He's the Crown Prince now. He'll have to take a wife one day.”

“He's not to free to choose his own?” she asked.

“He is, but she must be from the Fire Nation,” said Chiara sadly.

“I understand how difficult that is,” said Yue looking down. “When I'm sixteen my father will
arrange a marriage for me.”

“The General sometimes speaks of finding me a worthy husband,” Chiara said softly, “but
then he seems upset by it and drops the subject.”

Yue leaned close to her. “I wish my father would drop the subject,” she whispered.

They both giggled.

As soon as Chiara had time, she wrote a letter to Zuko.

Dear Prince Zuko, as always, I hope this letter finds you well. We made it safely to our next
stop. I'm not sure for how long we'll be here, but it may be a while.

I'm happy to hear that Master Piandao and Fat are doing well, but it's a shame your training
time with him has been cut to only two days. It's good though that you'll be spending more
time learning your new duties around the palace. Unfortunately, I haven't had much time to
train, and your uncle prefers Pai Sho over swords, so you may find me a bit out of practice
when we return.

Your uncle's been adjusting very well to the changes in our journey. Every place we've visited
has been so different, and this current one is unlike any we've visited so far. I'm very proud of
him and how well he's adapted (sometimes he even cooks—and not just tea!). I hope to see
you soon. Your humble and loyal subject, Chiara.
By the end of her first week of training, it became clear to Pakku that she was a prodigy as
she quickly became proficient in her skills. Many times, Iroh joined them during training, and
just as Chiara practiced firebending moves, he practiced the movements of waterbending.
Every other day she studied healing, and in their down time, she and Iroh enjoyed exploring
Agna Qel'a. Chiara also met other kids her age, and she spent a lot of her free time with
Princess Yue who enjoyed asking her questions about the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation.
Surak also insisted she spend time with him and his family with the hope that she might
decide to remain with them. And after the first month, Chief Arnook finally removed their
escorts as it seemed clear to everyone that they were not spies.

One day after they finished training, Iroh and Chiara sat in their quarters talking over dinner.

“I believe I have discovered a technique for redirecting lightning,” he said.

She looked up at him. “Really?”

“Guiding the flow through my body, through my stomach and away from the heart, I can
guide it in a different direction.”

Her eyes were wide. “That's incredible.”

“I just hope I never have to use it.”

Her eyes fell back to her plate. “It would be just as helpful as healing a lightning strike,” she
said sadly.

He could tell by the change in the tone of her voice that she was thinking about Nisha's
husband. “You cannot continue to carry that guilt, Chiara. It wasn't your fault.”

She poked the food on her plate with her chopsticks unable to eat any more. “I still wish I
could've helped him.”

“You won't be able to help everyone.”

“I know,” she said softly.

“What about you,” he said desiring to take her mind off the tragedy. “Did you learn anything
new today?”

“We were practicing water massages,” she answered. She looked up at him. “Would you like
to see what it's like?”

His smile grew at the offer. “Oh, I never refuse a massage.”

She giggled softly and then stood up sliding his plate and cup to the other side of the table.

“Lean forward,” she said. “You can rest your arms on the table.”
He followed her instructions. She drew up water and moved it around over his back while it
glowed. Iroh felt like he was melting and his head slowly came to rest on his forearms.

“Oh, Chiara...that...that feels wonderful.” Every muscle in his back felt relaxed and free from
aches he did not even realize had been there. “This is better than any massage I've ever
received,” he said nearly slurring his words. “I'm firing all the masseurs at the palace back
home.”

She was laughing at his words. She continued the massage until he was nearly asleep, and
when she stopped she sat down across from him again.

“That technique alone was worth the trip,” he said as he reluctantly sat up. She slid his plate
back in front of him. “All the Nations really are meant to complement one another; they each
have their own gifts to share.” He looked at her. “And that water massage has just become
one of my favorites of Water Tribe contribution.”

She smiled.

A few months into their stay, they were sitting at the table playing Pai Sho after dinner.

“Chiara, would you like to stay with Surak and his family for a week?”

“Are you trying to distract me?” she asked as she tried to concentrate on her next move.

“Is it working?” he said with a devious smile.

She was thinking about which of two tiles to set down. “Yes.”

She finally placed one of them on the board.

“Aside from the successful distraction,” he said when he saw her tile, “it is a legitimate
question.”

She looked up at him suspiciously. “Why?”

He set down a tile.

“I would like to spend some time in the Spirit Oasis,” he said softly. “And I don't want you to
be here alone...especially as we no longer have our Imperial Waterbenders to protect us,” he
smirked.

She was silent as she thought about his intentions. “I don't mind staying with them,” she said
as she took her turn.

He smiled appreciative of her understanding, and then he placed down his winning tile.

Chiara continued writing Zuko regularly, telling him what she could without giving away her
location. She enjoyed receiving his letters in return and saved every one of them. The week
after spending time with Surak and his family, she took the time to write him again.

Dear Prince Zuko, I'm always happy to hear from you, but I'm sorry to hear that you're not
learning what you expected to after all this time. I'm sure your uncle will be willing to help
you when we return. He's a great teacher, as you already know, and more than experienced
for that task.

This past week I stayed with some friends while he went on a journey on his own. I had hoped
he would find what he was looking for, but unfortunately he told me he didn't. Although, I do
believe he's found more peace than he realizes.

I'm not sure how much longer we'll be here, but I'm learning a lot of new things, but I still
miss our lessons together, and I especially miss sparring with you too. I've been able to spar
with some locals here, and I've even learned to use their unique weapons, but nothing beats
training with you with our swords. I can't wait to see you.

Your humble and loyal subject, Chiara

It was nearly six months into her training when Iroh and Chiara were in their room one
evening keeping warm by the fire after dinner.

“I believe it is time to return to the Fire Nation,” said Iroh softly.

“When do we leave?”

“I was thinking next week.”

Though Chiara enjoyed spending time with the Water Tribe and learning more about
waterbending, she missed the Fire Nation as it was the only home she remembered, and she
missed Zuko. She knew, however, it would be different. Lu Ten was gone, and Zuko no
longer lived next door and was now the crown prince, but she was still ready to be home
again.

“You're doing quite well in your training,” said Iroh. “Master Pakku has been quite impressed
with your skills. And there are also a few young men who have expressed interest in
marriage,” he added softly.

Her eyes immediately met his. “What?”

“A few men have asked for your hand.” It was not a subject he liked discussing with her. He
had discovered years earlier that it was easier for him to speak of marriage arrangements for
Lu Ten than for Chiara, and he wondered if this was common to all fathers of daughters.

“I-I don't want to get married.”

“Of course not yet,” chuckled Iroh. “You have a few more years, but it's never too early to
consider a husband for the future, and it may be wise to choose one from the Water Tribe.”
She felt sad and conflicted because she knew she should be interested in the Water tribesmen,
but she found she was not.

“If you choose to stay here among your people...your family...I will not force you to return
with me,” he said. He had to force himself to say his words without betraying his sorrow over
thoughts of leaving the North Pole alone without her company and returning to a house
empty of children.

“You're my family,” she said. “I want to stay with you.”

He wanted to hug her for her choice, and as much as it pained him to keep pointing out the
advantages of her remaining with the Tribe, he knew he had to be sure that she made the right
decision. “If you go back, you will not be able to waterbend anymore.”

She silently contemplated his warning.

“I know I'm not a child of the Fire Nation, and I'd probably be killed if anyone found out I'm
an outsider, but...but the Fire Nation is home to me. Wherever you are is home to me.”

Iroh's heart melted and tears filled his eyes as he took her in his arms and held her.

“You are a gift, Chiara. One I do not deserve,” he said as he thought about his past. “I could
not have asked for a better daughter...” He released her from his embrace to look in her sea
green eyes as he gently caressed her head. “...but forcing you to stop waterbending is forcing
you to deny your nature.”

“I wouldn't be denying my nature; I'd be practicing self-control. I've done that most of my
life.”

He was filled with amazement at her wisdom and devotion, and his eyes softened with his
smile.

“Besides,” she started, “you let me practice on Ember Island when we were alone.”

He let out a soft chuckle. “Then if you ever feel the need to express your nature, we will take
a trip to Ember Island.”

“It won't be the same though,” she said sadly as she still missed Lu Ten.

“No, it won't,” he said softly. “But we will manage.”

 Home Again

Though Chief Arnook encouraged Iroh to leave Chiara with the Tribe, Iroh left the decision
up to her, and the following week they left the North Pole together. They returned to the spa
resort where they were able to book passage on a ship to the Fire Nation. On the last day of
their voyage, they stood on the deck anxiously watching for their home on the horizon. As
they sailed farther south, the smoke appeared first in the distance, followed by the volcanoes
which began to grow taller as they drew closer. It had been a year since Chiara had been
home, and nearly three that Iroh had been away. They grew more anxious as the ship sailed
around Ember Island. Ahead of them rose a single statue marking the Great Gates of Azulon.
Years earlier, Iroh brought Chiara and Lu Ten out to the sea entrance to see the gates lit up
during one of the routine drills. She had found it exciting to see the wall of fire traverse the
water. But now, Azulon stood alone, the net lying hidden in the water, and she could barely
see the dragons on shore that held the other ends of the gate.

The ship began slowing down as they approached the Capital, but soon they were sailing
between the towers that guarded the First Lord's Harbor. After arriving on the dock, they
were taken uneventfully by carriage to Iroh's estate. Had he returned a year earlier when
Prince Lu Ten's death was fresh on the minds of their people, there would have been a crowd
to welcome him home. There were those who considered his abandonment of the Siege a
failure, but to many he was still a hero and a sympathetic crowd would have gathered to greet
him. But his return was not announced and few recognized their prince and general of the
army.

Arriving at his manor, Ezih, Amiku, Tai, and the other servants happily welcomed them
home. While Amiku fussed over both of them, Tai made them a long-missed homemade meal
which was followed by tea in the garden. That evening, despite being in their comfortable
beds after a long journey in which their sleeping conditions varied from luxurious to austere,
both had trouble falling asleep, and when it did come, it was light and restless.

The next day Iroh went to the palace to pay honor to Fire Lord Ozai. Chiara went with him
hoping to see Zuko while she was there. When they arrived, Iroh had Zuko called out. The
young prince's eyes lit up when he saw them, though he was a bit surprised to see Iroh's gray
hair, aged appearance, and larger belly as it had only been a few years since he had seen him
last.

“Uncle!”

He ran to Iroh who embraced him. Iroh missed the days when he could pick his nephew up in
his arms.

“You have grown so much, Nephew.”

“So have you, Uncle,” he replied.

Iroh chuckled and released him. “I suppose I have.”

Zuko turned to Chiara who bowed respectfully and saluted him.

“Prince Zuko,” she said softly. “I'm honored.”

His eyes sparkled with amazement at how beautiful she looked with her long, black curls
flowing around her and her mother's diadem, which she used to wear around her neck, now
wrapped around her head, the silver sparkling as it wove through her dark locks. He returned
her greeting with a perfectly executed bow before stepping closer to her and pulling her into a
hug.

“I missed you,” he said.

“I missed you too,” she said holding on to him.

Iroh gently smiled at their reunion. “I will let you two catch up,” he said before leaving to see
Fire Lord Ozai.

Zuko took Chiara's hand.

“Come on, let's go out to the garden,” he said as he led her through the palace. “I got your
last letter saying you were coming home. I couldn't wait.”

“I'm so glad to be home with you.”

Entering the palace gardens, they sat in the grass under a tree.

“Tell me about your trip,” he said, anxious to hear about it. “Where'd you go?”

“All over. We traveled through the Earth Kingdom. I was Lin and the General was Xin.”

The idea that they traveled under aliases in enemy territory made him smile and wish he
could have been with them.

“First, we went to Kyoshi Island,” she told him. “I got to meet the Kyoshi Warriors and I
learned a lot about Avatar Kyoshi. Then we got to see an earthbending tournament called
Earth Rumble in Gaoling. It was underground, and they competed trying to knock each other
out of the ring. There was one guy called The Boulder, he was the champion. He managed to
knock everyone else out of the ring, including The Big Bad Hippo and The Gopher.”

Zuko was laughing trying to imagine it.

“We went to Omashu. The whole city's made of stone, and there are slides everywhere that
deliver anything you can imagine.”

“Can you ride them?” he asked.

“Except people,” she said laughing. “They did look like they'd be fun to ride though. While
we were there we met King Bumi.”

“You met the king of Omashu?” There was a tone of awe in his voice.
She nodded. “He's...really unusual. At first he put us in prison.”

His golden eyes grew wide. “You were in prison?” he asked.

“Yes, but he released us because the General won their Pai Sho game.”

Zuko found that funny. “It's a good thing Uncle's good at Pai Sho.”

“King Bumi is over a hundred years old, and he's one of the greatest earthbenders, but you'd
never guess it by looking at him. He did some pretty amazing earthbending.”

“Better than the guys at Earth Rumble?” he asked.

“Yes.” She thought about it for a few seconds. “I would like to see King Bumi at Earth
Rumble.”

She smiled at him, and it made him feel warmer than the sun, and hearing about their trip
made him wish he had been traveling with them instead of being stuck in the palace with his
sister.

“We stayed in several Fire Nation colonies too,” she said. “And we even got to attend a Fire
Days Festival.”

“What was that like?”

“They had fireworks and firebending shows just like the festivals here, but everyone wore
masks. They also had Fire Nation food. That was the best part,” she smiled. “Oh, we got to
visit the Pohuai Stronghold.”

“With the Yuyan Archers?” he asked excitedly.

“Yes. I even got to train with them. Colonel Shinu said I should consider joining them when
I'm older.”

“I always said you could be a Yuyan Archer.”

She smiled as she remembered.

“Remember when we would set up targets in Uncle's yard and paint our faces to look like
them?” he said. “Lu Ten would deepen his voice and command us like he was Colonel
Shinu.”

“That time he commanded you to shoot a mango out of the tree,” she said. “Hiroki was so
mad when it fell on his head a few days later when he was working in the garden.”

They laughed at the memories, though they were bittersweet as they thought of Lu Ten.

“I really miss that,” she said softly.

“I do too.”
She looked at him taking in his fiery eyes. “I'm so glad to be back home.”

Per Iroh's request she withheld sharing their visit to the Northern Water Tribe. He did not
want to take a chance of giving away Chiara's Water Tribe ancestry, and if it became known
that they visited the North Pole, he worried that suspicions might arise.

“I'm glad you're back,” he said. “We can spar again.”

“But I imagine you're really busy with your new duties now.”

“I can always make time for you.”

“Oh, I have a souvenir for you,” she said as she reached in her pocket.

She pulled out a green crystal and held it out to him. He took it from her, his eyes wide as he
noticed how it seemed to glow in the bright light that shone down through the branches.

“This is beautiful,” he said.

“Oh, look, the dirt girl's back.”

They looked up to see Azula approaching them.

“Shut up, Azula,” snapped Zuko.

“Ooh, defending your girlfriend, Zuzu?” she laughed. “Just remember, she's the homeless
tramp that left you so she could wander around the Earth Kingdom with Uncle. Visiting your
family?” she asked Chiara.

“I said shut up,” insisted Zuko.

Chiara placed her hand on his arm. “Don't worry about it, Prince Zuko,” she said. She looked
up at Azula. “It's nice to see you, Princess Azula.”

“I would say the same, but I would be lying,” she said arrogantly.

“You're good at that,” said Zuko.

“Oh, Zuzu, at least I haven't abandoned you like Chiara or Mom.”

“Go away!” he demanded.

“But I learned a new firebending trick I want to show Chiara. Would you like to see it?”
Azula asked her.

“No, she wouldn't,” said Zuko.

“Fine. She can feel it instead,” said Azula as she quickly reached down and touched Chiara's
forearm shocking her with a bit of electricity.

Chiara immediately pulled back and placed her hand over the spot where Azula burned her.
“You're going to pay for that, Azula!!” threatened Zuko as he jumped up and stood between
them.

Chiara quickly stood up.

“What are you going to do? Shoot some weak flames at me?” the princess taunted.

Zuko tried to move towards her, but Chiara held him back as Azula just laughed at him.

“Why don't you go tell Mom,” she said unfazed by her brother's threatening move.

Zuko tried to jump towards her again, but Chiara continued holding him back.

“Don't let her get to you, Prince Zuko.”

Azula rolled her eyes. “Oh, just let him go. It's not like he can do anything to me, especially
with his pathetic firebending...if you can even call it firebending.”

He was scowling at her, and deep down he knew she was right—he could never best her with
firebending.

“So how's Uncle Quitter doing?” Azula asked Chiara

“Show some respect, Azula,” she admonished her. “The General's still a hero of the Fire
Nation.”

The princess laughed. “Was a hero...and even that's debatable.”

“Just go away, Azula!” yelled Zuko.

“Fine. Be alone with your girlfriend. I'm sure Dad'll be much more proud of you when he
learns you're hanging out with an Earth tramp.”

She walked away laughing while Zuko growled at her insult and wanted to attack her.

“Just ignore her,” said Chiara trying to calm him down. “She's trying to upset you.”

He still felt angry, so she stood in front of him and looked up in his eyes.

“Hey, tell me, how do you like being Crown Prince of the Fire Nation?” she asked trying to
take his mind off his sister.

The scowl on his face softened, and he lifted up her arm to look at the burn Azula left on it.

“It's not that bad,” she said softly.

“I miss having you next door,” he said, answering her question. “We should put something on
this.”

He put his crystal in his pocket, and then he took her inside to get some salve.
When they entered the infirmary, it was empty, so Zuko pulled out the burn ointment. As he
was delicately applying it to her arm over the wound, the doctor entered the room. Asa was
the palace physician who had served the royal family for years. He was present for the deaths
of Azulon's wife Ilah and Iroh's wife Mina, and the births of Lu Ten, Zuko, and Azula, and he
confirmed Azulon's death. He treated all of the family whenever they were ill or injured and
checked them on a regular basis, including the most recent addition to Iroh's family.

“Prince Zuko...and Lady Chiara,” he said with surprise. “I heard Prince Iroh had returned.
How are you doing?”

“I'm doing good, Doctor Asa,” she said bowing to him.

“What can I do for you?” he asked.

“She needed a burn salve,” said Zuko who had just finished treating her.

“Let me see,” said Asa. Chiara showed him her arm. “That's quite a burn.”

“Azula did it,” said Zuko bitterly.

Asa shook his head. “She needs to be more careful.” He looked at Chiara. “How does it
feel?”

“It doesn't sting as much now.”

“Well, Prince Zuko, it looks like you did a great job treating this.” Zuko smiled. “That should
heal up in no time.”

“Thanks, Doctor Asa,” he said.

“Thank you, Doctor,” said Chiara.

They left the infirmary.

“Do you want to see my room?” he asked.

“Yes,” she nodded.

They walked through the palace until they came to the royal wing where they followed the
long hallway that led to his room.

“This is Azula's room,” he said as they stopped in front of it. “It should've been your room,”
he added softly. “Uncle should've been Fire Lord.” His voice was a near-whisper.

“The palace is beautiful, but I prefer the General's manor,” she said as they walked down the
hall. “His garden is my favorite.”

“This is my room,” he said stepping into his large bedroom. “It's a lot bigger than my old
room.”
“Do you not like it?” she asked noticing that he did not sound happy.

He shrugged. “I miss our old home. I miss Mom. I miss you being next door.”

“I'm so sorry about Aunt Ursa,” she said tenderly rubbing his arm. “I wish I had been here for
you.”

He led her to his balcony where they stood looking out over the palace grounds.

“I just don't understand why she left or why she never wrote to me.” He pulled the crystal out
of his pocket and held it in the sunlight.

“Aunt Ursa really loved you, Prince Zuko. I'm sure she wouldn't have left if it wasn't for an
important reason.”

“But to not even write to me?”

She was just as puzzled by Ursa's disappearance as Zuko, and she did not know what she
could possibly say to comfort him.

“The last thing I remember her saying was 'never forget who you are,'” he said sadly. Turning
the crystal in the light, he could see his own reflection on it's surface.

Chiara wondered what Ursa could have meant.

“And I know my father knows something,” he whispered. “He refuses to say anything about
it.”

“I wish there was something I could do for you,” she said tenderly.

He looked at her finding the green shade of her eyes far more beautiful than the crystal's. “I'm
just glad you're back home.” His eyes moved to her diadem, and he reached up, lightly
touching it. “This was your necklace.”

“Yes. This is how my mother wore it.”

“Your mother? You remember her?”

“Just...well...not much.” She was not ready to tell him how she remembered her. “I remember
this being on her head like a tiara.”

He picked up one of her long curls and let the silky lock slide through his hand. “You look
really beautiful,” he said. “You want to spar?”

She smiled. “Of course.”

In his room he placed the crystal on a window ledge where the sun shone through it.

“There are secret passages all through the palace,” he said softly as they went down the
hallway.
He led her to a large tapestry hanging on the wall. Pulling it back he revealed what looked
like a solid wall until he pushed on it. She followed him into a narrow passageway where he
produced a small flame and held it so they could see.

“Let's stop by the kitchen first,” he said.

Taking several turns and going down steps, he stopped at a door which he slowly opened just
a bit listening for anybody in the room. When he decided that it was empty of servants, he
continued pushing it open.

“Wait here,” he whispered before quietly creeping into the kitchen.

After searching around, he found a stash of pastries. He grabbed a few and returned to the
passage door hidden behind a wall of shelves. Chiara giggled as she pulled the door shut once
he was back inside the passageway.

“You've really been exploring this place,” she said.

“There's nothing else to do,” he shrugged.

She continued following him until they made their way to the training room where they could
spar, but not before enjoying the sweets Zuko swiped from the kitchen.

One evening several days after their return, Chiara was in her bedroom and was just about to
go to bed when she heard a knock at the balcony door of her room. She picked up her knife
and after walking to the door, she carefully moved the curtains just enough to peek outside.
She opened the door quietly.

“What are doing here?” she whispered to Zuko who was dressed in black.

“Do you want to go sit by the pond?” he asked her.

She contemplated it. She knew he had been lonely the past year, and she wanted to make up
their lost time, but she was concerned about sneaking out of the house.

“Everyone's asleep,” he said as if he knew what she was thinking. “They'll never know you're
gone.”

She nodded, put her knife back, tied her robe closed, and then stepped out onto the balcony.
She followed him to the trellis on the outside wall of her room where the blooming white
jasmine flowers were glowing in the bright moonlight, and their scent permeated the air as
they carefully climbed down. When he reached the bottom, he waited for her and helped her
on the last jump, and then they climbed over the wall between the two properties. Ozai's old
manor was completely empty since they moved to the palace, so there was no chance of
anyone seeing them in the back yard. Zuko held her hand as he led her to the pond. Along the
banks, the turtle ducks were nestled together sleeping, and the only sounds to be heard were
the insects chirping. They sat in the grass and stared at the reflection of the moon in the
water.
“I wish I could move back here,” he said softly.

“I'm sure you can one day. When did your dad move out of the palace to live here?”

He shook his head. “I don't know. I've always lived here. Maybe it was when he married
Mom,” he said sadly.

“Maybe you can move out sooner.”

“Too bad it can't be now since I'm not really doing anything at the palace.”

“That'll change now that the General's back,” she assured him.

He looked at her, and he thought she seemed to glow in the moonlight. “I'm glad you're
back.”

She smiled at him, and if he had been blind he would have thought he was sitting in the
sunlight for the warmth of his body.

“Me too,” she said admiring the golden fire of his eyes. “I really missed you.”

They remained by the pond together quietly enjoying the sounds of nature. When the moon
began sinking below its zenith, Zuko decided he needed to get back to the palace, but he took
Chiara back to her room first.

“Be careful going back,” she whispered as they stood on her balcony

“I will. Are you coming to the palace tomorrow?”

“Yes. The General's attending a meeting.”

“I'll see you then.”

He climbed down the trellis and then disappeared over the wall staying in the shadows as he
returned to the palace.

A week later, Chiara resumed her school lessons with Akio, and one afternoon while she was
writing what she learned of the history of the Kyoshi Warriors as he instructed her to do, a
messenger hawk flew into the window landing next to her.

“Hey, Raptor,” she giggled as she caressed the bird's feathers. She pulled out the scroll he
was carrying to read what was written.

Chiara, I'm pretending I'm writing my essay on the life and accomplishments of Fire Lord
Sozin, but instead I'm thinking about you. Only a few more days and we'll be staying with
Master Piandao. Uncle told me earlier today that he arranged it so I could spend the whole
week there again. I'd rather be there than sitting in the palace doing nothing (or writing
boring essays). By the way, do you know how old Sozin was when he died? Zuko
Chiara was laughing as she read it, and then she pulled out a new sheet of parchment and
started writing.

Prince Zuko, it's good to hear from you. It's been so long since we last communicated. Those
24 hours since I was at the palace seem like ages ago, and I'm afraid you might not recognize
me when we meet again in a few days. I can't wait until we're with Master Piandao; I've
really missed training with him, and I look forward to our time in Shu Jing. I also happen to
be writing this letter instead of working on my history right now. By the way, Fire Lord Sozin
was 102 when he died (he was also best friends with Avatar Roku). Your humble and loyal
subject, Chiara.

She rolled it up and sent it off with Raptor. When Zuko received it, he started laughing at her
reply.

“And what is so funny, Prince Zuko?” asked his tutor who had just walked in to check on his
progress.

“Oh...nothing.”

“What is that?”

“It's just a communication about my lesson with Master Piandao in a few days,” he said.

“Did you finish your essay?”

“Almost.” He started writing some more information on his essay, including Sozin's age at
death. “There,” he said handing the tutor his finished essay.

His teacher skimmed over the work until 'Avatar Roku' caught his eye.

“What is this?” he asked Zuko. “Where did you find the information that Fire Lord Sozin was
best friends with Avatar Roku?”

“I...I read it somewhere,” he replied honestly.

“Have you been reading any unapproved materials?” his tutor asked sternly.

“No.”

“Then you couldn't have just read it somewhere.”

“Maybe I heard it then,” said Zuko.

“Hearsay is not an approved source for your essays,” he chided him. “There is no authorized
text that states that Fire Lord Sozin was best friends with Avatar Roku. You will only include
accurate history...”

“That Fire Lord Sozin was friends with the Avatar is common knowledge among the royal
family,” said Iroh who had overheard the tutor scolding Zuko.
“Oh, Prince Iroh...,” said the tutor bowing slightly as Iroh approached them.

“Just because some of the personal history of the Fire Lords is not written in a text does not
mean it isn't true,” he continued.

“I understand, Prince Iroh, but it is best if he keeps to the approved texts.”

“I believe he should be given extra credit for providing such interesting information outside
of the approved texts.” Iroh placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder, and glancing down at him,
he gave him a quick wink.

Zuko was quietly laughing to himself as his uncle corrected his tutor.

The tutor nodded stiffly. “Yes, Prince Iroh.” He looked at his pupil. “Your lessons are done
for the day, Prince Zuko.”

When the tutor left, Zuko looked up at his uncle. “Thanks, Uncle.”

Iroh smiled at him. “You're quite welcome.”

“So it's true then about the Avatar and the Fire Lord?” he asked somewhat softly.

“Yes, it's true, but where did you hear it from?”

“Chiara.”

Iroh smiled as he laughed to himself. “Of course.”

“Can I just attend classes with her and her tutor?” he asked.

“I don't think your father would approve of that.”

“Why should he care as long as I'm learning? I'm sure you could convince him.”

“It's not my place to interfere when it comes to his choice of tutors, Prince Zuko.” Iroh pet
Raptor who was still perched on the table next to Zuko's books. “Besides, if you and Chiara
have classes together neither of you will learn anything except writing notes back and forth.”
His tone was light, and his smile told Zuko he was not angry about it.

The young prince smiled sheepishly. “Actually, I did learn some things from her note.”

“Yes, you did, Nephew,” laughed Iroh.

“And we learn together with Master Piandao.”

“True, but practicing with your swords and writing essays are quite different.”

“I like the swords better,” he said in a low, but audible voice. He looked up at Iroh. “Don't be
mad at Chiara, Uncle. I sent her a note first.”

“I'm not mad. It's good to have friends you can depend on.”
“A friend,” corrected Zuko softly as he looked down.

Iroh patted his shoulder sympathizing with his nephew knowing he had been lonely since his
move to the palace.

Over the next year, Iroh watched over Zuko and spent as much time with him as he could.
Zuko also spent a lot of time at Iroh's so he could spar with Chiara. When she was not busy
with school lessons, Iroh would take her with him whenever he had business at the palace,
and she and Zuko would explore various secret tunnels and passages together throughout the
palace, including a few that Iroh showed them. And there were many more days where Zuko
and Chiara would send notes back and forth and evenings when they would sit quietly by the
pond at Zuko's old manor.

One afternoon the two were practicing with their swords at Iroh's.

“Prince Zuko, Lady Chiara,” called Ezih as he entered the garden carrying a tray.

They stopped practicing and walked over to him.

“You two have been working so hard; I brought you some snacks,” he said.

“Thanks, Ezih,” said Chiara.

“Ooh, sizzle-crisps,” said Zuko spotting them on the tray. “Thank you, Ezih.”

Ezih smiled and bowed before returning inside while they sat down at the table and picked
through the variety of snacks.

“There's a war meeting coming up soon,” said Zuko before eating another sizzle-crisp.

Chiara suddenly stopped eating her fruit tart. She was immediately worried about him since
she knew his father was trying to conquer the Earth Kingdom. She did not want Zuko
shipped off to war like Lu Ten, and she did not want him to become like Ozai. She hoped he
would one day stop the war, but she also knew she had to guard her thoughts and be careful
of what she said.

“I'm going to attend it,” he said. “I've been waiting for this for so long.”

“Please be careful,” she said softly and worriedly.

He was surprised to see the worry in her eyes and hear it in her tone. “It's just a council,” he
said, trying to reassure her.

“It's a council now, but if you go off to war...” He was not expecting the tears that fell down
her cheeks, and he placed his hand on hers. “I lost Lu Ten; I don't want to lose you too.”
He wiped the tears from her face. “You won't lose me, Chiara. And one day I'll make you the
Fire Princess.”

She was puzzled by his words. Though he used to tease her that she would be the Fire
Princess when Iroh became the Fire Lord, she knew Iroh would never be head of the Fire
Nation now. “What do you mean?”

“When we get married you'll be the Fire Princess and then the Fire Lady when I'm Fire
Lord,” he said as if it was obvious.

Her eyes grew wide. “But...but I can't...we can't get married.”

“Why not?”

She was not sure what she should tell him. “The General would never allow it.”

“Why wouldn't he?”

“I-I have no family...I mean, you and the General are my family.”

He was not sure why that mattered. “It's not like we're related though.”

“You need to take a wife who...who's from the Fire Nation.”

“You're from the Fire Nation,” he said.

“But we don't know exactly where I come from...”

“I don't care where you come from,” he said. “We've known each other for years. As Fire
Prince I'll be expected to take a wife in a few years, and I want you.”

She was frustrated by his insistence. “Marrying me would bring you dishonor,” she said,
certain that would change his mind. “And I won't do that to you.”

She stood up and ran off to her room not wanting to cry over it in front of him. Zuko could
not understand why she was so upset, so he went to her room and knocked on the door.

“Chiara...”

“Please go,” she said.

He turned away and descended the steps feeling completely puzzled and hurt by her reaction.

“Leaving so soon, Prince Zuko?” asked Iroh when he saw him heading towards the main
door.

Zuko stopped and walked over to him where he was sitting across from Ezih playing Pai Sho.

“Yes, Uncle. I just don't understand girls sometimes.”

This made Iroh laugh, and Ezih as well who stood up to call for Zuko's carriage.
“You're not alone, Nephew. Girls are one of life's greatest mysteries, and they become more
mysterious as they get older.”

Zuko flopped down in Ezih's empty seat. “Then how are we supposed to live with being
married to them?”

“That is just something you will learn,” said Iroh smiling.

“If it's anything like learning lightning bending, then I'll never figure it out,” he said softly.

“You have several years to figure it out, Prince Zuko, and it may not be as difficult as it
sounds. My advice to you is not to try to unravel the mystery of girls, but just accept that
they are a mystery. It will make life much easier.”

“Your carriage is out front, Prince Zuko,” said Ezih returning to the room.

“Thanks, Uncle,” said Zuko before bowing and then turning to leave.

As Ezih escorted him out, Iroh softly laughed as he watched him go, but then a sudden
sadness overcame him as he was reminded of young Lu Ten.

---------------------------------------

Chiara sat quietly at the dinner table with Iroh. He noticed she seemed down as she slowly
picked at her food eating very little of it.

“You seem sad, Chiara,” he said. “Did something happen with Prince Zuko today?”

She was not sure whether or not to tell him. “We...we got into an argument.”

He gently chuckled wondering what petty thing the kids argued over. “And what was this
argument about?”

“He expects me to marry him.”

“What?! Marriage?” He was shocked. “But...but you're just children.”

She wondered whether he forgot his advice to her from the previous year that it is never too
early to consider a husband, or if that just does not apply to her when it involves the youngest
prince of the Fire Nation. “He meant when we're older,” she said flatly, suspecting it was the
latter. “He insists I'll be his wife.”

Iroh now understood Zuko's demeanor earlier.

“I told him marrying me would bring him dishonor because I have no family, except you and
him,” she said. “He'd probably hate me if he knew where I came from. Princess Azula
suspects I'm from the Earth Kingdom...”

“What makes you say that?”

“She calls me Earth tramp.”

Iroh felt angry at Azula's insult. “She calls you that?” he asked deeply.

“It doesn't bother me,” she said shifting some noodles around her bowl. “But Prince Zuko's
never questioned my history. He says he doesn't care about my past, but I know it would be a
disgrace to him because of who I am, and I don't want to dishonor Prince Zuko or you.” Tears
fell down her cheeks.

“Chiara, look at me.” She looked up at him. “You would not dishonor Prince Zuko or me.
You will be a treasure for any man. Unfortunately, there are many who would cause trouble
over your marriage to the Prince; that is where the dishonor lies.”
 Banished from the Fire Nation

Days later after everyone walked out of the war meeting, Iroh remained behind. Ozai, the
flames still rising up around him as he sat on his throne, looked down at him.

“You have something you want to say, Brother?” said the Fire Lord as if daring Iroh to
challenge him.

“You cannot allow Prince Zuko to fight the Agni Kai,” said Iroh. “He's just a child.”

“A disrespectful child who should not have spoken,” he said deeply.

Iroh was appalled by his brother's resentment towards his own child. “Ozai, he is your son...”

Ozai scoffed at Iroh's words. “Any son of mine would've known to keep his mouth shut!”

“You know he is right,” argued Iroh. “To sacrifice our own men, it is disgraceful.”

“It was my understanding that you were retired, General Iroh. Your opinions no longer bear
weight when it comes to the war. And as for Zuko, I am Fire Lord, not you.” He took sadistic
pleasure in reminding his brother of his position.

Iroh ignored the personal barb and focused on the situation with his nephew. “Then as you
are Fire Lord, allow me to stand in for Prince Zuko.”

Ozai's lip curled at Iroh's attempt to save Zuko. “It was the boy's disrespect that called for this
duel.”

“I allowed him in the War Room. I am just as responsible.”

“Then your request is denied,” said Ozai. “He will pay for his disrespect.”

Iroh could not understand why he was so insistent that his own son participate in the Agni
Kai. “I beg you to reconsider, Brother. Bujing is a seasoned general...”

“Yes, and do you really believe the general will harm the Crown Prince?”

Iroh narrowed his eyes. “Considering Bujing's plan for the new recruits, I suspect he wouldn't
hesitate to hurt Zuko, even if he's royalty.”

“Come now, Iroh,” said Ozai smoothly. “I am a merciful father. I am merely teaching my son
a valuable lesson.” He spoke the word 'son' as if it were repulsive.

Realizing he could not change Ozai's mind, Iroh turned to leave the room without even a bow
towards the Fire Lord.
At sunset, Zuko was in the Agni Kai chamber of the palace preparing for his duel against
Bujing. A servant was wrapping the traditional band around his upper arm. Crowds of people
filled the chamber to witness the Agni Kai between the Crown Prince and the general. Iroh
stood among them anxiously watching his nephew hoping he would remember the
firebending advice he had given him prior to the duel. For the past year Ozai refused to allow
Iroh to take over Zuko's firebending instruction, but it did not stop Iroh from working with
him whenever his nephew visited. He was sure that Zuko could be a skillful firebender with
proper instruction and without his father's severe punishments to discourage him, but what
could be would not help him now as he was about to duel a man with far more experience.
He only hoped Ozai was right and that Bujing would go easy on the young Crown Prince.

Iroh's eyes left Zuko who was now kneeling while the servant placed a gold trimmed crimson
garment over his shoulders. Looking towards the other end of the chamber, he was instantly
filled with worry when he spotted Bujing in the crowd standing next to General Ikong and
not opposite Zuko. His eyes moved to where Bujing should have been kneeling; his worry
turned into panic.

At the sound of the gong, Zuko stood and turned allowing his shoulder garment to fall to the
ground. His eyes grew wide when he focused on his opponent. Turning to face him was not
Bujing but Fire Lord Ozai. Terror filled the young prince. He could not fight his own father.

“Please, Father! I only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of
turn.”

“You will fight for your honor,” said Ozai deeply as he approached him.

Zuko sank to his knees before him lowering his eyes to the floor. “I meant you no
disrespect.” He looked up at his father, tears running down his cheeks. “I am your loyal son,”
his voice broke.

“Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!” he demanded.

The prince lowered his head again. “I won't fight you.”

Ozai towered over him. “You will learn respect...” Zuko pushed himself up trembling as his
golden eyes met his father's stern ones. “...and suffering will be your teacher.”

Iroh wanted to run out onto the floor and protect Zuko, but fear held him back—not fear of
what Ozai might do to him personally—he would never fear that—but fear of what his
brother might do to his beloved nephew before he could make it to him. How much more
suffering might Ozai cause Zuko if he interfered? Iroh looked away because he could not
bring himself to watch the punishment his brother was about to inflict on his own son. He
turned away because he could not bear the shame he felt that he could not stop what was
about to occur. Zuko's scream wrenched his heart.

After the duel, Iroh immediately went to the infirmary. His heart felt broken when he saw his
young nephew lying unconscious while the doctor was carefully applying burn salve to his
face.
“How is he?” asked Iroh.

“He's not awake right now which is probably for the best,” answered Asa. He briefly glanced
up at Iroh who now stood opposite him. “Is it true, Prince Iroh?” he asked softly. “The Fire
Lord did this during an Agni Kai?”

“I am afraid so,” said Iroh sadly.

He looked down at the fresh injury but was not expecting what met his eyes. It was an Agni
Kai between the Fire Lord and a child. It could have ended with a small burn, something that
only damaged the upper layer of the skin. Iroh was outraged by the size and depth and
placement of the wound, and he was filled with disgust at his brother's cruel actions against
his own son. It was no small punishment, but an act of cruel abuse.

“His own son,” said the doctor in a near whisper as if he knew what Iroh was thinking.

“It is shameful,” said Iroh in a tone of disgust. “What about his eye?”

“I'm afraid he's lost his sight in this eye, and the scar will be quite...prominent.”

Iroh shook his head. He placed his hand over Zuko's as it lay by his side.

“In all my years serving the royal family, I have never seen such a terrible injury,” said the
physician. “And to be deliberately caused by his own father...” He sighed as he began
bandaging the wound.

Iroh remained by his nephew's side. As Asa finished dressing the wound, Zuko moved as he
began regaining consciousness.

“Prince Zuko,” said Iroh softly.

Zuko moaned in pain. Opening his eyes, he realized he could only open one, and above him
stood Iroh. “Uncle? Wh-where am I?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

“You're in the infirmary, Nephew.”

The whole left side of his face was in excruciating pain, and he reached up and felt the
bandage that covered his left eye.

“Be careful, Prince Zuko,” said Asa standing on the side he could not see. “We don't want
your bandage to come undone.”

Zuko could not help the tear that fell from his right eye as he realized it was not a dream.

“H-how bad is it?” he asked in a small voice.

Iroh did not want to answer, but he swallowed and mustered up the same strength he needed
in the past when he confronted his injured soldiers. “You will not have use of your left eye,
and there will be scarring,” he answered honestly.
A messenger entered the infirmary but hesitated when he saw the young prince with the
dressing over his eye and part of his face.

“What is it?” Iroh asked him.

He bowed to the senior prince. “A...a message from the Fire Lord for Prince Zuko,” he
answered holding a scroll.

Iroh held out his hand and the messenger handed it to him before bowing to him again and
turning to leave. Iroh looked at his nephew, his one gold eye peering up at him.

“What does it say?” Zuko asked softly.

Iroh unrolled the scroll and read the message. He closed his eyes finding himself even more
sickened by his brother. Seeing his uncle's reaction, Zuko suspected it did not say 'Get well,
Son.' He sat up.

“What? What is it?” he asked wondering what his father would possibly write to him that he
could not say to him in person.

Iroh did not want to read it aloud.

“Tell me, Uncle,” he insisted.

Iroh sighed. “Would you please excuse us, Asa?” he asked looking at the doctor.

“Of course, Prince Iroh.” He bowed and left.

When they were alone, Iroh looked down at the message. “Crown Prince Zuko, having shown
great weakness in refusing to fight in the Agni Kai, by command of Fire Lord Ozai it is hereby
ordered that you are to be banished from the Fire Nation....”

Zuko's mouth fell open in shock upon hearing the word banished .

“...You are forbidden to return, and any attempts to return to the Fire Nation will result in
severe punishment up to and including execution.

You are advised to use the time of your exile to prove your loyalty to the Fire Lord by
undergoing a quest to find the Avatar. If you succeed in finding and capturing the Avatar and
return him to the Fire Nation, your banishment may be overturned and your honor may be
restored.

You have two days to prepare for your departure and withdraw from Fire Nation territory.”

Zuko looked down as another tear escaped his eye. He could not believe he was being forced
to leave his home at thirteen years old, and he wondered what it meant for him, his mind
reeling with questions. Would he be removed from the Fire Nation in chains, dropped off in a
foreign territory, and left on his own? What would happen to him if he was left in the nearest
Earth Kingdom land? He had no idea what he was going to do or where he was going to go or
even how he would get there. Yet it could all be undone if he found the Avatar. He knew only
too well how that turned out for his ancestors though.

“What am I going to do, Uncle?” he asked softly.

Iroh placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder. “For now you will get some rest; allow your body to
heal. I have some business to which I must attend, but I'll return to check on you.”

Zuko, his eyes still downcast, nodded sadly.

Iroh felt deep sympathy for him for having such a cruel, merciless father. “You are not alone,
Nephew. I promise.”

He gently squeezed his shoulder before leaving the infirmary. He wanted to confront Ozai
again, but he knew it would be no use, and he was worried it might make things even worse
for Zuko as Ozai was determined to punish his son. But Iroh had another idea.

It was hours later before he returned to the infirmary, and Zuko lay on the bed looking
dejected, his one eye staring straight ahead not focused on anything.

“Prince Zuko, I have some news for you,” he said trying to sound bright.

“What now?” he asked somberly. “Did he decide to burn my other eye too?”

“I assure you, this is more promising news,” said Iroh. “I've been able to procure a ship and
I'm gathering a crew for you to take you wherever you desire.”

Zuko sat up, his gold eye widened as he looked at Iroh. “Really?”

“Yes. You can travel the world.”

“I...I can look for the Avatar,” he said hopefully.

Iroh was just a bit crestfallen that Zuko would consider that, but he did not want to
discourage him. “If that is what you want.”

“It's the only way to regain my honor. Then I can return home.”

“In time, I'm sure,” said Iroh. “For now, you should take it easy.”

Zuko looked down as he thought about whom he would be leaving behind. “I don't know
when I'll see you or Chiara again,” he said sadly.

“Well, I don't know about Chiara, but you'll see me everyday if you like. We can play Pai Sho
so you can brush up on your skills.”

He looked up at Iroh puzzled by his words.

“You didn't think I'd send you out on your own, did you, Nephew?” said Iroh with a smirk.
“My dad did,” he said softly.

“I am not Ozai,” he replied with a hint of disgust as he spoke his brother's name.

Zuko appreciated his uncle more than he ever thought possible.

“Thank you, Uncle.”

Iroh patted his shoulder.

Zuko wished Chiara would be going with them, but he felt that it would be unfair to her to
share in his banishment. His sense of urgency in finding the Avatar in order to return home
increased as he realized it would mean returning to her, but then a sudden melancholy
descended upon him as the constant throbbing pain of his injury made him consider that she
might not want to see him ever again now that he was scarred and blind.

“What is wrong, Nephew?” asked Iroh noticing the sudden sadness that had followed his
hopefulness.

“Can...can you say goodbye to Chiara for me?” he asked sadly as he realized how much he
was going to miss her.

Iroh was worried about telling Chiara of the day's events and that he and Zuko would be
leaving the Fire Nation for an indefinite period of time. He knew she would be upset by their
departure, and even more so by Zuko's injury, but he was sure she would want to see him
before he left.

“You can say goodbye to her yourself. I'm sure she'll want to see you.”

“No. I-I'd rather you do it.”

“Oh, Prince Zuko, that is something you need to do.”

“I don't want her to see me like this.” A tear formed in his eye, but it did not fall.

“She won't let you go without saying goodbye to you in person.”

Zuko looked away. “I...I...don't want to see her.”

“We will see.”

That evening when Iroh entered the house he immediately called for Chiara.

“Chiara!”

When she appeared, she noticed he looked somewhat distressed.

“Yes, General.”
“Come. I need to speak to you.”

He took her to his study where he could speak to her privately.

“What's wrong?” she asked.

“Please sit,” he said motioning towards the table in the corner.

She obeyed anxious to hear what he needed to say.

“Prince Zuko...,” he started.

She immediately felt worried. “Did something happen to him?”

“I allowed him to be present for the war council.” She found herself holding her breath. “He
defended a division of soldiers by speaking against a general,” he continued.

“Is that a bad thing?” she asked.

“The Fire Lord insisted it was a sign of disrespect...”

She had a puzzled expression. “But how can defending soldiers be disrespectful?”

“It was not his place to speak out against the general at the council, so the Fire Lord insisted
on an Agni Kai.”

Her eyes grew wide. Though she had never been present for one, she was familiar with the
fire duel. “No. When?”

“It has already been done,” he said sadly.

Tears filled her eyes. “What happened? Is he okay?”

“He faced his own father,” said Iroh softly. He looked down still burdened by shame over his
inability to prevent what happened.

The tears poured down her cheeks. “Why would Fire Lord Ozai do that?” she cried.

“Speaking out against a general is an act of disrespect against the Fire Lord.”

“Poor Zuko.” She wiped the tears from her eyes, though more took their place. “How is he?”

“He's badly burned; he will be blind in his left eye.”

She gasped at the news not expecting such a drastic punishment. “I have to see him.” She
immediately jumped up from her cushion.

“No,” said Iroh sternly grabbing her hand to stop her from advancing towards the door. “You
cannot see him.”

She looked at him. “But I can help him.”

Iroh shook his head.

“Please let me go to him,” she begged as more tears fell down her cheeks.

“You cannot risk him finding out who you are.”

“I'll...I'll tell him it's a special salve; he'll never know it was me.”

“There is no salve that can completely heal his injury,” said Iroh. “Someone will figure out
what happened and they will hurt you, maybe even put you to death.”

“I don't care,” she said to his surprise. “If it will help Prince Zuko I'll do i...”

“No! I forbid it,” he said adamantly, though he was stunned by her offer. “It's not worth your
life.”

She did not argue with him, but tears continued falling as she desperately wanted to help her
best friend. Seeing her sorrow, Iroh took her in his arms and held her while she cried on his
shoulder.

“There is more,” he said hesitant to tell her the rest.

She moved back, more tears falling from her eyes as she shook her head not wanting there to
be more.

“He is to be banished from the Fire Nation,” he said in a soft voice.

She was shocked. “Banished?! Was it not bad enough to take his sight, but he's to be banished
too?!” she cried.

He understood her outrage, but her grief broke his heart further.

“Why?” she asked.

He sighed. “Zuko refused to fight against his father, so the Fire Lord is banishing him and
sending him to search for the Avatar.”

“But the Avatar hasn't been seen for a hundred years.”

“I know,” he said sadly. “But I have arranged for a ship and a crew for Prince Zuko.”

“I'll go with him,” she said immediately. “He shouldn't be alone.”

“He will not be alone,” he assured her. “I will accompany him on this quest.”

“I'll go with you,” she said wiping the tears from her cheeks

“Chiara, I don't know when we will next return to the Fire Nation. You may stay here
indefinitely with my household to serve you.”
While he was home Iroh informed his household of his upcoming voyage and they helped
him prepare as they had always done in the past prior to his leaving the Fire Nation.

Iroh returned to the infirmary that evening in order to remain close to Zuko for the night not
wanting him to be alone. He also wanted to be there in case Ozai decided to pay Zuko a visit
to inflict more abuse on him, or something worse. This time Iroh would be by his side, and he
was determined to prevent any more harm from coming to his nephew by any means
necessary. But neither Ozai nor Azula ever visited him.

The following morning, Zuko woke up early after a restless night as the pain of his burn
never diminished. As he lay on the cot, he opened his eye and was surprised to see Iroh
sleeping on the next bed over. He slowly sat up.

“Uncle?”

Iroh opened his eyes and saw him looking at him. “Good morning, Prince Zuko.”

“Were you here all night?”

“I told you I was going to stay with you.”

Zuko thought he had only meant until he fell asleep.

“How did you sleep, Nephew?” Iroh asked him.

He looked down. “Not well.”

“A burn this severe will take a long time to heal, Prince Zuko,” said Asa walking into the
room. “It may be some time before the pain subsides.” He had a jar and bandages in his hand.
“I'm going to put more ointment on it as well as a fresh bandage.” He looked at Iroh. “I sent
for breakfast, Prince Iroh. It should be here soon.”

“Thank you, Asa,” said Iroh now sitting up, his hair a bit disheveled from his night on the
cot. He looked at Zuko. “After breakfast, Nephew, I will need to run some errands and
prepare for our voyage. Is there anything you need?”

“Maps,” he said wincing at the pain while the doctor was trying to carefully remove the
bandage. “I'd like to look over them and plan our course.”

“Good idea,” complimented Iroh believing it might keep him occupied while sitting in the
hospital. “I will bring you maps.”

-------------------------------------

Shortly after Iroh had left the infirmary, and after convincing the doctor he would like to
sleep, Zuko quietly crept out of his hospital room, and using the secret passages he managed
to sneak to his bedroom. Iroh had informed him the night before that his clothes had been
packed and would be on board the ship for him, but there were a few items he knew he did
not want to leave behind. He grabbed his dao sword and his knife from Iroh, and while going
through a drawer he found several masks. He remembered finding them among his mother's
belongings after she had disappeared, and he had taken them and kept them in his room. He
touched each one, and his eyes lingered on the blue mask representing the Dark Water Spirit.
Wanting to keep something of his mother's with him during his banishment, he put it in his
bag. He stood up and looked around his room wondering when he would return to it, but
then, interrupting his thoughts, sitting amidst the dark red colors of the furnishings, a bright
green stone glowing on his windowsill caught his eye. He walked over and picked up the
crystal that Chiara had given him after her return from the Earth Kingdom. As he looked at it,
he thought about visiting her one last time before he left the Fire Nation. Turning the stone in
the light, he suddenly saw his reflection in one of the facets; he could see the bandage that
covered most of his face. He placed the crystal in the inside pocket of his tunic deciding not
to go to her. He returned to the infirmary where he hoped nobody noticed he had been gone.

--------------------------------------

Meanwhile, Iroh had returned home to give Chiara an update on Zuko's condition, and he
prepared for the journey and said his goodbyes to his household since he did not plan on
returning before they sailed out the following day. He also took a trip down to the harbor to
make sure the ship would be ready to sail the next day. That afternoon he returned to the
infirmary to remain with Zuko who was happy to have the maps Iroh had obtained for him as
promised. Zuko spent the rest of the day making a mental list of places he wanted to visit,
starting with the Fire Temple.

That evening long after Iroh had fallen asleep in the hospital bed, Zuko got up and stealthily
crept out of the infirmary again, but this time he left the palace before returning a few hours
later, his bag just a little bit fuller.
 Leaving the Fire Nation

The sun was just rising over the horizon on the morning of the first official day of his
banishment when Zuko left the palace infirmary with Iroh, whom Zuko was relieved never
questioned the bag he had pulled out from under his cot. The walk to the palace courtyard
was uneventful. There were no formal goodbyes as there were when General Iroh set out on
an overseas mission. The palace halls were empty of all but a few servants. The burning pain
from Zuko's injury continued to plague him as he walked through the palace, but the pain he
felt by his father's absence stung deeper. He did not even make a formal appearance as Fire
Lord to bid him farewell or good luck. Azula, too, was nowhere to be seen—or so he thought.
He did not know it, but she was carefully peering from a window watching him as he exited
the palace. Days earlier she wore a wicked grin as she watched their father burn him in the
Agni Kai chamber, but today there was no grin, only a solemn expression.

Sitting in the carriage, Zuko took one last look at the palace that had been his home for the
last couple years before facing forward towards a new destiny.

After arriving at the First Lord's Harbor, Iroh and Zuko walked down the dock where the
younger prince's wide eyes stared up at the Fire Nation cruiser he was to command. It was
old, outdated, and much smaller than the current ships of the navy, but it was all Ozai would
approve when Iroh had made the urgent request to the Naval Commander.

“It may not look like much,” said Iroh as they boarded, “but it will serve your purpose.”

“It's perfect, Uncle,” said Zuko who was impressed that it was his to take on his search for
the Avatar.

Two days earlier he had lost everything, but now he had a ship at his command that could
help him gain it all back.

“General Iroh, Prince Zuko,” greeted Lieutenant Jee bowing to them. “It's an honor to have
you aboard, sir.”

“It's my pleasure to be here, Lieutenant Jee,” said Iroh. “I appreciate you and your crew
taking this assignment on such short notice.”

They took a tour of the ship. Zuko was amazed to find that Iroh had made sure there were
komodo rhinos, an armory of weapons, and two riverboats stored in the hold. He met the
crew which included several firebenders and non-benders, and he had a cook and a medic.

While the crew was performing their final preparations before setting sail, Zuko and Iroh
stood on the deck gazing out at the sea beyond the harbor. Iroh looked at him.

“What do you think, Nephew?”

“I think I'll be able to find the Avatar,” he said confidently. His golden eye glanced up at Iroh.
“Thank you, Uncle.”
“You're quite welcome,” he smiled.

An hour later, Ezih arrived at the dock with Iroh's bags and Chiara by his side. Iroh was there
to meet with them when they boarded the ship.

“We're going to miss you, General,” said Ezih.

“I'll miss you as well,” he said. He looked at Jee. “Lieutenant Jee, you remember my
daughter Chiara?”

“Of course,” he said. “Lady Chiara, you've grown since I last saw you.”

“Lieutenant Jee,” she greeted him as she bowed. “It's good to see you again.”

He smiled at her manners.

“If I may ask, Lieutenant,” she said, “where is Prince Zuko?”

“He's in his quarters.” He gave her the directions.

She looked at Iroh. “General?”

“You may go,” he said.

“Lady Chiara,” said Ezih before she could walk off.

She turned to him. He bent down and whispered in her ear. She nodded and then immediately
went to Zuko's quarters. She sprinted up the stairs to his floor, and approaching his room, she
saw that his door was open. She looked inside. Her eyes were instantly drawn to the bandage
over his eye, but as soon as he noticed her, he quickly turned away.

“You shouldn't be here,” he said coldly.

“You were going to leave without saying goodbye?” she asked.

The guilt and shame he was already feeling increased upon hearing the hurt in her soft voice.

“I told Uncle to say goodbye for me.”

“That's not the same thing,” she said approaching him.

He still had his back to her. “I...I didn't want you to see me like this,” he said trying to justify
his decision.

Seeing her at his right side, he turned away from her.

“Go. I don't want you to look at me,” he said softly.

She moved in front of him, and before he could turn away from her again, she wrapped her
arms around his neck and hugged him.
“I'm so sorry, my Prince,” she said in so tender and loving a voice it made his heart melt.

After all that he had just suffered, he found some comfort in her arms, and he was unable to
resist wrapping his own around her and holding her tightly. He knew he was going to miss
her, and the pain of his banishment and separation from her now stung even deeper as he
realized his blind eye and scarred face did not matter to her. Now he was even more
determined to find the Avatar so he could not only restore his honor, but return to Chiara.

“I have something that will help your injury,” she said as she released him.

“It's not an injury; it's a punishment,” he said deeply.

“Let me look at it.”

“I don't want you to look at it.”

“I promise I can help at least with the pain,” she insisted, taking his hand and pulling him to
his bed. “Sit down. I'm going to take care of you.”

He never could refuse her tender care whenever his father punished him during his
firebending practice. Now was no different, and he reluctantly obeyed as he could not help
but comply with her gentle coaxing. He sat on the bed where she began carefully unwrapping
the bandage. When she had removed the final covering, he tried opening his eye, but any bit
of movement increased the constant burning pain. No light came through and he kept trying
to lift his eyelid thinking it was still closed, but it was actually partially open. Tears came to
Chiara's eyes when she saw what his father had done to him, and when he looked up at her he
was amazed by her look of compassion rather than disgust.

“Can you see out of it?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he said softly as he looked away from her. “The doctor said I'll be blind in that
eye.”

She gently placed her hand under his chin and lifted it as she examined the injury. What she
could see of his once beautiful fiery eye was now clouded over with only a hint of pale gold
showing through, and the damaged area over his face and temple was a deep red which
contrasted greatly with his pale uninjured skin. Blisters covered the area of the burn, and
some were leaking fluid which mixed with the burn ointment that had been freshly applied
that morning before he left the infirmary. A few were torn completely open with the loose
shreds of skin sticking to the raw wounds. She knew the pain had to be intense, and she could
not help the tears that fell down her cheeks over his suffering and the anger that welled up
inside her towards his father. Looking at the damage, she knew it was too late to completely
heal it and that he would be permanently scarred, but she hoped she could at least do
something for him even if it was just relieve his pain. She tenderly caressed the right side of
his face, and her soft touch made him temporarily forget the constant burning pain on the left
side.

“Lie down,” she directed him.

He lay down with her help, and she sat on the edge of the bed next to him resting her left
hand on his forehead and then softly running it down his right cheek.

“Hold still and close both your eyes. Do not open them no matter what until I say,” she said.
“If you open them too soon, you may never forgive me.”

“There isn't much more damage you can do,” he said in a dry tone.

“I disagree,” she said softly.

When his eyes were closed she pulled a little vial of water out of her pocket. She caressed his
head barely giving any thought to his missing soft black hair she always loved as her heart
grieved more over his suffering.

She leaned close to him. “I wish this could heal all your pain,” she said softly near his left ear
which, though visibly burned, was not affected otherwise.

She opened the vial and poured out the water suspending it above her hand. She held it over
his injury and it began glowing. He was amazed to feel a tingling sensation that seemed
strongest in his eye, and he made a slight movement at the unexpected sensation.

“Am I hurting you?” she asked.

“N-not at all.”

As she continued working, the soothing feeling increased as the burning, stinging pain
subsided, and the longer she worked, the better his eye felt. By the time she finished he felt
no pain at all. She tucked her vial away before examining the wound. The blisters were gone
and the deep red coloring had paled considerably, and the skin that had not already scarred
was healed. There was still ointment present which she decided to leave on to help keep the
newly healed skin and scar tissue from drying out.

“It should start feeling better.”

If he did not think it was impossible, he would have thought that he had never been injured.

“Can I open my eyes?”

“Let me put the bandage back on it first.”

“What...what did you put on it?” he asked.

“It was a special salve,” she said as she started covering his eye again.

“I don't feel any pain.” He was relieved to be free of the constant burning feeling that had
plagued him for the last two days. Even the pressure from the bandage caused no pain.
“Where did you get it?”

“It was something I discovered a long time ago. Don't tell anyone,” she whispered.
He assumed it was something she picked up during her Earth Kingdom travels and did not
have enough to share, but he appreciated that she thought to bring it and use it on him.

“Leave the bandage on for a while, and let me know if there's any more pain,” she said as she
finished wrapping it. “You can open your eyes now.”

She stood up and helped him sit up.

“Did Uncle tell you what happened?”

“Yes. I'm so sorry,” she said sitting down next to him.

“We'll be leaving soon,” he said sadly, looking down at the floor. “I don't know when I'll see
you again.”

“I'm going with you.”

“What?” His wide, golden eye shot up towards her bearing a glimmer of joy. Being given a
boat and a crew was more than he ever expected after all he had lost; having Chiara traveling
with him was too good to be true.

“The General said I could go.”

The glimmer faded. “You can't go,” he said solemnly.

“Why not?”

He could not expect her to suffer his punishment. “I've been banished. I don't want you to
live in exile too.”

“Without the General and you I have nothing left in the Fire Nation.”

He felt touched by her words, and as much as he wanted her to stay on board, he also felt it
was wrong for her to leave the comforts of her home to live at sea for an unknown period of
time. “Once I capture the Avatar, my honor will be restored and I'll come back home.”

She looked puzzled. “Capture the Avatar? Why do you have to capture him?”

“For my father,” he said simply.

“What does he plan on doing with him?”

“I don't know; I don't care. But it's the only way I can regain my honor...”

She felt angry over what he had been told. “You never lost your honor, but you will if you
hand the Avatar over to your father.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“The Avatar is supposed to keep balance between the nations. If you hand him over to the
Fire Lord, he'll use him to have the advantage in this war.”
“And what's wrong with that?”

She stood up appalled at the thought of what Ozai might do to the Avatar. “It...it's
dishonorable. This war against the other nations is wrong. It is not you who is without honor,
but the Fire Lord.”

He stood up and scowled at her. “How dare you say that about the Fire Lord, about my
father!” he yelled.

She did not back down, nor did she back away from him. “What father challenges his own
son to an Agni Kai for defending citizens of his Nation and then banishes him?! That is
dishonorable.”

“What do you know about war and the Fire Nation? You're just a girl and probably some
Earth Kingdom peasant anyways! Get out!” he yelled as he angrily pointed towards the door.

She turned to leave, her soft curls flying around her brushing against his chest before
following her to the exit. As she stormed out of the room, Iroh, who had just walked up to the
entrance and heard the last few lines of their argument, walked in.

“I know it was your intention to insult her, Prince Zuko, but I have met many Earth Kingdom
peasants. They are very down to earth just like Chiara.”

“Why did you let her come, Uncle?” he asked angrily.

“She insisted on keeping you company during your journey.”

“During my exile, you mean. It only brings dishonor on her by being here.” Despite their
argument, he did not want her to suffer because of him.

“Chiara cares not for honor, but only for her family.”

Zuko felt frustrated and sighed. “What do you want?”

“It's time to leave, Nephew. You should be on the bridge.”

-----------------------------------------

Zuko went to the bridge while Iroh went to find Chiara who was now standing on deck.

“It's your last chance,” he said to her. “Are you sure you don't want to remain here?”

“I already said goodbye to Ezih, and I don't want Amiku to have wasted her tears,” she said.

Iroh chuckled as he imagined the fuss Amiku must have made that morning.

“And I told you before,” she continued, “wherever you are is home. You and Prince Zuko are
my family.”

He was touched by her love for him and his nephew. “If this is what you wish.”
Iroh felt she would be more comfortable staying in his home under the care of Ezih and
Amiku and continuing her studies. He believed that life in his manor would be more stable
for her than living aboard a ship of soldiers traveling the world for an unknown period of
time. Personally, he enjoyed the idea of having her accompany him just as he welcomed her
company in his travels through the Earth Kingdom. And despite their quarrel he thought it
might be good for Zuko to have her company as well since they had been friends for so long.

“I heard some of your argument with Prince Zuko,” he said.

“I can't believe he's trying to capture the Avatar,” she said softly. “You know the Fire Lord
will imprison him.”

“Ozai said it's the only way he can restore his honor.”

“He hasn't lost his honor,” she said.

“I know he hasn't,” he agreed. “But he will do this for his father.”

She was worried about Zuko and his loyalty towards Ozai. “He'll become just like the Fire
Lord if he follows through with this.”

“Zuko will need to choose the right path himself. All we can do is encourage him and help
him to see which is the right path.”

It did not allay her concerns, but she knew he was right that Zuko would have to choose his
own way.

-----------------------------------------

Iroh left Chiara on deck and went to the bridge where Zuko was present busily poring over
the maps he studied when he was in the infirmary.

Soon they were leaving the Fire Nation to begin their quest by visiting the Fire Temple on
Crescent Island before heading towards the Western Air Temple. When Zuko stepped out on
the upper deck to watch his homeland shrink as they sailed away, he saw Chiara on the lower
deck leaning against the rail. He watched her long locks as they gently flew in the wind just
as he remembered them doing when they sailed to Ember Island. He began feeling guilty for
yelling at her earlier especially as it occurred to him that he had not felt any pain since her
visit.

“Do not look so somber, Nephew,” said Iroh walking up to him. “You are setting out on a
new adventure. Many times I myself have sailed this same path on a mission.”

“It's not so much a mission as much as it's banishment.”

“But it is a mission. A royal one in which your ancestors have taken part, even your own
father.”

“Yes, but at least they could return home after their failure,” he said bitterly.
“Do not give up hope, Prince Zuko. You are not your predecessors.”

“No, I'm not. I plan on succeeding where they failed,” he said with confidence. “It's my
destiny.”

“If you keep on the right path you may discover there's more to your destiny than you know,”
said Iroh slyly.

“I have to regain my honor and return home,” said Zuko. “There's nothing more to know.”

----------------------------------------

When the last bit of land could no longer be seen, Iroh went down to the main deck.

“Come, I will show you your quarters,” he said to Chiara.

She followed him inside.

“We will be in the officers' quarters on the upper level,” he said as they ascended the narrow
staircase. “I had your belongings put there already.” They walked down the hall where he
stopped at a room and opened the door. “It's much smaller and more...drab than your room at
home, and there's only a cot...”

“It's fine,” she said.

“My quarters are right next to yours.”

She turned to him anxious to busy herself. “Where should I start working?”

“Already you are ready to work,” he chuckled. “I am sure Ozen wouldn't mind having your
help in the galley.”

Leaving the officers' quarters, she followed him down below through the empty mess hall and
into the galley. A short, round man who clearly enjoyed food was working at the chopping
table.

“This is Ozen, the cook,” Iroh said to her.

The cook stepped out from behind the table.

“Ozen, this is my daughter, Lady Chiara.”

“General Iroh,” bowed Ozen before looking at Chiara. “What a beautiful daughter.”

“She's ready to be put to work.”

“General, you can't put such a beautiful young woman like that to work in the galley,” he
admonished him.

“Thank you, Ozen,” said Chiara as she bowed to him. “But I requested it. I enjoy keeping
busy.”
Ozen laughed. “Come on then,” he said.

Iroh left her in the galley where she worked peeling vegetables, cutting meat, and listening to
Ozen's stories.

----------------------------------------

During lunch, Iroh returned to the mess hall where Chiara served his meal and they ate
together.

“Has Prince Zuko eaten?” she asked him.

“I don't know. Ozen should know since he will prepare his meals for him.”

When she finished lunch she returned to the galley.

“Do you know if Prince Zuko has eaten?” she asked Ozen.

“I just made his lunch,” he said pointing out the tray. “Would you like to take it to him?”

“I don't mind, but he might,” she said softly as she picked it up.

Heading up to the tower, she carried the tray to Zuko's quarters and knocked on his door.

“Enter,” she heard him say.

She carefully held the tray with one arm and opened the door. When she stepped inside she
saw him meditating before some candles, so she quietly walked over to his table where she
set the tray.

“What are you doing?” he asked when he noticed it was her.

“I brought your lunch.”

She turned to leave as he stood up.

“Why are you serving it?” he asked.

By his harsh tone she suspected he was still upset with her. She stopped and turned towards
him.

“I'm sorry,” she apologized. “Ozen asked me to bring it to you.”

He realized she saw the harshness in his tone as directed towards her which was not his
intention. “I-I just mean...well, you're not a servant.”

“I'm working in the galley,” she said.

He was surprised to learn she was put to work. “Why?”

“To keep busy.”

“You don't have to work...”

“I asked to work there,” she said.

She turned to leave again.

“Chiara, wait...” He reached out to her but pulled back when she turned towards him. “I...I'm
sorry for what I said earlier...,” he started, “...about you being an Earth Kingdom peasant.”

“You don't have to apologize. Most Earth Kingdom peasants are kind people.”

“Yeah, Uncle said that,” he said softly as he looked away still feeling ashamed for losing his
temper with her. “I'm sorry I tried to insult you though. I must've sounded like Azula.”

“It's okay.”

His eyes met hers. “I didn't mean it...”

“I'm not mad at you,” she said sincerely, “even if you did mean it.”

“All I want is to restore my honor and be back home again.” He glanced down gently shaking
his head. “I wish...I wish I never spoke at that meeting.”

She took a step towards him. “Your concern for your people is admirable, Prince Zuko. That
makes you honorable. Never regret doing the right thing.”

He appreciated her words, but they brought him little comfort amidst the overwhelming
change in his life.

“Have you eaten?” he asked her.

“Yes, with the General.”

He did not want her to leave, but he did not have an excuse to keep her there.

“I want you to eat dinner with me,” he said softly.

“Tonight?”

“Every night, in my quarters.”

She nodded. “I'll see you tonight then.”

She left to return to the galley. Throughout the day she served Iroh his tea, often joining him
before going back to work.

Late that afternoon Chiara carried their dinner up to Zuko's room and knocked. He opened
the door and immediately took the tray for her and carried it to the table which was covered
in scrolls.
“Oh, can you move them?” he asked. “Be careful, though; some are fragile.”

She started gathering them up, but her eyes fell upon some of the writing. “Are these about
the Avatar?”

“Yes.”

“Where did you get them?” she asked as she skimmed through them.

He hesitated. She looked up at him when he did not answer her.

“I stole them,” he finally said, his voice low.

“From?”

“The Fire Sages.”

He could not help the smirk that was forming as he thought about his “crime,” and when she
started laughing, he laughed with her.

“You think it's funny?” he asked her.

“Would they have willingly lent them to you to help you on your quest?”

“No.”

“That's why it's funny. I'm happy you did it.” She was skimming another one of the scrolls.

He was relieved she approved of what he had done, but he was also confused. “Really? But I
thought you didn't want me to find the Avatar.”

“Finding him is one thing; I don't want you to hand him over to the Fire Lord,” she said.

“It's the only way I can go back home.”

She could hear the longing in his voice, and for as much as she desired to comfort him, she
knew he needed to hear the truth. “I don't want to upset you, Prince Zuko, but considering no
one's been able to find the Avatar in a hundred years, I don't think your father expects you to
find him either.”

“So when I do find him, he'll be proud of me,” he said confidently.

She did not feel as confident.

“When did you have time to get these?” she asked redirecting the subject.

“I waited 'til Uncle was asleep last night and then I went to the High Temple,” he said in a
low voice as if somebody might overhear their conversation.

She was impressed, but not totally surprised since he had so often secretly left the palace to
visit her at Iroh's estate. She was also relieved he had not been caught.
“Are you going to try to acquire any more at the Fire Temple?” she smirked.

He grinned. “If the opportunity presents itself.”

She softly giggled before continuing to skim over the scrolls.

“May I read these?” she asked.

“Sure.”

They ate their dinner, and afterwards, she and Zuko began reading the scrolls together
discussing the possibilities of what some of the more cryptic ones might mean.

That evening Chiara went to her cabin where she placed her clothes in the chest and stored
her erhu that Iroh told her to bring. Kneeling on the floor next to the cot, she meditated before
the lantern as Iroh had taught her and practiced her breathing exercises. After her meditation,
she practiced small waterbending tricks. She enjoyed making the water turn to ice and back
again, and she even heated droplets until they turned to steam. She drew a small stream
around her in the air and around the lantern. She would move it around the lantern flame in
such a way as to produce small rainbows. As it grew later, she lowered the flame in the
lantern, lay on the cot, and went to sleep.

Hours later, deep into her sleep, she awoke to a loud cry. It sounded as though it came from
below where Zuko's room was, so she jumped up, grabbed her robe, and threw it on as she
ran out the door. She ran down to his floor and knocked on the door.

“Prince Zuko?” she called anxiously.

He did not answer.

“Prince Zuko, are you all right?” she asked as she slowly opened the door.

She glanced inside. The room was dark and she regretted not bringing her lantern, so she
grabbed one from the hall and stepped into his room. By the light of the lantern, she could see
Zuko sitting on the edge of the bed with his head down breathing heavy and looking
distressed. She approached him.

“Prince Zuko...”

She set the lantern on the floor as she knelt down and looked up at him. She realized he had
had a nightmare, and she reached up and began caressing his head. The grip he had on the
bed relaxed at her tender touch. She moved to sit next to him, and she wrapped her arms
around him and pulled him close to embrace him. The vivid scenes of his nightmare, of the
Agni Kai against his father, faded away as he relaxed in her arms, and he wrapped his arms
around her and held onto her. He hated what had happened to him. He hated where he was.
He would give nearly anything to be back in the palace again, but he was relieved that in his
misery Chiara was present to give him comfort. She was a part of his happiest memories with
his family and his connection to his previous life. He held her tighter, and though it was
harder for her to breathe, she did not pull away knowing he needed it. When he finally
released her, she softly touched his face.

“Lie down,” she said.

He obeyed and lay on the bed. She stood up and straightened out his blankets before covering
him. He was tired, but he did not want to close his eyes for fear that he would be forced to
relive the Agni Kai again. She placed her hand on his head to soothe him, and he placed his
hand over hers not wanting her to go.

“Don't leave,” he said in a soft, low voice, a scared voice of a child needing his mother by his
side.

Her heart ached for him. “I'll be right above you.”

“Please stay with me.” He was not ready to be alone.

She desired to obey him—to stay and comfort him, but she could not risk the gossip that
might spread among the crew however innocent their situation. “You know I can't.”

Though he wanted her to remain with him, he did not argue with her. He understood the
possibility of scandal, especially on such a small ship. She caressed his head one more time
before picking up the lantern and returning to her room.

As soon as Chiara woke up the next morning, she went to Zuko's quarters to check on him.
When he opened the door, she noticed how tired he looked.

“Hey.” He stepped aside to let her in. “Do you want me to bring you breakfast?”

“One of the men is bringing it,” he said softly.

“You should get more rest,” she said, concerned about him. “You look exhausted.”

“I can't sleep. I need to keep busy.” He looked down. “I'm sorry I woke you last night.” He
felt ashamed for having the nightmare, for yelling out, and he wondered how many others
might have heard him.

She shook her head dismissing his apology. “I wish there was something I could do for you.”

There was a knock at the door. Zuko opened it to one of the crew who was holding a tray.

“I have your breakfast, sir,” said the crewman nodding his head out of respect for the prince.

Zuko stood aside to allow him entrance.

“Oh, Lady Chiara, I didn't realize you were here,” he said when he entered. “Do you want me
to bring your breakfast as well?”

“No thank you. I'll be joining the General for breakfast.”

He nodded to her and then left after leaving the tray on the table. Chiara walked towards the
door and tenderly placed her hand on Zuko's arm.

“I'll see you later,” she said.

She left to go to the mess hall.

A few days later, Zuko answered a knock at his door early in the morning. He expected it to
be Chiara who checked on him every morning before heading down to the mess hall. What
he did not expect to see was her holding a tray with his breakfast.

“I have your breakfast,” she said softly when he did not say anything.

“Oh...” He stepped aside. “...come in. I wasn't expecting you to bring it.” Once she stepped
inside, he took the tray from her. “Where's yours?” he asked.

“This is just for you. I'm going to eat with the General in the mess hall.” She followed him to
the table. “Would you care to join us?”

He slowly shook his head as he set the tray down. “No.” He looked at her. “But you and
Uncle can eat here.”

She gently smiled at his offer. “I wish we could, but he thinks it's good to have at least one
meal with the crew.”

Zuko nodded his understanding. Chiara took notice of the bandages and burn ointment on the
table.

“Are you changing your bandage?” she asked.

His eyes fell to the ointment. “Uncle's been trying to get me to go to the infirmary to let the
medic do it, but...I really don't want him touching it.” He felt uneasy at the idea of a stranger
seeing or touching his wound. “I'm not sure I'm ready to look at it either,” he added softly.

“Do you want me to do it?” she asked.

His golden eye glanced up at hers hopefully. “You don't mind?”

“Of course not.” She picked up the bandages and ointment and walked over to the bed. “Sit.
I'll take care of it.”

He was relieved she offered to do it for him as he was not ready to do it himself, and since it
was Chiara who relieved his pain initially, he felt more comfortable with her taking care of it
over a medic he had only met a few days earlier.

“It doesn't bother you?” he asked her.

“The only thing that bothers me is how you got it,” she said in a deep voice that betrayed her
anger over Ozai's actions.
Zuko had never heard her use such a dark tone before, and he was touched that she cared so
much about him to be angry for him.

When he sat down she began removing the wrapping from around his head.

“Has there been any pain?” she asked.

“Not since before you treated it.”

She was relieved to hear it.

“Don't open your eyes at all,” she said as she removed the bandage over his eye. “There's still
a fine layer of ointment you don't want in there.”

“Are you going to put your own salve on it again?”

She tenderly lifted his chin and held it. “Does it hurt when I touch it?” she asked as she used
a clean cloth to carefully wipe away the old ointment.

“Not at all. It feels like nothing ever happened.”

She would have smirked, but she still felt bitter towards the Fire Lord for what he had done.
“I don't think I need to treat it then.”

“Does it look bad?”

She carefully examined it. It looked nothing like the original injury. The size of the burn was
smaller since her waterbending had been able to completely heal the outer edges. A light red
scar was all that remained of the area surrounding the eye itself which had the deepest
damage and was deeper red on the surface. She had focused her healing on the most injured
layers which included his eye, but she was unsure if what she repaired had helped his vision.

“It's red. I'm going to put a fresh layer of burn ointment on it just to soften the skin.”

She delicately applied balm over the scar tissue, her soft touch making his heart beat a bit
faster.

When she finished, she put a clean bandage over it and a wrap around his head to keep it in
place.

“All done,” she said.

“Thanks.”

He stood up and followed her to the door mesmerized by her long black curls as they
bounced in her ponytail behind her.

“Enjoy your breakfast,” she said before leaving his room.

He had to stop himself from following her into the hall. When the door was closed, he turned
back to his empty room. Sitting at the table by himself he ate his breakfast before going to the
bridge to begin his day.

------------------------------------

After breakfast Chiara went to work again keeping busy about the ship. Her days would now
be filled with work in the galley with the cook, mending and washing clothes, or feeding the
komodo rhinos in the hold. Zuko was impressed to find that she was almost constantly
working, but it also bothered him. He had always seen her as a member of the royal family
and his future wife, so he believed menial labor was beneath her even when he had watched
her work at Iroh's. But he was finding himself more troubled by her working with his crew
than he ever had when she worked with Iroh's household staff.

One day, after she had fed the animals in the hold, Zuko was watching as she helped a few
members of the crew with their duties on the deck. On top of feeling conflicted about her
working, he was also feeling envious seeing her so close to the younger crewmembers.
Though she was only twelve, she was three years away from the age of promise making him
uncomfortable with her spending so much time near so many men who might one day take an
interest in her.

“The weather is quite beautiful today,” said Iroh standing next to him on the upper deck
looking at the clear blue sky.

“Yes, she is,” said Zuko softly, sounding a bit dazed.

Iroh raised his eyebrows at his nephew's response. He looked at him and then looked down to
the lower deck to see what he was focused on. His eyes stopped at Chiara.

“I was speaking of the weather,” said Iroh.

Zuko snapped out of his daze. “What about it?”

“You seem distracted, Prince Zuko. Is something bothering you?”

“Chiara,” he said.

Iroh furrowed his brow. “Were you two arguing again?”

“What? No.” He looked at his uncle. “She works too hard.”

“Ah,” he nodded. “She enjoys keeping busy.”

“Can't you make her stop?”

“She's always been like that, even back home. She was always helping Tai in the kitchen, and
the servants when they cleaned.” Iroh smiled at him. “Didn't she have you working with her
in the kitchen?”
Zuko thought about the times they would peel or chop vegetables together in Iroh's kitchen.
“That was different. We didn't have to do that; it was just us doing something...together. Now
she's together with them.”

The hint of jealousy in his tone did not escape Iroh. “She's just trying to be helpful. It's who
she is.”

“But she shouldn't be doing menial labor,” he argued trying to find a reason to keep her from
working. “She's royalty.”

“Being royalty doesn't mean we can't be helpful when necessary.”

“It's not necessary for her to work, especially with the crew,” he added in a low tone.

“What else do you expect her to do, Nephew?”

“I don't know,” he sighed, his eyes focusing again on Chiara. “I just hate seeing her work all
the time.”

“She'll take time off when she's ready.” Iroh tucked his hands in his sleeves as his gaze was
drawn back up to the cloudless sky.

As the days passed, Chiara spent some of her downtime sitting on the deck looking out over
the water, especially in the evenings when the moon was bright. At dinner she would eat with
Zuko in his quarters, and sometimes Iroh would join them which often reminded him and
Chiara of their meals with Lu Ten. Before going to bed, she meditated before practicing her
waterbending knowing no one would disturb her in her cabin.

Iroh enjoyed spending his time playing Pai Sho with the Chiara and the crew and sometimes
Zuko, though he rarely participated. Some evenings Iroh would entertain the crew with
music, and at least once a week was to be designated “music night” in which many of the
crew members would join playing their instruments or singing. Chiara often sang with Iroh
and played the pipa or erhu, and although Zuko never joined in, he always enjoyed listening
to her sing and play as he had at home. On those nights he could be seen standing on the
upper deck watching her make music (though he tried not to look like he was watching).

It was not often that Zuko participated with the group in recreation, but he did occasionally
play Pai Sho with Iroh and even Chiara, and most nights he and Chiara would play cards after
dinner or study scrolls together. Most of his day was spent planning his course in search of
the Avatar, reading any scrolls he could find, and meditating. And since Iroh decided to take
over Zuko's firebending instruction, Zuko dedicated himself to his lessons, and he practiced
his firebending as often as possible sparring with the crew for practice.

Unfortunately, at night, his nightmares continued, but not always with the same intensity.
Whenever they woke Chiara, she would always go to comfort him, and the nights she did not
wake, Zuko missed her presence, yet he was relieved he did not disturb her.
 The Western Air Temple

The first week on the ship seemed like eternity to Zuko who was not used to the constant
droning of the engines and rocking of the vessel. He had traveled by water before, but it had
always been recreation, and it was never for so long and with no hope of going home until he
finished his mission. He quickly grew anxious to find the Avatar and return to the Fire
Nation.

It was still dark when they arrived at the location of the Western Air Temple. As the sky
began lighting up before sunrise, Zuko, Iroh, Chiara, and several soldiers set out to find their
way into the temple. It was not an easy feat since it was built underneath a mountain cliff, but
when they set foot onto the temple area, most of them were in awe.

Zuko cared little for sightseeing and immediately set his men to searching the temple. Iroh
stood near the balcony ledge gazing at the scenery while Chiara was staring up at the temple
buildings carved into the mountain.

“This architecture is incredible,” she said in awe of the construction. “The Air Nomads
must've been a wonderful people.”

“What a stunning view,” said Iroh impressed with the sight before him.

Zuko stood next to him. “The only view I'm interested in seeing is the Avatar in chains,” he
said in a grave tone.

Chiara turned to him disgusted by his comment. “You really want to put a hundred year old
man in chains?”

“How else will I control someone who can bend all four elements?”

She stepped closer to him.

“You know,” said Iroh, interrupting what he worried might become an argument between
them, “the Avatar hasn't been seen for a hundred years. The chances of finding him here are
very slim.”

Zuko refused to let that stop him. “First we'll check each of the air temples,” he said stepping
closer to the edge. “Then we'll scour the world searching even the most remote locations until
we find him.”

“Prince Zuko,” said Iroh in a fatherly tone concerned for his health, both mental and physical,
“it's only been a week since your banishment. You should take some time to heal and rest.”

The prince rounded on him. “What else would I expect to hear from the laziest man in the
Fire Nation?” he snapped.
Chiara immediately moved towards him. “Don't you dare talk to him that way...,” she started,
appalled by his disrespect.

Zuko found her eyes piercing, and he was stunned by her sharp admonition as she so rarely
snapped at anyone.

“Chiara...,” said Iroh gently pulling her back from Zuko.

“He has no right to speak to you like that,” she said to Iroh. “You're the Prince of the Fire
Nation and a great hero...”

“Chiara, it's okay...,” he said trying to calm her down.

“It's not okay. I don't care if he was the Fire Lord, I won't stand here and allow him to
disrespect you, especially after all you've done for him.”

Iroh and Zuko both were wide-eyed at her defense of him, and rather than anger towards her,
Zuko began feeling ashamed of his behavior.

Iroh sighed. “You are a master of self control,” he said to her in a deep tone. She understood
he was speaking of her hiding her waterbending. “You must keep your temper under control.
If you were to speak out like that to the wrong person, the consequences could be dire.”

She took a deep breath. “Yes, General,” she said obediently.

Zuko understood through experience what Iroh was saying, and he would never want what
happened to him to happen to her as well.

“May I look around?” she asked softly.

Iroh gave her a gentle smile. “Do not stray too far.”

She walked off to explore the temple.

Zuko approached Iroh. “I'm sorry, Uncle,” he said softly. “She's right. I shouldn't have spoken
to you like that. It's just the only way to regain my honor is to find the Avatar, so I won't
rest...I can't rest until I find him.”

They joined the crew in searching the temple for some sign of the Avatar. The complex was
enormous. While everyone else was on a mission, Chiara spent the time admiring the
architecture and exploring the various rooms wondering what they were used for by the Air
Nomads.

Hours into their search, Chiara was anxious to find Iroh.

“General,” she called running towards him.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Did you find something about the Avatar?” asked Zuko anxiously.
She was breathless from her sprint. “There's a giant Pai Sho table.”

Iroh's eyes grew big. “Oh, this I must see!” he said excitedly as he followed her.

Zuko just sighed and skulked off to search in a different direction.

---------------------------------------

After exploring as much of the temple as possible, they decided to set up camp for the night
and continue the search the following day. As the sun was sinking, Zuko stood at the edge of
the temple lost in thought as he gazed blankly at the view.

“No luck, Nephew?” asked Iroh as he approached him.

“No. And it would've been more helpful if you hadn't been playing Pai Sho all day,” he
added, clearly annoyed.

Despite the displeasure in Zuko's voice, Iroh grinned. “It's not everyday one gets to walk on a
Pai Sho board to make a play. You really should play at least one game; it is quite
challenging.”

“I don't have time to play games,” he said trying not to lose his temper fearing Chiara might
hear him and rebuke him again.

“You have your whole life ahead of you,” said Iroh.

“And if I have to, I will spend every day of the rest of my life hunting the Avatar. I know it's
my destiny to capture him.”

Iroh placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You know, Prince Zuko, destiny is a funny
thing. You never know how things are going to work out. But if you keep an open mind and
an open heart, I promise you will find your own destiny someday.”

Suddenly, the sound of singing caught their attention. They looked at each other as they both
recognized the Fire Nation song for the dead, and they took off to find Chiara. They followed
her voice running through a fruit grove and past a garden where they discovered her kneeling
on the ground singing. The area was covered in ashes, and as they drew near to her, their eyes
were drawn to the pile of bones in front of her. They stopped and stood quietly behind her as
the beautiful haunting song echoed around them. The other soldiers who followed the singing
also gathered around. They took off their helmets as they stood silently around the site of the
remains. When Chiara finished singing, she laid on her lap a tiny little skull she had been
cradling in her arms, and then she put her face in her hands and cried. Zuko's heart broke
hearing her cry, and it reminded him of her crying over Lu Ten's death. He was just about to
step towards her intending to hold her, but Iroh moved first, walking up to her placing his
hand on her shoulder.

“Chiara...,” he said, his voice slightly broken.

“There were children,” she cried softly.

“Chiara, it is getting late. You should eat something.”

She could not eat with her heart in so much pain. “How could they kill the children? What
kind of a nation slaughters the young?”

Everyone standing there felt touched by her words, and both Iroh and Zuko felt guilty for the
sins of their Nation.

“There was no one to mourn for them,” she said. “They were just murdered and their bones
and ashes left as if they meant nothing.”

Iroh was reminded of Chiara's village.

She tenderly placed the skull with the other bones. She stood up, picked up a rock, and placed
it near the bones. She continued placing rocks in a circle around the site. Iroh, Zuko, and the
soldiers began helping her as her compassion stirred their own. Eventually, a large pile of
stones covered the bones and ashes. Chiara pulled the ribbon from her hair and tied it to a
stick she placed in the top of the pile. Though it was growing darker, Chiara went to the
garden where she began collecting flowers. Iroh and the soldiers went to their campsite while
Zuko remained near the grave watching Chiara gather flowers in her skirt. When she returned
to the mound, he held a flame for her to provide light while she placed the flowers around the
stones. After laying the last flower, they returned to the camp with the others. Chiara went
straight to her tent where she remained for the evening.

The following day Chiara had spent the time in a solemn vigil near the grave while the others
continued their search, but they found nothing that would indicate the Avatar was there. By
late afternoon, they started heading back to the ship mostly in silence. Zuko stayed next to
Chiara during their return since he was worried about her, but she just quietly walked along
without saying a word, so he remained silent too. The sky was dark by the time they made it
to sea, and Chiara went to a secluded spot on the stern and stared out at the black water as it
moved behind the ship lit up only by the moonlight.

When she did not show up for dinner, Zuko became more worried about her, so he went to
find her. He knocked on the door of her cabin. There was no answer. He hesitated wondering
if he should enter without permission. He knocked again. This time when she did not answer
he opened it a crack without looking inside.

“Chiara,” he called softly.

There was no sound except for the constant low drone of the engines. He opened the door a
little more. It was dark, so he lit a fire in his palm and slowly entered.

“Chiara?” he called again.

He looked at the cot, but it was empty. He glanced around her room. It was the first time he
had been inside her quarters, and he was stunned by the small size and simplicity. He turned
to leave, and stepping out into the hallway he ran into Iroh.
“Oh, Prince Zuko...,” he said startled by the unexpected presence of his nephew.

“Uncle, have you seen Chiara?”

“Not since we returned to the ship. She's not in her room?”

“No.”

“Hmm...,” he said thoughtfully. “Look along the edge of the ship. She loves to watch the
water.”

Zuko nodded and went to the deck where he walked the perimeter. He finally found her on
the stern leaning against the rail. Just as he was about to approach her, he hesitated. He was
amazed by the gentle glow of her skin as the light of the full moon seemed to reflect upon it.
Her natural beauty was enhanced and she appeared to be a supernatural entity to him, one he
almost feared to disturb. Hearing someone nearby, she turned and looked at him, breaking
him from his trance.

“Hey,” he said walking up to the rail next to her. “You didn't come to dinner.”

“I'm sorry.” She stood up straight. “I meant to bring you something.”

She was about to walk off to get his dinner, but he stopped her.

“You're not eating?” he asked her.

“I'm not hungry.”

He took her right hand in his pulling her back to the rail next to him, and he continued
holding her hand as he placed his left arm around her. She leaned against him resting her
head against his shoulder and they both stood quietly looking out at the water.

------------------------------------

Iroh had been getting more concerned about Chiara, and later that evening after she retired to
her room, he decided to check on her.

“Are you okay?” he asked as they sat on her cot.

“Yes.”

He let out a soft sigh. “I'm sorry for what you saw, Chiara. I'm ashamed of what my Nation
has done...of what I have done.”

She looked at him. “I don't blame you...”

“You should,” he said to her surprise. His eyes were downcast. “What you saw at the air
temple was no different than what was done to your village, to your parents.”

“But you weren't responsible for that.”

“If I had arrived sooner, or gave the captain clearer instructions...”

“Do you regret it?” she asked, though it was clear from his words that he did.

“Every day,” he answered sadly.

“That's why I don't blame you. How many generals and soldiers don't regret it, but continue
to slaughter the innocent without remorse?”

“Too many,” he said softly.

“You chose to lead a different life, one deserving of forgiveness.”

He was amazed by her forgiving nature and comforting words.

“You are a wise young lady, Chiara.” He put his arm around her and she placed her head on
his chest as he held her.

The next day Chiara got back into her routine on the ship, and though she was normally
quiet, she was quieter than usual. That night she ate with Zuko in his room as was custom for
them.

“Your cabin is so...small,” he said. “Couldn't Uncle put you in better quarters?”

“It's fine.”

He was still bothered by it. “You don't even have a bed; it's just a cot.”

“It's good enough,” she said unsure why he was so concerned.

“At least let me have them put a bed in there.”

“Thank you, but the cot's fine,” she insisted.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded. “When we traveled the Earth Kingdom, we sometimes slept on mats under the
stars.”

He felt like she deserved better on his ship. He wanted to provide her with more luxurious
accommodations.

“D-do you want to trade rooms?” he asked, not that he thought his room was luxurious, but it
was definitely more spacious.

“What? No.” She stopped eating and looked at him. “You would really do that?”

He nodded his head. “If you want this one. I'll just be spending more time in your new room
than your old one.”
She could not help a small smile at his generosity and she shook her head. “I couldn't take
your room from you.”

“We could share it,” he said in a low voice.

“No,” she said with playful sternness. “And that would not go well with the General.”

Zuko softly laughed.

“My room's fine,” she assured him.

He did not continue pushing the issue, but he still did not like that she was in such a small,
drab cabin with few furnishings while his was a bit more roomy and comfortable.

------------------------------------

Later, after dinner she placed their plates and cups on the tray and then started cleaning up his
room. He watched her with incredulity.

“What are you doing?” he asked her.

She was gathering clothes that were strewn around the room. “You got too used to your
servants,” she said. “Look at this mess.”

“You're not a servant. You shouldn't be doing that.”

“Go meditate or something and let me clean. I'm not eating dinner here anymore until this is
cleaned up.”

He softly laughed, but he decided not to argue with her. He took her advice and meditated
while she tried to quietly clean his room. When she finished picking things up and putting
things away, she sat on his bed and began mending one of his torn garments.

She was still busy when he finished meditating, so he sat next to her.

“You're still working,” he said.

“There's still work to be done.” She cut the thread on his shirt she just mended. She held it
up. “Would you prefer the hole?”

“No,” he smiled taking it from her. “Thanks.”

She stood up and took it back from him, and he watched her put it neatly away with his other
clothes. As much as he felt the work was beneath her, he appreciated what she did for him,
especially seeing how clean his room looked. When she picked up the tray from the table he
stood up.

“Are you leaving?” he asked.

“Yes.”
He was enjoying her presence and not ready for her to leave.

“Do you have to?” he asked softly.

“Is there something you need me to do?”

“I think you've done enough.” He was looking around. “I...I have some more scrolls,” he said
trying to think of an excuse to keep her there.

She smiled and then set the tray on the floor so they could read at the table.

---------------------------------------

They spent hours reading together, and afterwards, she left to take their dishes to the scullery
where she scrubbed them before going outside to stand on the bow and look out at the sea.
The moon was still full and bright, and it shone down on her strengthening her and making
her feel as though she could lift the sea in front of her. Zuko walked out onto the upper deck
taking a break from his room. His eye was drawn to Chiara below who seemed to glow in the
moonlight. She looked radiantly beautiful, and he felt himself pulled towards her. He left the
upper deck and went below where he slowly approached her. Her hair was flowing gently
behind her in the wind, and she almost looked like a spirit in the moonlight as he came nearer
to her. Unable to resist contact, he reached out and tenderly grabbed a lock of her hair and
allowed it to slide over his hand. She turned and looked up at him, her eyes meeting his
golden one. She smiled at him which he enjoyed as she had been so reserved lately. He ran
his fingers over her forearm which felt like silk to him.

“You should be resting,” she said.

“So should you,” he replied. He continued looking at her. “You look like you're glowing.”

She turned back to the sea. “The moon's bright tonight; everything looks like it's glowing.”

He smiled at her, but he still felt she looked more radiant than everything else, and he was
about to tell her so.

“It's quite late,” said Iroh walking up behind them. “You two should be in bed.”

“You talk to us like we're children, Uncle,” said Zuko.

He laughed. “You are children.”

“But I'll be fourteen soon,” he argued.

“Like I said, you are children,” his uncle reiterated.

Chiara softly laughed as she turned towards Iroh. “Good night, General.” She kissed him on
his cheek. “Good night, Prince Zuko.”

“Don't I get one of those?” Zuko asked of her kiss.

She wanted to giggle at his nerve.

“Yes,” said his uncle to their surprise.

Chiara gaped at Iroh certainly not expecting his approval, but Zuko's expression was hopeful
and expectant.

“When you have your own daughter,” Iroh clarified with a devious smile.

The young prince's bright eye dimmed at his uncle's teasing, but Chiara just giggled as she
walked off.

The next morning after Zuko woke up and dressed, he decided to remove his bandage. Chiara
had been replacing it whenever he asked her, but it had been annoying and uncomfortable to
wear, and there had been no pain since her first treatment. He had not yet seen his own injury,
and he only kept the bandage on because he dreaded uncovering the wound knowing it would
draw everyone's eyes. He was also not looking forward to being blind in one eye, and the
bandage gave the illusion that his sight was just hidden behind it. He was about to reach up
and unwrap it, but instead he pulled out his knife and sliced through it taking it off all at once
rather than slowly. He kept his eyes closed as he reached up and placed his hand on his lower
cheek. His skin felt smooth. Sliding his fingers up towards his eye, he started to feel the
rough skin over his cheekbone surprised that it felt more like a scar than the tender skin of a
severe burn just over a week old. He continued moving his hand touching the scar following
the edge, and then he ran his fingers over his eye. There was no pain. He was still amazed
that Chiara's salve completely deadened the pain even when it was touched. If it was not for
the rough skin and the blindness, he might think there was no injury at all—that maybe the
Agni Kai had been a dream. But it was not a dream. He could feel the scar, and he knew if he
could feel it, then everybody could see it. He was hesitant to leave his room as he was not
sure if he was ready to endure the stares. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door snapping
him out of his thoughts and causing him to jerk his hand away from his scar.

“Enter.”

“I have your breakfast, sir,” said the crewman who entered.

He stepped into the room and placed it on the table as the prince walked towards it.

“Where's Chiara?” asked Zuko. “Why didn't she bring it?”

The man was staring at the scar.

“I-I don't know, sir. I was just told to bring it to you.”

He kept staring awkwardly.

“You have a problem?” snapped Zuko.

“Uh...no, no, sir.”

He bowed quickly before turning to leave. Zuko knelt down at the table and picked up the
chopsticks frustrated that Chiara had not brought his breakfast. He was feeling angry as he
realized his crewman's reaction was going to be an ongoing occurrence for the rest of his life
with everybody who looked at him. He really wished that Chiara had been the one to bring
his food; he was sure she would not have stared awkwardly. Suddenly snapping him out of
concern over his scar, it occurred to him that he was seeing with both eyes. He looked around
the table and then around his room, and then he moved his hand in front of his left eye. His
vision seemed completely unaffected. It was an unexpected surprise after having been told he
would be blind. Forgetting about the scar, he ate his breakfast with his heart a tiny bit lighter.

-----------------------------------

After breakfast, Zuko went to the bridge where Iroh was playing Pai Sho with another crew
member.

“Good morning, Prince Zuko,” he said jovially when he glanced up at him. He did a double-
take when he realized his bandage was missing. He also noticed that the scar was not as dark
or as large as he expected, especially considering the extent of the original injury. “You-
you've finally been to the infirmary?”

“No,” answered Zuko lightly.

Iroh was feeling a little apprehensive. “How are you feeling?” he asked worried that Zuko
might blow up.

“I feel like finding the Avatar,” he said sounding determined. “Where's Chiara?”

Iroh raised an eyebrow. “What do you want with her?” he asked almost defensively.

Taking in his tone, Zuko gave him a curious look. “I haven't seen her this morning.”

“She's probably feeding the rhinos,” he said as he put his attention back on his game.

Zuko was not ready to go into the darker interior of the ship yet, so he stepped out on the
upper deck where he gazed out over the sea and took in the contrast of the bright blue sky as
it met the brilliant blue-green hue of the ocean. He looked straight up and stared at the
feathery, white clouds suspended above him. While he was enjoying the use of both eyes,
Iroh eventually joined him.

“How is your eye?” he asked softly. “Any pain?”

“No. And I can see,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of joy underneath. “I can see
perfectly.”

Iroh was surprised to hear it.

“I couldn't see out of it a week ago,” he said. “Whatever Chiara put on it helped.”

Iroh knew exactly what she had put on it, and though he was not angry, he was worried.
“It was probably just a coincidence,” said Iroh. “Some wounds just take time to heal.”

Zuko still felt it was Chiara's medicine.

---------------------------------------

Later, Chiara was on deck enjoying the smell of the sea and the wind in her hair as she was
taking a break before working in the galley for lunch. Iroh, upon seeing her, walked out on
deck and stood next to her.

“Have you seen Prince Zuko today?” he asked trying to sound casual.

“No. I've been busy in the hold.” She turned to him. “Is he okay? Did something happen?”
she asked worriedly.

“Oh, he's okay,” he said. “It...uh...it seems that his injury did not result in the blindness that
was expected.”

“That's great,” she said nonchalantly, turning back towards the sea. Inside, her heart was
doing cartwheels over the news.

“And I was quite sure the damage would have left a much more remarkable scar,” continued
Iroh.

“Sometimes it just takes the right medicine,” she offered.

“Or the right waterbender,” he whispered in her ear.

“I couldn't let him suffer like that,” she said softly. “Not when I could do something. If I
could've gotten to it sooner I would've been able to heal it without any scarring.”

Iroh appreciated her care and concern for his nephew, but he worried about her safety. “You
must be careful that no one discovers your gift.”

“I promise he doesn't know I did it. He thinks it was a special salve.”

He smiled at her discretion. He wondered how Zuko might react if he learned of Chiara's
lineage, but after hearing him yell at her the first day on the ship, he decided he did not want
to risk it.

“Hey, I was looking for you,” said Zuko to Chiara walking up to them and standing next to
her.

She looked up at him.

“You need something?” she asked.

Though he did not expect her to stare awkwardly, he was not sure why it was still a surprise
to him that she did not look at him any differently or even acknowledge that he removed the
bandage.
“I need to thank you,” he started softly, “for whatever you put on my eye.”

“You're welcome,” she said. She reached up and tenderly touched his face happy to see both
of his fiery eyes without any clouding. “Is there any pain?”

“No. I'm not blind either. My vision is normal.”

“Good.” More cartwheels.

He stood at the rail and they looked out over the sea. Iroh was happy for his nephew that his
vision was not affected, and he was also relieved that Zuko did not suspect Chiara's ability.

One day, while Zuko was practicing firebending on deck, Chiara approached him with her
sword drawn. He smirked at her before attacking her with fire which she parried and
deflected with her sword, an activity which they often enjoyed back home. Iroh had
specifically wanted her trained by Piandao to fight against firebenders in case it ever became
known that she was a waterbender. For years, Zuko, too, always practiced with her in order to
train her against firebending due to Ozai often encouraging Azula to attack her. When a few
of the crewmen saw them sparring, they were impressed by their skill. They gathered around
like spectators at a sporting event, a few even placing secret bets on the winner.

Now part of their routine in order to keep up their skills, Zuko would spar with Chiara with
swords and other weapons. They were both proficient in self-defense and various weapons
which they used during their practice on deck. Sometimes, the firebenders would attack both
her and Zuko while they only used their swords. The crew was amazed at the two when they
fought, especially against each other, and many times during their sparring, the men would
often gather around to watch them. Chiara also often practiced the moves of the firebenders
with Zuko on the ship just as she did with him, Iroh, and Lu Ten back in the Fire Nation.

One afternoon while Zuko and Chiara were battling with swords, Iroh was watching them as
he sat drinking his tea. He was disappointed to see Chiara miss an attack which allowed Zuko
to get the upper hand and win the fight.

“Chiara...,” he called.

She bowed to Zuko before walking over to Iroh.

“How could you lose that fight?” he asked her in a low voice. “He was clearly open on the
left and you missed your chance. You're better trained than that. Master Piandao would be
quite disappointed.”

Zuko overheard him admonishing her and was surprised he was so harsh with her.

“Uncle, she did good,” he said in her defense walking to her side.

“She can do better,” said Iroh. “If she had been fighting a real opponent, she would have been
killed.”
“That's why we're practicing,” said Zuko.

“Then she needs to practice harder,” he said sternly.

Zuko looked at Chiara and shrugged. “Still better than my father,” he said of Iroh's rebuke.
He placed his hand on her upper arm. “I think you did good,” he added softly.

“So says the victor,” she said smiling.

Zuko laughed as he walked off.

Chiara knelt down next to Iroh, and looking back to make sure Zuko was out of earshot, she
leaned towards him and whispered, “I didn't want to defeat Prince Zuko in front of the crew.”

Iroh was surprised. “You lost on purpose?” he said a bit too loud for her comfort.

“Shhh...” She looked back again relieved that Zuko was not around. “Yes.”

“Do you do that every fight?” he whispered.

“No. Just when I feel like I'm winning.”

As always, he was impressed with her wisdom.

“Do you do that in Pai Sho as well?” he asked.

“Never,” she smiled. “But I suspect you do sometimes.”

He laughed. “At least I know who to bet on now,” he said.

Her jaw dropped. “Shame on you,” she giggled.

A couple weeks later when Chiara arrived for dinner, Zuko was not in his room. She had
been worried about him as he had seemed a bit more somber than usual earlier that day when
they were sparring. When she entered his room, she set their dinner on the table next to a
piece of parchment which she recognized to be a recent Fire Nation missive. A few minutes
later, Zuko entered the room.

“I'm sorry I'm late...,” he started.

He saw the tears falling down her cheeks as he approached her.

“Chiara, what's wrong?”

She laid the letter on the table. He knelt down next to her and wrapped his arms around her
allowing her to cry on his shoulder. He continued holding her caressing her head.

“This came today?” she said softly as she sat up wiping the tears away.

“Yes,” he answered sadly.

“All those soldiers.” More tears fell down her face. “The whole division.”

“I know,” he said in nearly a whisper.

“I'm...I'm not very hungry.”

“Me neither,” he said.

He helped her up and they walked to his bed where they sat down in silence as he held her
hand. It took some time before Zuko could speak about it.

“It was deliberate,” he said softly.

She looked at him. “What do you mean?”

“General Bujing sacrificed the entire division using them as a diversion in order to mount
another attack.”

When he first heard Bujing's idea in the war room, he felt angry. He imagined that his eyes
reflected his outrage. In her eyes, he saw pain—anguish due to the senseless loss of his
people. Knowing her as he did, he was sure she would have felt the same indignation that he
did if she had heard the plan before it was carried out. Now, after the death of those soldiers
all that was left was the pain of their sacrifice.

“How...how do you know that?” she asked, tears still sparkling in her eyes.

“He suggested it at the war council.”

He defended a division of soldiers by speaking against a general...so the Fire Lord insisted
on an Agni Kai.

As Iroh's words echoed in her head, understanding dawned on her, tears fell down her cheeks,
and she wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him to his surprise.

“You will make a most honorable Fire Lord.”

He was touched by her words, and he relaxed into her embrace finding consolation and
contentment in her arms.
 The Northern Air Temple

A week later Chiara carried dinner to Zuko's room, and as usual, he took it from her at the
door and carried it to the table. They ate and conversed together as was their custom.

“Uncle said you were steering the ship today,” he said amused that she had done so.

“Yes. The helmsman's been very patient with me.”

“Uncle said you're a fast learner. He said you'll be running the ship soon.”

She let out a soft giggle. “Lieutenant Jee can keep his job. I just enjoy learning different
tasks.”

“You'll be the first Fire Lady to have been an officer if you enlist in the Navy,” he said, trying
to sound sincere.

He peeked up at her, but her expression became serious. “You shouldn't joke like that.”

“You know I'm not joking,” he said seriously. “You could even be an admiral.”

She gaped at him and he cracked a smile. She could not remain serious hearing him joke with
her and she laughed with him.

“My becoming an admiral is more probable than my becoming Fire Lady,” she said. “I'm
sure the Fire Sages will arrange a...a productive match for you with a prominent lady of Fire
Nation descent.”

Zuko's eyes fell back to his plate. The image of the scar that greeted him every morning filled
him with sadness. “What prominent lady would want to marry a scarred prince?” he said
dejectedly.

She reached across the table and tenderly lifted his chin to look in his golden eyes, and his
heart melted at her touch. “This scar is a mark of your honor and love for your people. Any
woman of the Fire Nation should be honored to have you as a husband.”

He was stunned by her words and the sincerity of her tone and he felt so in love with her.

“You're the only prominent lady I want to be productive with,” he said softly.

She blushed as she covered her mouth and started laughing which made him turn red and
laugh as he realized what he had said. They decided to drop that conversation and finish their
meal.

Months into Zuko's search for the Avatar, the ship was sailing eastward north of the Earth
Kingdom. Early one morning there was a knock at his door. He immediately felt agitated
since he barely finished dressing and it was too early for his breakfast to be served. He
grumbled as he stumbled to the door roughly yanking it open ready to shout at the offender.

“Happy Birthday, my Prince,” said Chiara sweetly holding a large plate of food.

His stern face softened when he saw her and was replaced with a gentle smile.

“Thank you,” he said taking the tray from her.

She was holding a cloth-wrapped gift underneath the tray. His face lit up when he saw it.

“I made you hotcakes with sweet cream and ash banana bread, and there's a bowl of fruit,”
she said as she followed him to the table.

She lifted the lid from the tray. His heart stirred as he looked at the breakfast she had
prepared for him, and his stomach started growling as he inhaled in the aroma. He knew she
had to have risen early to make it and he felt grateful. She held out the gift in her hand. He
beamed as he took it from her. Unwrapping it, he found it contained a large Fire Nation
tapestry bearing two dragons with eyes the color of fire, not unlike his own golden eye color,
creating a flame between them.

“Where did you get this?” he asked, the awe sounding in his voice as he held it up.

“I made it.”

His eyes shone with the same amazement that sounded in his voice. “You made it? This is
great. Thank you.”

He laid it over his bed before reaching underneath and pulling out a wrapped gift. He held it
out to her, and his heart skipped a few beats when he saw her eyes light up.

“Happy birthday, Lady Chiara,” he said regally giving her a noble bow.

“Aww...” She opened it to find a long coat of deep burgundy. “Oh, Prince Zuko, this is
beautiful,” she said holding it up against her body. He was touched to see tears fill her eyes.

“The temperatures are dropping, and it'll keep you warmer than your old one. Uncle
suggested I get it a little large so you can grow into it,” he softly rambled on. “And then he
complained that you were growing up too f...”

He suddenly found himself engulfed in her arms as she hugged him tightly, and it made him
wish he could give her a gift every day if it meant the same embrace from her.

“Thank you. I love it.”

“Thank you for the tapestry,” he said holding onto her. “It's beautiful.” Almost as beautiful as
you, he thought as her affectionate embrace stirred his heart.

She released him too soon for his liking.

“I hope you enjoy your breakfast,” she said.

“My growling stomach says I will,” he said, making her giggle.

She tenderly caressed his arm before walking towards the door.

“Wait, where are you going?” he asked having expected her to remain with him.

She turned to him. “Back to the galley.”

“You shouldn't work on your birthday.”

She cocked her head giving him an accusatory stare. “And what are you doing today?”

He responded with a sheepish smile. “Well...you know...the usual,” he said softly.

She laughed. “And so am I.”

“Okay, how 'bout we just take the day off together,” he suggested.

“Sparring, cards, a game of Pai Sho?” she smiled.

“Yes,” he nodded.

“Sounds good.” She was always happy to spend time with him.

“You should eat breakfast here,” he said desiring her company.

“Let me go grab something from the galley.”

She laid her coat on his bed next to the tapestry before leaving. Zuko knelt down at the table
and waited for her. A few minutes later she returned with a small plate of food.

He looked at her small breakfast. “Is that all you're eating?”

“This is what I usually eat.”

He stared at it. “Chiara, that's not very much.”

“It's fine,” she assured him. “I don't really like eating early. I'll eat a bigger lunch.”

“Here,” he said holding up a bite of his hotcakes. “Have some of this.”

She took the bite.

“It's really good,” he said. He picked up a slice of bread. “Where'd you get the ash bananas?”

“At the port the other day.”

“Is there more bread?”

“There is, but I'm saving some for the General.”

He understood she could never make ash banana bread without sharing it with his uncle.

There was a knock at the door before said uncle opened it and looked inside. When he saw
them at the table he stepped into the room bearing two large packages.

“Happy fourteenth, Prince Zuko, and happy thirteenth, Lady Chiara.”

Iroh was beaming as he looked at them, still remembering the time a few days before Zuko's
sixth birthday, not long after he brought Chiara to the Fire Nation. The prince had asked
when her birthday was. Explaining to his young nephew that they did not know, Zuko
insisted they celebrate their birthdays together; and from then on they did so. And now both
had grown so much since that time, and it made him long for the days when they were so
young and more carefree.

He walked over to them and hugged Chiara, kissing her gently on the cheek before handing
her a gift.

“Thanks, General,” she said before unwrapping it.

He wanted to give Zuko a birthday hug too, but he suspected the hot-tempered teenager
would not appreciate it. He considered withholding the hug as part of his present to his
growing nephew and just handed him a package.

“Thanks, Uncle.”

“This is so beautiful,” said Chiara as she opened her package to find a layered kurta of deep
burgundy with matching palazzos and not unlike the color of her coat. “Thank you so much.”

He appreciated her appreciative hug.

“You're quite welcome,” he said.

“Thank you, Uncle,” said Zuko who was also given clothes which included a burgundy tunic
and pants.

“You're both growing so fast,” he said. “And Prince Zuko, you're already taller than me.”

“I have to lean my head farther back to look in his eyes,” said Chiara making Zuko laugh.

Iroh saw the tapestry on the bed and stepped closer to look at it. “You did a wonderful job,
Chiara,” he said admiring her work. “It rivals the tapestries in the palace.”

“Thank you.”

He saw her new coat lying next to it. “I see he gave you your gift.”

“It's beautiful,” she said. “He has very good taste.”

Zuko blushed at her compliment.

“I told him you would make it more beautiful,” said Iroh.

She smiled at him. “And for that compliment, there's ash banana bread for you in the galley.”

His eyes lit up. “Then I will see you two later.” He left them to their breakfast so he could go
quickly to the galley.

------------------------------------

After breakfast, Zuko and Chiara spent the day leisurely playing games and sparring. They
had lunch on deck before resuming their activities. And after a late afternoon game of Pai
Sho in his room, which Chiara won as she played more often than he did, she stood up to
leave.

“I'll be back later,” she said.

He did not expect to be without her company that day. “Where are you going?”

“I need to go to the galley.”

“Wait...” He stood up. “...you're not allowed to do any work today.”

“I promise I won't do anything more than what I need to do.”

“What's that supposed to mean? What do you need to do?” His voice carried a tone of offense
that she was ditching him for a chore.

She smirked at his puzzled expression. “I have another surprise for you.” She walked to the
door. “I'll be back for dinner. The General wants to eat with us too.”

He did not argue with her figuring that if the surprise was related to her cooking, he was
definitely going to enjoy it.

------------------------------------

When she returned later she was carrying their meal, so he took the tray from her and placed
it on the table.

She saw that he had hung up her tapestry next to his bed replacing another Fire Nation
hanging.

“You didn't have to take your other tapestry down,” she said when she saw what he had done.

“I like yours better.”

She was touched that he liked her gift enough to display it, especially in such a prominent
place. She began setting the table but would not let Zuko look beneath the cloths that covered
their meals until Iroh arrived. When the three were together, she revealed the mochi she had
made for his birthday. He enjoyed the treats which he shared with her and his uncle.

That night after dinner, Zuko would not allow her to clean their dishes. Instead, they
continued playing a few card games before heading to the upper deck to gaze at the
constellations in the night sky. With the nighttime temperatures dropping in the northern
region, Chiara decided to wear her new coat.

Standing on the deck they identified many of the constellations they had grown up studying.
Since they were traveling so far north, the night sky looked different than what Zuko was
used to, and the southernmost stars and constellations were no longer visible from their
position in the northern hemisphere. As much as he had enjoyed their day together, looking at
the sky became a depressing reminder of his banishment. His eyes were drawn back to the
black sea surrounding them. His whole life was now confined to a small vessel in an endless
expanse. He suddenly felt Chiara's hand on his arm breaking him from his gradually growing
despondent thoughts.

“A giant manta whale!”

His eyes followed where she was pointing northeast on the portside.

“He's so big,” she said excitedly. “Look at his wingspan.”

Her delight in the giant sea creature made him forget his melancholy, and he found himself
enjoying the graceful movements of the leviathan as it glided smoothly along the surface.

“There's another one,” he said spotting a second manta whale behind the first.

After diving under the sea, the first one launched itself out of the water, its long fins slapping
the surface on its descent. They continued watching them until they disappeared under the
ocean.

“I had a lot of fun today,” she said looking up at him.

He gazed down in her eyes unable to see the beautiful sea green color in the dim light.

“Thank you for my gift,” she said.

He smiled at her. “Uncle's right; you make it more beautiful,” he said softly.

Her heart fluttered at his compliment. “Aww. That's so sweet.”

He was still staring into her dark eyes which suddenly seemed to light up. The green he was
unable to see earlier was now sparkling like electricity across her eyes.

“Your eyes...,” he started, sounding awed. “...they're...they're glowing.”

She grabbed his arm and turned him northward. “The spirits are dancing.”
He gazed up at the beautiful color that danced across the sky in a shade of green that matched
Chiara's eyes. He had learned about the Northern Lights, but it was the first time he witnessed
them.

“I've never seen anything like it,” he said. His eyes were wide with wonder. “The Avatar!”
His voice was filled with excitement.

“That's not the Avatar,” she said.

“But it has to be...where's Uncle?”

He turned to go inside the bridge, but she grasped his arm.

“Prince Zuko, it's just the celestial lights. The General and I saw them when we traveled
through the northern Earth Kingdom.”

He looked at her, his eyes still wide. “But you said the spirits are dancing. That could mean
the Avatar is nearby.”

He went inside the bridge where Iroh was playing Pai Sho with Captain Jee.

“Uncle, the Avatar...”

Iroh did not even look up from the game board. “What about him, Nephew?” he asked
casually.

“There are lights in the sky that could be a signal he's up north.”

Iroh placed his tile on the board. “I believe you're seeing the celestial lights,” he said. “They
are quite a sight to enjoy.”

“But I've read about the spiritual energy in the north. It could lead us to the Avatar,” argued
Zuko. “Helmsman, set a course north.”

The bridge crew seemed to tense up at the prince's order, and the helmsman looked at Iroh for
confirmation.

“Do as he says,” said Iroh simply.

Chiara stepped closer to him. “What?” She was worried that Iroh would take the chance of
venturing into the Water Tribe's territory. She knew if they got caught that her heritage would
no longer be secret to Zuko or the crew, and she was sure that not even her presence on board
would make a difference if they were attacked. “But we can't go north.”

He understood her concerns. “Just keep us out of the Northern Tribe's waters,” he directed the
helmsman.

Zuko was already offended that his orders were not obeyed without his uncle's approval, but
now he was further agitated that they could not go all the way north. “But what if the Avatar's
with the Northern Water Tribe?”
“Prince Zuko,” said Iroh in a tone that indicated he was about to be lectured, “you know the
stories of the ships that stray too far north in the Northern Sea. They are never seen again. I
would prefer that we are not one of those ships. Besides, if the Avatar was really with the
Northern Tribe, don't you think they might have revealed that by now?”

“Not if they're hiding him,” he grumbled.

“I heard they ambush ships from behind icebergs,” said one of the officers nervously.

“Yeah,” agreed another crewman. “Then their waterbenders freeze the ships in ice before the
warriors cut a hole in the hull.”

“Well, I heard the waterbenders just capsize the ships with giant waves,” said a third.

“Someone told me they wear their victims' scalps on their heads and make weapons out of
their bones,” another chimed in.

Chiara nearly giggled at the last rumor as she pictured a wolf helmet as a “victim's scalp,”
and she wondered where he had heard such a gruesome story.

Zuko scowled at them all. “How do any of you know that if no one's ever seen again?”

They glanced at each other realizing that the prince had a point, and they were clearly
wondering how those stories got around. Zuko looked triumphant and was about to insist on
heading towards the Tribe.

“Traders from the Earth Kingdom,” answered Iroh matter-of-factly.

Zuko turned to him. “What are you talking about, Uncle?”

“There are men in the Earth Kingdom who still conduct trade with the Northern Tribe, Prince
Zuko,” he said, still focusing on his game. “They would be witnesses to the Tribe's defense
system. It was not uncommon to hear them tell what they've seen after a few drinks in the
taverns...or under torture,” he added grimly.

The prince looked crestfallen and did not argue any more about their course. He returned
outside on the deck where he and Chiara continued watching the Northern Lights.

As they made their way east, their new course took them close to the Northern Water Tribe
waters, but the navigator made sure they kept within the boundaries of the northern Earth
Kingdom waters. Whenever Chiara worked on deck, she often stayed on the port side facing
north, and sometimes she strained to detect some sign of the Water Tribe.

One day as they were sailing, she was leaning on the rail staring north hoping to catch a
glimpse of the ice fortress. She knew they were too far south of the North Pole. Even the
icebergs she and Iroh saw when they traveled to the Northern Tribe were out of sight from
where they were sailing. While watching the horizon, she heard someone walk up to her. It
was Iroh who was standing next to her now staring north as well.
It had not escaped his attention that she had been spending more time than usual portside.
“Do you miss it?” he asked her softly.

“Would it be bad if I said 'no'?” she asked.

Her answer made him smile. “Of course not. But you wouldn't have to exercise so much self-
control,” he said in reference to her waterbending.

“I don't mind.” She looked over at him. “I'm home here.”

Iroh lowered his eyes. “You may not feel that way after we arrive at the other temples,” he
said sadly suspecting they would find more remains.

She stared back out at the sea. She was not looking forward to seeing the destruction left at
the other air temples, but she did find something good in their visit to the last one. “If we
hadn't visited the Western Temple, the dead would still lie unmourned and unburied.”

Her compassion warmed his heart. “You are truly a compassionate young woman, Chiara.”

Setting a course for the Northern Air Temple, the ship drew close to the northern Earth
Kingdom. The snow-capped mountains grew taller as they sailed closer to the land. Sailing
along the mountainous coast, they followed the maps which led them to the tallest mountains
along the coastal range. They found a location where they dropped anchor and a landing
party took the skiff to shore.

Standing at the base of the mountain that according to the maps held the Northern Air
Temple, they gazed upward, but the top of the mountain was obscured by a layer of clouds.
They studied the old war maps that Iroh had obtained for Zuko when he was in the infirmary
and followed the path taken by the Fire Nation army when they laid siege to the temple.
Along the way, Chiara continued burying any remains they found on their trek up the
mountain; however, there were far fewer bodies than at the Western Air Temple. They
discovered the reason for so few remains when they made it beyond the clouds.

“Are they airbenders?” asked Chiara gazing at the sky above them, her eyes wide with hope
that there might be survivors of what was believed to be an extinct race.

Everyone looked up and Zuko's heart began racing with excitement as he saw people flying
around.

“The Avatar,” he breathed as he rushed ahead anxiously.

The others struggled to keep up with him as he raced up towards the temple sure that he had
finally found the Avatar. Reaching the top, he stood on a balcony of the temple studying the
airborne fliers gliding through the clouds. When the rest of the group finally caught up to
him, they also took in the performance of the air acrobats.

“You're early...”
Everyone turned around to see a strange looking man wearing a dirty apron and missing parts
of his eyebrows, and Chiara was quite sure a few of his fingers on his left hand were made of
wood.

“I wasn't expecting you to be here so early,” he said.

Zuko was a bit thrown and could not fathom what the man was talking about, but
unconcerned, he just blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. “Where's the Avatar?”

Chiara wanted to laugh at the prince's one track mind, but Iroh was more curious as to why
the man would expect them at all.

“I'm sorry?” said the man, puzzled by why Zuko was asking about the Avatar.

“There are airbenders here,” he said. “That means the Avatar must be here. Where is he?” he
demanded.

“There's no Avatar here,” he replied patiently. He scratched his bushy brown beard. “I don't
believe the Avatar's been seen in over a hundred years.”

“But there are airbenders...”

“Oh, no,” he said. “Those aren't airbenders. I built those gliders based on airbender designs.”
He pointed to one of the gliders in the sky carrying a young boy in a chair. “That's my son out
there.”

Zuko refused to accept it. “I know you're hiding him...!”

“You must forgive Captain Rekka,” said Iroh, stepping next to Zuko who was now fuming
over his uncle's interruption. “Seeing those gliders flying around the air temple was quite
startling. I am Colonel Ryu,” he introduced himself. “I was sure you got the messenger hawk
preparing you for our arrival.”

Chiara remained professionally impassive, but she was laughing to herself at Iroh's shrewd
attempt to learn what was going on. All Zuko could do was narrow his eyes and glare at his
uncle wondering what he was up to.

“I haven't received any message,” said the man. “War Minister Qin wasn't supposed to arrive
until the end of the month.”

Iroh raised his eyebrows. “And he did not inform you of the mid-month inspection?” he
asked, sounding very much like the military officer he was.

“Uh...no,” he said. “But...but it's no problem showing you around.” He motioned towards the
temple behind him. “Please follow me.”

“Uncle,” whispered Zuko, “what are you doing?”

Iroh gave him a mischievous smile. “If you want to find out if the Avatar is here, Nephew,
then a tour of the place will be the best way.”
Zuko, always so headstrong and ready to tear the place apart to look for the Avatar, just
sighed and followed his uncle's lead.

------------------------------------

Iroh, Zuko, and Chiara spent time with the mechanist who took them on a tour of the temple
before showing him his various inventions. Eventually, Chiara left them to explore on her
own which she enjoyed since it allowed her to see what remained of the air temple. She also
discovered more about the flying bison. Iroh and Zuko remained with the mechanist and
learned about War Minister Qin's projects.

After her exploration, Chiara walked outside to watch the kids soaring through the sky. A
young boy in a winged wheelchair who could not have been much more than nine rolled up
next to her.

“Hi, I'm Teo,” he said lifting the goggles that had been covering his eyes.

She looked down at him recognizing him to be the mechanist's son. “Hi, Teo. I'm Chiara. I've
seen you out there flying. You're incredible.”

He was beaming at her compliment. "Thanks.”

She was looking over the wings attached to his chair. “So your dad built your glider for you?”

“Yes. He designed it after the fans he found here.”

“The airbenders' gliders,” she said recognizing them from pictures she had seen. “That's
really ingenious. What's it like to fly out there?”

“It feels amazing,” he said. “Would you like to try it?”

Her eyes were wide with excitement. “Really?” she asked. “I-I wouldn't know how.”

“Come on, it's easy.”

She followed him to a glider.

“This is the handbar,” he explained pointing it out on the glider. “All you have to do is hold
on to it and jump. The wind will carry you and lift you up. Just remember to...”

“Chiara!” yelled Zuko.

They turned to see him stomping over to her.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

She touched the wing of the glider. “Teo was going to show me how to fly.”

“You're not getting in that,” he said appalled at the idea.

“But it looks like fun.”

He looked frustrated. “What's fun about falling to your death?”

“The glider will prevent that,” chimed in Teo.

Zuko glared at him.

“But don't you want to know what it's like to be an airbender,” said Chiara.

“No.” Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her along with him. “I'm not letting you jump off the
temple.”

“I'll stay close to her,” said Teo as he followed them. “I won't let her get hurt.”

“No,” said Zuko grumpily. “We didn't find what we're looking for. It's time to leave.”

“Thank you, Teo,” called Chiara as Zuko continued pulling her away. “It was nice to meet
you.”

They caught up with Iroh and the soldiers and they made their way back to the ship together.

--------------------------------------

After leaving the Northern Air Temple they continued their journey east on the North Sea
north of the Earth Kingdom avoiding any enemy vessels. That evening after dinner, Chiara
began cleaning Zuko's room as she often did about once a week though he tried not to leave
so much lying around.

While making his bed she saw a bit of parchment sticking out from under the covers. “Is this
a new scroll?” she asked him pulling it out.

He did not move from his meditation. “Yeah,” he answered knowing what she found.

She suspected she knew the answer, but she asked anyways. “Where'd you get it?”

“From the air temple,” he said.

He was now getting to his feet while she started skimming over the scroll.

“Have you read it yet?” she asked him.

“No, I haven't.”

He grabbed it from her hands and started rolling it up, but she quickly snagged it back from
him.

“Don't you have some meditating to do?” she asked.

“Yes, but I don't want you to read it before me,” he said as he reached for it.

She stepped away from him and held it behind her back. “What does it matter if I read it
first?”
He stepped closer to her. “I found the scroll, so I should read it first.”

“You mean you stole the scroll,” she smiled.

He chuckled at her accusation. “Yeah, so...”

She took a step back. “So you lose your right to read it first.”

He stepped towards her again. “I'm going to get that scroll back,” he threatened.

She backed away from him. “Of course. After I read it.”

He chased her around the table, but she managed to evade him until he jumped on top of it
and aggressively, but playfully, grabbed her. She tried to keep the scroll out of his reach, but
he wrapped his arms around her and wrestled her to the floor. Forcing her on her back he
finally took the scroll from her.

“I can't believe you tried to steal my scroll,” he said sounding breathless from struggling with
her.

She was giggling. “I'm sorry, where did you get it from?”

He laughed as he stood up and took her hands to help her to her feet.

“Fine,” he conceded. “We'll read it together.”

He unfurled it and set it on the table before lighting a candle. They sat together and read it.

The months went by as they sailed around the northeast Earth Kingdom towards the Eastern
Air Temple. One evening Chiara was standing out on the upper deck studying the night sky.

Zuko entered the bridge where Iroh was playing Pai Sho with one of the crewman.

“Would you like to play the winner, Prince Zuko?” he asked placing a tile on the board. “And
from the looks of it, that will be me.”

Zuko spotted Chiara outside. “No,” he said simply. He crossed the bridge and stepped out on
the deck to join her. He saw her gazing upwards. “What are you looking at tonight?”

“I'm just watching Zo the Dragon attack Nim the Terrible.”

He looked up at the constellations. “They're starting to rise higher above the southern horizon
again where they belong.”

“It does seem odd seeing them so far south.”

Suddenly, a shooting star flew across the sky.

“Looks like Nim just got hit with a flaming arrow,” noted Zuko.
Her soft laugh at his joke made him smile.

“In the Earth Kingdom, they call Zo Bin the Magnificent, a great earthbender who's hurling a
rock at Han the Conqueror,” she told him.

He was studying the stars trying to picture the image. “I don't see it.”

“Apparently, the fire of the dragon is a rock,” she said as she tried tracing it out.

“That doesn't make sense,” argued Zuko. “Those stars aren't even...they don't look anything
like a rock.”

She lightly shrugged. “I agree.”

He tilted his head still staring at the constellation trying to imagine the Earth Kingdom
version. “Maybe if he's vomiting lava it might work.”

She giggled at his suggestion. “So does that make him a firebender or an earthbender?”

“An Avatar maybe?” he said smiling at her. “You said Avatar Kyoshi could lavabend.”

Hearing Zuko and Chiara laughing outside drew Iroh's attention. He glanced up and watched
them for a few minutes as they were talking and pointing to the sky, and it made him smile
seeing them enjoy themselves.
 The Eastern Air Temple

The journey around the eastern Earth Kingdom felt like it would never end. In order to avoid
confrontation with Earth Kingdom vessels, they were forced to sail far from the mainland
which increased the distance and time they were traveling. And as the months went by
without any place to physically search, Zuko's restlessness grew, as did his moodiness.

An air of excitement spread through the ship one afternoon when, instead of endless ocean,
mountains were spotted rising above the horizon as their course took them south-southwest.
Studying the maps, the range marked the location of the Eastern Air Temple. Zuko's
restlessness only increased as they sailed closer, and he immediately ran to the telescope to
get a closer look at his target.

“What do you see?” asked Chiara anxious to look at the temple.

“It's hard to see through the mist, but there's definitely something up there.”

He moved aside to allow her to peer through the scope. She could barely make out the
architectural structures through the clouds.

“It's definitely on three mountains...,” she said, “...just like we read. I think the bridges are
still there too.”

He perked up. “Let me see.”

He stared through the scope and saw what looked like bridges connecting the three
mountains.

When they finally arrived at the mountain range, they dropped anchor. The next morning
before sunrise, a group left for shore. It was a long trek up one of the mountains. Chiara
buried any remains they discovered, but to her relief they found the fewest bodies so far.

Arriving at the top of the mountain they began their search for the Avatar, except for Chiara
who spent her time learning whatever she could about the airbenders and the temple. She was
saddened by the state of the architecture with much of it burned and collapsed, though the
remains of the buildings were still impressive.

The group had spent the rest of the day searching the first mountain before they set up camp.

Early the next morning after a quick breakfast, they crossed the bridge to the center mountain
where they continued their search. It was late in the afternoon when Zuko could be heard
yelling excitedly.

“I don't believe it! I found the Avatar.”

Everyone went running towards his voice. Despite the lack of interest in the prince's mission,
the crew was anxious to see the legend who had seemed more myth than real. Chiara stepped
out on the terrace to see a very old and very bony man with dark skin and a long white beard.
He sat quietly, completely unfazed by Zuko who looked like a komodo tiger ready to charge
and pounce on its prey.

“I can't believe it,” said the prince. “I can't believe you're here.”

Iroh finally arrived sounding breathless having run from the other side of the building. When
he saw the strange man, he studied him very closely.

“It's been over a year, and I've finally found you,” said Zuko as he slowly approached him
expecting him to fight.

The man looked at him, but he did not move from his pose or even look like he felt
threatened by him.

“Hello, I am Guru Pathik,” said the man in a friendly voice showing no fear.

“You're the Avatar,” insisted Zuko.

He took a cautious step closer to him.

“You seek the Avatar,” said Pathik simply, “but I am not the one you're looking for.”

Zuko only scowled at him. “You're lying. You have to be the Avatar. I'm taking you back to
my father.”

“Prince Zuko,” said Iroh slowly walking towards them, “he is not the Avatar.”

He rounded on his uncle. “What do you mean he's not the Avatar? Look at him. He has to
be.”

Pathik's eyes moved to Iroh. “One who's walked with the spirits.”

“It is an honor to meet you, Guru Pathik,” said Iroh as he bowed to the man. “You must
forgive my nephew...”

“I don't understand, Uncle,” said Zuko still glaring at Iroh. “How can he not be the Avatar?”

“I have already told you,” said Pathik, “I am Guru Pathik. I know you seek the Avatar, but
you will not find him here.”

Zuko turned back to him. “Then why are you here, old man?”

“This is where I live,” he answered.

The prince narrowed his eyes. “Are you an airbender?”

“I am a spiritual brother of the Air Nomads.”

Chiara, interested in what he meant and if he had known the airbenders, stepped closer.
Zuko was just frustrated and looked annoyed by his answer. “What does that even mean?”

“It means 'no,' Prince Zuko,” said Iroh. “He's not an airbender and he's not the Avatar.”

He did not want to accept that. The old man was the right age and he was at an air temple.
Zuko was sure he was the Avatar. “But maybe we should take him back to my father, just in
case.”

“Trust me,” said Iroh. “If you take him back to the Fire Lord and he discovers that he's not
the Avatar, he will not be so pleased.”

Pathik peered around Iroh to see Chiara standing near him. “One who flows like water...”

“Leave me with the guru,” interrupted Iroh quickly and loudly as he turned Chiara around
and started pushing her away while grabbing Zuko's arm and pulling him along.

“Uncle, what are you do...?”

“Just go, Nephew,” he demanded in a stern tone that told Zuko not to argue with him. “Take
Chiara and your men and go search the rest of this mountain.”

Zuko huffed fire at Iroh's abrupt dismissal but did as he was told. As they walked off he
looked at Chiara.

“What was that about?”

She had heard Pathik's words, but she just shrugged. “Who knows?”

“What do you think about the old man?” he asked her.

“I think I want to talk to him,” she said.

“You're right.” He stopped walking. “We should interrogate him.”

“No, that's not what I meant.” She was annoyed that he would suggest interrogating an old
man. “If he knew the Air Nomads, he must be over a hundred years old. Imagine what we
could learn about their culture.”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “You're just like Uncle.”

“Aww. That's so sweet.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him in the opposite direction.

“It wasn't meant to be,” he said dryly not resisting her.

“I know, but it was.”

He playfully glared at her.

She gave him a smile in return. “Let's go see the statue of Avatar Yangchen again,” she said
still dragging him along.
“We've already seen it,” he moaned. “There are other places we need to search...unless
Uncle's just making that up about the old man and he really is the Avatar.”

Now it was her turn to glare at him. “The General wouldn't lie about that.” Her tone was just
dark enough to warn him not to speak against his uncle, and he chose to heed the warning.

---------------------------------------

It was dark by the time Iroh returned from talking with Pathik, and the others had set up
camp and were sitting around the campfire. He seated himself next to Chiara who started
preparing his tea.

“Did you find out what he knows about the Avatar, Uncle?” asked Zuko who was anxious to
learn what they talked about and what he might have learned from the old man.

“The Avatar is not here,” he answered simply.

Zuko was frustrated by his answer that bore little relevant information. “Did he say where he
is?”

“He doesn't know, but he is waiting for his return.”

Chiara handed him a cup. “Why do you smell like onions and bananas?”

“Don't ask,” he said darkly. He took the cup and quickly sipped some of his favorite ginseng
tea swishing it around his mouth before swallowing. “We should return to the ship in the
morning. We will not find the Avatar here.”

“What?!” said Zuko. “But we still haven't searched the other mountain.”

“He is not here, Prince Zuko. The guru has been waiting for him to return for several years
now...”

“I don't trust that old man. He could be hiding the Avatar or even lying about not being him.”

“I wouldn't mind looking through the ruins of the other mountain,” said Chiara. “From what
we've read, this temple was inhabited by female airbenders just like the Western Air Temple.
And maybe we'll find more bison stables...or maybe even a live flying bison,” she added
hopefully.

“Or maybe we'll just find more spider bats,” grumbled Zuko.

She shrugged. “I still don't know why you won't let me take one back to the ship.”

He scowled at her. “Anything with that many legs shouldn't be allowed to fly.”

She giggled at his testy response.

Iroh sat lost in thought while the two continued bickering over the pros and cons of keeping a
spider bat on board the ship which really escalated when Chiara threatened to capture a
mating pair so they could have babies.

“I suppose we could spend a few more days studying the temple,” interrupted Iroh to
everyone's relief, both for the break and for ending Zuko and Chiara's squabble.

No one was really looking forward to returning to the ship after the long voyage around the
Earth Kingdom, including Iroh. Nor was anyone anxious to have spider bats on board, though
they suspected Chiara was just teasing the prince about that.

“Learning about how the Air Nomads lived has been quite an adventure,” said Iroh.

Zuko did not mind devoting his time to investigating the history of the airbenders, but it was
only for what he could learn before he finally faced the Avatar rather than simple interest in
their long-gone culture.

“But...,” continued Iroh, “...there will be no capturing spider bats,” he said looking at Chiara
who gave a playful pout. “And nobody will disturb Guru Pathik...” He looked at Zuko.
“...including you, Nephew.”

He huffed and looked away. “Fine,” he mumbled.

They remained at the temple for several days before heading back to the ship.

As time passed there was still no sign of the Avatar, and Zuko's banishment weighed heavily
on him, and he was growing increasingly more temperamental and moody. It had been over
two years since his journey began, and they were on their way to port for shore leave, at
Iroh's insistence, before sailing towards the Southern Air Temple.

One day, Chiara was leaning against the rail on the bow taking a break before going to work
in the galley, while her long, dark curls were gently blowing behind her. A few of the
younger crewman were in a group watching her from a distance.

“She is beautiful,” said Tedo. “Her skin shines like bronze in the sunlight.”

“I bet it's as soft as it looks,” said Jozan leering at her.

“Did you ever notice how it seems to glow at night?” asked Tazah.

“Yes,” said Tedo. “She looks like a goddess.”

“Look how her curls catch the light,” said Tazah.

“I'd love to have them wrapped around me,” said Jozan.

Zuko was on the upper deck boiling with rage as he overheard the men below. Smoke
emanated from his hands as they tightly gripped the railing.
“Watch what you say about her, Jozan,” threatened Shoza taking offense to his indecent
desire.

“Ooh, are you interested in General Iroh's daughter,” he teased.

“So what if I am?” said Shoza.

“So she's from the royal household. You don't stand a chance.”

“I'd be afraid of Prince Zuko,” said Tedo softly.

“With the way she fights, I'd be more afraid of her,” laughed Jozan. “Though I'd still like to
be wrapped in those curls,” he said dreamily.

“You're speaking about a member of the royal family!” came Zuko's deep, angry voice from
behind them.

They all jumped to attention and turned around to see the prince with fire glowing around his
fists.

“Don't you men have work to do?!” he yelled.

“Yes, Prince Zuko...,” some of them said simultaneously as they began scattering.

Zuko walked up to Chiara.

“Hey,” she said. She had heard him yelling, but that was not unusual. With no Avatar in sight,
he often took his frustration out on the crew. Whenever he did so, she would try to distract
him with sparring or a game which usually worked as it helped him calm down and gave the
crew some moody prince-free time. Seeing how upset he looked she suspected he needed
sparring to help vent his anger. “You okay?”

“Shouldn't you be working somewhere?” he snapped.

She was puzzled as he often complained that she worked too much.

“I...I was just taking a break. Did you need me to do something?”

Her patient tolerance of his moodiness made him feel guilty for snapping at her. “No. I just
thought...well, you're usually working,” he said more calmly.

“And you usually complain when I'm working,” she said.

“That never stops you.”

Her soft laughter made him break into a smile.

“Want to spar?” she asked.

It had not taken him long into their voyage to discover the pattern of her suggesting they spar
shortly after he scolded the crew for something they definitely deserved. He knew it was her
way of distracting him, but he grinned, appreciating her company.

------------------------------------

After their sparring session, Chiara worked in the galley until later in the afternoon when
Ozen insisted she take a break. She was standing on the deck looking out at the water when
Shoza, one of the young firebenders, approached her.

“Lady Chiara, I have a tear in my shirt,” he said.

He turned around to show her a tear at the seam on the back of the sleeve where it attached to
the shoulder.

“Let me get a needle and thread.”

“Do you need me to come with you?” he asked.

“No. I'll be right back.”

She left to get her sewing kit. Zuko had been on the upper deck watching her from a distance
and wondering what they were talking about. When she reappeared, she walked over to
Shoza and pulled out thread to match his shirt.

Shoza had been quite infatuated with her as she had grown from a beautiful girl into a
beautiful young woman while on board, and at fifteen she was now at an age when she could
receive a proposal from a prospective husband. He had always been impressed with her when
she sparred or sang or played an instrument, and he had watched her whenever he got the
chance.

“You have a beautiful singing voice,” he said as she worked.

“Thank you,” she replied politely. “I enjoy singing with the General.”

It was curious to him to hear her address Iroh as “General” rather than “Father,” but he
figured it was a royal's way of showing respect for rank.

“Where did you learn to fight with swords?” he asked her.

“Initially, the General and Prince Lu Ten taught me.” He noticed the sadness in her voice as
she spoke Lu Ten's name. “Then I studied under Master Piandao.”

“Really? You studied with the Master?”

“Yes,” she answered as she started threading a needle.

“You're really good.”

“Thank you. He's a good teacher.”

Zuko was feeling jealous and getting angrier the longer they talked. Iroh stepped out from the
bridge and walked up to him noticing the smoke emanating from his fists.

“You seem upset, Prince Zuko. Are you okay?”

“I don't like the way Shoza's looking at her,” he growled.

Iroh looked down at Shoza and Chiara. “They're just talking. It seems innocent enough.”

“Do you have another shirt you can wear while I repair this one?” Chiara asked Shoza.

He started taking his shirt off showing his well-toned physique. “I have another one, but I'll
wait.”

She took his shirt from him and started mending it.

Iroh now felt uncomfortable seeing the shirtless young man talking to her, but he chose to
remain calm so as not to encourage Zuko's anger.

“Look at him showing off and acting like she's his personal slave or something,” said Zuko
deeply.

“One of her duties has been sewing for the crew,” said Iroh.

He scowled harder. “And he couldn't just give her the shirt and go away instead of standing
over her like that?”

Iroh chuckled at Zuko's jealousy. “Maybe he's just being friendly.”

“A little too friendly,” he growled.

When Chiara finished, she pulled out her dagger and cut the thread.

“Nice knife,” said Shoza. “Can I see it?”

She handed it to him and then started pulling his shirt right side out.

“Where did you get this?”

“Prince Zuko gave it to me.”

Zuko was getting angrier as he watched him holding the dagger he had given her.

“Chiara!” he yelled unable to tolerate it anymore.

She looked up at him.

“Zuko,” whispered Iroh, “do not get upset with her.”

“O-Ozen needs you in the galley,” said Zuko to Chiara. “He said it's urgent.”
She nodded and then handed Shoza his shirt while she took her knife and put it in its sheath.

“Thanks, Lady Chiara,” said Shoza as he bowed to her.

“Your welcome,” she said bowing in return before heading off towards the galley.

“Prince Zuko,” said Iroh in an admonishing tone. “That was not very nice...but it was a good
idea,” he added.

Zuko chuckled to himself.

“What happens when Chiara realizes Ozen doesn't need her?” asked Iroh.

“It doesn't matter. Shoza isn't talking to her now,” he answered.

Chiara went to the galley where Ozen was taking a break in between his work.

“You called for me?” she asked him.

He looked at her curiously. “Not that I know of.”

“Oh...” She seemed puzzled. “Prince Zuko said you needed me and it was urgent.”

“I haven't spoken to the prince.”

She laughed to herself as she realized what Zuko had done.

“Well, can you use my help?”

He gave her a smile. “Well, there's not much to do right now, but did I ever tell you about the
time young Prince Iroh disappeared from the ship near the island of the Sun Warriors?”

She smiled and sat down. “Tell me.”

She remained in the galley for the rest of the day helping the cook. On her way to Zuko's
cabin for dinner, Iroh saw her in the hall.

“Chiara, you were busy in the galley all afternoon?”

“Yes. Apparently, it was urgent,” she said.

Iroh gently laughed. “Yes, it was quite urgent, otherwise Zuko might've set the ship on fire
with his temper.”

She shook her head. “Your nephew has a good sense of humor.”

He patted her shoulder. “He's just looking out for you.”

“At least I got to hear some more stories of young Prince Iroh.”

“Oh, yes,” said Iroh somewhat embarrassed. “I'm sure Ozen has quite a few of those stories.”
“Such a troublemaker,” she smirked.

“Well, I can't disagree with that.”

She giggled before continuing to Zuko's cabin where she knocked on the door.

“Hey,” he said when he opened it. “I haven't seen you all day.”

“I was urgently needed in the galley,” she said wryly.

He sheepishly smiled as he took the tray from her.

“Nice one,” she said as she giggled.

They knelt down at the table.

“He doesn't need to treat you like his slave,” he said when she set his bowl in front of him.

“Ozen doesn't treat me like a slave,” she said, though she knew he was not referring to the
cook.

He gave her a playful scowl. “Not Ozen. Shoza.”

“He wasn't. He asked if I could fix his shirt. I sew a lot of the guys' clothes. I don't mind.”

“Are they usually standing naked over you while you work?”

She laughed. “He...he wasn't...”

“He was all over you,” he insisted. “Maybe you should just stick to working in the galley.”

“I'm not sure why it matters where I work,” she said. She was surprised he was making such
a big deal out of it.

“You're the only girl on board...and...and...you're really beautiful,” he said softly.

She looked up at him. “Aww. You really think I'm beautiful?”

His cheeks were red. “It doesn't matter what I think,” he said, unable to look in her eyes. “I
don't like the way Shoza looks at you. He's always watching you. Several of the guys do.”

“I never noticed,” she shrugged carelessly.

“Because you're always busy working while they're staring at you, or they do it when you're
not looking.”

“I'm sure they don't mean anything by it,” she said sure it was nothing to be concerned about.

“You're a distraction to them.”

She suddenly stopped eating. The thought that she could be a distraction to his crew worried
her. “I don't want to be a distraction,” she said softly. “Maybe I should stay in the galley
then.”

“Good idea,” he said.

After dinner they played cards for a few hours before Chiara left to go to her room.

The next day Chiara remained in the galley with Ozen who was happy to have her help and
someone with whom he could share his stories.

By late afternoon, Iroh was in Zuko's room going over their course when one of the men
brought his tea to him.

“That reminds me,” started Iroh after nodding his thanks to the man who set the tray before
him, “Prince Zuko, have you seen Chiara today? I haven't seen her for breakfast, lunch, or
tea.”

“She's probably in the galley,” he said.

He looked puzzled. “Still?”

“I convinced her to work there all day.”

“All day?” asked Iroh, appalled to hear it. “Why would you have her work there all day?”

“So the crew isn't so distracted.”

His uncle narrowed his eyes. “And how are they distracted?”

“I see the way they look at her, Uncle. She's the only girl on board; they're always staring at
her, and the crude things they say about her...”

“What crude things?” he asked deeply.

“Like...well...I'm not going to repeat them. But now they're talking to her.”

Iroh sighed. “Zuko, you can't chase away every young man that speaks to her.”

“Yes, I can,” insisted the prince.

“Chiara is growing up and will one day...get...married,” he said dreading the thought. “You
cannot stop the course of her life.”

Zuko sat up straight. “When we return to the Fire Nation, Chiara will be my wife.”

“What?!” Iroh was shocked that his nephew was still intent on marrying her. “You can't take
her for your wife,” he said sternly.
“Why not?”

He was sure no one in the Fire Nation would accept a marriage between the royal family and
a foreigner, even one that had been raised in the Capital. “Because...because she is an orphan,
and you will need a wife whose lineage can be traced. We do not know Chiara's parents.”

Zuko did not understand why it mattered. “I don't care about her lineage.”

“As Crown Prince of the Fire Nation you will not be allowed to marry her.”

“I would think you'd approve of it, Uncle. She'll remain in the family.”

“She will always be family to me, Zuko...”

“I will make her Fire Lady,” he insisted.

“The Fire Nation will not accept her,” argued Iroh.

Zuko was getting frustrated by his uncle's objections. “The Fire Nation isn't marrying her...”

“You represent the Nation.”

Zuko was upset that his uncle insisted he could not marry her, and Iroh was tired of the
argument.

“We will leave this discussion for another day,” said Iroh he said with finality. “For now,
Chiara needs to be in the fresh air. She should not be locked away in the galley all day every
day just to prevent her from talking to the crew.”

“You saw Shoza yesterday,” the prince said angrily, the scene still fresh in his mind. “He was
all over her.”

“What next then? Will you lock her in the brig when you see her talking to Ozen?”

Zuko looked away. “I won't lock her in the brig,” he said softly.

“I am releasing her of her duties in the galley,” said Iroh.

He stood up leaving his tea untouched, and he walked out to go to the galley where he found
Chiara diligently helping Ozen.

“Chiara,” said Iroh, “when you're finished here, you may go take a break on deck.”

“Ozen already made me take a break,” she said adding vegetables to one of the boiling pots.

“You're done here, Lady Chiara,” said Ozen. “Do as General Iroh says.”

Though Ozen had not given any indication, she wondered if she had done something wrong.
She bowed and left to go up on deck.
“She is a hard worker, General Iroh,” said Ozen. “I had to force her to take a break earlier.
And I was surprised to learn she was to work here all day from now on.”

“Prince Zuko feels some of the men are distracted by her presence on deck.”

“She is a beautiful young woman,” Ozen chuckled. “And I enjoy her company, but it seems
unfair to her to be trapped in here all day.”

“She will not be confined to the galley,” said Iroh.

------------------------------------

Zuko had been looking for Chiara when he finally found her at the stern looking out over the
water, but before he could approach her, Iroh walked up to her, so Zuko stepped back so as
not to be seen.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked Iroh when he was standing next to her.

“Not at all. Prince Zuko had no right to confine you to the galley.”

She was staring at the wake trailing the ship. “But if some of the men really are distracted, I
don't want to cause any problems.”

“Zuko is jealous. He insists that you are to be his wife once we return home.”

She stood in quiet thought watching the mesmerizing movement of the water.

“When that time comes, I'll leave the Fire Nation and head north,” she said softly. “I won't
allow him to truly be dishonored.”

Iroh felt saddened at the thought of losing Chiara. He believed that she would be the perfect
spouse for the prince, but he feared the reaction of his own Nation. He suspected that if it
ever became known that she was from the Water Tribe and that she was a waterbender, it
would be dangerous for her. He put his arm around her and she hugged him.

“We won't think about that now,” he said gently rubbing her back.

Zuko was also saddened at the thought of Chiara leaving him, and he could not understand
why she thought he would be dishonored if they married, but he was determined not to lose
her.

A couple weeks later, Chiara was washing clothes on deck one afternoon when one of the
younger soldiers approached her.

“Lady Chiara, I got some blood on my pants,” said Tazah as he held them out to her.

“Oh no, are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah. Just a cut,” he said showing his bandaged arm.

She took the pants from him. “I'll get them clean.”

“Thanks.”

She started working on the blood stain while he stayed and watched her.

“Maybe...maybe you could teach me how to play Pai Sho later,” he said.

“You should ask General Iroh,” she suggested. “He's a much better play...

“Chiara!” called Zuko storming over to them.

“Thanks, Lady Chiara,” said Tazah as he bowed. “I'll get them later.”

He quickly walked away as Zuko arrived.

“What did he want?” Zuko asked in a demanding voice.

“Blood stain,” she said pulling the pants out of the water to reveal the stain.

He narrowed his eyes. “And Pai Sho? I told Uncle you were a distraction; he didn't believe
me.”

“At least he was still wearing pants,” she said softly.

“Don't you have work to do in the galley?” he snapped unamused by her remark.

“Prince Zuko,” said Iroh having overheard some of the altercation. “She already worked in
the galley today.”

“I warned you she was distracting the crew,” Zuko said to him. “He asked her to teach him
how to play Pai Sho.”

“I told him to ask you,” she said to Iroh in an attempt to assure him she was not encouraging
anyone.

“He probably cut himself on purpose just for an excuse to talk to her,” said Zuko.

“What?!” said Chiara shocked by his accusation.

“Zuko, I wish to speak to you privately,” said Iroh.

“But...”

“Now,” he insisted deeply.

It was an order Zuko would not disobey, but he reluctantly followed his uncle inside where
they could talk in private.

Once inside, Iroh turned to him. “Zuko, Chiara is my daughter. You will not order her to work
in the galley.”
“It's the only place where she can work without the men...flirting with her,” the prince
argued.

“I will not have her working in the galley all day because of your jealousy. You need to let it
go.”

“Tazah asking her to teach him Pai Sho is a distraction.”

“Pai Sho is recreation, not a distraction,” said Iroh. "The only one distracted by Chiara is
you.”

“You're the one who had to bring her on board,” said Zuko trying to cast the blame on Iroh.

“Then next time we make port I will put her on the next ship returning to the Fire Nation and
send her home.”

Iroh turned and angrily left the room to return to the deck where Tazah was talking to Chiara
again.

“General,” said Chiara, “Tazah is interested in learning Pai Sho.”

“Oh, that is wonderful,” said Iroh jovially. “I will be happy to teach you.”

Chiara laughed to herself.

“Uh...uh...thanks, General Iroh,” said Tazah nervously.

“We can start your lessons tonight.”

“I-I look forward to it.”

Tazah bowed to them before walking away.

“Maybe Zuko is right,” Iroh said softly to Chiara.

“So back to the galley?” she asked.

He chuckled.

“Or should I just head north now?”

“No, not yet,” he said. “How about a game of Pai Sho?”

She smiled. “Just as soon as I get this blood out.”

 The Southern Air Temple

Weeks later, they were sailing around the southern Earth Kingdom on their way to port.

“General Iroh, there's a ship ahead,” said Captain Jee spotting it in the distance as they stood
on the upper deck.

“Can you identify it?” he asked.

“Fire Nation, sir,” he said still looking in the telescope. “It looks like a supply ship.”

“What is its heading?”

“It looks like northwest, sir.”

“That's perfect.” He turned to Zuko. “Prince Zuko, we should contact them.”

Zuko cocked his head as he looked at Iroh. “Why should we contact them, Uncle? Those
supplies are for the soldiers in the Earth Kingdom, and it's heading back to the Fire Nation, so
they won't have any cargo that we need anyways.”

“That's why it's perfect. I'll have them take Chiara back to the Fire Nation.”

“What?!” He tensed up as he turned completely towards his uncle. “I don't want her to...you
don't need to send her back.”

“I believe you were right, Nephew,” said Iroh calmly, placing his hands in his sleeves. “She
has grown into a beautiful young woman, and the younger soldiers do seem to be quite
interested in her. At home I have servants that will watch over her.”

“I don't want her to go,” said Zuko in a demanding voice.

Iroh was staring thoughtfully at the ship in the distance. “But you once said that it brings her
dishonor by her being here with you.”

“I know what I said. I...I just don't want her to leave.” Zuko closed his eyes hating the
thought of not having Chiara on board. “She makes this seem...less like banishment,” he
finished softly.

Iroh quietly chuckled to himself. “I think I will let Chiara decide for herself,” he said as he
left the deck.

Entering the galley, Iroh found Chiara busily working chopping potato melons.

“Chiara, I must talk to you.”

She glanced up at him with a puzzled expression upon hearing the gravity in his words.
Setting the knife down, she walked around the table. Iroh turned to leave the galley, and she
followed him to an empty conference room where they could talk privately.

“What is it? Am I in trouble with Prince Zuko again?” she asked in a dry tone.

Iroh merely chuckled. “Possibly. There's a supply ship in the distance heading back towards
the Fire Nation. We can contact them and you can return home.”

“What?” she asked suddenly feeling worried. “I don't want to leave you.”

“You've been working very hard on this ship. You've earned time off. You can return home
and continue your school lessons with Akio...”

“Do I have to go?”

“I'm leaving the decision to you,” he said, though he could clearly hear her answer in her
voice and see it in her eyes. “If you wish to remain on board, you may stay.”

“I do wish it. I'll work in the galley or in the hold if Prince Zuko doesn't want me around the
crew.”

He shook his head. “I don't want you confined below deck.”

Her eyes were pleading. “I'll do it if it means I can stay here with you.”

He was touched by her devotion to him, and he rubbed her arm. “You can stay,” he said
giving her a reassuring smile. “But you will not work just below deck.”

She nodded before returning to the galley wondering how she could work on the ship without
Zuko getting upset.

------------------------------------

Zuko had been standing on deck watching as the distance between them and the supply ship
grew shorter. Stepping onto the bridge he saw Iroh busy playing Pai Sho with one of the crew
members. He silently walked to the other side and left the bridge to head down to the galley.

Zuko rarely ever entered the mess hall, much less the galley. Most of the handful of times he
had need to enter either over the past couple years were due to him searching for Chiara. And
now again he was looking for her. He peeked through the doorway and saw her chopping
vegetables for Ozen.

“Chiara,” he said. “I need to talk to you.”

She immediately felt worried, sure that he was sending her home. Setting down the knife she
followed him to the same empty room where Iroh spoke to her.

“I'm being sent home?” she said softly and sadly as soon as they entered.

“What?! No,” he said quickly spinning towards her. “I don't want you to go. Tell Uncle you
want to stay here.”
She was confused. “I told him earlier I don't want to go back.”

He looked just as confused. “You did?”

“Yes.”

“He said he was sending you home.”

The worry in her eyes deepened. “But I said I'd work in the galley or in the hold if I could
stay.”

He was amazed by her desire to remain with them. “You would do that rather than go home?”
he asked.

“Home is wherever you and the General are.”

His heart stirred knowing she felt that way.

“When I talked to him he said I could remain here if I wanted,” she said. “What made him
change his mind?”

Zuko immediately relaxed. “He didn't. I didn't realize you talked to him,” he said softly.

She was relieved.

“I don't want you to leave,” he said, his voice tender. “You...you're like a bit of home here.”

She was touched by his words, but wondered how he would feel if he knew she was from the
Water Tribe. She gently touched his left cheek. “I have to go back to work.”

As she turned to go, her hand left his face and the absence of her warm touch left his whole
body feeling a little colder.

“Chiara...,” he called before she could leave the room.

She turned to him.

“You should take a break out on deck,” he suggested.

“I'll be done in a little bit.”

She returned to the galley to finish her work.

A week later they were leaving port to start their trek towards the Southern Air Temple.
Chiara brought their dinner to Zuko's room to dine with him as she did every evening. After
kneeling at the table he pulled a little maroon pouch out of his tunic and held it out to her.

“I got this for you today at the port,” he said softly.

She took the pouch from him and tipped it into her hand. A ring tumbled out. Her eyes were
wide as she took in the two silver dragons that interlaced in a circle, one with small yellow
topaz eyes and the other with small green emeralds, and it was designed to spiral around the
finger.

“Oh, Prince Zuko,...it-it's beautiful,” she said sounding awed as she studied it closely. “Wh-
why did you get this?”

“I saw it and I thought of you.” He could not take his eyes from hers as she stared at the ring
in her hand.

She was deeply touched. Her soft green eyes met his fiery gold. “You shouldn't have done
this.”

“Why not?”

“This-this is too much.”

“You deserve it.” He understood the comforts she had given up by leaving her home in the
Fire Nation, and she no luxury possessions aside from her erhu and the diadem that crowned
her head. Only recently had it occurred to him that she never asked for more than what she
needed when they visited the ports. So when he spotted the ring at the shop, he immediately
thought of her and knew he had to get it for her.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

He was surprised but touched to see the tears that filled her eyes.

“Here...,” he said as he took it from her.

He lifted her hand, but she pulled it back and shook her head making him smirk at his own
attempt to place a symbol of engagement on her left hand.

“I tried,” he shrugged.

He lifted her right hand and placed the ring on her forefinger. “You're the dragon empress.”

She smiled as she remembered their time on Ember Island.

“I can't believe you did this,” she said, her eyes fixed on the dragons coiled around her finger.

“I wanted to give you something so you'd always remember me.”

She gazed up at him. “There's no forgetting you, my Prince.”

He was not expecting the little jolt her words sent into his heart.

“Besides, I have the knife you gave me,” she said.

“I-I know, but this is different. You won't ever have to take it off.” He pulled out the green
crystal she had given him years earlier. “And I still have this to remind me of you when
you're not around.”

Her eyes lit up. “Aww. I didn't know you brought that.”

“I didn't know you were coming with us, and I wanted to keep a reminder of you with me,”
he said rolling it over in his hand. He lifted his eyes to meet hers. “But you being here is even
better.”

She gave him a gentle smile, happy to be with him.

The closer they sailed towards the Southern Air Temple, the more hopeful Zuko became that
it was where the Avatar would be since it was the last of the air temples for him to visit.

As at the other temples, they dropped anchor offshore of the mountainous land and took the
skiff to the island. The trek up the mountain was strenuous for everyone, especially as the air
became thinner, but they were relieved when they made it to a wide, flat path that led up to
the temple. Closer to the ruins they began finding remains of the victims of the genocide. Of
course, no one mentioned “genocide.” They were merely “victims of a just war”—at least,
that what was taught in all levels and editions of Nation above Nation: Chronicles of Fire, the
official history text in all Fire Nation schools since the Sozin Educational Reforms of 2 AG.
Though Chiara had once skimmed through one of the texts, she appreciated that Akio
provided a more accurate history.

Along the path, she made sure every bone found was collected and interred. She was more
than willing to do it by herself, but everyone silently participated in the burials. And though it
would lengthen their trip, no one dared object to her actions, not even Zuko who felt
uncomfortable seeing so many remains. Ever since he saw the bones of children and babies at
the Western Air Temple and heard Chiara's mournful cries over them, he had often wondered
why the Fire Nation would see a need to execute even the infants.

By the time they arrived at the top of the mountain, Zuko had become less hopeful that the
Avatar would be there. He was sure that if he had been living on the mountain for a hundred
years, he would have buried the remains of his people by now. But he and his men were
there, and he would leave no stone unturned.

Chiara was less concerned with the search than she was with exploring the temple just as she
had done at the others. She was impressed by everything she saw, yet saddened by the
destruction. As they examined every structure on the mountain, they eventually came upon a
building with great double doors. Several of the soldiers tried hard to force it open, but they
were unsuccessful. While the men were struggling to break into the room, Chiara studied the
intricate swirl designs on doors.

“We need an airbender,” she said thoughtfully.

“That's what we're looking for,” said Zuko dryly, feeling a bit frustrated by their failure to get
inside.
She stepped up to the doors and pointed at it. “Look at this design. Those tubes look like they
move.” From beneath it, she traced the swirls in the air with her finger. “The wind needs to
flow through it in order to unlock it.”

Zuko was excited as he understood what she was saying. “You're right. Find some way to
create an airflow,” he ordered his men.

Looking around, they collected items to create a contraption that would produce wind to
unlock the doors. Setting it in motion, the wind blew through the tubes causing various parts
to move and the doors finally opened. Zuko and the other firebenders held up flames and
cautiously entered the hall followed by the other soldiers and Iroh and Chiara. The light from
outside as well as from their flames fell upon tall statues that spiraled around the sanctuary
floor. The statuary continued winding along the walls and rose high above them. Zuko and
his men searched everywhere, but finding it devoid of life, they all abandoned the building.
Chiara alone remained behind continuing her stroll among the sculptures studying them
closely. She was amazed by the number of statues all representing different individuals. But
despite their individuality, she discovered a pattern in their attire. They were each dressed in a
regular pattern following the styles of the four nations.

“General,” she called as she stood before the one statue which was most familiar to her.

He entered the sanctuary, as did Zuko.

“They're the Avatars,” she called out. “Here's Avatar Roku. It looks like the one at the Fire
Temple.”

Iroh stood next to her staring up at the figure. “It is Roku,” he said, recognizing the statue.

“He's so impressive,” she said of the first Avatar she had learned about in her studies with
Akio.

“I don't see what's so impressive about him,” Zuko sneered.

“How can you not be impressed by the Fire Nation Avatar?” she asked. She continued gazing
at the statue. “You could be related.”

He looked affronted. “I'm not related to the Avatar!” he said angrily.

“I don't know,” she said thoughtfully, closely studying its features. “I think you have his
eyes.”

Iroh started chuckling but for more than just her teasing his nephew.

“It's not funny, Uncle!” snapped the prince.

“I think she's right, Prince Zuko. You do favor the Avatar.”

He was glaring at his uncle. “That's enough from you two.”

Iroh and Chiara were still laughing as they moved to the next statue.
“It's Avatar Kyoshi,” she said recognizing the image. “I would love to train with her Kyoshi
Warriors.”

They continued on to the next statue. “This must be Avatar Kuruk,” said Zuko.

“Northern Water Tribe,” said Chiara softly.

They kept walking.

“Avatar Yangchen,” said Zuko.

“Her image is identical to the ones at the Eastern Temple,” said Chiara.

They continued identifying as many of the Avatar statues as they had learned from their
studies and research.

When they left the sanctuary they continued exploring other parts of the temple. As the sun
began sinking below the mountains, they decided to set up camp. With the others' help,
Chiara continued burying any remains they found. Just as she did at the other three temples,
she left a stick with her hair ribbon to mark the largest burial site, and at the end of the day
she sang the Fire Nation song for the dead.

The search was continued the following morning, but Chiara spent most of the day burying
the dead. Towards the end of the day after a long search through every standing structure and
not finding a living Avatar, many of the soldiers began settling down in the camp for dinner.
Zuko, disappointed at his fruitless exploration, flopped down next to Iroh who contentedly
sipped his tea.

“Would you like some oolong tea, Prince Zuko?”

“No...” He was looking around the camp.

“I added lemon balm I found in the gardens,” said Iroh. “It is quite delicious...and very
relaxing after a long day.”

“Uncle, where's Chiara?” he asked ignoring his uncle's tea recommendation.

“I have not seen her in a while,” he said before relishing another sip. “Maybe she is in the
sanctuary with the statues.”

“We shut the doors on that building,” said Zuko. “She wouldn't be able to get in there again.”

He stood up concerned about her absence.

“I'll help you look for her,” said Shoza as he went to stand up.

“I've got it,” said Zuko quickly walking off on his own.
He looked around the complex, but she was nowhere to be seen. He even searched around the
grave sites, and when it seemed as though he was never going to find her, he became even
more nervous over her absence. Following one of the paths on what he deemed his second
fruitless hunt of the day, and one he was finding considerably more worrisome, he was just
about to turn back when he spotted her building a stone monument near an old building. He
assumed she was burying more bones.

“Chiara,” he called as he walked up to her. “I've been looking all over for you.” He pulled out
an apple he had brought for her. “They made dinner.”

“Thanks, but I'm not hungry,” she said as she continued building the shrine.

“You've been working like this all day. You should eat.”

She laid another stone on the pile. “I'll be fine.”

He gently grabbed her arm, stopping her. “Please take it. Eat it later.”

She took the apple from him and put it in her pocket. He lifted up a stone and began helping
her with the monument. When they finished, she sat down near the door of the building and
began unraveling her braid. He sat next to her and watched as she created a thin braid from a
small portion of her hair underneath. He was surprised when she pulled out her knife and cut
the long, thin plait. She tied each of the ends with string and attached it to one end of a stick.
Standing up, she placed the stick in the top of the monument before sitting back down again.

Zuko looked over at her. He admired her long loose locks. “If you do that at each grave,
you'll have no hair left,” he said softly.

She leaned back resting her head against the building. “I don't have any more ribbons.”

“You didn't leave a ribbon at all the graves.”

“This one's special, so I want to leave something.”

He wondered how it was different from any other grave she made. “What's so special about
it?”

“If I'm ever assailed by my enemy, I hope I'll be as fearless and determined as this airbender.”

She reached up and pulled back the fabric that hung down in the doorway. Zuko, curious, got
up and went inside the hut. Holding a flame in his hand he continued further into the next
room. His jaw dropped and his flame nearly went out when he saw the skeleton of a monk
surrounded by no small number of dead Fire Nation soldiers. Chiara was standing next to
him.

“Why...why didn't you bury them?” he asked her.

“That scene alone is a monument more worthy than all the ones we've built put together,” she
said sadly.
He put his arm around her and took her outside where they sat down again. He offered her
water, and after they rested, he stood up ready to return to the camp.

“We should get back before Uncle sends out a search party.”

He offered her his hand which she took, and he pulled her to her feet before they started
walking back to the camp. As they followed the path, Zuko silently pondered over the next
step in his mission.

“We're being watched,” said Chiara softly, not slowing in her pace.

Her words called him from his thoughts, and he became more alert. Whatever it was that
caught her attention now caught his.

“It sounds like it's in the trees,” he whispered.

“An animal maybe?”

“Possibly.”

They heard a scurrying noise behind them and they both quickly turned around, Chiara
pulling out a shuriken while Zuko was ready to throw the fireball in his hand.

“Where'd it go?” he asked, their eyes scanning the area.

She shook her head, but then something caught her eye.

“Look,” she pointed up in a tree.

Two huge round green eyes were staring down at them. Zuko's fireball got brighter as he
started drawing his arm back to launch it.

“No,” she said pushing his arm down causing the fire to extinguish. “It must be a winged
lemur.”

Zuko had remembered reading about them in one of the scrolls they had collected. Chiara
pulled the apple from her pocket and tossed it up in the air. They watched the lemur leap up
and catch it before returning to the tree where it sat on a branch and ate the treat while
keeping its large, curious eyes still on them.

“You're so adorable,” she grinned. “Look at that long tail.”

Zuko laughed. “And those ears are huge.”

“That's incredible,” she continued as she stared at the lemur. “I didn't think any actually
existed.”

“Should we capture it?” asked Zuko.

“He is adorable.” Chiara thought about it. “We should leave him,” she decided, though not
without regret as she looked at those big, adorable eyes that continued eyeing them as it ate.

Zuko looked at her. “You wanted to capture a pair of spider bats at the Eastern Temple, but
you don't want something soft and cuddly like that?” he said pointing at the lemur.

She giggled. “But he's probably got family here.”

He shook his head in disbelief, and they continued their walk back to the camp.

“I was hoping we'd discover a sky bison,” she said as they walked.

Zuko nodded his head in agreement. “It would make it easier to look for the Avatar. We could
fly around instead of sail.”

Chiara smiled at the thought of riding the flying bison.

----------------------------------

“Chiara, we were worried about you,” said Iroh when they joined the others in the camp.

“Sorry,” she apologized. “We saw a winged lemur.”

“Did you? I didn't know any existed,” he said as he was preparing a cup of tea.

“You should've captured him,” said Tazah. “I bet it's good eating.”

“Speaking of eating,” started Zuko, “you need to eat,” he said to her.

“I'm not really hungry,” she said.

“Chiara, you haven't eaten since...” He tried to remember when he last saw her eat. “...did
you even eat lunch?”

She shrugged.

He picked up a bowl and poured in a ladle-full of stew from the pot over the fire. “Eat now,”
he demanded holding it out to her.

The crew was accustomed to hearing the prince give orders, but the tone of concern in his
demand to Chiara sounded foreign to them.

It was all she ate despite Zuko's insistence that she eat more. She sipped from the cup of tea
Iroh had handed her.

“Is there lemon balm in this?” she asked.

Iroh smiled at her. “I found it in the gardens.”

“It's very good.”

As the men continued their conversation around the campfire, Chiara finished her tea before
quietly standing up and leaning towards Iroh.

“I'm going to bed,” she whispered to him before kissing him on the cheek.

“Goodnight,” he said, lightly caressing her arm.

Zuko watched her dark curls bounce away before she disappeared inside her tent.

“You should make her eat more, Uncle,” he said. “She's hardly eaten all day.”

“Give her time, Prince Zuko. It was the same at the Western Air Temple.”

Having found no evidence of the Avatar, they left the next morning. After descending the
mountain, the group stopped at a river for a break.

“You haven't eaten much,” Iroh said to Chiara.

“I'm not very hungry. May I go in the water?”

He knew her element was a source of comfort to her. “Of course.”

She walked into the river and sat down chest deep in the water. Zuko moved closer to Iroh.

“Is she okay?” he asked his uncle.

“These burials have been hard on such a tender heart as hers.” His eyes were downcast.
“She's too young for such violence. She should be worrying about clothes and boys...well,
maybe not boys yet,” he added finding the thought troubling.

Zuko narrowed his eyes, jealousy immediately invading his being at the idea of Chiara
thinking about other boys. Watching her sitting alone in the water, he tried to push the envy
out of his mind and focus on the sympathy he felt for what she was going through. He
admired her compassion. He got to his feet and removed part of his uniform before heading
to the river where he sat down next to her.

“You okay?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Sure.”

“You want to swim?”

She nodded.

“I'll race you to the other side,” he said.

They both started swimming across the river. As Chiara realized she was a bit ahead of Zuko,
she slowed down allowing him to reach the shore first.
“You let me win, didn't you?” he said turning to her as she followed him.

She sat down next to him. “What makes you think that?” she asked with a slight smile.

“You always win.”

She laughed.

“Okay,” he said as he stood up, “this time no cheating.”

She stood next to him.

“On the count of three,” he started. “One, two...”

He quickly dove back into the water ahead of her. She laughed and dove in after him. After
she overtook him, he grabbed her ankle and pulled her back and started swimming ahead of
her again. Chiara was tempted to waterbend, but she held back; instead, she quickly swam up
to him and grabbed hold of his arm pulling on him. They were laughing as they started
wrestling in the water.

As Iroh rested with the other soldiers, he enjoyed watching Zuko and Chiara enjoying
themselves.

“It's good to see them act like children again,” he said. “They're too young to deal with such
responsibilities as they've been doing.”

“But your daughter has grown into quite a young woman,” said Lieutenant Jee. “And she's
very beautiful. Have you chosen a husband for her yet?”

Iroh shook his head. “She will make a fine wife for any man, but I'm not ready to give her
away.”

“Just like a father,” chuckled the lieutenant. “I don't envy you, General.”

“I thought she was promised to Prince Zuko,” said Tedo.

“How can she be promised to him?” asked Shoza. “Aren't they related?”

“She was an orphan adopted by General Iroh,” explained Lieutenant Jee.

Shoza now understood why Chiara did not call Iroh 'Father.'

“Yes,” said Iroh. “She is no blood relation to Prince Zuko.”

“She and the Prince are always together,” said Tedo.

“They grew up together,” said Iroh. “They're very close. They do look after one another. And
Prince Zuko can be quite protective of her, but they're not promised to each other.”

Shoza did not like the idea that Chiara and Zuko were not related or that they were close.
“It's a shame he can't take her as his wife,” said Jee wryly as he watched them. “She's about
the only one on board who can put up with him.”

Iroh let out a jovial laugh. “She does have quite the tolerance for his moods.” More than once
over the years he sent Chiara to deal with Zuko during his heated outbursts as she seemed to
have an almost miraculous way of tempering his fury as if she herself were a soothing balm
on an angry wound.

“I don't think I've ever seen him smile or laugh except when he's around her,” Jee added.

Iroh smiled and nodded his head as he considered the truthfulness of Jee's observation.

“Why can't he take her for his wife?” asked Tedo.

“As Prince of the Fire Nation, he must take a wife whose lineage can be traced,” Iroh
explained.

“Does Lady Chiara have to be promised to someone then?” asked Shoza. “Isn't she free to
choose her own husband?”

Iroh realized just how much Shoza was interested in her, and he also realized just how
uncomfortable he was with him being interested in her, or any man being interested in her.

“I raised her,” said Iroh. “She is as my own daughter. When it's time for her to be married, I
will find her a worthy husband.”

Shoza felt disappointed believing that Iroh's idea of a worthy suitor was a high ranking
officer or nobleman and that he himself would never be considered.

“That time is getting close,” said Jee.

“I will decide when it's time,” said Iroh sternly.

Jee chuckled at Iroh's overprotectiveness. The lieutenant had no daughters of his own, but
over the past couple years, watching Chiara grow up on board the ship was the closest he had
come to having one, and he understood why Iroh was so hesitant to lose her.

“It looks like whomever you choose will have to have the prince's approval as well,” said Jee
looking towards the river where Zuko and Chiara were still wrestling.

“We will see,” said Iroh.

Chiara managed to break away from their wrestling match in the river and get to the shore
first. When Zuko caught up to her, he playfully attacked her as she fought back. She managed
to get his arm around his back and force him to his knee. She leaned close to him from
behind.

“Come on, firebender,” she said in his ear. “Is that all you've got?”
He laughed, but he had a hard time concentrating with her sweet voice in his ear and her
long, wet hair flowing down over his chest. He twisted himself around and escaped her grip,
and then he forced her down into the same position while he stood over her.

“Do you surrender?” he asked her.

“Never give up without a fight,” she said, repeating the words written on his knife.

He grinned. “Then you work in the galley indefinitely.”

“I'm willing to take that punishment rather than give in.”

“I'll...I'll send you back to the Fire Nation,” he threatened.

“Okay, I surrender.”

He laughed at her submission, but he was amazed by her desire to remain with them. He
released her, and then took her hand and helped her to her feet. They walked over to the
others and sat down on some rocks in their wet clothes, both still breathing heavy from their
playful wrestle.

“I haven't seen you two have so much fun since Ember Island,” said Iroh.

They laughed as they remembered their trips to the island, including their last visit when they
shared their first kiss, and their wrestling match made them both long for their past.

--------------------------------------

That evening back on board the ship, while Zuko and Chiara were eating dinner, he was
quietly thinking about their playful fight earlier.

She was concerned about how quiet he was. “Are you okay?”

“I was just thinking,” he said softly, poking at the food in his bowl.

“About what?”

He hesitated as he considered how to put his thoughts into words. “You see being sent back to
the Fire Nation as a threat, but I would give anything to return home.”

She could hear the longing in his voice.

“I don't see being sent back to the Fire Nation as a threat,” she said. “I see being separated
from you and the General as the threat.”

He was again touched by her desire to remain with him and his uncle. He wished he could
feel the same way, but he still longed for his honor and his life as prince.

He set his chopsticks on the table. “I had my whole life planned out,” he said softly. “I was
the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, destined to be Fire Lord one day. Now, all I have is a
small vessel and it seems like no future.”

“It was the same for the General,” she said.

He lifted his eyes to meet hers. “What?”

“He was the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, destined to be Fire Lord one day. He gracefully
conceded his position, and now he's confined to this vessel because he loves you and wants
you to know that you're loved.”

He was stunned as he had never imagined the situation from Iroh's perspective, and he knew
she was right.

He dropped his eyes to the table again. “But...but at least he wasn't banished from his home.
He could go back if he chooses.”

She was tempted to argue on Iroh's behalf, but she decided to just console him instead and
placed her hand on his. “I'm sorry. I know it's been hard on you.”

He was touched by her compassion and his golden eyes were drawn to her sea green ones.
“I'm glad you came with us,” he said giving her a gentle smile. “It would've been so much
harder without you.”

Another month passed by with no sign of the Avatar as they continued their journey traveling
farther south.
 Enter the Avatar

As the ship sailed through the Southern Hemisphere the temperatures gradually decreased
while the ice in the water gradually increased. They watched the icebergs grow taller, and
sheets of ice could be seen covered in seals, koalaotters, otter penguins, and other arctic life.
They once even spotted a lone arctic hippo they suspected got trapped on a sheet of ice that
had separated from the mainland.

It was early in the morning shortly after Zuko had finished breakfast that an anxious knock
sounded on his door just as he sat down to meditate. There was only one person on board the
ship that would rap on his door so enthusiastically. He opened it to see Chiara standing with
two bows in her hand.

“Go duck hunting with me.” She thrust one of the bows towards him.

He raised his eyebrows. “What?”

“There're arctic ducks on the ice. They stopped the ship so we can get some fresh birds.”

He could not resist the excitement in her eyes, and his lip curled as he took the bow from her.
He followed her to the deck where he saw the ducks out on the ice. “How are we supposed
to...”

“Here are your arrows, Lady Chiara,” said Tedo.

“Thanks, Tedo,” she said.

He handed her one of the arrows before uncoiling the rope and tying the end to the railing. He
did the same for Zuko.

The two archers both loaded their bows and took aim.

“The first one who misses gets to pluck whatever we catch,” she said.

He playfully scowled at her which made her giggle. They aimed again and let their arrows
fly. Both nailed their targets sending several other birds flying off to a different part of the ice
floe.

Cheers rose up from the men on deck who had been watching the competition.

“Roast duck for dinner tonight!” announced Iroh who had been watching from the upper deck
with Lieutenant Jee.

Chiara looked up at him. “How many do you want, General?”

“Get a couple more,” he said. “We can always store some on ice.”
Tedo fixed them each another arrow and they took aim again. Both shots hit their targets and
they brought two more ducks on board.

Zuko looked at Chiara.

“Nobody missed, so...,” he started.

“So we both get to pluck them,” she said with a grin.

He handed her the bow. “I have firebending practice.” He smirked at her.

“I'll make sure to leave a feather in your dinner tonight.”

He laughed as he walked away. Tedo and Shoza helped Chiara carry the birds to the galley
where she and Ozen plucked and gutted them. They stored three and started roasting one for
dinner.

-----------------------------------

Later that afternoon as the ship's hull cut a path through the smooth, deep blue Southern Sea,
Iroh and Chiara sat on deck playing a game of Pai Sho while enjoying a pot of jasmine tea.
Zuko stood near the bow looking longingly out at the landscape hoping to find some sign of
the Avatar. Unlike the Northern Water Tribe, there was no threat in sailing close to the South
Pole, no tales about ambushes, missing ships, and victims' scalps. Gazing towards the
southeast horizon, Zuko suddenly saw a bright light shoot straight up into the sky.

His eyes grew wide and he was filled with fresh hope. “Finally,” he said. He turned to Iroh.
“Uncle, do you realize what this means?”

Iroh held a tile in his hand contemplating his next move. “We won't get to finish our game?”
he said dryly.

“It means my search is about to come to an end.”

Chiara looked at Iroh who just let out a sigh before laying his tile on the board.

“That light came from an incredibly powerful source,” said Zuko. “It has to be him.”

“Ooh, it's just the celestial lights,” said Iroh showing little enthusiasm for the prince's
supposition. “We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too
excited for nothing.”

Chiara made her play on the board.

“Please sit,” said Iroh to Zuko who still stood staring out at the landscape. “Why don't you
enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea.” He motioned to the steaming pot on the table.

Zuko rounded on him. “I don't need any calming tea!” he yelled. “I need to capture the
Avatar!” He looked up at the command tower. “Helmsman, head a course for the light.”
Suddenly a wind blew across the deck. Iroh and Chiara glanced at each other.

-------------------------------------

Zuko spent the rest of the day anxiously staring out at the distant area from where he had
seen the light flash originate. After a quick dinner, and an unsuccessful attempt by Chiara to
engage him in a game, he returned to the bow. Towards the end of the day, wanting to
mentally prepare himself for his inevitable encounter with the bender of all the elements,
Zuko retired to his room to meditate, only to leave it yet again to continue his vigil from the
upper deck.

Iroh had been watching him from the bridge. It pained the older prince to watch his nephew
place so much hope in something that would only let him down again. He stepped out onto
the deck. Zuko silently stood staring out at the sea.

“I'm going to bed now,” said Iroh, yawning and stretching his arms. “Yep, a man needs his
rest.”

Zuko ignored his uncle's hint.

“Prince Zuko, you need some sleep,” he said candidly. “Even if you're right, and the Avatar is
alive, you won't find him. Your father, your grandfather, and great-grandfather all tried and
failed.”

“Because their honor didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture,” he said. “Mine does. This
coward's hundred years of hiding are over.”

Iroh let out a sigh before returning to the bridge.

Chiara was in her room quietly practicing her waterbending when she heard a knock on her
door. She guided the water back into the ewer and went to answer it. She was surprised to see
Iroh since he rarely disturbed her after she retired to her room for the evening.

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

“Zuko is on the upper deck still staring out at the sea,” he said to her. “I'm really worried
about him.”

“Maybe he did see something.”

He looked skeptical. “Even if he did, the chances of him finding the Avatar after a hundred
years...they're not good.”

“I'll go talk to him,” she said.

He could not help a small smile as he hoped she might be able to convince his nephew to get
some rest.

“But you know how he is when he gets like this,” she added. “He'll probably be out there all
night.”
He chuckled. “I'll see you for breakfast.”

Iroh went to bed while Chiara went to the bridge. When she saw him standing outside in his
thin robe, she ran to his room to get his coat. She returned to the bridge and stepped out on
the deck where she walked up behind him and placed his coat over his shoulders.

“I'm fine, Unc...” He was surprised to see it was her. “Oh...”

She smirked at him. He turned back towards the horizon while slipping his arms through the
sleeves of his coat.

“I know he's out there, Chiara,” he said softly as he gazed ahead.

“You're probably right,” she agreed. “And if he is, he'll still be there in the morning. Why
don't you get some sleep.”

“I won't be able to sleep.”

She tenderly caressed his back before turning and leaving the deck. If it was not for her
gentle touch, he would have suspected she was upset with him since she left without saying
goodbye or good night.

Still scanning the horizon hoping to witness another light to assure him that he was right
about the Avatar being near, his eyes were drawn down to a cup of broth in front of him. He
took it from Chiara's hands, but he was not sure why he was surprised that she had returned.

“Can I get you anything else? A cup of calming tea?” she asked.

He playfully glared at her. “No.”

She gave him a little smile.

“It's cold out here,” he said. “You should go inside.”

“The cold never bothered me much.”

She remained with him, and together they looked out over the glassy water as the ship
steadily moved forward making it appear as though the bright icebergs were floating by them.
The sky never got dark as they stood watch, but as time went on, he began worrying about
her standing outside in frigid air. He reached towards her and lightly ran his hand down her
arm to her hand which felt cold to him. Turning her towards him, he took her hands in his to
warm them. He was tempted to wrap himself around her and press his lips against hers with
the excuse that it was all necessary to warm her up.

Chiara enjoyed the warmth he provided and she gazed up into his gold eyes that seemed to
glow in the light reflected from the icebergs. She was immersed in the fire that burned in
them, and her whole being was warmed by the glow.

Zuko felt his self-control faltering. “It's late, Chiara,” he said reluctantly, sure he would be
unable to resist wrapping his arms around her if he continued swimming in her sea green
eyes. “Please go inside.”

She nodded. “I'll see you in the morning.”

She pulled her hands from his, and after picking up the cup, she went inside. He suddenly felt
much colder standing alone on the deck, but part of him felt relieved that she left. She
provided a temporary respite from his mission, but he could not lose sight of his goal. He
sometimes envied her and his uncle. For them, their time at sea had been like a vacation,
despite Chiara's hard work on board the ship. But they did not have to worry about finding
and capturing the Avatar, or honor, or banishment.

Zuko spent the next day practicing his firebending on deck under Iroh's instruction. He was
sure he was close to finding the Avatar, and he was eager to be ready to fight him.

As the sun was sinking in the sky, Chiara carried Iroh's dinner to him. She knelt on the deck
next to his chair and watched Zuko spar with two other firebenders.

“Again,” Iroh ordered Zuko.

Zuko made the first move attacking Shoza and Jozan who evaded his fire and returned blasts
of their own. The prince ducked and flipped between them punching a blast at Shoza who
blocked it, while kicking out a final burst of fire at Jozan who jumped back to avoid it.

Iroh sighed and stood up. “No! Power in firebending comes from the breath, not the muscles.
The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes
fire.” He punched out a stream of fire that dissipated between them. “Get it right this time.”

“Enough,” said Zuko. “I've been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set,” he
demanded. “I'm more than ready.”

“No. You are impatient. You have yet to master your basics,” he said as he sat back in his
chair. “Drill it again.”

Zuko growled and kicked fire at Jozan who tried to block it, but the force of the prince's blast
knocked him off his feet. Zuko turned back to Iroh. “The sages tell us that the Avatar is the
last airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the
four elements. I'll need more than basic firebending to defeat him. You will teach me the
advanced set!”

“A 'please' would be nice,” said Chiara.

Zuko scowled at her.

“Very well,” said Iroh. “But first I will eat some roast duck.” He took the bowl from Chiara
and began eating.

Zuko sighed and turned back to continue practicing the basics.

Every day the ship was drawing closer to the South Pole. It was early in the morning when
Chiara had spotted Zuko on the bow. She was worried about him. Ever since the bright flash
of light two days earlier, he spent all of his time sparring or standing on the upper deck or
bow staring out at the landscape scanning the area for any sign of the Avatar. He had slept
little the past two nights due to his obsession, and Chiara was sure the constant sunlight of the
polar summer added to his restlessness.

“You need to eat, Prince Zuko.” She was standing next to him holding a tray.

He was so engrossed in his search, he was surprised to see her with his breakfast.
“Oh...uh...yeah. I'll get to it.” He was clearly distracted as he continued his watch. When she
did not move, he glanced over at her. “Uh...thanks?” he said wondering if she was waiting for
some sign of his gratitude. She still stood there. “You can...you can leave it here. I'll eat in
a...”

“You'll eat now,” she said.

Tazah, overhearing her command to the prince, quickly disappeared from the deck. The
prince's mood over the past couple days had the crew jumpy. No one, save General Iroh, gave
Prince Zuko commands, and even that was extremely rare. Tazah did not want to be around
to hear him explode in a torrent of verbal assaults and threats at Chiara.

Her demanding tone drew Zuko's attention from his surveillance. He rarely heard her give
him orders, but when she did it was usually due to a missed meal or lack of sleep. He chose
not to argue with her but lifted a bowl from the tray. She placed the tray with fruit and his tea
on the deck before turning to return to the galley.

“This will all be gone before I get back,” she said. It was not a request.

Zuko reached out and gently grabbed her arm. Her eyes met his. “Thanks,” he said sincerely.

“I can't make you sleep, my prince, but I will make you eat.”

He turned back towards the bow to hide his smirk.

----------------------------------

Hours later, Zuko was still keeping watch on deck refusing to give up hope. He leaned
against the railing staring at the white mountains of the South Pole rising in the distance. The
land was unlike any other he had observed during his journey. He had seen the snow-capped
mountains of the Northern Earth Kingdom where the Northern Air Temple was located and
the Patola Mountain Range which was the home of the Southern Air Temple, but never
before had he seen land completely blanketed in white. The hills and mountains cast shadows
of bluish gray in the late morning sun which filled the sky with a soft, golden glow. The
brightness of it all was almost blinding. There was no array of color like in the gardens of the
Fire Nation. There were no ponds with turtle ducks and green lily pads where dragon frogs
reclined in the warm sunlight. The sun, though always present in the sky, was unable to warm
their skin.
He was sure the Avatar was close, and as soon as he found him he could leave this frigid
wasteland before him and return home. Suddenly, the flash of a bright light caught his eye
sending a quick jolt of excitement through him. He immediately stood up straight and
followed the light as it rose into the sky. Zuko immediately recognized it as a Fire Nation
flare. Now he was more puzzled than excited. He could not understand why there would be
another Fire Nation vessel nearby, and the anger started rising inside of him at the thought of
competition in his search. Looking through the telescope, he found the source of the flare—a
Fire Nation cruiser, similar to his own. It was old and clearly not on a recent mission from the
way it had been frozen in the ice. His ire at a possible rival dissipated, but his hope also sank
as he suspected it was just one of the natives that set off the flare from inside the ship. He was
about to back away from the telescope until he spotted something—or someone—jumping
down from the shipwreck. His eyes grew wide, and the feelings of hope and excitement
swelled inside him when he saw just how light-footed and airy that someone had hopped off
the wreck.

“The last airbender.” He knew it. He knew he was here. “Quite agile for his old age.” He
turned towards the crew. “Wake my uncle,” he ordered. “Tell him, I found the Avatar...” He
peered back through the telescope and followed his target as he ran across the snow covered
land. Moving the scope ahead, he spotted a small village. “...as well as his hiding place.”

-----------------------------------

Their vessel sailed towards a Water Tribe village while Zuko left the deck to prepare for his
confrontation with the Avatar. The news spread quickly throughout the ship with mixed
gossip, most believing it was just the wishful thinking of the prince and it would be another
fruitless endeavor amounting to nothing more than another week of beratings and extra duty
shifts, courtesy of His Royal Highness.

When word got to Chiara, she went to the main deck to watch as they approached the village.
Soon, Iroh was standing next to her, having been awakened from his nap on the prince's
orders.

“This is so different from the Northern Water Tribe,” she said softly, scanning the small
village. There was no ice fortress surrounded by a thriving city behind a large ice wall. It was
just a few simple structures in the snow. “I didn't realize there would be so few villagers.”

“The Southern Raiders,” said Iroh sadly. He, too, was appalled at the difference between the
two Tribes. “Years ago it was believed that there was one last waterbender in the Southern
Tribe. They were sent to attack the villages.”

Chiara was deeply saddened and disgusted to learn of the attack.

The ship decreased its speed as it sailed into the cove, but Chiara was worried that it was not
slow enough and appeared to be on a collision course with the little village.

“Are they not going to slow down?” she asked Iroh.

He turned to look up at the bridge. “I believe they may try to get as close to the village as
possible.”
“They can't do that!” she said angrily. “There's hardly anything to it. We can't destroy what
little they have.”

The ship's initial impact with the ice caused them to stumble on deck, but the hull continued
cutting through it, steadily heading towards the small community. Chiara was upset to see the
damage the vessel had done to the land, especially when it finally came to a stop and
destroyed part of the low wall that surrounded the village. She was about to make her
complaint known until the villagers gathering below caught her attention.

“There are no men,” she said softly, scanning the group. She could not take her eyes from the
women and children dressed in blue gaping up at the large metal monstrosity that just
smashed its way into their colony. “Would the Southern Raiders have killed all their men?”

“It's possible,” started Iroh as he thought of her own village, “but it's unlikely. For years now
there have been many attacks on Fire Nation ships from Water Tribesman between here and
the Earth Kingdom, probably in retaliation for the raids.”

Chiara's lip curled upon hearing that the Tribe fought back.

The bow of the ship dropped down into the village with a crash. Zuko, dressed in his armor,
began to disembark followed by six of his soldiers. Before he even stepped foot on the icy
land, a young teenage boy of the village wearing tribal warpaint ran towards him ready to
attack with his club. Chiara held her breath worried that Zuko might hurt him, but he merely
kicked away the boy's weapon and knocked him to the side into the snow. Zuko continued on
as if he merely swatted away an annoying squirrel fly. He approached the frightened looking
villagers scanning them for signs of an old man.

“Where are you hiding him?” he demanded.

The scared group remained silent. Zuko, losing patience, reached out grabbing an old woman
by her fur-lined hood. Chiara gasped and immediately turned with the intent to go into the
village, but Iroh grabbed her.

“You can't go down there,” he said as he worried about what she might do.

“But he can't treat these people this way,” she said sternly. “She's an old woman.”

“He'd be about this age, master of all elements?” they heard Zuko saying.

Chiara turned back to see him shove the woman back towards the others. She glared,
appalled by his treatment of the native, but her outrage only deepened when she saw him
angrily send out an arc of fire towards the group. Hearing them scream, her grip on the side
of the ship tightened. Iroh put his arm around her knowing she wanted to help them.

“I know you're hiding him!” said Zuko angrily.

Coming towards him, the young warrior charged him again raising the club in his hand, but
Zuko ducked. The teenager went flying over him before landing in the snow and immediately
dodging the fire that the prince threw at him. The warrior retaliated by throwing a boomerang
that nearly hit Zuko in the face.

“Show no fear!” yelled one of the younger children throwing the teenage warrior a spear.

He ran towards Zuko with the new weapon, but the prince merely broke it apart. Chiara
turned towards Iroh and leaned against him unable to watch anymore.

“Please don't let him kill anyone,” she said softly.

“Ooh, that must've hurt,” said Iroh.

Despite his little chuckle, Chiara tensed up. “What? What did he do?” she asked, not sure she
wanted to know.

“The young warrior's weapon just hit Prince Zuko in the back of the head.”

She looked back down at the village to see what was going on. “Is he all right?”

“It's a good thing he had his helmet on.”

Fire daggers lit up in Zuko's hand.

“There are no benders here,” said Chiara. “Does he have to threaten them with fire?”

“What is that?” asked Iroh in a low voice.

Chiara's eyes were drawn to the same object as Iroh's—a young boy on a penguin sliding
towards the villagers. He came skidding to a stop in the snow to the cheers of the young
children. Zuko and his soldiers surrounded the boy who was armed only with a staff. Chiara
held her breath wondering if they would attack someone so young. Before they could get
much closer to him, he waved his staff and snow went flying towards the men in a way that
did not look natural. Chiara's eyes grew wide with excitement.

“He's an airbender,” she whispered to Iroh. “Look at his tattoo! Prince Zuko really did find
the Avatar.” Amid her excitement she suddenly felt confused. “But how can he be so young?”

“Looking for me?” said the Avatar to Zuko.

“You're the airbender?” asked Zuko deeply. “You're the Avatar?” They began circling each
other. “I've spent years preparing for this encounter: training, meditating. You're just a child.”

The Avatar cocked his head. “Well, you're just a teenager.”

Zuko scowled at him before launching several fire blasts. Chiara moved again to go towards
them, but Iroh kept hold of her.

“You cannot get involved,” he said softly.

She stood tense, tempted to draw up ice to freeze them all in their place. She was relieved to
see that the Avatar was able to block Zuko's attacks, though he looked nervous and did so a
bit clumsily since a few of the flames flew past him and too close to the villagers who
cowered away from them. When the Avatar realized the threat their fight posed to the
spectators, he stopped and looked at Zuko.

“If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?” he asked.

Zuko stood up from his attack stance and nodded. His soldiers surrounded the Avatar and
took his staff before taking him aboard the ship.

“Head a course to the Fire Nation,” yelled Zuko as he ascended the ramp. “I'm going home.”

---------------------------------

They led the Avatar to the main deck where Iroh and Chiara approached them. She was
worried about the young boy standing there with his hands tied behind him.

“This staff will make an excellent gift for my father,” said Zuko as he looked over it. “I
suppose you wouldn't know of fathers, being raised by monks.” He focused on the boy. “Take
the Avatar to the prison hold,” he ordered his men.

Chiara made a move towards them, but Iroh held her back.

“And take this to my quarters,” said Zuko holding the staff out to Iroh before turning to leave
the deck.

Iroh took the staff and held it out to another soldier. “Hey, you mind taking this to his
quarters for me?” He looked at Chiara. “I'm going to take a nap. You should get some rest
too.”

“This is wrong,” she said softly as they walked. “He's the last of his kind, and he's the
Avatar.”

“Zuko is determined to do this,” he said. “There's nothing we can do right now.”

Chiara started slowly walking towards her room, her head filled with worried and anxious
thoughts. Images of the young boy chained in the prison hold flashed through her mind. She
did not think it would hurt if she went to the brig to keep him company and see to his
comfort. She would also ensure that he was not mistreated. Going below deck, she heard a
commotion, but she continued walking down the hall. Suddenly, the Avatar turned the corner
ahead and ran towards her with his hands still tied behind his back.

“Avatar,” she said softly, holding her hands out towards him hoping he would slow down.

He was unsure whether or not to trust her, but he stopped.

“I'm honored to meet you.” She bowed to him Fire Nation style.

His big gray eyes stared at her surprised by her respectful greeting.
“Please let me help you,” she said. “Turn around.”

Something about her reminded him of his new friend Katara, and he did as she directed.
Pulling out her knife, she cut the rope binding his hands.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked her as he turned to face her.

“The war has been devastating to the Nations, and the world needs you.”

She could see worry in his eyes.

“I don't know how I'm going to help,” he said sadly.

“You're the Avatar. Only you can bring back the balance the world needs.”

Her faith in him made his countenance brighten.

“I need to find my staff,” he said.

“I know where it is.”

“Who are you?” he asked as he walked by her side.

“I'm Chiara.”

“Hi, Chiara, I'm Aang.”

The door to Zuko's quarters was open when they approached it. “My staff!” said Aang
spotting it in the room.

He ran inside where the door shut behind him.

“It looks like I underestimated you,” came Zuko's voice.

Chiara opened the door just as Zuko threw a fire blast at Aang.

She ran in behind the prince placing her hand on his arm. “Please don't hurt him,” she
begged.

“Stay out of this, Chiara,” he said shrugging her off.

He continued attacking the Avatar who jumped around evading his fire blasts.

Chiara, not knowing how else to help Aang, fell to her knees at Zuko's feet bowing her head
down. “I beg you, Prince Zuko, take me as prisoner instead.”

He gaped at her kneeling at his feet with her face to the floor, and he lost his concentration,
his attack stance relaxing. “I-I don't want you as a prisoner.”

“Then take my life if it will save his.”

With Zuko's temporary ceasefire, Aang stared wide-eyed at Chiara, amazed to hear her offer
her life for his own. Even Zuko was stunned to see her at his feet offering her life for the
Avatar.

“Your life will not restore my honor,” he said deeply.

He immediately attacked the Avatar again, but Aang dodged his fire. Chiara, desperate to
protect the world's hope for peace, jumped up and stood in front of him shielding him from
Zuko who quickly dissolved a flame that nearly hit her. If it were not for his frustration over
her interference, he would have been more impressed by her complete trust in his firebending
since she did not even flinch at the burst of fire that nearly struck her heart.

“Move, Chiara!” he demanded.

“You already have him as a prisoner,” she argued. “I won't let you hurt him too.”

He held up a ball of fire threatening to attack, but he held back. “Move!”

She held her ground, so Zuko angrily threw the fire blast. It crashed into the wall next to
them.

“Move!!” he yelled.

She refused to stand down. “Stop throwing fire at him!” she demanded.

He narrowed his eyes at her and produced another, even brighter flame. “I...said...move.” He
did not yell, but his voice was deep and threatening and rumbled with anger.

As soon as Zuko launched his missile, Aang wrapped his arms around Chiara creating a small
whirlwind as he spun her around protecting both of them from the fire blast that would have
hit the wall again, though much closer than the last. Zuko was already raging inside as he
witnessed Chiara side with the Avatar against him, but his fury seemed to expand even
further upon seeing the Avatar touch her.

Aang released Chiara whose head spun a little after the dizzying, and unexpected, airbending
move.

The airbender quickly hopped towards the door. “Hey! Catch me if you can!”

He took off like the wind hoping Zuko would pursue him and not hurt Chiara. The prince
scowled at the now empty doorway.

“I won't forget this,” he growled deeply at Chiara before running past her.

He followed the Avatar up to the bridge where he saw him leaping from the upper deck. He
ran through the bridge and jumped over the railing grabbing hold of Aang's ankle pulling him
down until they both tumbled across the lower deck. Zuko glared at the Avatar as he slowly
stood up assuming an attack stance.
A deep growl coming from the sky drew their attention. Something large and furry was flying
towards them.

“What is that?” asked Zuko, his eyes wide in wonder as he gazed at the large creature.

“Appa!” said Aang excitedly.

Taking advantage of the Avatar's distraction, Zuko sent a stream of fire at him, but he spun
his staff deflecting the flames as he floated into the air. When he landed again on the deck,
Zuko did not relent in his fiery attacks. Chiara made it to the main deck just as one of Zuko's
fire blasts knocked Aang overboard. She ran to the edge of the ship where he had fallen, and
when she saw him hit the water she pulled off her coat and started to climb the side in order
to jump in after him. Zuko quickly grabbed her and pulled her back.

“What are you doing?!” he asked holding onto her.

“He'll drown,” she said.

“And so will you.”

“I can do it,” she insisted.

She was trying to pull away from him, but he would not let go of her. “The water's too cold;
you'll freeze.”

“I have to get him,” she said still struggling against his grip.

“Chiara, you're not going in there,” he said sternly pulling her away from the side.

“Prince Zuko, you can't let him drown...”

“I won't let you drown.”

“But I can get him...”

From the sky a young girl's voice was calling Aang's name, and while Zuko and Chiara were
still arguing, a water funnel rose from the sea high above the ship like the large tentacle of a
kraken. Zuko moved Chiara behind him to protect her as the waterspout bent over the ship
depositing Aang onto the deck in front of them. His eyes and his tattoos were glowing white
and he looked terrifying. Chiara was awed by Aang's waterbending and watched intently as
he began swirling the water around him. Suddenly, he sent it out in all directions knocking
down the soldiers and Chiara and sending Zuko over the edge of the ship.

“Prince Zuko!” cried Chiara who jumped up and ran to the edge ready to dive in after him.

She was relieved to see him holding onto the anchor chain. As he was climbing up the chain,
the sky bison landed on the deck where the two Water Tribe teens were busy rescuing Aang.
As Zuko climbed higher, Chiara reached down and grabbed his hand and was struggling to
pull him up just as Iroh had stepped out onto the deck. He was surprised to see the large sky
bison on the ship, and he rubbed his eyes as he watched it take off into the air. Seeing Chiara
struggling to help Zuko, he ran over to help. By the time Zuko was back on deck, Appa was
flying away. Chiara stared bright-eyed at the massive furry bison she had been hoping to see
at the air temples.

“Shoot them down!” ordered Zuko.

“You can't,” she said.

Both Zuko and Iroh moved to attack Appa by sending fire charges towards him, but Aang
deflected their blasts sending them into the ice wall next to the ship. An avalanche of ice
began to fall towards the bow threatening to crush anyone underneath. Chiara quickly
grabbed Zuko's and Iroh's arms pulling them back as the ice came crashing to the deck
covering the front of the ship leaving it stuck.

“Good news for the Fire Lord,” said Iroh. “The Fire Nation's greatest threat is just a little
kid.”

Zuko turned to him. “That kid, Uncle, just did this. I won't underestimate him again. Dig this
ship out and follow them,” he ordered his men. It was after his order that he realized three of
the firebenders were busy working to thaw out three of his soldiers frozen in ice. “As soon as
you're done with that,” he amended. He turned to Chiara glaring at her. “And you should be
sent to the prison hold in his place,” he said angrily.

“I offered to do so earlier and you refused.”

“Because I need the Avatar, and you helped him escape! You're confined to your quarters
indefinitely!”

“The Avatar did nothing wrong,” she argued. “He didn't deserve to be attacked.”

“Go to your quarters before I have you taken to the brig!” he yelled.

All of the crewmembers who witnessed their argument were astonished to hear Zuko threaten
Chiara as none of them had ever heard him do so during their time at sea. Besides Iroh, she
was the only one who ever dared approach Zuko when he was angry, and it seemed to the
crew that she was the only one who could soften his heart when it seemed hardest. Iroh was
also astonished by their argument. He had not heard them argue since Chiara first came
aboard, and he wondered what more had happened while he was napping.

Chiara picked up her coat from the deck.

“Too bad you don't have a waterbender to help with that frozen water,” she snapped.

“GO!!” yelled Zuko, angrily pointing towards the tower.

As she left the deck, Iroh smiled and started chuckling.

“What are you laughing at, Uncle?”

“She's right, Prince Zuko. Too bad we don't have a waterbender.”

Zuko scowled at him not understanding why his uncle found it so funny. He turned to go to
his quarters, but one of his soldiers approached him.

“Prince Zuko sir, Chiara didn't help the Avatar escape. He sent a blast of air towards us...”

“She let him escape from my quarters,” he said deeply.

Uzo knew better than to say anymore about it to him. Zuko went to his quarters to plan his
next move. As he lay on his bed thinking about the events of the day, he was full of mixed
emotions. He was filled with excitement that after two years he had finally accomplished
what his ancestors never could, even his own father. And despite his anger over the lost
opportunity, he was feeling hopeful that he would find the Avatar again.

Through all his mixed feelings over his struggles and accomplishments, his mind drifted to
Chiara. He could not get rid of the image of her kneeling at his feet offering her life for the
Avatar. He struggled to understand why she would give her own life for a stranger even ready
to jump over the side of the ship to help him, and he could not help feeling jealous over her
protectiveness of the Avatar. But he also remembered that she did not hesitate to help him
when he had fallen over the side even after he had threatened to firebend at her in his room.
And though he had no intention of following through with his threat to her, he had never
before threatened her with fire out of anger. He felt betrayed by her actions, yet impressed by
her concern, and he was not sure what to do about her.

--------------------------------

While the crew was still busy trying to break the ship out of the ice, Iroh went to Chiara's
cabin and knocked on the door. She opened it to see him holding a tray.

“I brought you some tea,” he said.

She stepped aside and he entered. They sat on her cot where he placed the tray between them
before pouring their tea.

“You helped the Avatar escape?” he asked wanting to hear her side of the story.

“I...I didn't mean to,” she said holding her cup with both hands. “But Prince Zuko was
firebending at him. He's just a child, and I didn't want him to hurt him.”

“I see.” He took a sip of his tea. He understood her motherly nature and her desire to protect
the young boy.

“The Fire Lord never expected him to find the Avatar,” she said, still unable to drink her tea.
“Do you really believe he'll take Prince Zuko back?”

“It doesn't matter what you or I believe. It only matters what Zuko believes.”

Though he did not directly answer her question, it was clear to her what his answer would be.

“I love Prince Zuko,” she said softly to Iroh's surprise. “More than I want to and more than I
can ever let him know.” Tears flowed down her cheeks as she stared blankly at the floor. Iroh
always knew she cared for his nephew, but he never realized how she truly felt about him. “I
would give my life to protect him,” she continued. “But I don't want him to become like the
Fire Lord. If he takes Aang back to the Fire Nation, this war will never end. The world needs
the Avatar.”

“You've always been a wise child, Chiara.”

“And what good is wisdom if it goes unheeded.”

It broke his heart to hear the hopelessness in her voice. “Don't be so discouraged,” he said.
“After all, that the Avatar has returned is a sign of hope.” He lifted his cups to his lips. “And
that we are not at this time taking him back to the Fire Nation—I'm sure you must see that as
something good,” he added softly.

She looked up to see the twinkle in his eyes, and she gave him the smallest smile before
taking a sip of her tea.

“I can't believe he's so young,” she said still in awe that the Avatar had been found and that
he was only a child. “He should be over a hundred years old.”

“Yes, it certainly is a mystery.”

They continued sipping their tea both dwelling on the day's events.

“You know,” he started, “some of the crew spoke of a waterbender...”

She looked at him. “It wasn't me,” she whispered. “I promise I didn't...”

“It's okay, Chiara,” he interrupted raising his hand. “I know it wasn't you. The young Water
Tribe girl that helped the Avatar was a waterbender.”

Her eyes grew wide. “Really?”

He nodded.

“The Southern Raiders failed,” she said.

Iroh smiled and nodded.

-----------------------------------

After the ship had finally been freed from the ice, they were underway to the shipyard for
repairs. Iroh found Zuko standing on the upper deck as they sailed away from the South Pole.

“I did it, Uncle,” said Zuko softly. “I found the Avatar.”

“Yes, you did, Nephew. I'm quite proud of you.”

Zuko's lip curled at his uncle's praise. “And once we get the ship repaired, I'll find him again.
I knew it was my destiny. Then I can return home and Father will be proud of me too.”
Iroh closed his eyes, silently sighing to himself. “You know, Prince Zuko, you succeeded
where your ancestors failed. You are not like them. I believe there is something much better
in your future.”

“Anything's better than being stuck at sea for over two years.”

They stared out at the endless expanse before them.

“Are you really confining Chiara to her quarters indefinitely?” Iroh asked him.

He narrowed his eyes, his heart still stinging from her actions. “She threw away my chance to
return home with the Avatar. She knows how long I've been searching for him and she helped
him escape. She betrayed me,” he said deeply.

“She's on your side more than you know, Prince Zuko.”

“By helping him escape after years of searching for him?” he said, his voice rising. “How is
that being on my side?”

“According to her, she was merely trying to protect him from harm,” said Iroh. “After all,
you were firebending at a child.”

Zuko did not want to feel ashamed for what he had done. “He's the Avatar. Of course, I used
firebending. It's not like he wasn't defending himself,” he said, trying to justify his actions.
“He didn't need her to jump in there with him, but she did it anyways and allowed him to
escape.”

“Chiara has experienced the effects of the war, Prince Zuko. She lost her entire family. Even
the death of Lu Ten affected her more deeply than I thought possible. She doesn't want to lose
you too.”

“But I won't be lost. My honor will be restored.”

“To Chiara you never lost your honor,” said Iroh.

“My honor comes from my father...”

“Your honor comes from you, from your choices, from your actions,” he said, his voice rising
slightly from its usual calm tone. “Your father's intention is to continue the war to conquer
the other Nations. The Avatar could bring an end to this war.”

Zuko stood silent for a few seconds contemplating his uncle's words. “Then I choose my
father.” He walked off leaving Iroh alone.

That night was the first night Zuko ate dinner alone in his quarters since the beginning of
their voyage.
 Honorable Victory

While the ship continued its slow journey towards the shipyard, the absence of Chiara's
presence bothered Zuko more and more. He tried not to think about the emptiness of the main
deck where he would watch her work or stare out at the sea while her hair flowed gently
around her, or how lonely the upper deck seemed in the evenings when the stars began
appearing again and there was no one to share it with. There was only so much meditating
and course planning he could do, and he did not realize how much spare time he had when
there were no card games or Pai Sho to keep him distracted, or even sparring with swords on
the deck, an activity no one else on the ship would practice with him, save Chiara.

She obediently never left her quarters, and she spent her time stretching and exercising,
meditating, waterbending, and doing any sewing that Iroh brought to her. He also brought her
meals since she would not leave even to eat in the mess hall. In the evenings, he would
always bring his own dinner and they would eat together, something that bothered the prince
as he picked at his meals by himself in his room below.

“You should go outside, Chiara,” said Iroh as they ate their dinner on the floor of her cabin.
“I doubt Zuko will say much about it.”

It had always been clear to her since their trip began how little the crew respected the prince
due to his ill temper and obsession over his mission. She refused to do anything that might
cause even more tension between them. “If I disobey his order, it'll make him look weak in
front of the crew.”

“Maybe not as much as you think. Being a beautiful, young woman, I think that's a weakness
any one of the crew would succumb to,” he said with a little smirk.

She raised her eyebrows, surprised and unamused by his implication. “That's going to get me
locked up below deck.”

Iroh chuckled. “Well, the crew also sees you more as his family than his subordinate, so you
can get away with it.”

She stared down at her teacup. “I don't want to upset Prince Zuko.”

“You'll really stay confined here for as long as we're at sea?” he asked.

“If that's what he wishes.”

“You could go out late at night when he's in bed,” he suggested softly.

She smiled at his suggestion, but she shook her head. “I won't disobey his order. It's his ship;
if he confines me to my quarters or even the brig, he's within his rights to do so.”

Iroh was frustrated by her obstinacy, but impressed by her obedience.

With the increasingly warmer temperatures as they sailed north of the South Pole, the crew
gathered outside on deck for music night. Zuko stood out on the upper deck to watch as he
often did, but he was disappointed that Chiara was not singing or playing. He was sure she
would have left her cabin to join the group. He did not stand on deck listening for long.
Without Chiara's sweet voice or the sound of her erhu, the music sounded empty to him and
he went to the bridge where he busied himself over the maps.

Later that evening long after the music had ended, Zuko returned to the upper deck where he
gazed at the constellations he and Chiara would point out together. His heart gave a little start
when he heard the door to the bridge open. The familiar footsteps were not the light, almost
silent ones, he was hoping for, but the heavier steps of his uncle who joined him at the rail
staring up at the stars that had been temporarily absent at the pole.

“Chiara didn't play tonight?” Zuko asked, breaking the silence.

“You ordered her confined to her room,” said Iroh simply. “She refuses to leave her
imprisonment.”

“I didn't think she'd miss music night,” he said softly.

“She won't disobey your order, Prince Zuko.”

Though he missed her presence, it did not stop the wound of her betrayal from stinging. “I
wish she wouldn't have disobeyed my order to move when I had the Avatar,” he said with a
hint of bitterness he could not keep out of his voice.

“Did you really expect her to allow you to attack the Avatar?”

“It's not like I was going to...to kill him.”

“So you were only going to severely burn the young boy?” asked Iroh wanting him to give
serious consideration to his actions and intentions.

Zuko's hand unconsciously rose to his left eye. “I...I just want to go home,” he said, his voice
soft yet filled with longing.

“Even if it means imprisoning a child?” Iroh knew he was walking a thin line. He did not
want Zuko to feel isolated or abandoned, but he wanted his nephew to know he would always
be there with him if he considered other options.

“What difference does it make if he's a young kid or an old man?” he asked, trying to keep
his voice from rising. “Father wants me to capture the Avatar and I'm going to do it no matter
what it takes. And I'm not going to let Chiara stand in my way again.”

“She has a deep appreciation for life, Nephew,” said Iroh. “She serves others and places
herself last. She's not one to seek revenge or hurt anyone without cause, but she can be
fiercely protective of those she cares about. You've seen how she defended me at the Western
Air Temple. And she's quite protective of you as well.”

Zuko looked over at him. “What do you mean?”

“She's refused to disobey your order because she will not undermine your authority in front
of the crew.”

Zuko wanted to stay angry with her, at least for a while longer, but her constant concern for
him made it difficult.

The next morning, Zuko's breakfast had been served by one of the crew just as it had been
every day since he confined Chiara to her room indefinitely. Every morning for over two
years, he woke up in his cabin at sea instead of in his bedroom at the palace back in the Fire
Nation. Every morning he was immediately reminded of his banishment. But every morning
the first ray of the sun that shone through the darkness of his night was Chiara greeting him
with his breakfast. The crewman serving his breakfast brought him no sunlight. And dinner
would be worse. He knelt at the table and stared at his bowl of gruel. He knew what he had to
do, so he quickly ate his breakfast and left his room.

Standing outside Chiara's cabin door, he took a deep breath and knocked.

“Come in,” he heard her soft voice say.

He opened her door and stepped inside her room. Even after two years the cabin was as
simple as it was when they first set sail. He spotted her leaning against the wall gazing out
the red-tinted window. Only for a moment did she glance towards the door to see who walked
in before quietly resuming her watch. She said nothing, but suspected she was about to be
verbally chastised.

“The view from deck is better,” he said.

It was not the verbal chastisement she expected.

“I remember,” she answered softly.

They were both silent for a few seconds, Chiara not knowing what to say, and Zuko not
knowing how to say what he wanted.

“I...I miss you at dinner,” he finally said, breaking the awkward silence.

She turned towards him. “I miss you too,” she replied.

He closed his eyes. He could not look at her as he spoke what had been hurting him for days.
“I feel like you betrayed me, Chiara.”

She could hear the pain in his voice, and it broke her heart. She cared too deeply for him to
ever intentionally hurt him.

“Over two years I searched for the Avatar,” he continued, his eyes now focused on hers, “and
as soon as I had him, you helped him get away.”

“It wasn't my intention to betray you,” she said sincerely. “I am my prince's loyal subject.”
There was a fluttery feeling in his chest brought on by those words spoken in her sweet voice,
and he tried not to think about it.

“But...but you were willing to give your life for him,” he said, his jealousy escaping in his
tone.

“My life is nothing,” she said to his surprise. “He is the Avatar...”

He took a step closer to her. “Your life is not nothing.” His voice carried a bit more anger
than he intended.

“But the Avatar's meant to bring balance to the Nations. You and the General mean the world
to me and this war isn't worth losing you.”

Zuko softly sighed. “I know you lost your family because of the war, but if I regain my
honor, I'll be Fire Lord one day; then I can change the world for the better.”

“By then the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes will look like the Air Temples.”

“You won't win this, Chiara. I will get the Avatar and I will regain my honor.”

“You never lost your honor.”

He turned his back to her. “I don't expect you to understand. You're not the son of the Fire
Lord; you're not the one who's been banished.”

“No, I'm not,” she said, stepping towards him. “My blood relatives' bones are lying in a pile
of ash long since washed away by the rain. You believe you lost your honor, but I lost my
family to this war. I lost Lu Ten. How many more men, women, and children will die because
the Avatar will be imprisoned in the Fire Nation?”

Zuko looked down not knowing how to counter her argument.

“I never meant to hurt you, Prince Zuko. Honestly, I didn't intend to help him get away; I
didn't want you to hurt him...he's just a child...like the children at the air temples,” she added
softly.

Zuko stood silent for a minute as memories of her holding the infant skull flashed through his
mind. The hurt, anger, and thoughts of betrayal seemed to evaporate and he turned back to
her.

“I don't like fighting against you,” he said. “Will...will you have dinner with me?”

She nodded. “I will.”

“You're released from your confinement. I only said it out of anger.”

“I know.”

He held the door open. “You should go up on deck and get some fresh air.”
She walked by him and they both went up on deck together.

--------------------------------------

That evening when Chiara arrived at his quarters with dinner, she had an extra plate on the
tray. He took the tray from her and set it on the table, and she set the plate before him.

“I made these for you,” she said.

He lifted the towel and saw cookies underneath.

His face brightened. He had really missed her. “They look good.”

She knelt down across from him. “Do you have any ideas why the Avatar is so young?” she
asked.

He looked at her as if lost in thought and then slowly shook his head. “I don't understand it.
He should be over a hundred years old.”

She had been anxious to talk to him about the Avatar and was relieved they were able to
discuss it without him being angry. “He had the tattoos of an airbending master, and he
seemed to rely mostly on his airbending.”

Zuko nodded. “I noticed that too. He's definitely an Air Nomad,” he said. “And when he was
glowing...that must've been the Avatar State.”

“Even his tattoos were glowing.” There was a slight tone of awe in her voice.

“That's the only time I saw him waterbend,” said Zuko. “I bet he doesn't even know how to
bend the other elements.”

“That means he needs to find a waterbending master first,” she said softly, briefly imagining
herself training the Avatar before her mind drifted to the Northern Water Tribe.

“The North Pole,” he said.

She looked up at him. “What?”

“He'll have to go to the Northern Water Tribe for a master,” he said.

She gently nodded and they continued eating while discussing the Avatar.

When they finished dinner, she straightened up his cabin while he meditated. At first glance,
it appeared to be clean until she discovered a few small piles of dirty laundry hidden around
the room. She collected them into one pile and then refolded clothes that had been carelessly
put away. Zuko realized the hasty cleanup he did before she came for dinner was not good
enough. He did not expect her to put herself to work this evening, which led to his inadequate
attempt at cleaning, in other words, shoving stuff out of sight, but it was a routine to which he
had become accustomed. He found her presence comforting while he meditated, and her
absence had been unnerving. As usual, when she finished tackling his room, she sat and
quietly reread a few of his scrolls about the Avatar State.

When they finally arrived at Ketu Harbor to get the ship repaired, Iroh, Zuko, and Chiara
stepped onto the dock. Chiara had her hand on Iroh's upper right arm just as she always did
whenever they walked through the ports or marketplaces together. He never allowed her off
the ship without an escort, and he preferred to keep her close to himself or Zuko.

Zuko, anxious to get back to sea, walked ahead of them. “Uncle, I want the repairs made as
quickly as possible. I don't want to stay too long and risk losing his trail.”

“You mean the Avatar...,” started Iroh.

Zuko rounded on him putting his face in Iroh's as they all came to an abrupt stop. “Don't
mention his name on these docks,” he hissed. “Once word gets out that he's alive, every
firebender will be out looking for him, and I don't want anyone getting in the way.”

“Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?” came another voice.

Zuko and Iroh turned wide-eyed towards the tall man approaching them.

After his initial shock at encountering the unexpected officer, Zuko crossed his arms looking
quite annoyed at his presence. “Captain Zhao,” he said.

Chiara wanted to laugh hearing the eyeroll in his voice as he spoke Zhao's name, and she
wondered what might have led Zuko to dislike the man so much.

“It's commander now,” Zhao corrected him deeply, but not without arrogance. He looked
down at Iroh. “And General Iroh,” he said bowing slightly to him, “great hero of our Nation.”

“Retired general,” said Iroh pleasantly, returning the bow.

Zhao's eyes were drawn to Chiara on Iroh's arm. Her waist length curls black as coal
glistened in the sunlight, and he followed them up to her sweet face and sea-green eyes. He
was quite curious as to the identity of such a beautiful and regal looking girl at Iroh's side.

“And who is this?”

“This is my daughter, Lady Chiara,” said Iroh.

Zhao's eyes lit up like a predator spotting its prey when the older prince identified her as his
daughter. She bowed respectfully to him, but she did not speak; Zhao, however, did not return
the greeting but merely nodded his head towards her.

“I heard you had a daughter,” said Zhao as he gazed at her. “But I wasn't aware of her
exquisite beauty.”

His mind filled with plans of a powerful union with the royal family, and the look he was
giving her made her feel uncomfortable. Zuko took notice of Zhao's leering, and the prince
instantly felt heated and tense.

“Yes, she is quite beautiful,” said Iroh lightly as he gently patted her hand resting on his arm.

“How old if I may ask?”

“She is fifteen.”

“The age of promise,” breathed Zhao feeling as if fate had him destined for even greater
things, and the covetousness in his eyes caused Chiara to cling to Iroh a bit more.

Zuko was ready to lose his temper and yell out at Zhao.

“As a father I'm not ready to give up such a priceless treasure,” said Iroh calmly as he placed
his hand over Chiara's.

“You'll have to let go of her one day,” Zhao deviously smiled. “And I'm sure you want her to
be attached to a powerful husband.”

“Uncle, you can't!” blurted Zuko unable to hold back any longer.

Zhao looked at him taken aback by his sudden exclamation, but he composed himself.
“Surely you're not jealous, Prince Zuko,” he said silkily. “After all, she is your cousin.”

“She's not my cousin,” he said deeply.

Zhao looked at Iroh.

“Prince Zuko is technically correct,” said Iroh before Zhao could question him. “I adopted
Chiara many years ago. They are no blood relation.”

“I see,” said Zhao feeling a bit disappointed.

“And I find it best not to dwell so much on the future,” continued Iroh. “For now, Chiara
serves her purpose by my side.”

“Well, the Fire Lord's brother, niece, and son are welcome guests anytime,” said Zhao. “What
brings you to my harbor?”

“Our ship is being repaired,” said Iroh gesturing towards the damaged vessel.

Zhao was astonished when he took in the mangled bow. “That's quite a bit of damage.”

“Yes,” said Zuko awkwardly. “You wouldn't believe what happened.” He expected his uncle
to join in with an explanation that was not Avatar-related, but Iroh merely stood there
seemingly aloof to the conversation. “Uncle! Tell Commander Zhao what happened.”

Iroh was not expecting to be put on the spot. “Yes, I will do that. It was incredible...” He
leaned towards Zuko. “What, did we crash or something?” he asked from the corner of his
mouth.
“Uh, yes,” said Zuko. “Right into an Earth Kingdom ship.”

Chiara wanted to roll her eyes at them. After all, the prince is traveling the world on a
mission to find the Avatar, so coming into contact with an iceberg would not have been as
suspicious as crashing into an Earth Kingdom ship.

Zhao looked unconvinced.

“Really?” he asked skeptically. “You must regale me with all the thrilling details. Join me for
a drink?”

“Sorry,” said Zuko turning away from Zhao, “but we have to go.” He pulled Chiara away
from Iroh.

“Prince Zuko,” said Iroh placing his hand on his shoulder to stop him, “show Commander
Zhao your respect.” Iroh looked at Zhao. “We will be honored to join you. Do you have any
ginseng tea?” he asked as he walked by him. “It's my favorite.”

Zhao followed him. Zuko narrowed his eyes at the thought of spending any more time in
Zhao's presence. He growled, and flames shot from his fists. Chiara regretted ever leaving the
ship. She would have preferred to sit in the brig rather than sit at tea with the commander, but
she placed a comforting hand on Zuko's back. He took her hand and placed it on his upper
arm keeping her close to him, and they reluctantly followed Iroh.

----------------------------------

“Please sit,” said Zhao when they entered his tent.

There was a small table with four chairs where the four of them sat. Zuko kept Chiara in
between him and his uncle.

“Prince Zuko, it's been a long time since I last saw you,” said Zhao.

Zuko said nothing, but his body stiffened in his chair as he remembered exactly when the
man last saw him.

“It seems your...injury healed quite well...a little too well considering the circumstances.” His
brow furrowed as he studied the scar he had taken a perverse pleasure in seeing him receive.
“I would've expected it to be much larger and...”

“About that tea,” interrupted Iroh who did not want Zuko to snap at Zhao, nor did he want
any suspicion of Chiara's origin.

“Of course,” said the commander standing up to request the tea.

While they waited, Zhao started explaining future plans for the war. Chiara was already
disgusted by the conversation before the tea arrived, and she had stopped drinking after the
first sip which did not go unnoticed by Zuko. It took every ounce of patience and energy for
her to remain in the room as the commander continued droning on about conquering the
world.
Iroh's only interest was the tea. Nearly falling asleep during Zhao's long-winded speech, he
stood up and feigned interest in a weapons display just to stay awake.

“...and by year's end,” continued Zhao, “the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule.
The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war.”

Zuko was unmoved by his windbag presentation. “If my father thinks the rest of the world
will follow him willingly, then he is a fool.”

Zhao took advantage of Iroh's empty chair and seated himself next to Chiara.

“Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue,” he said looking over at Zuko who
was taking slow, deep breaths to keep from losing his temper even further.

Fury raged through Chiara at Zhao's arrogant and pompous display as well as his
condescending attitude towards her prince.

“So,” continued Zhao, “how's your search for the Avatar going?”

The weapons behind them crashed to the floor drawing Zhao's attention.

“Uh...my fault entirely,” said Iroh apologetically.

“We haven't found him yet,” said Zuko.

“Did you really expect to?” asked Zhao. “The Avatar died a hundred years ago along with the
rest of the airbenders.” He studied Zuko's expression. “...unless you found some evidence that
the Avatar is alive?”

“No,” said Zuko averting his eyes. “Nothing.”

“Prince Zuko,” said Zhao standing up, “the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire
Nation from winning this war.” He leaned down towards the prince. “If you have an ounce of
loyalty left, you'll tell me what you found.”

Chiara bit her tongue wanting to snap at Zhao, but she remembered Iroh's words to her at the
Western Air Temple, and though not concerned about herself, she worried it would not be
good for Zuko or Iroh if she spoke her mind.

“I haven't found anything,” said Zuko. “It's like you said, the Avatar probably died a long
time ago.”

“What about you, Lady Chiara?” asked Zhao standing before her. “Have you seen anything
concerning the Avatar?” His voice lacked the hardness with which he spoke to Zuko as if a
more charming tone might coax her into giving him information.

Zuko tensed up at first, worried about what she might tell him, but then he trusted that Chiara
would never betray the Avatar to Zhao.

“I've seen the bones and ashes of the Air Nomads,” she said as calmly as she could.
A smile grew across Zhao's face. “Yes, a testament to the great Fire Nation's victory.”

“Please enlighten me, Commander, but what is victorious about slaughtering old men,
women, and children?” she dared to ask him.

Zuko's lip curled slightly, proud to hear her stand up to Zhao, but he held his breath when he
saw the commander's smile fade.

“Why don't you ask your father, the Dragon of the West?” said Zhao deeply.

Iroh turned towards them. “There is no victory in such senseless slaughter,” he said softly.

“It seems you've softened in your retirement,” said Zhao.

“Or grew wiser,” said Chiara.

Both Iroh and Zuko were impressed by her response.

Zhao glared at her. “What would you know of war? You're just a girl. Your expertise lies in
trying to attract the eyes of men.”

She took offense at his presumption. “I know war destroys lives and families.”

He laughed arrogantly. “When the Fire Nation conquers the world, you will have your
pacifist society. There will be no more war.”

Chiara wanted to snap back at him, but Zuko, not forgetting Iroh's warning to her at the air
temple and not wanting her to suffer any punishment, stood up and pulled her to her feet
before she could reply to Zhao. “Come on, Uncle, we're going,” he ordered while pulling her
along with him.

As he was about to exit the tent with Chiara in tow, two guards crossed their spears stopping
them while a third approached the commander.

“Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirm that Prince
Zuko had the Avatar in custody but let him escape.”

Zuko was frustrated with his luck.

“Now, remind me,” said Zhao standing over him, “how exactly was your ship damaged?”

"It was ice," growled Zuko.

They were forced back into the room where they sat down under guard while Zhao received a
more detailed report from his men. When he returned, he stood before Zuko.

“Now tell me exactly what happened,” he demanded.

“I found the Avatar in a Water Tribe village,” said Zuko simply. “I took him prisoner, but he
managed to escape.”
Zhao scowled at the prince's lack of detail. He paced in front of them. “So a twelve year old
boy bested you and your firebenders. You're more pathetic than I thought.”

“I underestimated him once,” said Zuko. “But it will not happen again.”

“No, it will not,” said Zhao. Zuko and Chiara both looked up at him. “Because you won't
have a second chance.”

“Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for two years and I...”

“And you failed!” yelled Zhao sending a wave of fire in front of them. “Capturing the Avatar
is too important to leave in a teenager's hands. He's mine now.”

Zuko growled as he started to leap at Zhao, and Chiara jumped up ready to stop him or
protect him if necessary, but he was held back by Zhao's guards. Another guard grabbed
Chiara believing she was going to attack the commander as well. Zuko was ready to spit fire
when he saw her being restrained.

“Get your hands off her!” he yelled deeply trying to pull away from the guards holding him.

Zhao nodded his head towards the one holding Chiara as he did not perceive her as a threat.
The guard released her.

“Keep them here,” said Zhao before walking out.

Zuko, still restrained by the guards, angrily kicked over the table sending the teapot flying.

“More tea, please,” said Iroh who calmly remained seated during the argument.

-------------------------------------

Another pot of tea had been served to Iroh's delight, but Chiara refused to touch it. When
Zhao returned to his tent, the three of them were sitting quietly, guarded but unrestrained.

“My search party is ready,” he said. “Once I'm out to sea, my guards will escort you back to
your ship, and you'll be free to go.”

Zuko sat glaring with his arms crossed. “Why?” he asked. “Are you worried I'm going to try
and stop you?”

Zhao's condescending laughter raked Chiara's nerves.

“You? Stop me?” he asked. “Impossible.”

Zuko stood up. “Don't underestimate me, Zhao. I will capture the Avatar before you.”

Iroh got to his feet. “Prince Zuko, that's enough,” he demanded sternly.

“You can't compete with me,” said Zhao arrogantly. “I have hundreds of war ships under my
command. And you...you're just a banished prince. No home, no allies. Your own father
doesn't even want you.”

Now Chiara stood up ready to shout at him until she felt Iroh's hand on her wrist. She bit her
tongue, but her fists were clenched as she glared at Zhao.

“You're wrong,” said Zuko deeply. “Once I deliver the Avatar to my father, he will welcome
me home with honor and restore my rightful place on the throne.”

“If your father really wanted you home, he would've let you return by now, Avatar or no
Avatar, but in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation.”

Chiara despised the commander for speaking so harshly to the prince, but it cut her deeply
knowing what he said was the truth.

“That's not true,” insisted Zuko.

“You have the scar to prove it.”

Zuko lunged towards him putting his face in Zhao's. “Maybe you'd like one to match!” he
threatened.

The commander's fists were clenched. He was glaring back at the prince. “Is that a
challenge?”

“An Agni Kai,” challenged Zuko, “at sunset.”

Chiara's mouth opened as she stared at him in disbelief.

“Very well,” said Zhao, relaxing his fists and standing erect as Zuko did the same. “It's a
shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you. I guess your uncle and cousin
will do.” He turned to walk away, but then looked at Iroh. “And, General Iroh, do keep me in
mind when you're ready to let go of your treasure. A marriage to a commander of the Fire
Nation Navy will be far more honorable than to that of a lowly exiled prince.” He walked
out.

Flames were coming from Zuko's clenched fists. Chiara stood next to him placing her hand
on his arm.

“Prince Zuko,” said Iroh gravely, “have you forgotten what happened last time you dueled a
master?”

“I will never forget,” he said deeply.

-------------------------------------

At sunset, Zuko, Iroh, and Chiara waited in the arena. Chiara was nervous. She never
witnessed an Agni Kai before and she was not ready to now. She had watched Iroh train Zuko
for years, but the prince had a tendency towards impulsiveness, and she worried that Zhao
might take advantage of it. Her hand clenched around the vial of water in her pocket, and she
was ready to tend to any injuries Zuko might suffer.
“Don't look so worried.”

She was pulled from her thoughts, and her eyes were drawn up to his golden ones.

“I can do this,” he assured her.

He knelt down while Zhao did the same on the other side of the arena with four of his
soldiers in front of him.

“Remember your firebending basics, Prince Zuko,” instructed Iroh. “They are your greatest
weapons.”

“I refuse to let him win.”

He rose and turned to face Zhao. With a slight shrug of his shoulders, the garment that had
draped him drifted to the ground. At the other end, Zhao did the same.

“This will be over quickly,” the commander spoke, only his men hearing him.

Zhao and Zuko faced one another. The gong sounded and they each moved into a firebending
stance. Zuko made the first move sending a blast of fire towards Zhao who stepped aside to
avoid it, and then stepped aside again to avoid another. Zuko sent flame after flame towards
him, but Zhao merely avoided and blocked them. Chiara was worried when she saw Zuko
breathing heavy while Zhao seemed unfazed, but then Zuko kicked out a stream of fire. Zhao
deflected every flame Zuko kicked towards him, easily slicing through each one.

“Basics, Zuko,” said Iroh anxiously, clenching his fists. “Break his root!”

Zhao stepped forward aggressively shooting flames towards Zuko who was pushed back as
he deflected the attack. Chiara stood holding onto Iroh's arm while holding her breath. Zhao
stepped forward again attacking Zuko and again forcing him back. Chiara did not want to
watch, but she feared taking her eyes away from the duel. Zhao took another step forward
sending fire towards Zuko who was pushed back again while diverting the flames around
him. Zhao's next blast was so strong it threw Zuko on his back and he slid across the ground.
Chiara made to move towards him, but Iroh held onto her. When the prince looked up, Zhao
landed in front of him and began sending a wave of fire towards him. Fear flashed briefly in
his eyes, but Chiara could not break free from Iroh's grip to save him from suffering at Zhao's
cruel hands. She could only watch as Zuko rolled away from the flames and swung around
kicking the commander's feet out from under him while quickly jumping to his own feet.
Chiara smirked at Zuko's move, and Zuko smirked at seeing Zhao on the ground. He was up
quickly, but Zuko kicked wave after wave of fire towards him forcing him to stumble
backwards. Losing his balance, Zhao tumbled to the ground. Zuko stood over him ready to
fire at him point blank.

“Do it!” yelled Zhao angrily.

Zuko hesitated, but then he sent out a burst of fire. The ground was black and smoking where
his blast struck next to Zhao's head.
“That's it?” sneered Zhao. “Your father raised a coward.”

“Next time you get in my way, I promise I won't hold back,” said Zuko angrily.

He turned from him and walked away as Chiara ran up to him. Zhao was livid. He stood up
and kicked out a powerful flame towards the prince from behind. Chiara, seeing Zhao's
intent, moved behind Zuko standing between them protectively while Iroh stepped in front of
her immediately dispersing Zhao's fire. He pushed the commander away sending him
skidding across the ground. Zuko, realizing what Zhao had done, turned in anger and went
towards him ready to attack him.

“No, Prince Zuko,” said Iroh holding him back. “Do not taint your victory.” Iroh turned
towards Zhao. “So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful. Even
in exile my nephew is more honorable than you.” Zuko's eyes turned to his uncle. He was
stunned by his compliment. “Thanks again for the tea,” continued Iroh. “It was delicious.”

They turned and left, Chiara holding onto Zuko's right arm as they walked.

“Did you really mean that, Uncle?” he asked.

“Of course. I told you ginseng tea is my favorite.”

Chiara quietly laughed to herself.

--------------------------------------

When they returned to the ship Chiara started heading to the galley to make a late dinner for
the three of them.

“Chiara.”

She stopped in the hall and turned to Zuko who walked up to her. He tenderly touched a few
curls that draped her face before moving his eyes to hers.

“Don't ever put yourself between me and an opponent again,” he said in a stern, but gentle
tone.

“Attacking you from behind was a disgusting act of cowardice. I wasn't about to let him get
away with it.”

He appreciated that she was ready to protect him, but the possibility of her being injured for
him was something he did not want to imagine.

“And Uncle handled it,” he said. “You had no weapons and no way to defend yourself. He
would've burned you.”

“At least I wouldn't have to worry about him courting me then,” she said, still disgusted by
the commander's smug nerve.
A deep growl emanated from Zuko as he was reminded of Zhao asking for her hand. He felt
angry and tried to push it out of his mind. “Look, just don't get in the way like that again. I
don't want anything to happen to you.”

“I'm sorry, my prince, I can't agree to that,” she said simply.

“What?! You'll agree to it or you'll find yourself back in the Fire Nation,” he threatened
playfully.

“I won't agree to it.” She gently poked him in the chest. “And if you're going to go around
challenging every officer to an Agni Kai, I'm just going to have to assign myself as your
Imperial non-Firebender.”

He started laughing. “Oh, you are in so much trouble.”

She giggled. “Well, my punishment'll have to wait. You and the General need dinner.”

“Do you need help?” he asked her.

She was surprised to hear his offer since he had not helped her in the kitchen since they lived
next door to each other. “I can handle it; go relax, meditate.”

He smiled as she turned away. “Are you sure? I can go find Ozen to help you.”

She was laughing as she walked down the hall. “I've got it. Thanks for offering your help
though.”

----------------------------------------

After making dinner, she carried it to Zuko's room where Iroh met them. They all knelt down
around the table.

“This looks and smells delicious, Chiara,” said Iroh as he looked over the tray of food.

“I hope you enjoy it,” she said setting plates around the table.

“You have yet to make me anything I have not enjoyed,” he smiled.

Chiara laughed.

“I also made this,” she said uncovering one of the plates in front of Zuko revealing a small
pie. “For your victory, your bravery, and your act of honor.”

Zuko felt elated while Iroh's eyes widened when he saw the dessert.

“Don't worry,” she said when she noticed him eyeing it. She uncovered another plate. “I
made one for his excellent teacher too.”

“Oh, Chiara, this looks good,” said Iroh nearly drooling over his small pie.

“Not before dinner,” she said sliding his meal before him.
During their meal, Iroh and Zuko discussed the Agni Kai while Chiara was quietly lost in her
own thoughts as she was still troubled by Zhao and the war he had droned on about in his
tent.

Zuko noticed how quiet she had been. “Are you okay?” he asked her when they finished their
dinner.

She looked up at him. “Yes,” she answered giving him a small smile for reassurance.

He pulled his plate with the pie towards him and looked at her. “Where's yours?”

“I didn't make one for me.”

“Why not? You deserve it for speaking up against Zhao.”

She gazed down at her empty plate. “I didn't speak up as much as I was tempted,” she said
softly.

“Then you are to be commended for your self control,” said Iroh giving her a gentle smile.

Zuko moved his dessert so that it sat between them. “Have some of mine.”

“But I made that for you,” she said.

He picked up a bite and fed it to her making her giggle as he shared his dessert with her.
 Tracking the Avatar

As soon as the ship was repaired, they set sail again in search of the Avatar. One evening
after dinner, while Zuko was meditating, Chiara quietly sat at the table in his room reading
scrolls. During his meditation, the candles before him would grow and shrink in sync with his
breathing. When Chiara noticed the candle providing her reading light syncing with his
meditation, her eyes left the scroll and she gazed at the candles in front of him. She became
mesmerized by the flames growing brighter and dimmer, something she had always found
relaxing when in the presence of her favorite firebenders. It made her think of Lu Ten when
she would sit with him during his meditation and follow the rhythm of his breathing and
pretend she was making the flames brighten and fade. She had always been impressed by
firebending, but she preferred her waterbending ability. And even though she had to hide it,
she always treasured her gift of healing.

As she was staring at the flames syncing her own breathing with Zuko's, her concentration
was broken when she saw the door open up slightly.

“The only reason you should be interrupting me is if you have news about the Avatar,” said
Zuko not moving even to look at the door.

“Well, there is news, Prince Zuko, but you might not like it,” said Iroh pushing the door open
and entering the room. “Don't get too upset.”

Chiara was already holding her breath in anticipation of Zuko's reaction.

“Uncle, you taught me that keeping a level head is a sign of a great leader,” said Zuko calmly.
“Now, whatever you have to say, I'm sure I can take it.”

Chiara was still holding her breath.

Iroh was nervously tugging his beard. “Okay, then,” he said. “We have no idea where he is.”

The flames in front of Zuko flared up the wall to the ceiling. “What?!” he yelled as he stood
up.

Iroh pulled out a fan as the flames died down. “You really should open a window in here,” he
said, fanning himself.

“Give me the map!” yelled Zuko snatching it from Iroh's hand.

He unrolled it on the table over top of the scrolls Chiara had been reading.

“Well, there have been multiple sightings of the Avatar,” said Iroh. “But he is impossible to
track down.”

They were all looking at the zigzag pattern of Avatar sightings.

Zuko felt hopeless. “How am I going to find him?” he said, his voice filled with desperation.
“He is clearly a master of evasive maneuvering.”

“Maybe he doesn't know where he's going,” suggested Chiara. “He hasn't been around for a
hundred years; maybe he forgot his way around.”

“All we can do is wait for more news,” said Iroh.

Chiara moved back a little when the flame at the table flared up with Zuko's anger.

Days later Iroh joined Zuko and Chiara for dinner in the prince's quarters. Chiara had made
their meal for them and was setting it out on the table as they knelt around it.

“Ozen said this fish came from Kyoshi Island's coast,” she said placing a plate before Iroh.

He stared hungrily at the steaming fish. “They look a lot smaller than the elephant koi,” he
said.

Chiara smiled. She set Zuko's plate in front of him. “Those elephant koi could feed a whole
village.”

“This smells great,” said Zuko.

He picked up his chopsticks anxious to eat his dinner, but there was a knock at his door.

“Enter,” he called.

One of the crewmen opened the door and bowed. “Sir, the Avatar's been spotted on Kyoshi
Island.”

“The Avatar's on Kyoshi Island?” said Zuko eagerly, his meal forgotten. “Uncle,” he said as
he stood up, “ready the rhinos. He's not getting away from me this time.”

He made his way towards the door.

“Are you going to finish that?” Iroh asked Zuko as he pointed to his fish.

Zuko turned back and grabbed the plate from the table. “I was going to save it for later!” he
said, glaring at his uncle.

He turned to leave.

“May I stay on the island to practice with the Kyoshi Warriors?” Chiara asked Iroh.

Her request stopped Zuko in his tracks, and he turned from the door.

“What?” he demanded of her.

Chiara glanced up at him. “I would love to practice with the Kyoshi Warriors again.”
“You're not staying there.”

“But once you capture the Avatar, you'll return to the Fire Nation,” she said. “I can stay on
the island with...”

“No!” he said adamantly, stepping towards her. “You're going back home with us.”

She was puzzled by the anger in his tone. “I wouldn't stay there forever...”

“You're not staying at all.” He turned to Iroh. “Uncle, you can't let her stay on the island.”

“He's right, Chiara,” said Iroh. “It would probably be too dangerous for you at this time.”

“But the Kyoshi Warriors are neutral in the war,” she said.

“And if Prince Zuko attacks the Avatar on their island, it will likely draw them into the war
against the Fire Nation.”

Zuko stared at his uncle who was hoping his nephew was picking up on his hints.

“They didn't know I was from the Fire Nation before,” she said. “They don't have to know
who I a...”

“No!” said Zuko.

She looked at Iroh who shook his head.

“Yes, General,” she said softly and obediently.

Zuko, feeling like he won that battle, left the room leaving Iroh and Chiara to eat their meal
by themselves.

“I will deal with the rhinos after dinner,” said Iroh as he began eating.

“I loved practicing with the Kyoshi Warriors,” said Chiara as she began slowly picking at her
food. “I would love to train with them some day.”

“That would not go well with Prince Zuko.”

“No, I guess it wouldn't.” She poked at the fish on her plate, her appetite fading as she
worried about the future confrontation on Kyoshi Island. “Do you think he'll hurt the
Warriors?”

Iroh's hand halted halfway to his mouth. He saw the worry in her eyes, and he set his
chopsticks on his plate. “You sparred with the Warriors. You know how efficient they are.
And with the Avatar on their side, I'm sure they will be okay.”

His attempt to console her did little to relieve her worry, and she took a few bites of her
dinner before anxiously heading to the bridge to watch as they approached Kyoshi Island.

-----------------------------------
As they sailed closer to the island, Zuko left the bridge to prepare for his expedition.

“The fighting style of the Kyoshi Warriors has its roots in the Fire Nation,” said Chiara as she
helped him don his armor.

“Really?” he asked surprised by her knowledge.

“Yes.” She was securing his shoulder pads. “They're also very suspicious of strangers, and
they really don't like the Fire Nation, so be careful.”

He was touched by her concern for him.

“They were going to feed the General and me to the unagi when we visited.”

He looked at Iroh who confirmed his questioning expression with a smile and nod. His eyes
grew wide at the thought that the islanders would be so savage as to feed her and his uncle to
a giant eel. “What happened that they didn't?”

“The General has a way with words,” she smiled.

Iroh let out a soft chuckle at the memory of their initial confrontation with the Kyoshi
Warriors.

Chiara straightened Zuko's armor for him before looking into his eyes. “Please don't hurt
them. I'd hate to see anything happen to them or the villagers.”

“Nothing will happen to them if they hand over the Avatar,” he said resolutely.

He narrowed his eyes at her as he wondered how she was going to react again to his bringing
the Avatar aboard.

“Speaking of the Avatar, do I need to lock you in the prison hold now?”

“You might,” she said unfazed by his threat.

He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Uncle, keep her with you,” he ordered as he moved
her next to Iroh.

He and his men mounted the rhinos and left the ship. Iroh and Chiara went to the main deck
to wait for their return.

They stood at the rail watching from the ship as the men disappeared into the forest. It was
not long before they spotted black smoke rising in the distance. Chiara immediately began
worrying about the Warriors and the villagers.

“Was it necessary to destroy their village?” she said sadly.

Iroh, too, thought about the villagers they had met so long ago. “This will not help with their
distrustful nature.”
She sighed. “I guess I'll never get to practice with them now.”

They continued watching and waiting for the men to return. Chiara wondered if the Avatar
was actually on the island or if Zuko's interrogation just resulted in burning things when he
did not get the answers he wanted. The questions in her mind were answered when she saw
Appa fly up from the island away from the billowing smoke.

“There's the Avatar's sky bison.” She could not help smiling as she gazed at the big, beautiful
animal.

She and Iroh watched it soar into the sky. As it flew over the sea, they saw Aang jump from
its head and dive into the water.

“What's he doing?” said Iroh as they both gaped at the Avatar's stunt.

Seconds later they saw the unagi rise from the sea with Aang holding onto its whiskers.
Chiara was excited and relieved when Aang used the giant eel to put out the fires in the
village.

“Ah, very clever,” chuckled Iroh.

“The world needs the Avatar,” she said softly.

When the smoke faded in the distant village, Aang hopped back on Appa and flew off. Zuko
and his men returned to the ship empty-handed, but very wet.

“Too bad there isn't a waterbender on board,” whispered Iroh making Chiara giggle.

The ship was soon back out to sea where they continued tracking the Avatar.

One evening after Zuko had returned from a short mission in his search for the Avatar, Chiara
arrived at his room with their dinner. A spot of blue caught her eye as she was setting out
their plates.

“Where did you get this?” she asked as she picked up a blue choker.

“I found it,” he shrugged.

“On the prison rig?”

“Yes.”

She studied the choker and the carving on its light blue stone. “The symbol for
waterbending,” she said softly, her voice almost a whisper as she gazed at the moon-shaped
object with ocean waves engraved inside. “It's from the Water Tribe.”

Zuko's eyes were immediately on her. “How do you know that?”

Her eyes met his. “I learned about it when I was traveling with the General,” she said
truthfully. “It's a betrothal necklace.”

She laid it back down on the table and picked up her chopsticks.

“I'm sure the waterbender traveling with the Avatar will appreciate it when you return it to
her,” she said smoothly.

Zuko was not surprised she figured out who it belonged to, and he smirked at her, suspecting
she also knew what he planned on doing with it. “Of course she will,” he said. “When she
hands over the Avatar.”

She looked skeptical. “You think she'll sell out the Avatar for that?”

“She will if she wants it back.”

“Or her betrothed can just make her a new one,” she shrugged nonchalantly.

He stopped eating and glared at her, upset he never thought of that.

She pointed towards the choker with her chopsticks. “That just doesn't come close in value to
the Avatar's life...or to anyone's life.”

“We'll see,” he said intending to go through with his plans anyways.

She shook her head and they continued eating.

Zuko continued following the Avatar's trail from the prison rig which led him to the coast of
the Earth Kingdom where the group went ashore. During a break near a forest, Zuko found
Chiara bent over the ground carefully pulling leaves off the plants in front of her.

“Chiara...”

Her left hand snapped back. “Ouch!” She cradled it in her right.

“What happened?” he asked walking up to her. “Did you get bit?”

“Stinging nettles,” she said. She was looking over the tender, soon-to-be red spot on her
hand.

“Why are you messing with them?”

She reached out and quickly pulled off a leaf. “I'm going to make nettle tea for the General.”

Zuko rolled his eyes at her and his uncle's devotion to tea. “No tea is worth all that.”

“Then I need to make you a cup too,” she said, pulling off another leaf.
He gave her a wry look. “Where is Uncle anyways? The Avatar's heading towards Senlin
Village. We need to sail farther up the coast.”

“I saw him walk into the forest a while ago,” she said pointing to the woods to her right
before standing up and brushing dirt off her kurta. “He mentioned something about hot
springs.”

The prince rolled his eyes again, now at his uncle's laid-back attitude towards the mission.

“Uncle!” he called out as he walked into the woods with Chiara following him. There was no
response and there was no immediate sign of him. “Uncle!” he called again. “It's time to
leave! Where are you?!”

They spotted his clothes hanging on tree branches and headed towards them.

“Uncle Iroh!”

“Over here,” came Iroh's calm voice.

They followed his voice through the branches.

“Uncle?” said Zuko when he saw him soaking in a pool of water. “We need to move on.
We're closing in on the Avatar's trail, and I don't want to lose him.”

“You look tired, Prince Zuko,” said Iroh relaxing in the spring. “Why don't you join me in
these hot springs that soak away your troubles.”

“My troubles cannot be soaked away. It's time to go!” he yelled angrily.

Iroh made no attempt to move from his comfortable spot. “You should take your teacher's
advice and relax a little.”

“He's right, Prince Zuko,” said Chiara. “You really should relax. I'll make you nettle tea.”

Iroh perked up at the word 'tea,' but Zuko rounded on her. “Don't you start.”

She only giggled at his surliness.

“The temperature's just right,” said Iroh. “I heated it myself.” He produced steam to heat the
water again.

“Enough!” yelled Zuko as he waved away the steam filling the air around them. “We need to
leave now. Get out of the water.”

“Very well,” said Iroh as he started standing up.

Chiara began turning away just as Zuko immediately covered her eyes and turned around
moving her away from the scene so neither could see him.
“On second thought, why don't you take another few minutes,” he called to his exposed
uncle, his back still to him. “But be back at the ship in a half an hour or I'm leaving without
you.”

Zuko walked Chiara away.

“Ahh,” moaned Iroh contentedly as he relaxed again in the pool.

“I can't believe he did that,” said Zuko, appalled by his uncle's behavior.

“Yeah, I'm shocked by that too,” said Chiara. “Thanks for the blindfold. I thought I was going
to have to rub stinging nettles in my eyes to get rid of that image.”

Despite his frustration over the delay, he could not help laughing.

“He definitely accomplished his mission,” she said.

Zuko was puzzled. “His mission?”

“Getting rid of us,” she said.

“I guess he did,” he chuckled.

-------------------------------------

Hours later as the sun was setting, Zuko, followed by Jozan, Uzo, and Shoza, found Chiara
still bent over flowers on the ground.

“Chiara, we have to go,” said Zuko. “Has Uncle come back yet?”

She packed a dandelion she had just pulled into her bag. “I haven't seen him.”

“I told him to be back in half an hour...”

Chiara stood up with her bag full of plants, and she and the soldiers followed Zuko as he
stomped into the woods while grumbling about Iroh not knowing the difference between a
half hour and several hours.

When he approached the spring, he saw that Iroh was not there. “Uncle,” he called. “Uncle,
where are you?!”

“Sir,” said Uzo, “maybe he thought you left without him.”

“Something's not right here,” said Zuko as he looked around. “That pile of rocks...”

Chiara walked up and immediately knew what it meant. “Oh, no,” she said placing her hand
on Zuko's arm.

“It looks like there's been a landslide, sir,” said Jozan.

“Land doesn't slide uphill,” said Zuko. “Those rocks didn't move naturally.”
“Earthbenders,” said Chiara softly.

“My uncle's been captured by earthbenders.”

“Not my General.”

Zuko could hear the worry in her voice. “We'll find him, Chiara,” he said. “Let's go.”

They quickly returned to the ship where Zuko prepared one of the komodo rhinos while
Chiara collected a bo staff and her sword.

“What's that for?” he asked as she rarely used the staff.

“Have you ever fought earthbenders?”

He thought about it. “In theory.” He looked at her. “Have you?” he asked half-expecting her
to say 'yes'.

“No, but I've studied them.”

He climbed on his rhino and took her hand to help her climb on behind him. They left the
ship and returned to the springs where they discovered ostrich horse tracks leading to a road.

They traveled all night, and by early morning they came across one of Iroh's sandals. They
both felt relieved to find a sign that they were definitely on the right path. As they continued
riding following the tracks on the road, a low roaring sound came from the distant sky. Zuko
sat up straight in the saddle, his eyes wide when he spotted the Avatar's bison.

“The Avatar,” he breathed.

“That sky bison is so beautiful,” said Chiara dreamily as she watched it.

Zuko turned his rhino towards it not taking his eyes off the bison as it flew farther away.

“Wait,” she said. “The General. We can't leave him.”

He hesitated, still gazing at the sky, so Chiara jumped down.

He looked down at her. “What are you doing.”

“You're going after the Avatar; I'm going after the General,” she said walking the path
backwards while talking to him. “We'll meet you back at the ship.”

She turned forward and started running anxious to get to Iroh.

“You can't fight the earthbenders alone,” he called to her.

“I'm not leaving him in their hands,” she called back.

He sighed, but then tugged the reins and went after her.
“Here,” he said holding out his hand.

She turned around and grabbed his hand allowing him to pull her onto the saddle behind him.

“I'll deal with the Avatar later,” he said.

------------------------------------

They rode on until the tracks stopped. They both climbed down from the rhino and examined
the area.

“It looks like there was a struggle here,” he said.

Chiara was looking over the edge of the road. “Look at the dirt down there.”

Zuko stood next to her and saw trails in the ground leading to a mound of dirt with more
trails beyond it. “Let's go.”

They followed the trails to a crater where they could hear voices. Carefully peering over the
edge, they spotted Iroh with his hands chained to a rock and surrounded by five soldiers.
Zuko noticed that Chiara tensed up.

“Stay here,” he whispered.

“These dangerous hands must be crushed,” they heard one of the soldiers threatening Iroh.

The soldier earthbended a boulder hovering it over Iroh's hands. Just as he started to bring it
down, Zuko ran towards them, and jumping up, he kicked the boulder out of the way. He
quickly brought his foot down on Iroh's chains, breaking them apart.

“Excellent form, Prince Zuko,” complimented Iroh.

“You taught me well,” he responded standing defensively as the soldiers gathered around
them.

“Surrender yourselves,” demanded the soldier. “It's five against two.”

“Five against three,” said Chiara as she joined Zuko and Iroh.

“You're still outnumbered,” said the soldier.

“Uh, that's true,” said Iroh. “But you are clearly outmatched.”

The soldiers stomped on the ground pulling up boulders sending them towards the three.
Swinging his chains, Iroh expertly used them to break up the boulders that had been hurled at
him, while Zuko sent fire towards his two opponents forcing one back and causing another to
fall beneath his own boulder. Chiara used her bo staff to redirect the missiles aimed at her,
and then, running towards her opponent, she swung her staff over her head and down at his
ankles knocking him off his feet. Catching a large boulder with his chains that nearly hit
Zuko, Iroh sent it towards two of the soldiers, and Zuko, after dodging several missile
attacks, sent fire towards his enemy who blocked it. As the earthbender began building a tall
structure of rocks with which to attack Zuko, Chiara ran up behind the soldier taking him
down with her staff before quickly running out of the way as the rocks fell upon him.

When Iroh walked over to them, they looked around to see their enemies defeated. Zuko put
his hand on Iroh's shoulder.

“Now, would you please put on some clothes?” he said.

Iroh chuckled. “I would if I had some.”

“I brought your clothes,” said Chiara.

“You are so thoughtful,” said Iroh.

“She did it more for us than for you,” said Zuko flatly.

Iroh and Chiara were laughing. They made their way back to the rhino where she pulled
Iroh's clothes out of a saddle bag. After he was dressed, they started back towards the coast.
Chiara again rode behind Zuko while Iroh rode on one of the ostrich horses. They traveled all
day, and after the sun had gone down, they stopped to eat and rest. While Iroh and Chiara
relaxed by the small campfire drinking dandelion tea, Zuko disappeared alone into the nearby
village of Senlin. When he returned to their camp, he was anxious to get back to the ship and
continue tracking the Avatar.

Following his new lead, Zuko set course towards Crescent Island in the Fire Nation. As the
sun was coming up, he stood on the bow searching the skies for the Avatar as they sailed
through the Mo Ce Sea. Chiara, having heard where they were heading, ran up to the bow.

“Prince Zuko, is it true?” she asked breathless from running up from the galley below.

He did not take his eyes from his telescope. “Is what true?”

“Are you really taking the ship into Fire Nation territory?”

“The Avatar's heading to Crescent Island,” he said. “That's where I'm going to capture him.”

“HE WHAT?!”

They rarely heard Iroh so furious, but his voice boomed from the bridge when he learned the
course the prince insisted on.

Chiara stepped up to Zuko. “Please turn the ship around,” she begged him hoping she could
convince him before Iroh came to the deck.

“I can't.”

“But if you get caught...”

“I won't get caught,” he insisted.

“Sailing into Fire Nation waters,” said Iroh deeply, stepping out onto the main deck. His
robes and hair were gently blowing in the wind as he took long militaristic strides making
him look taller than he was, and the severe look on his face was enough to unnerve the
bravest soldier. “Of all the foolish things you've done in your sixteen years, Prince Zuko,” he
chided, his fists clenched, “this is the most foolish!”

“I have no choice, Uncle,” he said, still staring through the telescope.

“Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you?! What if you're caught?”

His stern expression softened into one of worry which Zuko heard in his voice.

He turned to his uncle. “I'm chasing the Avatar,” he argued. “My father will understand why
I'm returning home.”

“You give him too much credit. My brother is not the understanding type.”

Zuko turned back to his telescope. “There they are,” he said, spotting the Avatar's bison
flying in the sky. “Helmsman, full steam ahead,” he ordered. “Raise the catapult,” he called
out to his crew.

He left the telescope.

“You're going to shoot them down?” asked Chiara following him across the deck where they
stood next to Iroh.

“Do you have another idea?” he asked her.

“What about meeting with him in neutral territory?” she suggested.

He scowled at her.

“Please don't do this,” she begged as she watched the catapult rise from beneath the deck.

Iroh was cringing at the odor of the projectile loaded into the catapult. “Ugh, really, Prince
Zuko,” he said pulling out a fan, “couldn't you shoot them down with something more
fragrant?”

Zuko launched a fireball igniting the missile.

Chiara placed her hand on his arm. “They probably won't survive that fall.”

He glared down at her. “Do I need to lock you in your quarters?” he threatened deeply.

“What good is the Avatar if he's dead?”

Iroh gently took her arm to pull her away from Zuko.

“On my mark,” the prince ordered. “Fire!”

Chiara held her breath as she watched the missile fly towards the bison. Her fists clenched
when it nearly hit the creature.

Watching the projectile land in the sea ahead of them, Zuko's eyes caught another sight
beyond it. “A blockade.”

Chiara dropped her eyes from Appa to see the two rows of Fire Nation ships spanning the
sea.

“Technically you are still in Earth Kingdom waters,” said Iroh. “Turn back now and they
cannot arrest you.”

Zuko glared up at the Avatar who made no move to turn back. “He's not turning around!”

“Please, Prince Zuko,” said Iroh, “if the Fire Nation captures you, there's nothing I can do.
Do not follow the Avatar.”

Zuko closed his eyes pondering his uncle's warning. He was sure that once he had the Avatar
nothing else would matter. He was determined to keep following him. “I'm sorry, Uncle. Run
the blockade!” he commanded the crew.

“Prince Zuko,” said Chiara placing her hands on his arm, “please don't risk it.”

His golden eyes fell onto hers. He could see the worry swirling around in the light green sea.
Touched by the concerned look in her eyes he desired to obey her plea, but he was too
determined to go after the Avatar. He placed his hand on hers, but did not withdraw his order.

As their ship moved towards the blockade, the trebuchets on the Fire Nation vessels fired
missiles towards the Avatar. Chiara watched as Appa dodged the barrage of flaming missiles.
The bison disappeared into the clouds above, but the missiles began raining down around
their ship striking the water sending waves over parts of the deck. Zuko quickly wrapped his
arms around Chiara covering her to protect her from the incoming fireballs. The ship shook
from a direct hit, and his arms tightened around her making it difficult for her to breathe.

When the ship stopped shaking, he released her before the next volley of missiles were
launched and pulled her over to Iroh who stood near the tower.

“Keep her safe, Uncle,” he said.

Chiara put her hand on Zuko's forearm worried about him returning out on deck, but Iroh
pulled her away and covered her as more missiles fell around them.

“Prince Zuko,” called a crewman, “the engines are damaged. We need to stop and make
repairs.”

“Do not stop this ship,” he ordered.

Ahead of them, the Avatar made his way through the blockade. Zuko persistently followed
him despite the ships spanning the sea drawing closer together in an attempt to prevent them
from entering the Fire Nation.
“We're on a collision course,” said Iroh as they watched the space between the ships narrow.

“We can make it,” insisted Zuko.

When it seemed they would not make it through, the Fire Nation vessels slowed down
allowing Zuko's ship to sail between them. Zuko and Chiara glared up at Commander Zhao
as they went by while Iroh stroked his beard looking suspiciously at the commander
considering what he might be planning.

Despite the damaged engines, they sailed on towards Crescent Island for the rest of the day.
Zuko stood on deck anxiously waiting for their arrival.

“What's he up to, Uncle?” asked Zuko still troubled by Zhao letting him go. “Why didn't
Commander Zhao arrest me?”

“That weasel snake's plan isn't obvious?” Chiara asked him.

Zuko looked at her.

“Because he wants to follow you,” Iroh said to him. “He knows you'll lead him to the prize
you're both after—the Avatar.”

Zuko gazed back out over the sea. “If Zhao wants to follow our trail of smoke, then that's
exactly what I'll let him do.”

------------------------------------

When they neared the Fire Temple, Zuko went to the hold to prepare to leave on his own for
the island.

“Uncle, keep heading north,” he instructed. “Zhao will follow the smoke trail while I use it as
a cover.”

“Hmmm,” said Iroh.

“He'll know by now that the Avatar's heading towards the temple,” said Chiara voicing Iroh's
suspicions out loud. “Where else would he be going?”

Zuko had not considered that Zhao would have figured out the Avatar's destination, but he
felt he had no choice but to follow through with his plan. “Then I'll have to make sure I get to
the Avatar first.”

The door to the hold opened.

Chiara's biggest worry was that Zhao would capture Zuko and take him to the Fire Lord. She
stepped closer to him. “Please be careful,” she said placing her hand on his arm.

Her eyes sparkled with tears, and it touched his heart that she cared so much for him. He took
her in his arms and held her reassuringly. “I will.”
“Are you sure you don't need your Imperial non-Firebender to go?” she asked holding onto
him.

Zuko chuckled as he released her. “I'm sure.”

He climbed into the skiff. The crew loaded it onto the ramp from where it was slowly
lowered down to the water. He left for Crescent Island while the ship continued its course
north.

Chiara went up on deck and anxiously waited for his return.

--------------------------------------

Hours after sunset, she still stood on deck keeping watch for Zuko. As it grew later, Iroh,
worried about her, joined her at the rail searching the dark sea.

“You should get some sleep, Chiara,” he said. “It will do you no good to stay out here all
night.”

She continued staring at the dark horizon hoping to see some sign of Zuko. “The winter
solstice is over. I would've thought he'd be back by now.”

Iroh secretly felt worried too, but he did not want to cause her more anxiety by expressing his
own concern. “Sometimes you are as impatient as Prince Zuko,” he said frustrated by her
stubbornness.

If she had not been so worried, she would have laughed at his remark. “I'm really worried
about him, and there's been no sign of Commander Zhao either.”

Iroh had noticed too that Zhao had not taken the bait. “Just as expected. But Zuko can be very
resourceful, and his fighting skills have improved tremendously over the years.” He looked at
her. “Get some rest.”

“I won't be able to sleep,” she said. “I'll just pace in the cabin.”

He understood her concern. He caressed her back before leaving her to her watch and going
to his quarters to meditate.

--------------------------------------

Long after the sun had set Zuko was spotted from the crow's nest. Chiara quickly ran down
below to meet him. As soon as he stepped off the skiff, she threw herself onto him wrapping
her arms around his neck. Her sudden unexpected embrace caught him off guard, but he did
not hesitate to put his arms around her and take advantage of having her so close.

“Maybe I should go away more often,” he said, his voice low and gravelly.

She released him. “Don't you dare. I was so worried about you. It's so late.”

“Zhao was there,” he said.

Chiara felt angry. “I thought he might've followed you. We haven't seen him since you left.
Did he get the Avatar?” she asked as she walked with him to his quarters.

“No. He got away.” His voice was filled with disappointment.

In a way she was relieved that Aang got away, but she worried that it would not help Zuko's
mood.

“Do you want me to make you something to eat?” she asked.

“No. I'm not hungry.” He sounded tired.

When they entered his room, he started stripping off his armor while she helped him.

“Let me take care of your bruises,” she said once the last of his armor was removed. “Lie
down, close your eyes.”

He was exhausted and feeling discouraged by another failed attempt to capture the Avatar,
but he did as she directed. She began healing the wounds he acquired during his escape from
the collapsing fire temple, and as always, he was amazed by how quickly the pain
disappeared as she treated him. She wanted to ask him what happened, and she wanted to
know more about the Avatar, but she did not think he would want to talk about it. When she
finished, she tenderly caressed his head. Just as she was about to stand up, an idea came to
her.

“Let me try something,” she said. He wondered what she was going to do as she moved
behind his head and knelt down. She caressed his head around his temples. “Close your eyes
again.”

As soon as he had them closed, she pulled out more water and began massaging his head
adding in a healing technique.

A tranquil feeling washed over him, and he could not believe how relaxed he felt. “This feels
really good, Chiara,” he said. “What are you doing?”

“It's a...a relaxing technique I learned.”

Every bit of tension seemed to melt from his body, and he did not ever want her to stop, but
when she thought she did all she could for him, she put the water away and caressed his head
as she did whenever she finished treating him. His body felt so comfortable and content, he
had to force himself to sit up.

“Are you sure you don't want me to bring you some food?” she asked.

“No.”

“You should get some rest then.” She lightly ran her hand down his cheek before turning to
leave.
“Wait.” He grabbed her hand before she could step away and pulled her towards the bed until
she sat down. He was hesitant to speak what was on his mind, but he felt he needed to tell
someone, and she was the one person on board he was most comfortable speaking to.

“I saw Avatar Roku,” he finally said.

“Really? Like a statue or...”

“No. It was actually him.” He thought it sounded crazier hearing it out loud. “When Zhao
attacked him...”

“Zhao attacked Avatar Roku!” she asked in shock.

“He and his men did, but Roku just sent it back at them.” He could still see the wave of fire
under the control of the Fire Nation Avatar. “It was incredible.”

“What happened to Zhao?”

“I don't know. The fire blast Roku sent out melted my chains so I took off, but the fire
temple's been destroyed.”

“The whole temple?”

“Yes.”

“I'm so glad you're safe,” she said as she tenderly placed her hand on his wrist. She stood up.
“Try and relax.”

Not long after Chiara left, Zuko was lying in his room when he heard her erhu. She sounded
close, too close to be on the main deck. Looking out his window he saw her in a spot not too
far below his quarters. He realized she was playing their composition to let him know she
was thinking about him, and his heart stirred as he thought about their days back in the Fire
Nation. He returned to his bed where he lay down still relaxed by her treatment, and he
drifted to sleep entranced by her music.
 The Lost Lotus
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

Zuko set a new course trying to pick up the Avatar's trail since leaving the now-destroyed
Fire Temple on Crescent Island. Iroh and Chiara spent their time enjoying Pai Sho on the
bridge while Zuko and Lieutenant Jee practiced firebending on the lower deck. Jee was
dodging and blocking the prince's fire blasts when both started stumbling towards the
starboard side of the ship.

Zuko glared up at the tower. “Someone's changing our course.”

Chiara had just made her move on the board when he stormed onto the bridge.

“What's the meaning of this mutiny?!” he demanded of the helmsman. “No one told you to
change course.”

“Actually, someone did,” said Iroh.

The helmsman was relieved when Iroh intervened taking the angry prince's attention off him.

“I assure you, it is a matter of utmost importance, Prince Zuko.” He stroked his chin looking
thoughtfully over the game board.

“Is it something to do with the Avatar?” he asked hopefully.

“Even more urgent,” said Iroh. “It seems I...uh...I've lost my lotus tile.” He made his move on
the board.

“Lotus tile?” asked Zuko wondering if his uncle was serious.

“For my Pai Sho game. Most people think the lotus tile insignificant, but it is essential for the
unusual strategy that I employ.”

Zuko could not believe what he was hearing. “You've changed our course for a stupid lotus
tile?”

“See, you, like most people, underestimate its value. Just give me ten minutes to check the
merchants at this port of call. Hopefully, they'll have the lotus tile in stock and I can get on
with my life.”

Zuko growled and angrily blew out a stream of fire frustrated by his uncle's frivolity.

“I'm lucky to have such an understanding nephew,” said Iroh with a big smile.

Chiara quietly laughed to herself at the two as she waved away the smoke and laid her tile on
the board.
 ------------------------------------

Once they arrived at the port, Iroh, Zuko, and Chiara disembarked.

“I will check these shops,” said Iroh pointing to the pier on his left. “Prince Zuko, you take
Chiara to the shops on the other side. We will meet up here.”

“So much for ten minutes,” he growled.

Iroh just chuckled over his nephew's grumpiness.

“What if you both find your stupid lotus tile?” asked Zuko, clearly annoyed to be on such a
pointless mission.

“Then I will have a spare,” he said happily before walking off.

Zuko, feeling anxious and impatient, was ready to head back out to sea. He took Chiara's left
hand and held it on his upper right arm in the same manner in which she walked with Iroh in
public areas. Escorting her down the street, they stopped at the first shop.

“I can't believe we're wasting time looking for a stupid game piece,” he grumbled.

“I'll try and make it quick,” she said.

She went inside to look around while he remained outside hoping to hear any new
information about the Avatar. When Chiara came out empty-handed, Zuko escorted her to the
next shop, but the merchant there was also out of lotus tiles. They continued visiting each
shop on the street, but they had no luck.

“I wish he would put this much effort into helping me find the Avatar,” he complained as
they approached yet another shop.

Chiara caressed his arm. “Maybe this place will have one.”

“You said that at every place we've stopped.”

She softly giggled. “I won't be long.”

“You've said that too.”

“Maybe this time'll be different,” she said before disappearing into the shop.

He rolled his eyes in frustration before turning his attention to the people passing by listening
to the conversations going on on the street.

Chiara was quietly looking at the various items in the shop, but she saw no lotus tiles. She
was just about to leave when a seedy looking man approached her.

“Such a beautiful young woman,” he said, his dark eyes leering at her. “Is there something I
can help you find?”
She was uncomfortable with the way the man was eyeing her.

“I'm just looking for a lotus tile.”

His lip curled into an impish smirk. “I'm sure we have some in the back,” he said. “Follow
me.”

“I'll just wait here.”

“But if you enjoy Pai Sho, you'll want to see the collection of exotic game boards.”

“No thank you. Just the lotus tile,” she insisted.

The man hesitated, considering his next move. He bowed slightly to her and disappeared in
the back room.

“What is it?” another man asked him.

“An opportunity for a very big sale,” he whispered.

He opened the curtain slightly allowing his business partner to see Chiara. The man's eyes
widened.

“She would bring a large sum,” he whispered excitedly. “I know a buyer who would pay a
fortune for her.” He looked at his partner. “Get her back here.”

He nodded and walked back out to Chiara.

“I have some tiles in the back, miss, but I believe you'll be quite interested in other items I
have. A beauty like you must look at my jewel collection.”

“I'm not interested...”

“If you would just follow me I can show you.”

Chiara suspected something was not right. “No thank you. It's not that important. But thanks
for your time.”

She turned to leave, but the man took hold of her wrist and started pulling her towards the
back. “I insist. I'm sure you'll want to see this...”

Chiara pulled back, but the man tightened his grip on her.

“Let go of me,” she demanded as she continued trying to break free of his grasp.

Unable to pull her wrist from his grip, she quickly brought her foot up and kicked him in the
abdomen. His hand released her as the force of her kick sent him backwards crashing into a
display. Chiara turned to run out of the shop only to feel someone grab her left arm. She
looked up at another stranger, his beady eyes maliciously fixed on her.

“You'll fetch a fair price with those lovely eyes and this beautiful skin...”
Suddenly the man screamed as he released her and gripped his arm to his chest, his skin burnt
where the prince had seized him. Zuko had his left arm around Chiara as he held her close,
and with his right arm he sent out a flame that set an entire shelf of merchandise on fire.

“You will never touch her again!” he said deeply.

He took Chiara out of the store while the two men were trying to put out the fire that was
steadily growing.

“Thank you,” she said as they continued walking.

“This stupid tile isn't worth this!” he said angrily.

“I'm sorry.”

He looked at her. “It's not your fault they're disgusting perverts. It's not worth losing you.”

“They weren't going to get me in that back room.”

“From now on you don't leave the ship without a weapon,” he said.

They went into the rest of the shops on their route, but Zuko refused to relinquish her hand
the entire time. Having no luck in locating a lotus tile, they turned back to meet Iroh at the
pier. They passed by the shop that was still on fire; flames were beginning to grow through
the roof. They just walked by it nonchalantly while a crowd had gathered to see it and others
were trying to help put it out. Suddenly, they nearly tripped over a cabbage that had rolled out
in front of them. Chiara giggled as she reached down and picked it up placing it back on a
very damaged looking cart with other bruised cabbages.

“You wouldn't happen to be shopping for cabbages, would you?” asked the merchant.

“No,” she smiled. “But if you have a lotus tile, that would be great.”

“Just my cabbages,” he said cradling one like it was an infant.

------------------------------------

They arrived at the meeting point where Iroh walked up to them.

“What's going on down there?” he asked when he saw the black smoke billowing into the sky
in the direction from which they walked.

“Who knows,” said Zuko blandly as he shrugged.

“Any luck with the tile?” Iroh asked Chiara.

“No,” she said.

“But it could've been lucky for the perverts who intended to sell her on the black market,”
growled Zuko deeply.
“What?” asked Iroh, his posture stiffening when Chiara nodded confirming Zuko's
accusation.

“Some degenerate dung beetle pigs tried to kidnap her because of your stupid tile,” he said,
his voice growing louder and angrier.

“Hmm,” said Iroh thoughtfully, stroking his beard as he eyed the black smoke. “I trust you
took good care of her.”

“That's not the point!” he yelled.

Iroh took Chiara's hand and gently pulled her from Zuko keeping her close to his side. “Well,
we've checked all the shops on this pier,” he said, seemingly oblivious to Zuko's anger. “Not
a lotus tile in the entire marketplace.”

The prince crossed his arms looking livid. “It's good to know this trip was a complete waste
of time for everyone!” he yelled glaring at his uncle.

“Quite the contrary,” said Iroh lightly. “I always say, the only thing better than finding
something you are looking for is finding something you weren't looking for at a great
bargain.”

Several of the crewman walked by carrying items Iroh had purchased.

“You bought a tsungi horn?” asked Zuko.

“For music night on the ship,” said Iroh. “Now, if we only had some woodwinds.” He looked
around. Spotting a ship selling wares he walked down the pier with Chiara on his arm. “Ooh,
this place looks promising,” he said as he pointed towards it.

Zuko followed them inside.

“Oooh, that is handsome!” said Iroh picking up a jeweled monkey statue. “Wouldn't it look
magnificent in the galley?”

Chiara softly giggled at his excitement, but looked skeptically at the statue. “I think it's
creepy,” she said having dealt with more than enough creepiness that day.

“Not at all,” he said still enamored with it. “It is just...exotic.”

“We lost the Water Tribe girl...”

Chiara's attention turned to one of the men in the shop.

“And the little bald monk she was traveling with.”

The same man now caught Zuko's attention.

“This monk, did he have an arrow on his head?” he asked walking over to the two men.
Chiara left Iroh with his weird statue and followed Zuko.

The captain behind the counter wearing a large hat glared suspiciously at the prince while the
iguana parrot on his shoulder casually preened its feathers. “What's it to you?” the man
growled. His iguana parrot squawked in response to its master's voice.

“You're after the Water Tribe girl; I'm after the monk,” said Zuko. “Maybe we can help each
other.”

Chiara glanced up at him incredulously, and she wanted to scold him for offering to
collaborate with the men who were obviously pirates. The two men looked at each other
undoubtedly considering the proposition.

“The girl stole a waterbending scroll from us,” said the captain. “And the little monk helped
her.”

Chiara wondered from what waterbender the scoundrels stole it.

Zuko and the pirates made plans to team up together. At sunset one of Zuko's skiffs sailed up
the river. The prince, Iroh, Chiara, several of the crewman, and the pirate captain sailed
alongside the pirate ship. Iroh and Chiara stayed below deck where she was strapping on her
sword sheath and tucking away her shurikens.

“I don't trust these pirates,” she said softly to Iroh.

“Nor do I. But I think we can handle whatever might happen,” he said confidently.

A cold shiver went down her spine. “They remind me too much of those degenerates in the
shop today.”

Iroh's eyes narrowed as he imagined her ordeal during the search for his tile. “These men
won't attempt any such stunt if they value their lives.” His deep tone carried the threat just as
much as his words.

“I don't trust them not to hurt the waterbender either,” she said. The idea that they might
threaten the Avatar's companion, or any woman, the way the lowlifes in the shop did to her
earlier, disgusted her, and she was determined to make sure the girl would be safe from the
pirates.

While Iroh and Chiara were below with most of their crew, Zuko stood out on deck with the
pirate captain.

“Shouldn't we stop to search the woods?” asked the captain.

“We don't need to stop,” Zuko replied. “They stole a waterbending scroll, right?”

“Um hmm,” grunted the pirate clearly not getting it.

“Then they'll be on the water,” he said as if it were obvious.

 ------------------------------------------

That night, Zuko and the pirate captain kept watch along the riverbank where they discovered
the Avatar's Water Tribe companion practicing her waterbending. Bringing the boat ashore,
Chiara remained with Iroh while the others went after the waterbender.

When they returned with their prisoner, they tied her to a tree. Iroh and Chiara left the boat to
stand nearby while Zuko's group and the pirates stood on opposite sides.

Zuko stood in front of the girl. “Tell me where he is,” he demanded of her, “and I won't hurt
you or your brother.”

“Go jump in the river!” she said angrily, her blue eyes glaring at him.

Zuko was not used to being snapped at, especially by a Water Tribe peasant. He had dealt
with few women in his life, and none ever yelled at him. Azula's reaction would have
involved burning something of his, including him. And Chiara was not afraid to scold him,
but she never yelled at him in the scathing manner as the waterbender had just done. He felt
awkward and was not sure how to handle her outside of threatening her, but he knew he
needed to remain calm.

“Try to understand, I need to capture him to restore something I've lost,” he said calmly as he
walked around the tree behind her. “My honor.”

“...never lost your honor,” grumbled Chiara in a very low, but just audible undertone.

Zuko shot her a quick glare for her refusal to accept the Fire Lord's judgment. Composing
himself from her interruption, he turned back to the prisoner and leaned close to her from
behind speaking in her ear. “Perhaps in exchange I can restore something you've lost,” he said
trying to make his offer sound as tempting as possible.

He held her necklace in front of her.

She was surprised to see it in his hands. “My mother's necklace,” she said.

Her words instantly touched Chiara's heart and she stared at the Water Tribe girl as Zuko
stood before her.

“How did you get that?” the girl asked him.

“I didn't steal it if that's what you're wondering.” He did not elaborate on where he found it.
“Tell me where he is,” he demanded pointing at her.

“No!” she said adamantly.

“Enough of this necklace garbage,” growled the pirate captain stepping forward.

Chiara took a step closer to the waterbender.

“You promised a scroll,” said the captain.

Zuko pulled the scroll out from behind him. “I wonder how much money this is worth?” he
asked conjuring a fire underneath it.

The pirates gasped. “No!”

“A lot apparently,” he smirked at the pirates. “Now, you help me find what I want,” he
demanded, “you'll get this back and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the
boy and meet back here.”

“Fine,” said the pirate captain grudgingly as he turned away.

After the pirates left to search for the Avatar, Chiara approached Zuko.

“May I see the scroll?” she asked.

He extinguished the fire and handed the scroll to her. She pulled it out of its tube and unrolled
it.

“Do you have a light?” she asked him.

He produced a small flame and held it near the scroll so she could look over it. Iroh joined
her as she was studying it. They could not say anything with Zuko standing nearby, but they
both recognized it to be authentic, and Chiara was already familiar with the movements.
When she finished examining the scroll, she rolled it up and handed it back to Zuko.

“Anything interesting?” he asked.

“Nothing I haven't seen before,” she said.

“What? Where?” he asked wondering where she could have possibly seen a waterbending
scroll before.

“When the General and I traveled around we saw bending scrolls,” she answered truthfully.

“Too bad we don't have a waterbender on board,” said Iroh as he turned away.

Chiara placed her hand his arm and laughed to herself as they walked off.

“That would've come in handy all these years living on the water,” she said.

As Iroh laughed Zuko was puzzled as to why they found it so funny. He wondered if it might
be another reference to the Avatar causing the ice damage to the ship—something they joked
about more often than seemed normal, and he still did not understand why they found that so
funny.

--------------------------------------

While the pirates were gone, Zuko's group set up camp. Zuko stood near the water picturing
his return home with the Avatar in tow and regaining his honor. Despite being lost in his
hopeful thoughts he heard Chiara's soft footsteps stop beside him.
“May I ask a favor of you?” she asked.

He continued staring out at the dark river. “Let me guess, release the prisoner, don't capture
the Avatar?”

She looked up at him. “Oh, those are so much better than the one I was going to ask for.”

He softly laughed at her response and turned towards her. “What were you going to ask for
then?”

“So is that a 'no' to your suggestions?”

“A big 'no.'”

She smiled. “Then would you return her necklace?” Before he could object, she continued,
“She won't betray the Avatar for it. This,” she said touching her diadem, “is all I have left of
my mother. And I would never choose it over you.”

His heart softened so much at her words spoken in such a sweet voice that he was tempted to
give her anything she asked of him, and he was relieved she had not asked for him to give up
chasing the Avatar for fear he would be unable to resist her gentle plea. He slowly took her
hand in his, pulled out the necklace, and placed it in her palm never taking his eyes from
hers.

“Thank you,” she said tenderly.

She turned to step away, but he would not release her hand. Her eyes met his again, and she
briefly wondered if he was being facetious and not really going to let her return it.

He gazed into her eyes wishing it was bright enough to see the beautiful green sea they
contained—the sea he preferred to live in over the one on which he was exiled. He reached
up to brush back a loose soft curl from her temple, longing to kiss her. His touch sent chills
through her body.

“Does this mean we're betrothed?” he asked softly, his hand still holding hers which held the
necklace.

Her heartbeat increased at his query, and she was very aware of the warm grip of his hand
upon hers. She forced the wishful thinking from her mind. “You and her? Maybe,” she
teased.

The warm look in his eyes darkened as he took in what she said, and he playfully glared at
her. “You're going to pay for that next spar session,” he threatened deeply.

She giggled. “I look forward to it.”

He let her go, but he was quietly laughing at her teasing him as he watched her walk away.
Chiara approached the Water Tribe girl holding her necklace.
The girl glared at her. “That belongs to me,” she said angrily. “How dare he give that to you!
You're just another thief.”

Zuko's fists clenched when he heard what she said, and it reminded him of how Azula treated
Chiara. He stormed over to them.

“Don't you dare talk to her like that!” he said deeply.

“Prince Zuko...,” started Chiara.

He grabbed the necklace from her. “She was going to return this to you,” he said holding it up
in front of the nervous looking girl. “Forget it now.”

“It's okay,” said Chiara placing her hand on his arm trying to calm him down. “She's just
upset.”

“I don't care,” he said. “This peasant has no right to insult you. You are a member of the royal
family. If she can't treat you with respect, then she doesn't deserve this back.”

He turned and stormed away.

“I'm so sorry,” Chiara apologized to her.

“No,” said the girl softly, shame in her voice. “I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't
realize you were giving it back to me. It's...it's all I have left of my mother.” Tears fell down
her cheeks.

Chiara felt bad. “I understand. This is all I have left of mine,” she said as she touched her
diadem. “That's why I wanted to get it back to you.”

“You...you seem so different,” she said. “Why are you with them?”

“Chiara!” yelled Zuko. “Get over here!”

Chiara bowed towards the waterbender before walking over to Zuko.

“I don't want you talking to the prisoner,” he said.

“You didn't have to get so upset with her or call her a peasant,” she softly admonished him.

“She had no right to call you a thief...”

“She's tied to a tree at the mercy of strangers. She has a right to be upset.”

“But she didn't have to take it out on you,” he said sharply. “You're the last person here to
deserve it.”

Her heart stirred at his words.

“I'm going to make tea for the General,” she said. “Would you like a cup?”
“No.” He was staring out at the river again.

She tenderly placed her hand on his arm before turning away, but then she turned back to
him.

“May I offer the prisoner tea?”

“No. I don't want you talking to her,” he repeated.

She nodded her head and then went to make Iroh's tea. While the soldiers were eating, she
carried a small bowl of food to Zuko.

“You should eat something,” she said.

He took the bowl, and she tenderly caressed his back before returning to Iroh's side. He was
touched by her concern for him, and he began feeling a small twinge of guilt for refusing her
request to offer tea to the prisoner.

By the time the sun came up, the pirates had captured Aang and the Water Tribe boy and
literally dragged them back to the camp. Chiara and Iroh stayed near the girl who was still
restrained against the tree.

“Nice work,” said Zuko when he saw Aang standing before him.

He approached them holding the scroll. The Water Tribe boy paid him no mind as he
struggled to break free from his restraints while Aang looked wide-eyed at the Water Tribe
girl.

“Aang, this is all my fault,” she said regretfully.

“No, Katara, it isn't,” he replied.

“Yeah, it kind of is,” said Iroh earning a glare from the girl.

Zuko faced the pirate captain who stood between the Avatar and his Water Tribe companion.
“Give me the boy,” he demanded.

“You give us the scroll,” the pirate captain threw back at him.

The Water Tribe boy looked up at the captain. “You're really gonna hand over the Avatar for a
stupid piece of parchment?”

“Don't listen to him,” said Zuko. “He's trying to turn us against each other.”

“Your friend is the Avatar?” the pirate captain asked the boy.

“Sure is,” he said. “And I bet he'll fetch a lot more on the black market than that fancy
scroll.”
“Shut your mouth, you Water Tribe peasant!” yelled Zuko.

“Ouch,” said Chiara softly.

Iroh gently patted her shoulder.

“Yeah, Sokka,” said Aang, “you really should shut your mouth.”

“I'm just saying, it's bad business sense,” continued Sokka. “Just imagine how much the Fire
Lord would pay for the Avatar.” The pirates surrounding him were nearly salivating at the
financial opportunity. “You guys would be set for life.”

“Keep the scroll,” the pirate captain said to Zuko. “We can buy a hundred for the reward we'll
get for the kid.”

He turned away, and the pirates started walking off with their two prisoners.

“You'll regret breaking a deal with me,” threatened Zuko angrily.

He and his soldiers threw streams of fire towards the pirates, and a fight broke out between
the two groups. One of the pirates tossed smoke bombs at the firebenders making it difficult
for everyone to see.

As soon as everyone was busily involved in the battle, Chiara pulled out her knife and cut
Katara free. Though Chiara immediately left, Katara saw her and was surprised that she had
freed her.

“Thanks,” she said, but Chiara had disappeared.

After freeing Katara, she immediately went to find the Avatar. In the cloud of smoke she
heard someone coughing, and following the sound she discovered Aang trying to avoid the
chaos. She pulled her knife out again.

“Greetings, Avatar Aang,” she said.

His face brightened upon seeing her. “Hey, Chiara.”

She cut him free.

“Thanks,” he said shaking the loose ropes off.

“I love your sky bison,” she said. “He's so beautiful.”

“His name's Appa.” He looked around. “Have you seen Katara?”

“She's around here somewhere, probably looking for you.”

She turned and left in the smoke.

“Thanks again!” he called out to her.

Carefully making her way through the dark smoke, Chiara spotted Sokka crawling across the
ground. She pulled out her knife again as she approached him.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he said backing up nervously. “I don't like to hurt girls, but...”

When she reached towards him with her blade, he turned his head closing his eyes and
holding his bound hands up defensively in front of him. Not feeling any holes in his body,
Sokka drew his hands back and felt the ropes drop from his wrists. He opened his eyes to see
her long braid flowing down her back as she disappeared in the smoke.

“Thanks, mysterious beautiful stranger,” she heard him call to her.

When Chiara stepped out of the smoke cloud, she saw Zuko fighting one of the pirates; she
also caught sight of the pirate captain sneaking up behind him. She immediately drew her
sword, and jumping between them, she stopped the captain's attack on Zuko who had just
turned around to see it. She began fighting the captain, but Zuko took over fighting him with
fire blasts and blocking his sword attacks as Chiara turned to fight the other pirate. When
another one came up behind Zuko, Chiara quickly kicked her opponent away and blocked the
one ready to strike at her prince continuing the battle with her new opponent. During the
fighting, a fourth pirate managed to snag the scroll while Zuko's back was turned. As the
smoke began clearing, Iroh stepped in between the pirate captain and Zuko.

“Are you so busy fighting you cannot see your own ship has set sail?” said Iroh to the pirate.

“We have no time for your proverbs, Uncle,” said Zuko.

“It's no proverb,” he said pointing at the pirate ship now being commandeered by Team
Avatar.

“Bleeding hog monkeys,” said the pirate captain before running off down the riverbank.

At his words, everyone stopped fighting. While the remaining pirates ran after their captain,
Chiara walked over to Iroh and Zuko. As they watched the pirate ship sail away, their eyes
were drawn to Zuko's own boat that had been hijacked by some of the pirates.

“Hey,” yelled Zuko spotting it, “that's my boat!”

He was ready to run towards it, but one of the men on board turned around and started
dropping his pants as they went by, so Zuko quickly grabbed Chiara and covered her eyes.

“Maybe it should be a proverb,” said Iroh thoughtfully.

“Come on, Uncle,” said Zuko releasing Chiara before running towards his boat.

They ran along shore until they reached the waterfall just in time to see Zuko's skiff go over.
The prince ran to the edge and looked over the falls.

“My boat!”

“I just love that sky bison,” said Chiara, her eyes on Appa flying away in the distant sky.
By the time Iroh caught up to them, he was out of breath. He suddenly started laughing.

“Prince Zuko, you're really going to get a kick out of this.” He pulled a tile from his sleeve.
“The lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time,” he said with a big smile.

Zuko snatched the tile from his hand and threw it over the waterfall.

“Honestly, Prince Zuko, was that necessary?” asked Chiara.

“I lost a boat for that stupid tile,” he said angrily.

“You have another boat,” she said. “But there was only one lotus tile.”

“That's my wise girl,” smiled Iroh.

Zuko glared at them. “I hope you both enjoy walking back to the docks then,” he growled as
he stomped off.

They rejoined the soldiers, and the group started their long trek back to the ship at the pier.

Meanwhile, Aang and his friends were safely flying away on Appa.

“Do you guys remember the girl who was with Zuko?” asked Katara.

“Yeah,” said Aang, “that's Chiara. She just cut me loose. And she's the one who freed me
when I was on Zuko's ship.”

“She freed me too,” said Katara.

“Did she have big, beautiful green eyes and a long braid?” asked Sokka.

“That's her,” said Aang.

“So she was the mysterious beautiful girl. I thought she was going to attack me at first, but
she just cut me free and then disappeared.”

“Zuko had my necklace, and she was going to give it back to me,” said Katara sadly.

“What happened?” asked Aang.

“When I saw her with it, I didn't realize she was bringing it to me, so I called her a thief.
Zuko got upset and took it. He said I didn't deserve it back because I didn't treat her with
respect.”

“So who is she?” asked Sokka.

“I told you,” said Aang. “Her name's Chiara.”

“I mean who is she to Zuko? Why is she with him?”

 “I asked her,” said Katara. “But Zuko called her away before she could answer. He said she's
a member of the royal family.”

“Maybe she's his sister,” suggested Aang.

“Why would she help us then?” asked Sokka.

“When I first met her, she said the war was devastating to the Nations and that the world
needs me,” he said.

“You don't think it's a trick, do you?” asked Sokka. “She's trying to convince us she's an ally,
and then...WHAM! She stabs us in the back.”

“She seemed pretty sincere,” said Aang. “On Zuko's ship she begged him to take her prisoner
instead of me and even take her life instead of mine.”

“What did Zuko do?” asked Katara.

“He said that her life wouldn't restore his honor, so she stood in front of me to protect me,
and she wouldn't move, even when Zuko threatened her.”

“That doesn't sound like a trick,” said Katara softly. “Maybe she really is an ally.”

Chapter End Notes

This was, of course, taken from the episode "The Waterbending Scroll." In case it wasn't
obvious, or if anyone hasn't seen the episode in a while, the cabbage merchant that Zuko
and Chiara encounter is still busy fixing his cabbage stand that Aang had destroyed
earlier when he and the Gaang were running from the pirates after Katara stole the
scroll.
 The Storm

A few weeks had gone by before they had heard the news that the Avatar was heading north,
so a course was set to follow him. After spending the morning training, Zuko stood on the
deck with a telescope keeping a lookout while Iroh gazed off into the distance. Chiara, after
working in the hold with the komodo rhinos, was taking a break watching the water moving
around the boat. She was feeling a bit homesick for waterbending, especially after seeing the
waterbending scroll, but she patiently kept her gift hidden practicing techniques late in the
evening in the privacy of her quarters when she knew no one would walk in on her.

Iroh took a deep breath. “There is a storm coming,” he said. “A big one.”

Zuko looked at him incredulously. “You're out of your mind, Uncle,” he said walking over to
him. “The weather's perfect. There's not a cloud in sight.”

“I sense it too,” said Chiara hanging over the rail still staring at the water. “It's approaching
from the north.”

Iroh turned to his nephew. “I suggest we alter our course and head southwest.”

Zuko was immediately frustrated with his uncle's suggestion. He pointed in the direction the
ship was traveling. “We know the Avatar's traveling northward.” Having waited weeks for the
Avatar's current whereabouts, he was determined not to get sidetracked. “So we will do the
same.”

“Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew.”

His voice was stern, but Zuko ignored it, his mind only on his mission. “The safety of the
crew doesn't matter!”

The prince's loud expression of his indifference to the men on board stopped Lieutenant Jee
in his tracks.

Chiara knew Zuko was frustrated and suspected he was only venting. “You don't mean that,”
she called out not taking her eyes from the sea.

The lieutenant suspected differently, and he raised an eyebrow and frowned at the prince,
appalled by his lack of concern for others. Zuko walked up and glared at him not intimidated
by the tall man who was still scowling down at him.

“Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individual safety,” said Zuko.

He turned and left the deck.

Iroh stood next to Jee. “He doesn't mean that. He's just all worked up,” he said, though he
sounded unsure.

Jee scowled harder.

 ---------------------------------

After her break, Chiara headed inside to help Ozen in the galley. When she saw Zuko coming
down from the bridge, she called him.

“Prince Zuko.”

He turned to her as she was walking up to him.

“Please alter course,” she begged. “The weight of the storm in the air is heavy.”

“I can't,” he said firmly. “Not when we're so close to the Avatar.”

“That won't mean anything if we're all dead,” she said, her voice carrying a rare tone of
sternness.

He narrowed his eyes suspecting she was only exaggerating. “How do you even know there's
a storm?” His voice was steadily rising. “The sky is clear.”

“I can feel the change in the air and the wind just as the General does.”

He shook his head. “There's no change in the air. Uncle probably just wants to go to another
port to do more shopping.”

“Well I'm not interested in shopping,” she said. “We can just anchor somewhere southwest of
here temporarily.”

“You're being paranoid.” He refused to slow down his mission for conjecture.

“I'm not paranoid. It's no small storm out there,” she said seriously.

He could hear a storm in her voice, and he saw it swirling in her green eyes. But just like the
one beyond the horizon, he chose to ignore it. “We'll be fine,” he said. “I can't lose the Avatar,
not when I'm so close.”

“The Avatar won't matter if you lose your crew,” she said deeply.

“Nothing's going to happen,” he insisted. He turned away from her and walked away.

Chiara was feeling frustrated at his obstinance. She sighed before heading to the galley to
work, but her mind was on Zuko, fearing he was becoming more like Ozai.

----------------------------------

As the ship continued sailing north, the skies began growing black ahead of them. Zuko
stepped out on deck where Jee, Shoza, and Jozan were standing looking at the oncoming
storm.

“Huh,” said Jee as he turned towards Zuko, “looks like your uncle and cousin were right
about the storm after all.”
Hearing the lieutenant's taunting smugness, Iroh immediately walked out. “Lucky guess,” he
said pleasantly trying to de-escalate the growing conflict.

Zuko stormed towards Jee. “Lieutenant,” he said scowling at him, “you'd better learn some
respect or I will teach it to you,” he threatened poking him in the chest.

He turned away from Jee.

“What do you know about respect?” spat Jee finally snapping at the prince.

Iroh tried signaling to the lieutenant, but he was not about to back down.

“The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard-working crew to your esteemed
uncle, shows you know nothing about respect.”

Iroh gasped nervously.

“You don't care about anyone but yourself,” he continued. It had been too many years of
putting up with the prince's temper, and Jee was determined to get some of it off his chest.
“Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince.”

Zuko was furious. He turned around taking a firebending stance ready to fight. Jee did the
same.

“Easy now,” said Iroh trying to calm them down.

Smoke was emanating from Zuko's hand as they faced each other.

Iroh stepped between them and separated the two. “Enough! We are all a bit tired from being
at sea so long. I'm sure after a bowl of noodles, everyone will feel much better.”

Jee and Zuko turned away from each other.

“I don't need your help keeping order on my ship,” Zuko snapped at his uncle.

Iroh placed his hand on his shoulder, but Zuko angrily shrugged it off and stormed away
towards the bow.

----------------------------------

When Chiara saw Iroh enter the mess hall, she brought him a bowl of food setting it down
before him. His troubled expression worried her and she took a seat across from him.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I am worried about Prince Zuko.” He picked up his bowl. “He and Lieutenant Jee almost
had a fight.”

She sighed. “He's been so tense lately. Is he still on deck?”

“He is, but it would be best if you just avoid him,” he said to her surprise since she was often
sent to deal with the moody prince. “I'm not even sure you'll be able to help him right now.”

After confronting him earlier, she suspected Iroh was correct, but she decided to check on
him anyways. She made a quick stop in the galley before heading out to the deck where she
saw Zuko standing alone on the bow.

He heard her soft footsteps, and he mentally prepared himself for her scolding him over his
tiff with the lieutenant.

“I brought you something to eat,” she said holding the bowl out to him.

He kept his eyes focused on the water.

“Did Uncle send you?” he asked.

“No.” She was still holding the bowl. “He actually said I should avoid you, but I thought you
might be hungry.”

She was so sweet and concerned about him he could not be angry at her, so he took the bowl
she offered and started eating. She remained with him while he ate, and they quietly stood on
deck watching the dark clouds grow thicker. When he finished eating, she took the bowl from
him.

“Don't stay out here too long,” she said before turning away. “It's going to start raining soon.”

Not long after she left, the rain starting falling. Zuko went to his room to meditate.

-----------------------------------

The rain pounded against the ship as the winds picked up. Lieutenant Jee sat below deck
complaining about Zuko to other crewmembers. When Iroh overheard the conversation, he
sat with them and began telling them Zuko's history and how he was punished and sent on a
quest to find the Avatar.

As the ship continued sailing deeper into the storm, it started being tossed harder and harder.
Lightning flashed all around, and suddenly, it struck the ship. Hearing the noise, Zuko, Iroh,
and Jee ran up on deck. Chiara soon followed as she wanted to be close to Iroh and Zuko in
case of an emergency. With the storm and the threat of the ship capsizing, she was ready to
help them and all of the crew with waterbending, even if it meant revealing her true nature
and risking Zuko's hatred or even her own life.

They were all trying to keep their balance as the ship rocked in the strong waves.

“Where were we hit?” yelled Zuko through the noise of the storm.

“I don't know,” yelled Jee.

“Look,” called Iroh as he pointed up towards the bridge.

They saw a man hanging from the railing.

“The helmsman,” yelled Zuko.

The prince and Jee immediately ran to the ladder and began climbing towards the helmsman.
Chiara stood at the base of the ladder watching them anxiously. Another bolt of lightning shot
down from the sky towards the ship, but Iroh reached up allowing it to flow through his body.
Chiara stepped back from him when she felt the charge in the air. She was forced to shield
her eyes from the blinding flash as he guided it towards the sea. She was holding her breath,
worried by the outcome. She knew he had developed the redirection technique and practiced
it when they stayed with the Northern Water Tribe, but she had never known him to actually
do it. When she looked, she was relieved to see him still standing, though looking thoroughly
shocked with smoke emanating from his body.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I am,” he answered with a stunned expression.

She touched his arm relieved he was all right. “How did it feel?”

“It felt exhilarating,” he said.

“That was incredible.”

“You're telling me.”

Just then the helmsman lost his grip and began falling. Iroh and Chiara looked up to see Zuko
grab his arm while Jee helped him to the ladder. When they came down, Chiara put her arm
around the helmsman, and she and Uzo took him to the infirmary.

She returned to the deck where a few crewman had gathered to check for more damage to the
ship. A large wave suddenly crashed down on the deck. Chiara grabbed Iroh and pulled him
back towards the tower where he could hang onto the ladder as the ship tipped to the side.
Chiara's heart stopped when the water washed over the deck dragging someone overboard
with it.

“Someone just went in,” she said as she ran out onto the deck. “Where's Prince Zuko?” she
asked worriedly gripping the wet railing and looking into the water.

“I'm here,” he said stepping up to her right and looking over the side.

She looked up and placed her hand on his arm relieved to see him.

“Get a rope!” he called.

Chiara started searching for the person in the water.

“It's Tedo,” yelled Jee pointing him out.

“He can't swim,” said Shoza.

As soon as Chiara spotted him in the waves, she immediately climbed up on the ledge and
dove into the water before Zuko realized what she was doing and could stop her.

“Chiara!!” called Zuko. “Get that rope! Quickly!” he ordered the crew.

Iroh ran over to the edge and saw Chiara fighting against the sea as she swam out to Tedo.
They watched a large wave wash over them.

“Chiara!!” yelled Zuko who was ready to jump in.

Iroh grabbed his arm holding him back. “No, Zuko. You can't.”

“But she'll drown!”

“She's a strong swimmer,” said Iroh, trying to convince himself as much as Zuko. “It'll be
easier on her if there's only one of you to rescue.”

“Who's going to rescue her?!”

“Give her a chance.” He would not let go of his nephew's arm, but his eyes continued
scanning the water anxiously looking for his daughter.

“I don't see her,” said Zuko, panic in his voice.

Lightning flashed across the sky and lit up the sea, but all they saw were waves.

“Where is she?”

“Patience,” said Iroh who was trying to hide his own worry.

“Chiara!!” yelled Zuko gripping the rail tightly. Iroh's grip on him was the only thing keeping
him on the ship.

Another flash of lightning revealed her holding onto Tedo.

“Give me the rope,” said Zuko.

He took it and threw it out into the water as far as he could in the stormy wind. Chiara
controlled the water underneath her in order to get closer to the rope, but it was still a
struggle against the large waves. Zuko was holding his breath as he watched her. She finally
grabbed hold of it, and he let out a sigh of relief. She tied the rope around Tedo's chest
underneath his arms, and then she removed the water from his lungs.

“Tedo,” she said touching his cheek.

He opened his eyes trying to focus as the rain and black sea splashed around them.

“Tedo, hang on.” She looked up. “Take him up,” she yelled.

“Pull him up,” yelled Zuko. “And get another rope.”

As the crew began pulling Tedo up another large wave went over Chiara who struggled to
avoid being slammed into the hull, and she disappeared underneath the wave.

“Chiara!!” yelled Zuko. He took the rope that was brought to him. “Chiara!!” he yelled again.

When he saw her come up out of the water, he threw the rope towards her. She took hold of
it, and Zuko started pulling her up as Shoza grabbed on and helped. By now the other
crewmen had Tedo on the deck. When Chiara reached up to the railing, Zuko lifted her up
over the side and then set her down on the deck. He had his left arm around her back, and he
held her right forearm with his to support her as Iroh stood on her left.

“H-how's Tedo?” she asked breathlessly with her head bowed.

Zuko looked at the men who were helping Tedo walk inside.

“He'll be okay. He's walking,” he assured her.

Lightning flashed across the sky drawing Zuko's attention to the large sky bison in the
distance.

“The Avatar!” he yelled.

“What do you want to do, sir?” asked Jee.

Zuko hesitated. His eyes were drawn down to Chiara whose head was still bowed, her body
cold against his arm.

He looked at Jee. “Let him go,” he said. “We need to get this ship to safety.”

“Then we must head directly into the eye of the storm,” Iroh directed the crew. He was proud
of his nephew's decision.

Zuko suddenly felt Chiara leave his arms as she collapsed to the deck.

“Chiara,” he said worriedly kneeling down next to her. “Uncle...”

Iroh was on his knees by her side. “We need to get her to the infirmary.”

Zuko scooped her up in his arms and carried her inside while Iroh followed him.

“Lady Chiara,” said Tedo as he watched Zuko carry her into the infirmary. He sat up. “Is
she...?”

“She's still breathing,” said Iroh.

“She saved my life.”

“She's so cold,” said Zuko after laying her on a cot.

He drew heat to his hands and touched her face and neck trying to warm her up. Iroh started
unwrapping her heavier kurta and then he worked on removing it as Zuko held her allowing
him to pull it off of her. Her clothes underneath were just as soaked, but the kurta was as
much as Iroh was willing to remove in order to protect her modesty, and it made him wish
Amiku were with them to help take care of her.

“Bring me a blanket,” he ordered.

The medic immediately brought one and placed it over her after Zuko gently laid her back on
the cot. Not wanting to let go of her, he held her hand in his and warmed her arm while Iroh
did the same on the other side.

“Come on, Chiara, wake up,” said Zuko worriedly.

The others in the infirmary were worried about her as she lay unconscious, especially Tedo
who felt indebted to her.

“Chiara, please wake up,” said Zuko, distress sounding in his voice.

Iroh checked her pulse. “Her heart is still beating,” he said. He warmed his hands and placed
them over her abdomen.

For what seemed like an eternity, especially to Iroh and Zuko, everyone waited anxiously
hoping she would wake up.

Jee and Shoza both walked into the infirmary.

“How are you doing, Tedo?” asked Jee as he walked by him.

Tedo glanced up at the lieutenant before turning his eyes back to Chiara. “Fine, sir,” he
answered distractedly.

The two men continued towards Chiara's cot.

“How's she doing?” asked Jee in a low voice his eyes focused on her motionless body.

“She's still unconscious,” said Iroh softly and sadly.

Zuko was silent as he sat on her cot facing her holding her left hand in his and pressed
against his cheek. He moved his other hand gently up and down her arm trying to keep it
warm, and he would not remove his eyes from hers as he waited, hoping they would open.

“Keep me updated,” Jee said to Iroh who nodded almost listlessly.

Jee and Shoza left the infirmary while Iroh continued sitting on her right and Zuko on her
left.

It felt like an eternity had passed when they finally felt her hands move. Her fingers wrapped
around Zuko's, and her other hand tightened its grip on Iroh's.

“Chiara?” said Zuko.

“My firebenders are so warm,” she spoke in nearly a whisper, her eyes still closed.

He smiled at her words. “Chiara,” he said relieved that she was awake. He delicately moved
some wet strands from her face and tenderly caressed her head.

“Prince Zuko,” she said softly, opening her eyes. “Tedo is okay?”

Zuko looked back at Tedo who was anxiously looking at them, as was everyone else who was
present. He turned back to her holding her hand in both of his.

“He's okay,” he said. He closed his eyes and softly ran his lips over her hand thankful she was
alive.

“You gave us quite a scare,” said Iroh tenderly caressing her right hand.

“I'm okay,” she said. She slowly started sitting up.

“Chiara, you should rest.”

“I'm fine,” she said.

“He's right,” said Zuko. “You need to rest.

“I want to put on dry clothes.”

She stood up as Zuko helped her keeping the blanket wrapped around her. He started walking
her towards the door when Tedo knelt on the floor before her and bowed his head.

“You saved my life, Lady Chiara. Thank you.”

She bent down and helped him back to the cot. “Your welcome.”

She left the infirmary with Zuko by her side. He escorted her to her room in silence, and
when they stepped inside he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

“Don't ever do that again. I thought I lost you.”

She was touched by the tone of concern in his voice.

“I-I couldn't let him drown.”

He released her and gazed deep into her eyes.

“It wouldn't have been worth it if you drowned,” he said caressing her wet hair.

She rested her hand on his cheek sending chills through his body which were made worse by
his own wet clothes.

“You should change your clothes,” he said softly, worried about her standing in the chilled
room in wet clothing.
She nodded, and he reluctantly turned from her and left so she could get into dry clothes.

-------------------------------------

After quickly changing Chiara opened the door to leave her room only to find Iroh in the hall
holding his hand up ready to knock.

“May I?” he asked.

She stood aside allowing him to enter. His clothes were dry, and she wondered if he steamed
them himself or just changed.

“Your concern for others is quite praiseworthy, Chiara,” he said once he was in the middle of
her small cabin. “You give no thought to yourself.”

“I'm not essential to life on this ship,” she said simply.

He was stunned by her words and turned towards her. “You are more essential than you
know. The support you give Prince Zuko...and me...it is essential.”

His eyes filled with tears and he took hold of her and hugged her.

“I'm sorry if I worried you,” she said as he held her, tears filling her own eyes. “But what
good is my ability if I can't use it to help others?”

He released her and caressed her head. “You've helped enough today. You should rest now.”

“I'd prefer to remain on deck while we're still in the storm.”

He hesitated not wanting her to risk her life again, but he felt forcing her to remain in her
room would be too much like a punishment she did not deserve, so he relented.

“I guess it is good that we have a waterbender on board,” he whispered.

Chiara softly laughed at their ongoing joke. She took his proffered arm, and they descended
the stairs of the tower together.

The ship shook for the last time as it broke through the wall of the storm. They were
surrounded by the dark clouds, but there was no wind or rain, and a clear spot of bright blue
sky hovered far above them. Zuko stood out on the bow. Iroh and Chiara walked out on deck
and joined him.

“You should be resting,” Zuko said to her.

“I'm fine now.”

They gazed out at the calm sea.

“Uncle, I'm sorry,” said Zuko sincerely.

“Your apology is accepted,” said Iroh placing his hand on his nephew's shoulder.
He turned to leave the deck, but Chiara remained standing next to Zuko.

“I'm sorry I didn't listen to you about the storm,” he said softly, feeling guilty about almost
losing her.

She placed her hand over his making his heart melt at her gentle touch and forgiving nature,
so he took her hand in his and held it over his heart. His eyes locked on hers as he slowly
moved closer to her. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, and even in the dim light
she could see the fire in his eyes as he stood over her. Her heart began beating faster at the
light touch of his fingers on her cheek when he tenderly moved a curl. Suddenly, their trance
was broken as they heard a noise out in the water on the port side, and out of the sea in front
of them flew Appa. The Avatar looked down at Zuko who glared back at him.

“I just love that sky bison,” said Chiara lightly as she watched it sail up through the eye of the
storm.

When it disappeared, Chiara moved her eyes back to Zuko who looked worn out.

“Don't worry, Prince Zuko,” she said tenderly caressing his hand still holding hers. “Because
of your decision we'll all live another day to search for him again.”

He was reminded of her words before the storm.

“It's been a long day,” she said. “Why don't you get some sleep? Let someone else keep
watch for you.” She caressed his face.

He nodded unable to resist her.

“Is there anything you want me to bring you?” she asked him.

He desired her presence.

“No,” he said softly, not revealing his desire.

He did not want to leave her, but he reluctantly released her hand and left the deck. In his
room he lay down on his bed, but he was unable to sleep as his mind kept dwelling on images
of Chiara struggling against the wild ocean. As he tossed and turned, he suddenly heard her
erhu from outside playing their song. She was in the same spot where she had played before
so the sound came directly up to his window. It was not long before he fell asleep to the
relaxing music.

After everything had calmed down, Lieutenant Jee approached Iroh who was enjoying tea in
the mess hall.

“General Iroh, I...I want to tell you how impressed I am by your nephew's and daughter's
actions tonight. Their selfless acts during this storm were heroic. Neither of them hesitated to
risk their own lives for the lives of the crew.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant. I'm quite proud of them. And despite some of Prince Zuko's claims
and rash actions, he truly is concerned with the safety of his people.”

Jee nodded. “He will make a fine Fire Lord.”

 The Dark Water Spirit

A few days after the storm, Shoza approached Iroh to speak to him privately. He had been
traveling with the General, the former Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, for years, but he did
not feel any less intimidated by him, especially considering the nature of his request.

“General Iroh, sir, I know you'll soon be seeking a husband for Lady Chiara. It would be an
honor to be considered in your search for a spouse for her.”

Iroh was surprised by Shoza's request.

“I've been working with Lieutenant Jee, sir,” he continued, “so that when we return to the
Fire Nation, I can enlist as an officer in the Navy. I want to be able to advance in rank so I
could be a worthy husband for her.”

Iroh considered him a moment. “Shoza, a high rank does not necessarily mean a worthy
husband. There are more important endeavors in life than rank. Whomever I choose for Lady
Chiara must understand the treasure he will receive. I am not only giving him a beautiful,
caring woman. I will be giving him a family—a wife and children that must be loved, that
must be his world. There is no greater gift than one's own family.”

Shoza was impressed by Iroh's words, and he realized they were spoken out of his experience
of losing his wife and son.

“The poorest man could be more worthy than the highest ranking admiral if his love for his
family is above all else,” continued Iroh.

“I understand,” said Shoza. “I'm sure I could love her and our children above everything.”

“As a war orphan, her lineage cannot be traced,” he admitted.

“I know, sir.”

Iroh raised an eyebrow. “And you can accept that?”

“Yes, sir.”

He suspected that Shoza did not fully consider the gravity of the situation. “If you were to
discover one day that your wife was an earthbender or even a waterbender, that would not
bother you?”

Shoza had not expected the question, and his eyes had briefly gone wide. He had never
imagined such a situation, and he hesitated as he thought about it.

“Think hard,” said Iroh. “There are many prejudices in the Fire Nation, and you being a
firebender, how would you feel if you discovered that your wife hailed from another Nation?
Could you still love her the same? And if so, where could you live without endangering her
life or your own?”
“Is Chiara an earthbender or waterbender?” As he asked his question, he suspected Iroh
would not tell him even if he knew.

“She was raised in the Fire Nation, so if she is a bender from another Nation she has hidden it
quite well.”

Shoza thought about Chiara. The last several years he had lived with her generosity and
kindness. Nothing she had done ever led him to believe she was inferior or savage, but quite
the contrary. He saw how much the man who had once been next in line to be the Fire Lord
of their Nation cared for her despite her origin. “But...but if you, sir, the son of Fire Lord
Azulon, were still willing to take her as your daughter, I'm still willing to take her as my wife,
even if she is from another Nation.”

Iroh was momentarily stunned by his words. A smile broke out on his face, and he laughed.
“You are very wise, Shoza, and I can see you care for Chiara very much. Though I'm still not
ready to give her hand, I will keep your proposal in mind.”

“Thank you, General,” he said bowing to him. “That's all I ask.”

They sailed on continuing their search for the Avatar. One afternoon, Chiara was on the
bridge watching Iroh play Pai Sho with some of the crewmen, or as she would tease him
later, “profiting off the inexperienced.” Zuko was near the helm busy discussing their course
with Lieutenant Jee.

“We haven't been able to pick up the Avatar's trail since the storm,” said Jee. He pointed at
the map they were studying. “But if we continue heading northeast...”

A large shadow fell over the bridge as a large warship drew up next to them.

“What do they want?” asked Zuko.

Iroh excitedly rubbed his hands together. “Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho.”

“More like an unprofitable one,” Chiara undertoned making him grin and wink at her.

When the ship halted, several soldiers boarded Zuko's ship and entered the bridge.

“What do you want?” demanded the young prince.

One of the soldiers unrolled a scroll displaying a wanted poster for the Avatar.

“The hunt for the Avatar's been given prime importance,” he said. “All information regarding
the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao.”

Chiara rolled her eyes at the new rank.

“Zhao has been promoted?” said Iroh sliding his tile across the game board. “Well, good for
him.”
His opponent realized the move would result in his defeat, but he carefully moved his own
tile.

“I've got nothing to report to Zhao,” said Zuko. “Now get off my ship and let us pass.”

“Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this area,” said the soldier.

“Off my ship!!” the prince yelled pointing angrily to the exit.

The men turned and left the bridge as Iroh played his final move.

“Excellent,” he said taking his winnings. The men looked disappointed. “I take the pot. But
you're all improving. I'm certain you will win if we play again.”

They reset the board for another game.

---------------------------------

As the sun was sinking in the sky, Zuko was on the deck throwing streams of fire. He was full
of mixed emotions: anger, sadness, anxiety, worry. Chiara, knowing he was upset,
approached him. As he turned and cast fire in her direction she had already drawn her sword
and parried it. He tensed up, worried that he could have burned her, but he was also
impressed by her quick moves.

“You shouldn't sneak up on me,” he said. “I could've hurt you.”

She gave a nonchalant shrug. “I thought you saw me.”

He crossed his arms looking at her wryly. “And you expected me to throw fire at you?”

“I've lived with you firebenders long enough to expect the unexpected.” She lifted up a
canteen of water she had with her. “You've been out here practicing so hard, I thought you
might want a drink.”

She sheathed her sword and walked up to him.

“Thanks,” he said taking the canteen from her.

He saw her concern for him as a ray of sunlight in the otherwise crushing darkness of his
mission.

“You up for some sword fighting?” she asked as he took a drink. “Or would you prefer to
throw fire at me? You can pretend I'm Zhao.”

He nearly choked and started coughing. After clearing the water from his windpipe, he could
not help a slight smile at her offer.

“No amount of imagination could help me pretend your Zhao.”

She laughed as she pulled her sword out again.

“How about I let you be the Dragon Emperor and I'll be the Water Spirit,” she said.

He smiled at the reminder of their Ember Island days. It was another mental respite from his
worries.

“But I get the dual swords,” she added holding her sword out to him.

He noticed a gleam in her eyes, and he opened his mouth to speak, but his questions did not
come out.

“Don't tell me you want to be the Water Spirit after all those arguments with Azula,” she said
when he hesitated.

He picked up a set of dao and handed them to her in silence, but he wondered what she knew.

They sparred until the sun disappeared beneath the horizon. When they finished, Chiara sat
along the edge watching him as he continued throwing streams of fire again. She was worried
about him. She had hoped sparring with him might tire him out so he would relax, but seeing
the force with which he kicked and punched his fireballs, it was clear to her he was still
stressed. It was not long before Iroh came up on deck concerned about his nephew's behavior,
especially since Chiara had spent the afternoon with him trying to distract him from the Zhao
situation.

“Is everything okay?” he asked Zuko. “It's been almost an hour and you haven't given the
men an order.”

“I don't care what they do,” snapped Zuko.

“Don't give up hope yet. You can still find the Avatar before Zhao.”

Zuko turned to him looking hopeless. “How, Uncle? With Zhao's resources it's just a matter
of time before he captures the Avatar.” He walked to the rail and gazed blankly out at the sea
feeling despondent. “My honor, my throne, my country...I'm about to lose them all,” he said
sadly.

It broke Chiara's heart to hear the dejection in his voice. She stepped over to him and placed
her hand on his.

“Prince Zuko,” she started, “your ancestors have been searching for the Avatar for a hundred
years. Out of all of them them, you are the one who was victorious in that quest. You haven't
come all this way just to lose to Zhao.”

Zuko looked at her in awe at her affirmation, and he also felt comforted and inspired by it. He
placed his other hand on top of hers. Iroh smiled, touched by her words of encouragement
and comfort for his nephew.

---------------------------------

That evening after dinner, Chiara was in her room sewing when there was a knock on her
door.
“Come in,” she called.

“Chiara,” said Iroh when he entered her cabin, “have you seen Prince Zuko?”

“Not since dinner,” she said pulling the thread through the fabric. “He hasn't been in the
mood for company lately.”

“Hmm...,” he said thoughtfully. “His quarters are empty, and he's not on the bridge.”

She looked up at him, her needle paused mid-stitch. “Are his swords gone?”

“They are.”

Her shoulders sagged a little. “I bet his boat's gone too.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Then you know this is not the first night he's disappeared.”

She nodded. “I noticed they were gone a few nights ago.” Her eyes stared blankly at the
fabric lying over her lap. “I just hope he's okay.”

He could see the concern in her expression. “Zuko may be impulsive, but he is also quite
resourceful,” he said in an attempt to console her despite his own worries over his nephews
antics.

“I know,” she said softly. She was nervous and worried about him wondering where he could
have gone again.

“You will join us for music night?” he asked. “It will help take your mind off of...well...off of
other things for a while.”

She looked up at him and nodded. “I'll be up in a minute; I'm almost done with this.”

He left her to finish her sewing.

-------------------------------

Chiara joined Iroh and the crew, and they spent the evening playing music on deck. He was
on his tsungi horn and she on her erhu much like their nights back in the Caldera.

After everyone went to bed, she remained on the deck for the night waiting for Zuko. It was
early in the morning before sunrise when Iroh found her there leaning against the rail looking
out over the water.

“Have you been waiting all night?” he asked.

“Yes.” She looked at him. “You're up early.”

He rested his hands on the railing as he stood next to her. “I suppose I'm awake for the same
reason you are.”

She looked back out over the water.

“I imagine you wouldn't be out here still if he had returned already?” he said softly.

“No.”

“Then how about some company?” he offered.

“Always.”

“We can pass the time together with music.”

He left to get his tsungi horn, and together they sat on the deck playing.

Sunlight was trickling down through the trees when Zuko opened his eyes, his head
throbbing. His eyes slowly dropped down to an orange and yellow blob sitting nearby. He
continued staring at the Avatar until he came into focus.

“You know what the worst part about being born over a hundred years ago is? I miss all the
friends I used to hang out with. Before the war started, 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 the
best friends I ever had. And he was from the Fire Nation, just like you. If we knew each other
back then, do you think we could've been friends too?”

Zuko stared at the Avatar's big gray eyes peering hopefully into his. The boy's friendly,
optimistic look only angered the prince, and he immediately sat up and shot a stream of fire
at him.

The Avatar, quick as the wind, leaped up and jumped onto a branch of a tree. “I could've left
you back there, you know,” he said. “But this was for Chiara.”

Zuko glared at him before sending another fire blast towards him, but the Avatar was gone.

----------------------------------

Zuko made his way back to his skiff and returned to his ship. When Chiara saw him shuffling
slowly across the deck of the ship, she was relieved to see him, but it was clear how worn out
he looked and that he was bruised.

“Where have you been, Prince Zuko?” asked Iroh. “You missed music night. Lieutenant Jee
sang a stirring love song.”

He had expected them to be in the mess hall, but not on deck as if they had been waiting for
him all night. He continued towards the tower. “I'm going to bed,” he said. “No
disturbances.”

Despite his request, Chiara followed him inside and up to his quarters. He walked into his
room and went to shut the door but she put her hand up stopping it before he could close it.

“You're bruised,” she said.

He turned back to his room and began taking off his armor. “It's nothing.”

“I have a special ointment...,” she started as she held up the vial.

“I don't need...”

“And I won't leave until you let me treat it.”

He sighed. “Fine,” he agreed, not in the mood to argue.

He stripped off more of his armor with her help. Flopping down on the bed he finished
removing the rest.

“Lie down,” she ordered after he removed his boots.

He took off his shirt tossing it on the floor before lying down.

She knelt next to him. “Close your eyes, and do not open them.”

Once he was lying down with his eyes closed, she emptied the vial onto her hand and healed
the bruise on his head.

“Is the pain gone?” she asked when she finished.

He touched his head. “Yes.”

“Do you want me to get you anything? Are you hungry?”

“No.”

He started to get up.

“Don't move,” she said. She moved to the head of the bed behind him. “Close your eyes
again.”

As soon as they were closed, she began massaging his head with her healing technique. The
tension began melting away, and he felt completely relaxed.

“That feels really good,” he said after several minutes.

“You've been needing this,” she said softly as she stopped the massage and tenderly caressed
his head.

“I'm glad you're here, Chiara.” He sounded half-sleep.

“Shh. Don't say things you don't mean,” she whispered.

He reached up and gently took her hand and then he kissed it. “I do mean it,” he whispered
back.
She tried not to think about her heart beating faster as she pulled her hand from his. She
started massaging him again until he fell asleep. She stood up and laid his blanket over him
before reaching down and tenderly caressing his face. While he slept, she quietly cleaned his
room before going to her own.

Two weeks had gone by, but there had been no news about the Avatar. Zuko had been sure he
would travel north towards the Northern Water Tribe, but there was no new information to be
had in the ports. The only rumors they heard while traveling from port to port were about
Blue Spirit hauntings that were occurring in the villages, including one in which he
supposedly stole the Avatar from the Fire Nation.

Every day that went by without a lead felt like an eternity to Zuko leaving him edgy and
anxious. Chiara would sometimes secretly used her waterbending to help him relax, while
Iroh stepped in employing his own form of tea-bending. The three of them sat at the table in
Zuko's room where Iroh served a blend of calming tea.

“Aah,” he said after taking a sip from his cup. “See, Prince Zuko, a moment of quiet is good
for your mental well-being.”

Suddenly, the ship shook as if something had struck it causing Zuko to spill his tea. He
growled as he stood up to go to the deck with Iroh and Chiara following him. Arriving
outside they saw a woman atop a large animal running its nose across the deck, an animal
Chiara was excited to see since she immediately recognized it.

“A shirshu,” she said.

Zuko looked at her.

“Get back,” yelled the woman. “We're after a stowaway.”

“There are no stowaways on my ship,” snapped the prince.

The shirshu suddenly ripped off part of the decking to everyone's shock. They all ducked as
the animal threw the sheet of metal across the deck. It stuck its head inside the hold sniffing
out the stowaway who quickly climbed up from the hold and tried to run from it. After being
struck with the animal's tongue, the man fell to the deck unable to move.

“He's paralyzed,” said Zuko in amazement.

“Only temporarily,” said the bounty hunter as she picked up the man. “The toxins'll wear off
in about an hour, but by then he'll be in jail and I'll have my money.”

“But how did you find him on my ship?” asked Zuko.

“My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away,” she said smoothly.

“Well, I'm impressed,” said Iroh making Zuko cringe.

The bounty hunter mounted her shirshu and rode off with her bounty.
“Very impressed,” said Iroh stroking his beard.

Zuko just glared at him in disgust while Chiara was staring at the shirshu running off in the
distance. He turned to her.

“How'd you know what that was?” he asked.

“I heard about them in the Earth Kingdom, but it's the first one I've ever seen.” Her eyes were
still on it until it disappeared behind a hill. “They say they're really fast. And it was a lot
bigger than I imagined.”

Zuko stood quietly in thought, his mind drifting to a blue necklace in his quarters.

---------------------------------

That afternoon Zuko went ashore to search for the bounty hunter. Iroh, of course, insisted on
going with him, and Chiara asked to accompany them in order to see the shirshu again. Zuko,
not knowing where their search would take them, was not happy about bringing her along,
but Iroh allowed her to go. By that evening they had tracked the bounty hunter down at a
tavern. They they could hear the rowdy crowd inside when they approached the saloon.

“Look,” said Chiara pointing near the entrance, “there's her shirshu.”

It was quietly lying outside. Zuko was excited knowing they were at the right place, but he
was quickly distracted by someone yelling. Looking up they saw a man falling from the sky
having been thrown through the roof.

“I'm sure a bar is not an appropriate place to bring a young girl,” Iroh said to Chiara.

Zuko glared at him. “Then you should've left her on the ship,” he said deeply.

“I could wait out here next to the shirshu,” she said stepping towards it.

“No,” said Zuko pulling her close to him. “That thing could paralyze you. Just stay close.”

They walked into the bar where a group of people were gathered around a table.

“Out of my way,” demanded Zuko. “Step aside, filth,” he said as he shoved one of the patrons
out of his way.

“He means no offense,” apologized Iroh. “I'm certain you bathe regularly.”

They walked up to the table that had the crowd's attention. The bounty hunter, June, was arm
wrestling a man three times her size who was struggling against her.

“I need to talk to you,” interrupted Zuko.

“Well, if it isn't my new friends,” she said calmly, barely straining against her opponent.
“Angry boy and his sister and Uncle Lazy.”
Iroh laughed heartily just before she slammed her opponent's hand down on the table.

“Your beast trashed my ship,” said Zuko. “You have to pay me back.”

“I'd love to help you out,” she said as she collected her winnings, “but I'm a little short on
money. Drinks on me,” she announced to the cheers of the crowd.

Zuko bent down close to her and grabbed her wrist preventing her from taking a drink.
“Money isn't what I had in mind.”

With the offer of another job, June led them outside where her shirshu was still lying quietly
next to the tavern door.

“What's your shirshu's name?” Chiara asked her.

“This is Nyla,” she answered running her hand over its shoulder as she leaned against it.

“May I pet him?”

“Sure, why not?” the bounty hunter said indifferently.

Zuko grabbed Chiara's arm to pull her back as she advanced towards the creature. “Because
she doesn't need to be paralyzed, that's why.”

“She's not my bounty,” shrugged June crossing her arms.

When Zuko reached in his tunic to retrieve Katara's necklace, Chiara stepped over to the
shirshu and ran her fingers through its coat.

He held up the blue Water Tribe necklace. “I need you to find someone,” he said to June.

“What happened?” she asked. “Your girlfriend run off on you?”

“It's not the girl I'm after. It's the bald monk she's traveling with.”

“Whatever you say.”

“If you find them,” said Zuko. “I'll consider the damage to my ship paid for.”

“Forget it,” she said as she started to climb the saddle.

Chiara stepped back next to Iroh.

“Plus we'll pay your weight in gold,” offered Iroh.

June stepped back down and walked up to him. “Make it your weight,” she said poking him,
“and we have a deal.”

Iroh let out hearty laugh. “You got it.”

“Get on,” said June.

Iroh climbed on, and Zuko helped Chiara climb on behind him before mounting the shirshu
behind her. June held the necklace in front of Nyla until it had the scent. It sniffed the air and
immediately began salivating when it found the same scent. June hopped on in front of Iroh
and took the reins. The shirshu leaped into action causing Zuko to grip Chiara harder to keep
from falling off.

The shirshu ran across the country traveling on through the evening. Early the next morning
they rode through the ruins of Taku where they approached an old woman gathering herbs.
Her hissing cat drew her attention to the large animal that approached her.

“Out for a bit of fresh air, are we?” the herbalist asked them.

“We're looking for someone,” said Zuko.

“I hope it's not Miyuki,” she said.

“Aww...,” said Chiara reaching out, anxious to pet the white ball of fluff.

Zuko held her in place to keep her from climbing off the shirshu.

The woman looked down at her cat. “Miyuki, did you get in trouble with the Fire Nation
again?”

The cat meowed taking a step back. Chiara put her hand over her mouth, and Zuko could feel
her laughing.

“The Avatar's been through here,” said June. “Let's keep moving.”

The shirshu took off, and again they were traveling through the Earth Kingdom.

“What could a cat have done to get in trouble with the Fire Nation?” asked Chiara, still
giggling.

“Maybe it ate Zhao's favorite messenger hawk,” said Zuko.

“Too bad she couldn't have eaten his big, fat ego,” she said making Zuko laugh.

Traveling west they arrived at Makapu Village at the base of a volcanic mountain. People
were screaming as they ran through the streets trying to avoid the large animal as it tore
through the village following the scent of its prey. It finally slowed down and stopped before
one of the houses of the village.

“Why are we stopping?” asked Zuko.

“Because the girl must've spent a lot of time here,” said June.

Zuko was frustrated. “We have no time for this.”

He jumped off the saddle and held the necklace in front of the shirshu's nose. It whipped its
long tongue out at him making Chiara hold her breath as she worried about him being struck,
but he quickly ducked out of the way.

“Hey, watch it!” he yelled at the shirshu as Iroh merely laughed.

“Oh, look,” said June, “he likes you.”

Aunt Wu, the village fortune teller, flashed a smile at Iroh. “Care to hear your fortune,
handsome?” she asked.

“At my age there is really only one big surprise left,” he said. “And I'd just as soon leave it a
mystery.”

Chiara gently rubbed his arm giggling at his response.

“What about you, my dear?” Aunt Wu asked her. “Every young girl wants to hear about the
man she'll marry.”

“Considering it'll be an arranged marriage, I think I want to leave it a mystery,” she said.

The fortune teller smiled at her. “Oh, but he could be a handsome and powerful bender.”

Zuko climbed back on behind Chiara. “He is,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her
waist.

“I heard that,” said Iroh tersely making them both laugh.

“Let's get out of here,” said Zuko.

The shirshu traveled west as it continued tracking Aang. They rode on until they finally burst
through the doors of an abbey. The nuns jumped out of the way looking frightened as the
shirshu entered the cloister.

“Seriously,” said Chiara, sounding annoyed. “Is it necessary to terrorize nuns?”

“We're getting close,” said June.

Chiara was relieved when the shirshu left the abbey and ran off into the woods. It jumped
onto a road where it finally confronted Katara and Sokka. They stood frozen staring fearfully
at the giant animal growling deeply at them.

“So this is your girlfriend,” said June to Zuko as he jumped down. “No wonder she left. She's
way too pretty for you.”

“Where is he?” Zuko asked them. “Where's the Avatar?”

“We split up,” said Sokka. “He's long gone.”

“How stupid do you think I am?” asked Zuko.

“Pretty stupid,” he replied. “Run!” he yelled to Katara grabbing her hand and pulling her
along as he tried to flee.

They could not outrun the shirshu's long tongue before it flicked out paralyzing both of them.
They fell face forward to the ground.

“What are we supposed to do now?” asked Zuko.

June clicked her tongue, and Nyla crawled over to the paralyzed siblings.

“It's seeking a different scent,” said June. “Perhaps something that the Avatar held.”

The shirshu sniffed a scroll that had fallen to the ground from Sokka's pack.

Zuko loaded the two Water Tribe teens on Nyla's back and the shirshu took off following the
new scent. Chiara was disappointed when it crashed again through the already damaged
abbey doors and began circling the center of the cloister.

“What's it doing?” asked Zuko. “It's just going in a circle.”

It continued circling until the Avatar came gliding down from the sky. As the shirshu reared
up trying to get to him, everyone tumbled off its back.

Katara lifted her head. “Aang!”

“Up!” ordered June beating the shirshu until it got back on all fours. She jumped on top and
rode towards the Avatar.

Zuko quickly stood up and was helping Chiara to her feet.

“We can't tear up the abbey,” she said to him, holding onto his arm.

A loud crash distracted them, and they turned to see Appa growling deeply and snorting at a
cloud of dust. When it cleared, June and her shirshu were lying in the ruins of a building
where the sky bison had rammed them.

Zuko's eyes were drawn to the Avatar. “Take cover,” he said to Chiara not wanting her to get
hurt or interfere.

He pulled his arm from her and left her side to confront Aang. The young boy's eyes grew
wide when he saw Zuko approach him with fire coming from his fists.

Chiara, worried about Sokka and Katara being paralyzed in the middle of the battle, quickly
ran over to Katara. She lifted her underneath her arms from behind and started dragging her
out of the way.

“You're Chiara?” asked Katara.

“Yes,” she answered.

A loud explosion drew Chiara's attention, and she immediately paused and looked up. Zuko
attacked Aang, and as they battled each other, air against fire, they had both been thrown into
the air landing on opposite roofs.

“Prince Zuko...,” she said softly afraid he might be injured.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him get up, so she continued moving Katara.

June was up again whipping the shirshu before jumping back on it and charging Appa. The
sky bison took to the air but not far enough out of range of Nyla's tongue which struck his
paw. Appa landed on the ground wobbling before he collapsed, but only temporarily as his
large body withstood the toxin. The shirshu charged the bison again until they rammed into
each other head first. June went flying off Nyla and over Appa falling to the ground where
the bison almost stomped on her. While the two creatures were battling on the ground, Zuko
was already attacking Aang again on the roof.

“Why are you doing this?” Katara asked Chiara.

“You don't want to get crushed do you?” she answered still dragging her.

“No. I guess I don't.”

Chiara leaned her against one of the buildings and out of the way of the fighting before
running back for Sokka.

He looked up at her with a big, dopey smile. “It's the beautiful, mysterious stranger again,” he
said dreamily.

She started dragging him to safety where Katara was, but he was much heavier as he was
more solid, and it took more effort for her to get him next to his sister.

“Hey, Katara, is this the same beautiful, mystery girl?” he asked as Chiara dragged him closer
to her.

“Yes,” said Katara.

“I'm Sokka,” he said to her as she set him next to Katara.

“Thanks for this, Chiara,” she said.

Chiara stood up breathing a little heavy from the exertion. “Oh, no, Appa,” she said
worriedly as she watched him fall to the ground after being struck several times by the
shirshu. She looked at Sokka and Katara. “I'll be right back.”

She disappeared into the huge hole left in the side of the building.

“Sisters, I'm so sorry for all this trouble,” she said bowing respectfully to them. “You've
suffered so much damage already, but I must ask to borrow a bottle of perfume.”
Having watched her drag Sokka and Katara out of danger, one of the nuns pressed a bottle
into her hand. “Of course.”

“Thank you so much,” she said bowing again.

She returned to the siblings and held the bottle under their noses until they regained feeling in
their limbs.

“That thing sees with its nose,” said Sokka, his mind clearing. “Let's give him something to
look at.”

Chiara handed the bottle back to the mother superior before walking over to Iroh where she
watched Aang avoid Zuko's fire blasts and Nyla's tongue. Katara and Sokka ran inside the
building and returned pushing vats of perfume outside with the help of the nuns. They tipped
them over allowing Katara to waterbend the perfume all around the shirshu. The overload of
scents caused Nyla to rear up and lash its tongue which struck Zuko and June.

“Prince Zuko!” cried Chiara as she ran towards him.

She reached out to catch him, but his weight pulled her down, and she gasped as she landed
hard on her right knee. Iroh did the same for June catching her as she collapsed. Chiara
carefully laid Zuko on the ground.

“Were you struck too, General?” she asked when she saw him lying underneath June.

“No, he wasn't,” said Zuko disgustedly while Iroh just smiled mischievously.

Chiara stood up and turned to go to the abbey.

“Where are you going?” Zuko asked her.

“I'll be back.”

When she walked off, her limp did not go unnoticed by Zuko. She disappeared inside one of
the buildings for a brief second.

“Thank you, beautiful mystery girl,” said Sokka when she walked by as they were getting
ready to leave.

Zuko felt incensed when he heard the Water Tribe boy talk to her.

Katara peered over from Appa's saddle while Aang drifted down landing lightly in front of
Chiara. “Yes, thank you for saving my friends, Chiara.”

“You know,” started Sokka, “if you want to join the good guys...” He pointed up at the
saddle. “...there's room on Appa...”

“Chiara!!” yelled Zuko.

“I've got to go,” she said catching the fury in his voice. She bowed to them.
The Avatar and his friends escaped on their sky bison while Chiara returned to Zuko with a
bottle of perfume and knelt down by his side.

“What happened to your leg?” he asked her.

“I hurt my knee.” She held the bottle under his nose. “Breathe this in. It'll counter the effects
of the toxin.”

He inhaled the strong scent of the perfume and was astonished as feeling began returning to
his limbs.

“Why were they thanking you?” he asked darkly not even realizing he was glaring at her.

She wondered if he thought she had done something to aid in their escape. “I moved them out
of the way to keep them from being crushed,” she answered not sorry for trying to protect
them.

He was still irritated that Sokka spoke to her and even had the nerve to invite her to travel
with him. He was about to voice his resentment, but finding himself completely able to move
again, he was anxious to leave. She helped him sit up.

“We need to get back to the ship, Uncle,” said Zuko.

When Iroh made no attempt to move from his position, Zuko took the perfume bottle from
Chiara and held it under June's nose. As soon as she regained feeling she quickly got up and
took off on Nyla. Chiara helped Zuko to his feet before returning the bottle to the mother
superior who was now standing nearby.

“Thank you,” said Chiara bowing to her. “I wish there was some way I could help you...”

“There's no time,” said Zuko grabbing her wrist and pulling her along. “We need to get back
to the ship.”

They started walking towards the gate of the abbey, but Zuko was worried about Chiara's
limp. He stopped and turned to her.

“Let me see your leg,” he said kneeling down before her.

“It'll be o...”

“You're bleeding!” he said, upset by the blood running down her shin.

He lifted her skirt and pant leg up until he saw the wound on her knee.

“Uncle, get some water and bandages,” he said.

A couple of nuns ran over to them with clean water and bandages before Iroh had a chance to
ask for them. They had been watching everything, and they were impressed by Chiara's care
for everyone as she helped Sokka and Katara and Zuko.
“Sit down,” said Zuko.

She obeyed, and as she went to sit Iroh took her arm and helped her. The nuns shooed Zuko
out of the way and the mother superior began cleaning the wound.

“Did that happen when you caught me?” he softly asked Chiara while he was sitting next to
her.

“Yes, it did,” the mother superior answered for her.

“Forgive us for destroying your abbey,” said Chiara feeling terrible for the destruction they
caused. “I wish there was some way I could help you restore it.”

“Child,” she said to Chiara, “you have such a generous heart. You should consider remaining
here in the abbey.”

Chiara's eyes lit up a bit at the mother superior's offer. “Really?”

“No!” said Zuko. He did not like the enthusiastic look in her eyes. “You're not staying here.”

“But...”

“What do you mean 'but'?” he interrupted, troubled that she would even attempt to argue
about it. “There's no 'but'. You don't belong here.”

Mother superior flashed him a dirty look. “That's a decision she must make.”

“She's not joining an abbey,” said Zuko getting to his feet. “I won't let her.”

“Young man, that's not for you to decide,” said mother superior sternly as she was bandaging
her knee. She glanced up at Chiara. “You would be a great asset here,” she said in a more
gentle tone.

“It sounds like it's really peaceful here,” Chiara spoke softly. “...usually.”

Zuko looked at Iroh expecting backup. “Uncle, you can't let her join,” he said worried that
she was seriously considering it.

Iroh stroked his beard lost in thought. If she became a nun, he would not have to give her
away in marriage.

“Uncle?” said Zuko, now worried that he was seriously considering it.

“I wouldn't have to give her to a husband,” he said slowly and thoughtfully.

“Uncle!”

“Oh...of-of course not,” said Iroh as he realized that he would never see her again and that
there would be no possibility of grandchildren. “She...she's too young for this decision. She
needs to remain with her family.”
The mother superior finished with the bandage and looked at Chiara. “Consider it, child, and
when you're older if you decide you want to join us...”

“Thank you for your help,” said Zuko reaching down and pulling Chiara to her feet. “We
have to go.”

He picked her up in his arms which caught her off guard and she wrapped her arms around
his neck. He started quickly carrying her away while she looked back at the nuns.

“Thank you, mother superior,” she called.

The nuns waved to her.

Outside of the abbey, they took a path that led south.

“I can walk now,” said Chiara when they were out of sight of the abbey.

He only tightened his hold on her. “You shouldn't put weight on your knee.”

“You're really strong,” she said, impressed by his fast pace while supporting her weight.

“The nuns could've carried you; you don't weigh anything,” he chided her. “Uncle, you need
to make her eat more.”

Iroh was trying to keep up with his nephew's quick steps. “Next time we're in the mess hall,
I'll force feed her, Prince Zuko,” he said dully.

Chiara giggled.

“It's not funny, Chiara,” said Zuko feeling angry. “You shouldn't be this light.”

He continued carrying her until they arrived at the nearest town where they began their long
trip back to the ship after hiring a land transport.

When they arrived at the port where the ship was docked, Zuko carried her aboard.

“What happened?” asked Lieutenant Jee when he saw her limping after Zuko set her down.

“I fell,” she said. “I'll be fine.”

“Join me for tea?” Iroh asked her.

“Of course,” she answered, taking his arm.

He looked at his nephew. “Prince Zuko, would you like to join us?”

“No, Uncle. I'm going to the bridge.”

He disappeared into the tower, while Iroh and Chiara went to the mess hall.

-----------------------------
As soon as everyone was on board, the ship set sail again and they continued searching for
the Avatar. That night Chiara carried their dinner up to Zuko's room.

“Chiara, you shouldn't be working with that injury,” he scolded her when he saw her standing
in the hall with the tray of food.

“It'll be okay,” she said as he was taking the tray from her.

He set it on the table. “Did you put your special ointment on it?”

“Uh...no. I save that for you guys.”

He looked at her. “I think you can spare some for yourself.”

“It's just a cut; it'll heal.”

He shook his head. He was impressed by her selflessness, but he also found it incredibly
frustrating, especially when she was too stubborn to use her own medicine for herself.

They knelt down at the table.

“Who...who else have you used it on?” he asked wondering about her interactions with the
crew.

“Just you so far...disappearing, coming back with cuts and bruises,” she added softly as she
placed his plate in front of him.

His lip curled, but he remained silent as they began eating. His mind began filling with
scenes from their recent adventure—or 'failure' as his mind would interpret it. He was
frustrated that he failed yet again to capture the Avatar. His ship was back at sea, but he
would have to suffer the excruciating wait for news or gossip before setting a sure course.
And though he tried to keep focused on his mission, he could not stop thinking about Chiara.
His mind replayed her racing to keep him from falling against the stone floor. He hated that
she was injured for him, but he always loved how much she cared about him. Also among his
thoughts was the mother superior's offer to her to join the abbey, and the even bigger worry
that Chiara had actually considered it. And then there was the Water Tribe boy's compliment
to her. That the boy called her beautiful upset him, but he was especially infuriated that he
invited her to go with him.

“Are you okay?” she asked wondering about his silent, angry stare at his plate after only a
few bites.

He looked up at her, drawn out of his thoughts.

“You look really mad at your dinner,” she said. “Do you not like it?”

“Oh...no...,” he started.

She straightened up. He had never been angry at anything she made before. “What's wrong
with it?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I do like it. I-I'm not mad at dinner.” He looked down and sighed. “That
Water Tribe peasant wanted you to go with him,” he said a bit deeply.

She briefly wondered if he would call her peasant if he knew she was Water Tribe. “He was
just grateful that I moved him out of the way,” she said softly.

“He called you beautiful,” he said, desperately trying to contain his anger. “I think he's in
love with you.”

Her eyes grew wide at his assumption. “What?” she asked. “He...he doesn't even know me.”

He looked up from his plate. Though his glare was cold, it was not intended for her. “He
seems to know you well enough to invite you to join their side.” His voice was growing
deeper.

“Again, he was just being grateful because I didn't let them get crushed by two giant fighting
animals.”

He could not rid himself of his jealousy, but he did not want to take it out on her, especially
after she injured herself to help him.

He turned his eyes down to his food softening his glare. “Do you want to go with them?” he
asked softly.

There was no anger in his voice, but she noticed hesitance as if he were afraid of how she
might answer.

“Why would you ask me that?”

He lifted his eyes to meet hers again. “You don't want me to capture the Avatar.”

“I believe the world needs the Avatar to restore and keep balance among the Nations, but it
doesn't mean I would ever want to leave you and the General to go with him.”

A feeling of relief washed over him hearing her say she did not want to run off with the
Avatar's friend, but it still left him with another concern.

“But what about the abbey?” he asked still troubled by her interest in becoming a nun.
“Were...were you really serious about joining them?”

She had thought about it earlier during their return to the ship. She knew she could never
express her love for Zuko, and she had no desire to have another man for her husband. The
abbey might offer a quiet, peaceful life.

“I don't know.” Her mind dwelled on her future. “It...it's something to think about...,” she said
softly.

“But what about your home being with us?” he asked.

“It is. Home will always be with you and the General, but...well...one day, you'll be Fire
Lord, and...and the General...he won't live forever, and I won't have anyone to take care of
anymore...”

He was stunned.

“It sounds like it would be so peaceful in the abbey,” she said.

“I don't want you to live there,” he said sincerely. “You can still take care of me when I'm
Fire Lord.”

She smiled as she gently shook her head at his comment, and they continued eating.
 Daughter of the Dragon of the West

After pulling into another port to get more supplies, at Iroh's insistence, Zuko decided to go
ashore with him to make sure he did not waste any more time than necessary.

“I don't want to be here all day,” he said. “It's unlikely the Avatar's anywhere near this port.
We have to get what we need quickly and leave.”

“Not a problem, Nephew,” said Iroh, though he was still casually strolling down the dock.
“We'll split up.” He started ripping his list in half. “I'll go this way, and you take Chiara
through those shops,” he said to him indicating the stores in the opposite direction.

He held out half of his list to Chiara, but Zuko quickly snatched it before grabbing Chiara's
hand and leading her towards the town.

“We need to find a vegetable stand,” she said scanning the list.

He pointed ahead. “There's one.”

When they arrived at the stand Chiara began inspecting the various vegetables while Zuko
stood close by scanning the crowd for a bald head with a blue arrow despite the unlikelihood
of spotting his target.

“Oh, look,” she said. “Ash bananas.”

“Those are imported from Hing Wa Island,” said the merchant.

Her eyes ran down the paper in her hand. “They're not on the list.”

“Get them anyways,” insisted Zuko, eyes still on the people. “You can make your ash banana
bread.”

She moved on to the tomatoes. “Let me get what's on the list first.”

“...I'm sure it was the Avatar,” said a male voice. “He was just a kid, but he had airbender
tattoos...”

Zuko immediately turned searching for the source of those words. He spotted two men
walking ahead, so he grabbed Chiara's wrist.

“C'mon,” he said anxiously, trying not to take his eyes off the men.

“But what about the vegetables?”

“We'll get them later.”

He pulled her along causing the tomato she was holding to drop onto the cart with the others.
“What's going on?” she asked him as they weaved through the people in the street.

“The Avatar. Somebody spotted him.”

Seeing the men far ahead enter a tavern, Zuko quickly headed towards it dragging Chiara
with him. As they approached the shabby building, she felt a bit nervous as it sounded far
rowdier than the last one they entered where June had been.

“I don't like the looks of this place,” she said.

“You'll be okay,” he said still pulling her along.

She stopped walking forcing him to a halt. “Wait.”

He turned and looked at her.

“I'm going back to the ship.”

“No,” he said. “You're not walking back by yourself. I'm just going to find out what they
know and we'll be done.”

Zuko quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her out of the way of a man who
had just been physically thrown out of the tavern. She looked up at him still in his arms.

“I'm not comfortable with this, especially without my sword,” she said.

“Just stay close to me.”

He took her hand and led her towards the entrance, but they were stopped by the bouncer
who held his hand up.

“Sorry, lovebirds. This is no place to bring your date.”

“I need to speak to someone who's in there,” insisted Zuko.

“Fine, but the little girl stays out here.”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “I can't leave her out here. We'll just be a few minutes.”

“No girls allowed. You go in alone or you don't go in at all.”

Zuko was feeling angry. He walked to the corner of the building pulling Chiara with him.

“I'll make it as quick as possible,” he said to her.

“I'm going back to the ship,” she said as she turned to go.

He grabbed her wrist.

“No, you're not—not by yourself. I won't be long. Just stay right here and don't move.”
She sighed. “Fine,” she said. “Be careful. I don't trust this place.”

He nodded and then went into the tavern. Though not much time had passed, it felt like an
eternity to Chiara as she stood there quietly waiting for his return. She was feeling
uncomfortable and distracted by all the noise coming from the bar. A loud crash drew her
attention as a bar fight between two men made it out into the street. As soon as they rolled
out the door, she was checking to make sure Zuko was not involved.

“It's rare to see such a beautiful young girl all by 'erself outside a tavern,” said a man who
approached her. “Unless you're sellin'...services.”

She recognized him as one of the pirates she had fought before.

“'member me?” he asked.

She backed away from him, but suddenly felt an arm around her waist.

“Prin...!!”

A hand was over her mouth and the men disappeared with her around the corner. She
struggled to break free from the vice-like grip, but her arms were pinned to her side. When
they had her out of sight, the first pirate wrapped a rope around one of her wrists, but her legs
were not pinned down and she brought her foot up kicking him in the groin. He let out a
painful grunt before collapsing to his knees cupping the damaged area. He continued
moaning as he fell over onto his side with his knees drawn up. The other bigger pirate had no
time to sympathize with his shipmate's pain since he was busy trying to avoid being stomped
on and kicked himself. He tightened his grip around her making it difficult for her to take in
air. Feeling dizzy she stopped kicking. The first pirate slowly got to his feet, a few more
moans escaping his lips. This time, he stayed to the side to avoid getting kicked again, and he
finally managed to restrain her hands. As soon as they were tied, they carried her back to
their camp. Chiara started resisting again nearly getting a second kick in on the first pirate.
When they arrived at the camp hauling their struggling victim, the first pirate backhanded
her. Despite the sting, she glared icily at him wishing he would move in punting range again.

“That's for kicking me in the...!”

“What's going on?!” demanded the pirate captain.

“Looky what we found, Cap'n,” said the one holding her.

He removed his arm from around her, but held onto her upper left arm to prevent her from
running off.

The first pirate grabbed her right arm grasping it tightly. “She was with tha' Fire Nation
prince,” he said still wincing from the pain.

The captain looked at him. “Wha' 'appened to you?”

The pirate glowered at Chiara. “If she wasn't with the Fire Nation, I'd take 'er fer an
earthbender.”
“More like a rockbender,” his shipmate snickered.

The first pirate's grip tightened as he shook her slightly in anger.

The captain took notice of his crewman's awkward stance and cringed in sympathy. He
turned his greedy eyes on Chiara. “After that fiasco with the scroll an' the Avatar, maybe the
prince'll be willin' to compensate us for your return.”

“Don't count on it,” she said.

“Then we'll sell you to the highest bidder,” he threatened. His appraising eyes rolled over her
from head to foot. He stepped closer to her wrapping his fingers around her long braid and
sliding his hand down the silky plait. With an avaricious smirk he took hold of her chin. “Tha'
sweet face'll bring us quite a profit...even with the bruise.” She jerked away from him, but he
only grinned wickedly, his eyes now moving to her diadem. He removed it from her head.
“As will this,” he said, covetously eyeing the precious gemstones embedded in the metal.

“So will tha' fine body,” slurred a drunken pirate staggering up to them.

“She coul' use a bit more meat on 'er,” said the one who had carried her to the camp. “She's
all bones.”

“No matter,” said the captain with another rapacious search for more treasure on her. “I know
some who'll pay a gold mine fer 'er.”

His eyes fell on her knife, and he took it from its sheath before motioning to his men to take
her away. The two men holding her arms pulled her away from the captain and forced her to
sit near the campfire.

“You migh' as well make yerself comfortable,” said the bigger of the two.

Chiara remained calm, though she was worried about Zuko and Iroh, knowing they would be
worried about her disappearance. She kept attentive looking for any opportunity to escape.
The captain was now standing at some distance with a few of his men, and though they were
speaking low, she could still hear what they were saying.

“The Fire Nation'll be lookin' fer 'er soon,” said one of the men sounding nervous. “We need
to get rid o' 'er as soon as possible.”

“She's gonna earn us a fortune,” said the captain excitedly. “I'm not so sure I wanna ransom
'er back to the prince. We coul' get more auctionin' 'er off.”

------------------------------

Zuko exited the tavern with information that the Avatar had been in the vicinity, and he was
anxious to search the area. Heading to the corner of the building where he had left Chiara, he
was surprised to find her gone. He looked around, but he did not see her anywhere nearby,
and he wondered if she had become impatient and returned to the ship on her own. Before
heading back, he searched around the tavern just to be sure she was not in the area. Still not
finding her, he walked back towards the dock keeping his eyes open along the way. He was
furious that she would leave the tavern on her own after he told her to wait for him, and with
every step his anger grew because she could not wait for him for even a few minutes.
Walking up the dock towards the ship he saw Iroh who was watching the men load the
supplies he had purchased.

“Ah, Prince Zuko, you've returned. Was Chiara able to get everything on the list?”

“No...”

“What couldn't you find?” asked Iroh.

“We didn't get anything...”

“You couldn't find anything at all? Not even the chili?”

“No. Uncle, do you know if Chiara returned to the ship? I can't find her.”

Iroh stopped watching the men and looked at Zuko.

“I haven't seen her since you both left.” He looked up. “Lieutenant Jee,” he called, “do you
know if Chiara has returned?”

“No, General Iroh. I've been on deck all day, but I haven't seen her.”

“How did you get separated?” Iroh asked Zuko. “I expected you to stay with her.”

“I went into a tavern and when...”

“A tavern?!” he interrupted.

“It's not what you think, Uncle. Someone mentioned the Avatar, so I went in for information.
I told Chiara to wait outside, but when I came out she was gone. I thought maybe she came
back here.”

Worry entered Iroh's heart. “After what happened at the other port, I can't believe you let her
out of your sight, especially near a tavern,” he said, his voice sounding deep in a tone of
anger which was rare for him.

Zuko felt guilty as he remembered the men who tried to abduct her when they were searching
for a lotus tile.

Iroh looked up at Jee. “Lieutenant, send some men around the shops to look for Chiara.”

“Right away, General.”

“Come, Zuko. We'll start at the tavern.”

Zuko walked with him as they started back down the dock.

----------------------------
As Chiara sat by the fire, she was wishing at that moment that she was a firebender so she
could burn away the rope binding her wrists. The captain studied her diadem in his hand and
then held it out to one of his men.

“Take this. I'm sure it's worth quite a bit.”

“I know where we can get a good price fer it,” said the pirate as he took it.

“Get rid o' this too,” said the captain holding out her knife.

Chiara felt one of the men pull her head back by her braid.

“Give us a kiss, love,” slurred the drunken pirate as he leaned his face towards hers, his
breath reeking of fire whiskey.

She reached up with her bound hands and tried to push him away. “Don't touch me!” she
yelled.

The pirate continued trying to force himself on her.

“What are you doin'?!” yelled the captain as he stomped towards them and pulled the man
away from her.

“Jus' testin' the merchandise,” said the drunk.

“I won't get as high a price with damaged goods.”

“We're not gonna get nothin' for 'er if the Fire Nation finds 'er here,” said another who was
clearly scared. “If she was with the prince, she must be royalty as well. I don't want the whole
Fire Nation after us.”

“Who are you, girl?” the captain asked her.

Chiara glared at him. “I'm the daughter of the Dragon of the West.”

The pirate who had been afraid of the Fire Nation felt even more so. “We need to get rid of
'er,” he said sounding edgy.

“And we will as soon as we see the gold she'll bring us,” said the captain.

“But what about the Dragon of the West?” he whispered fearfully.

Chiara forced out a giggle. They looked at her, but her eyes were focused on the campfire.

“He'll find you,” she threatened. “And you'll find out why he's the Dragon.”

The frightened pirate was near visibly shaking.

The captain scowled at her before turning to his cowardly crewman. “That'll be the buyer's
problem,” he said. “We'll take 'er to the ship at nightfall. For now, just keep an eye on 'er—
and I mean your eyes only!” he said angrily, glaring at the drunken pirate. “I need to go back
to the docks to make some arrangements.”

Chiara sat quietly, still waiting for an opportunity to escape. The men were getting drunker as
they passed around a bottle of fire whiskey. Chiara was hoping they would get drunk enough
to pass out. Unfortunately, the one who tried to kiss her was getting stupid drunk, and she
hated the way he was ogling her.

“I don' care wha' the cap'n says,” he started. “I say we try out the merchandise 'fore we sell
'er.” He continued leering at her. “You're a pretty young thing.”

She kept her eyes on the fire hoping he would stop staring at her, but then he moved close to
her holding the bottle in one hand.

“You know the cap'n don't want you touchin' 'er,” said another pirate.

“Maybe we shoul' jus' keep 'er instead o' sellin' 'er,” he argued. “She coul' earn 'er keep by
enertainin' the crew.”

She felt sick to her stomach disgusted by his suggestion, but she kept calm ready to fight. He
leaned towards her causing her to back away from him.

“The cap'n never needs to know if we try 'er out,” he slurred continuing to lean towards her.

“Get away from me!” she demanded pushing him back.

“You can scream all you like, love, but there's no one 'ere to care.”

He reached for her.

“Don't touch me!”

The man only laughed—until she grabbed the bottle from his hand. His look of surprise
turned into one of offense—until she took a mouthful of fire whiskey. A big grin grew across
his face.

“That'll make this a whole lo' easier,” he said.

Wishing her wrists were not bound, she dropped the bottle and stood up while grabbing a
torch from the fire. She quickly spit out the whiskey lighting it up with the torch and blowing
fire at him. The one who tried to assault her took the flame to his face, and she kicked him
knocking him into the fire. While he yelled and rolled on the ground, the other pirates went
towards her only to catch on fire when she blew flames at them. They backed away from her,
but when she blew the last of the whiskey, the few who had not been severely injured went
after her. She used the torch to hit one, and she kicked another, and she continued fighting
amidst the flames and the screaming of the burning pirates.

“It's beautiful mystery girl!”

She turned around to run, but Sokka's voice was the last thing she heard before everything
went black.

--------------------------------

Zuko and Iroh were growing frantic as they searched around the tavern and asked questions
but were still unable to locate Chiara.

“I'm so sorry, Uncle,” said Zuko, his voice full of remorse. “I never thought she'd disappear
like this. I told her to stay right here.”

He was not sure he had ever seen his uncle look so distressed.

“She is not one to wander off on her own. She would not just walk away if you told her to
stay,” said Iroh gravely. “Let's see if any of these shopkeepers saw her.”

As they approached one of the shops not far from the tavern, Zuko caught a glimpse of a
gemstone. Doing a double-take he recognized Chiara's diadem and he quickly reached out
grabbing it from the hand that held it.

“Wha...?!”

The pirate from whom he took it barely had time to look offended much less speak before
Zuko had him by his throat against the wall.

“Where did you get this?!” said the prince deeply and angrily.

“It...it was...my-my m-mother's,” stammered the man.

“You're lying,” he growled as his hand began burning the man's neck.

Iroh stood passively watching Zuko's interrogation with his hands in his sleeves. “Unless you
want to know how it feels to have your head burned off your body, I suggest you tell him
where she is,” he threatened darkly, his voice eerily smooth.

The burning pain increased, and the pirate finally gave in.

“I...I'll t-tell you...,” he said, his voice hoarse from the pressure Zuko applied as well as from
the burn.

“Where is she?!”

“I'll-I'll take you there,” he said sure that his group could handle a teenager and an old man
even if one was a firebender.

Zuko released him, but then immediately pulled the knife out of the pirate's belt. He held it
up to the man's face near his left eye.

“Let me guess, this is your mother's too?” he asked deeply.

He pulled the guy out of the shop, and keeping a tight grip on him from behind, he allowed
the pirate to lead them to their camp.

“I'm going to make you pirates pay for touching her,” Zuko threatened. “And if she's been
harmed in any way I'll make every one of you pay as painfully as possible.”

“The-the cap'n wouldn't let no one touch 'er. We were jus' holdin' 'er fer ransom.”

“Someone had to touch her to capture her!” he yelled.

The pirate tensed up when he felt the heat from Zuko's hand on his back.

As they approached the camp, they could hear a commotion. Zuko released the pirate, and he
and Iroh began running towards the campfire where the drunk pirate was moaning and
cursing while trying to treat his burned body. Several others were recovering from burns as
well as other injuries. The pirate that had led them to the camp, not expecting the chaos, ran
off back towards the town.

“Chiara!” yelled Zuko running into the camp.

When the pirates saw them, they quickly stood up, though they were not ready to get into
another fight.

“Where is she?!!” demanded Zuko as he and Iroh were both in a fighting stance ready to
shoot fire at all of them. “Tell me where she is!!” Fire was coming from his fists making
several of the burned men wince.

“She's gone,” said one of the men.

“Where?! Where did she go?!”

“The Avatar took 'er.”

Until he heard those words Zuko had not thought he could feel any angrier.

“They went in that direction,” said the man pointing a shaky finger towards the woods.

Zuko immediately took off into the forest. “Chiara!” He did not hear any response. “Chiara?
Where are you?”

He continued running until he came to a clearing. On the other side he spotted Sokka
carrying an unconscious Chiara onto Appa's back.

“Hey!!” yelled Zuko. “Bring her back here!!”

He started running towards them, fire coming from his fists uncontrollably.

“Maybe we should leave her here,” said Katara to Aang as they watched Zuko running
towards them, the flames around his hands glowing brighter.
“Go, Aang,” said Sokka as he laid Chiara in the saddle.

“Yip, yip.”

Appa rose into the air.

“Come back here!” yelled Zuko. “No!!” He continued running towards them. “Bring her
back!! Chiara!!”

He tried jumping up, but Appa was too high now. He was tempted to throw fire at them, but
he did not want to take the chance of hurting Chiara.

“If you hurt her, I'll kill you, Avatar!!” he yelled.

Iroh ran up and stood next to Zuko.

“I don't believe this!!” yelled Zuko. “We need to get back to the ship.”

They turned and left the clearing and headed back towards the docks. As they passed through
the pirates' camp, Zuko slowed down and looked around. He was surprised to see everything
on fire and the pirates gone.

“What happened...?” he started.

Iroh started pulling him along. “They abducted the wrong person,” he said deeply. “And they
made the mistake of provoking the Daughter of the Dragon of the West.”

Zuko was stunned that his uncle completely destroyed their camp. To him Iroh was always
just his tea-loving uncle with his gentle proverbs and Pai Sho game, and though he could be
stern at times, he realized he had never truly seen the Dragon of the West before. He now
understood why his title was both respected and feared.

------------------------------

Katara sat back in Appa's saddle. “We should've left her with Zuko,” she said as they were
flying away.

“Did you see his reaction?” asked Sokka. “What would've kept him from attacking us if we
left her there?”

“I didn't know she was a firebender,” she said. “I'm not sure this was a good idea.”

“We couldn't leave her with the pirates,” said Aang from Appa's head. “She's always helped
us when she could. We did the right thing.”

“I hope you're right, Aang,” said Katara. “But Zuko's been following us since you came out
of the iceberg. Having her with us...”

“Isn't going to make a difference,” finished Sokka.

“I'm...I'm just afraid that...well, he was so angry,” said Katara nervously. “I mean he's usually
angry, but that was the angriest I've ever seen him.”

She crawled closer to their guest and looked over the bruises and blood on her head and face.
Pulling out a clean cloth, she poured water on it and gently cleaned the fresh wounds. Sokka
reached down to cut the rope around her wrists.

“Maybe you should leave it on,” she said. “Just...just until we're sure she won't...you
know...firebend at us.”

“The last time we saw her she saved our lives,” he said. “Do you really think she'd hurt us,
Katara?”

“I don't know,” she said softly.

“Maybe she could teach me firebending,” said Aang, feeling hopeful.

“She might've helped us, but I don't see her teaching you to firebend, Aang,” said Sokka.

“Especially if she's Zuko's sister,” said Katara.

Sokka looked at her. “Wait...that means...it looks like we just kidnapped the Fire Lord's
daughter.”

They all looked at each other nervously, their eyes wide.

------------------------------

“Lieutenant Jee, head northwest as quickly as possible,” commanded Iroh as they came on
board.

“Yes, General.”

Jee was anxious to learn of Chiara's whereabouts, as was the rest of the crew when they heard
she was still missing. As soon as everyone was aboard, they set a course heading northwest.
Iroh and Zuko quietly stood out on the upper deck searching the sky hoping to spot the sky
bison.

Jee was a little hesitant about confronting the General having never seen him in such a
solemn state, but he was worried about their youngest crewmember. He stepped out onto the
deck and stood next to Iroh.

“Do you know what happened to her, sir?” he softly asked him.

“The Avatar has her,” answered Iroh.

Jee was surprised to hear it. “He kidnapped her?”

“I'm not so sure,” said Iroh thoughtfully. “It appears that the pirates abducted her.”
The lieutenant let out an audible growl.

“I believe the Avatar rescued her from their hands,” he continued.

“So if we find the Avatar, we find Lady Chiara,” said Jee.

Iroh nodded.

“Yes, sir, General.”

Jee turned to go inside the bridge to inform the crew. The mission to find the Avatar suddenly
became personal to all serving on the ship.

“I don't care if he saved her,” said Zuko deeply. “He still kidnapped her.”

“It's better that she's with him than the pirates,” said Iroh. “I don't believe the Avatar will hurt
her.”

“But he had no right to take her!” said Zuko, his voice rising. “They could've left her in the
clearing when I got there.”

Iroh did not argue with him. Though he did not like that Chiara was not on the ship with
them, he did feel some relief that she was with the Avatar rather than the pirates.

“That Water Tribe savage was the one carrying her,” growled Zuko. “He's the one who
invited her to go with them back at the abbey. I bet he just couldn't wait to get his hands on
her.”

Iroh silently contemplated her spending time with the Water Tribe siblings, and especially
with one who was a waterbender, and he wondered if she would reveal to them who she
really was.
 Life with Team Avatar

The throbbing in Chiara's head was the first thing she felt as her senses started returning. A
gentle wind was blowing around her, and she took comfort in the soothing sensation of
sailing over a calm sea.

“Prince Zuko,” she spoke softly, the familiar feeling of being on the deck of her prince's ship
drew his name from her lips.

She started to move her hand to her head, but a jolt of terror shot through her when she
realized her wrists were bound. She was not home on the deck of the Fire Prince's ship, but at
sea with the rapacious pirates. She forced herself to remain calm and listen to her
surroundings. She might not be on her ship, but she was still at home on the sea, and she
would be ready to call it to her aid...or at least, she would if she could sense it around her...

“She's waking up,” said Katara. The waterbender's fingers were wrapped around the cap of
her water skin ready to pull it off if needed. She could not rid her mind of Zuko racing
towards them, hands full of fire and yelling murderous threats, and despite their past amiable
encounters with Chiara, she did not want to take any chances with a girl she just saw spit fire
and who might feel cornered.

Chiara recognized the voice, and venturing to open her eyes, she saw Katara kneeling next to
her. She breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the curious and concerned blue eyes of the
Water Tribe girl rather than the dark, gluttonous eyes of a pirate.

“Chiara?” said Katara in a tender voice, though she was clearly tense as her hands still
clutched her water skin. “How are you feeling?”

“My head hurts,” she responded softly while reaching up to rub the lump above her temple.
“Is it okay if I sit up?” she asked suspecting the waterbender was worried she might attack
her.

Katara relaxed. “Oh...of course.”

She moved to help Chiara who had slowly rolled onto her elbow and sat up.

Looking around her, Chiara saw nothing but sky. “Am...am I on Appa?”

“Yes,” answered Katara.

“Hey, Chiara,” said Aang cheerfully. “We rescued you from the pirates.”

She looked towards Appa's head to see the Avatar smiling at her with bright gray eyes.

“Thank you so much,” she said filled with gratitude and sure she could never repay them for
delivering her from a possible fate worse than death.

“How did you end up with them?” asked Sokka.

Her eyes turned towards the Water Tribe boy sitting on the other side of the saddle with his
arms crossed.

“They grabbed me at the port.”

“Why would they do that?” asked Aang innocently.

“At first they were going to ransom me, but then the captain spoke of the 'highest bidder.'”
She shuddered.

Katara looked appalled. “Ew,” she said repulsed by the idea. “How disgusting!”

Chiara nodded. “How is it that you rescued me?”

“We heard yelling,” said Sokka. “When we checked it out we saw you trying to fight them.”

She looked down. “Thank you for getting me out of there.” There was a sick feeling in her
stomach at what could have been had they not responded.

“No problem. It's sort of what we do.”

“You're Sokka, right?” she asked.

“You remember,” he said.

Her eyes moved to his sister. “And you're Lady Katara.”

Katara giggled at her address. “I like that.”

“I already know Avatar Aang and big, beautiful Appa, but who's this little guy?” she asked,
her eyes focused on the lemur crouched between the siblings.

“This is Momo,” said Sokka.

Chiara stared at his round green eyes and large ears. “You look like the winged lemur we saw
at the Southern Air Temple,” she smiled.

Aang perked up. “You were at the Southern Air Temple?”

“Prince Zuko visited all the temples looking for you,” she said. “At the Southern Temple we
saw a winged lemur.”

“Then that was Momo,” said Aang. “He's the only one of his kind.”

“I wish I had another apple for you, Momo,” said Chiara. “You're so adorable.”

Momo leaped over in front of her and she began scratching behind his ear with her wrists still
bound. He rolled over on his back and she rubbed his belly making him chitter contentedly.

“May I have some water?” she asked them. Her mouth was dry and still burned from the fire
whiskey.
“Here,” said Katara handing her a water skin.

“Thank you.” She took a long drink. “That fire whiskey's horrible. I don't know how anyone
can drink it.”

Sokka's eyes went wide. “They made you drink fire whiskey?”

“No. I used it to try and get away.”

Now he looked puzzled. “How could drinking fire whiskey help you get away?”

“I spit fire at them.”

“But couldn't you just do that without the whiskey?” he asked.

“I'm not a firebender,” she smiled, but she wanted to laugh. “Though I was wishing I was one
when I was sitting in their camp.”

Sokka looked awed. She was a non-bender like him who cleverly imitated a firebending
move. He was reminded of his plan in the Fire Temple to open the sanctuary door using fake
firebending. “That was a great move!” he said excitedly. “You looked like a real firebender.”

“I've been around them long enough to pick up a few tricks,” she shrugged.

Aang was disappointed. “I guess that means you can't teach me firebending.”

“I can give you some tips and teach you the motions, but that's about it. Have you already
mastered water and earth?”

“I can do some waterbending, but I haven't learned how to earthbend,” he admitted.

She realized her and Zuko's initial assessment of the Avatar's knowledge of the elements was
correct. “Then you shouldn't even worry about learning fire yet.”

“But I don't know where I'm going to find a teacher who's not with the Fire Lord.”

“When it's time for you to learn, you'll find the right teacher,” she said.

Aang smiled widely at her optimism.

“So let me guess,” said Sokka. “You're Zuko's sister?”

“No.”

“But he said you're royalty,” said Katara.

“I guess you could say we're cousins. I grew up with the royal family in the Caldera.”

“You...you're not like them,” said Katara. “Why do you help us?”

“This war has devastated the Nations. We need the Avatar to bring balance.”
“I wish others from the Fire Nation believed that,” said Katara sadly.

“There are a few, but I wish it were more,” said Chiara softly.

She sat up straighter in order to look out over the saddle as she had never been so high
before.

“Oh, let me get that for you,” said Sokka as he reached out to cut her restraints.

“Sorry we left you tied,” said Katara. “We were...” Sokka looked back at her and glared.
“...well, I was a bit nervous,” she corrected.

Chiara smiled reassuringly at her. “After what you guys have been through, I understand.”
When her hands were free, she leaned against the saddle and looked out over the land. “This
is incredible.”

After enjoying the view she sat back down.

“I suppose it would be too much to ask to return me to my ship?”

Sokka and Katara looked at each other.

“Yeah...about that...,” started Sokka. “...um...Zuko came running up as we took off and
he...well, let's just say he wasn't too happy to see us flying off with you.”

Her eyes were wide. “Prince Zuko saw me leaving with you?” She wondered if he thought
she left to join the Avatar.

“Yes, but it probably looked like we were kidnapping you,” he clarified.

She was worried about Zuko's reaction to her being kidnapped by the Avatar.

“He threatened to kill Aang,” said Katara.

“He what?!” she asked, now upset by his overreaction.

“Well, the threat was actually, 'If you hurt her, I'll kill you, Avatar,'” said Sokka using a deep
voice. “But with a lot more anger and fire.”

Chiara closed her eyes and shook her head. “I'm so sorry. My prince does have quite a
temper.” She looked at them. “But I would like to return to them. I'm sure General Iroh must
be worried about my absence.”

“Don't worry, Chiara,” said Aang. “With the way Zuko's always following us, I'm sure he'll
show up soon.”

She softly laughed. “I guess you're right.” She considered her situation. “Then may I ask a
favor of you?”

“Sure. What is it?”

“Don't speak of your plans while I'm in your company.”

They were all surprised by her request.

“Did...did I hear you right?” asked Sokka.

She smiled. “I won't lie to my prince. So when he interrogates me, I'll be honest with him, but
I don't want to be able to give him any information you don't want revealed.”

“He'll interrogate you?” asked Katara, sounding frightened for her.

“He'll definitely ask questions. He'll want to know where you're going, what you plan on
doing, what you're up to; so if you don't want him to know it, don't discuss any of that in
front of me.”

“Thanks for the warning, Chiara,” said Aang.

Though Zuko and Chiara already suspected the gang was heading to the Northern Water
Tribe to find a waterbending master, she did not want to be put in a position of spy for either
side.

“So...about Prince Hothead...,” started Sokka. “Why exactly is he after Aang?”

“Prince Zuko believes it's the only way to restore his honor.”

“Why would he think that?” asked Katara.

“What have you heard about him?” asked Chiara.

They looked at her surprised that she sounded a bit defensive.

“I only ask because...well, because it's not my place to tell his story.”

“All we know is that he was banished from the Fire Nation and needs the Avatar to restore
his honor,” answered Katara.

Chiara nodded. “He never lost his honor, but he believes he has, and he believes that handing
over the Avatar to the Fire Lord will earn him his place back in the Fire Nation.” She looked
down. “Unfortunately, giving Aang to the Fire Lord will truly cost him his honor,” she added
softly.

“Why was he banished?” asked Aang.

“And how'd he get his scar?” asked Sokka.

She wanted to answer their questions, especially after they rescued her from the pirates, but
they were too personal and would have to be answered by the prince himself. “They're
related, but it's not for me to speak of it. Just know that Prince Zuko was not always as you
see him. He may not believe it, but his scar is a mark of honor. He has a good heart, and it
cost him nearly everything.”
They were now even more curious as to what happened to him, but they respected her
silence.

“Why are you with him?” asked Aang. “Were you banished too?”

“No. I chose to accompany him so he wouldn't be alone during his journey.” She thought
back over their time on the ship. “I never thought he'd find the Avatar. His ancestors searched
for you and failed, but he did it.” She looked thoughtfully at Aang. “Your destinies are
connected. I only hope Prince Zuko will one day choose the right path.”

Aang was stunned and impressed with her wisdom.

“Speaking of Zuko,” said Aang, “there's a Fire Nation ship ahead.”

Chiara looked out over the saddle to see the black smoke rising in the distance.

“It's too big to be his ship,” she said immediately spotting the size difference. “It looks like a
battleship. I can't really make it out, but it's best to avoid it.”

Sokka handed her a telescope.

“Oh, thanks.” As soon as she saw the ship in the scope, she felt angry. “Empire class. It's
Admiral Zhao,” she said deeply. “Definitely avoid him.”

“Yeah, we know ol' Zhao,” said Sokka.

“It's a race between him and Prince Zuko trying to capture you, Aang,” said Chiara handing
the telescope back to Sokka. “I don't want either to succeed in doing so, but I'm on my
prince's side between the two of them.”

Aang was not sure whether to laugh or not.

They continued flying taking Appa towards the land to avoid the ship.

“It's getting late, guys,” said Aang when the sun began setting. “I think we should set down
and make camp.”

He flew on until he spotted a clearing in the forest. After landing, they began setting up camp
as Chiara helped them.

“Since you're the resident Fire Nation person, you can be in charge of the fire,” Sokka said to
her.

She laughed. “Yes, sir.” She began gathering kindling from the forest floor.

“Ooh, I got a 'sir.' See that, Katara. I got called 'sir' by Fire Nation royalty,” he bragged.

“That beats the usual 'Water Tribe peasant,'” she said wryly.

Sokka looked at Chiara. “So what's your title? Should we address you as Princess Chiara?”
“Actually, it's Lady Chiara, but you may address me without the title.”

“I don't know,” said Sokka dreamily. “I may just stick with 'beautiful mystery girl.'”

Chiara chuckled softly as she knelt down and began building a campfire.

“I'm glad to see you have your necklace back,” she said to Katara who was pulling out food
and a pot.

“I am too,” she said placing her hand over it. “Aang said Zuko wanted me to have it back.”

“My prince is so considerate,” said Chiara with a knowing smile which made Katara giggle.

She stoked the fire while Katara laid out vegetables.

“You're not wearing your circlet,” said Katara referring to her diadem.

She missed the weight of the precious metal from around her head, but there was nothing she
could do but accept its loss. “The pirates probably sold it by now along with my knife,” she
said softly.

Katara looked at her sympathetically. “I'm so sorry.”

Chiara shrugged. “As much as I miss them, I'm just relieved that's all I lost,” she said feeling
grateful to be out of the pirates' hands.

Katara was looking at her ring. “That's a beautiful ring. May I see it?”

Chiara held her hand out so she could take a closer look at it.

“They're dragons,” said Katara.

“It was a gift from Prince Zuko.”

“I've never seen anything like it,” she said. “He must really care about you a lot.”

Chiara gazed at the flames in of the campfire and smiled.

Once the campfire was set up, Chiara helped Katara with dinner. When Chiara saw how little
food they had left, she ate very little. She was also feeling a bit down as it was the first night
in a long time that she was not having dinner with Zuko, and she imagined that he and Iroh
would be eating together without her.

“Would you like more, Chiara?” asked Aang snapping her out of her thoughts.

“No thank you.”

“You haven't eaten very much,” he said taking note of her small helping.

“I'm good.”
“I'm sorry we don't have any Fire Nation food.”

She smiled at him. “Honestly, this is fine. I've adapted to food from all over the world. On the
ship we depend on whatever's available at the ports.”

“I hope you don't mind our sleeping arrangements,” said Aang. “We usually just sleep on
Appa.”

She glanced up at the big, fluffy bison. “He looks very comfortable.”

“We don't really have any shelter,” he said sounding apologetic that they could not provide
better accommodations.

She realized he was worried about her being uncomfortable. “Avatar Aang, you don't have to
worry about me,” she assured him. “Years ago, General Iroh and I traveled around, and there
were times when we slept under the stars. And I'm quite sure Appa is at least as comfortable
as my cot on the ship, if not more.”

His big smile let her know he was reassured.

After eating, she helped Katara clean. Katara was happy to have the help since she was often
left to clean up after everyone by herself. As it grew late, they settled down on Appa. Having
slept on a cot for so long, Chiara was impressed by how luxurious and soft Appa's tail was,
but despite her comfort she had trouble falling asleep as she considered the events of the day.
The mere idea of the possibilities of what could have happened to her had the Avatar and his
friends not saved her from the pirates made her feel sick. Tears came to her eyes as she
thought about being sold to some stranger and the horrifying life she would have been forced
to endure, as well as never seeing Iroh or Zuko again. She stared up at the bright moon and
kept her mind filled with thoughts of them. The bright white disk had sailed across most of
the sky before she finally fell asleep.

-------------------------------

Late that night, Zuko stood outside on the upper deck having rarely moved from it since they
had been back on board. His mind was replaying the entire day's events, as well as possible
scenarios of what Chiara might be going through and possible future confrontations.

Iroh, who had been less worried since seeing her in the Avatar's company, walked out on
deck and stood beside him.

“Nephew, you haven't eaten anything since breakfast. You should take some food and get
some sleep. The men will keep watch for the night.”

“I'm not hungry and I'm not tired,” he half-lied. His body was exhausted from worry over
Chiara's absence and he had been silently cursing himself for leaving her alone outside the
tavern.

“I'm quite certain that Chiara's safe with the Avatar. And when you find him you'll find her as
well.”
Iroh's assurance did not allay Zuko's worried thoughts. “What if...what if they just dropped
her off somewhere, and when we do catch up to him, she's not with them?”

“I have no doubt that we'll find her.”

“How can you be so sure, Uncle? I almost lost her to pirates. You know they weren't going to
ransom her.” His grip on the railing tightened as he thought of the kidnappers' intentions.
“There's no telling what danger she's in now or what she could be suffering...or has suffered
already,” he added sadly.

“Did you not notice, Nephew, how many fresh burns the pirates had suffered?” asked Iroh.
“Chiara may not be a firebender, but I believe she picked up a few defense skills from
training with you.”

He wondered what his uncle was talking about.

“I was told that she spit fire,” Iroh continued.

Zuko looked at him. “What?”

Iroh had a small smile. “After you ran off to look for her, I...questioned some of the men.
They said she called herself the Daughter of the Dragon of the West and then spit fire. They
thought she was a firebender.” Iroh could not help feeling proud of Chiara as he imagined it.

Zuko, assuming it was the ramblings of a bunch of drunks, wondered what had really
occurred.

“Do not stay up all night, Prince Zuko,” he said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “They have
probably settled down somewhere and made camp for the evening. And you need your rest as
well, Nephew.” Iroh turned and left.

Zuko looked down at the main deck and he realized how empty it looked in the bright
moonlight. Raising his eyes to the source of the light, he stared at the moon. It was always on
clear moonlit nights like these that Chiara stood out on the deck. Though he was a child of
the sun, he found himself drawn to the nights of the full moon when he would watch her long
locks catching the reflected rays and the beautiful, almost ethereal glow of her skin. He
wondered if the light of the moon was shining down on her at that moment.

--------------------------------

Long after Iroh had retired to bed, Zuko found he could not keep his eyes open, and he
walked inside to the bridge.

“Wake me immediately if you spot Chiara or the Avatar,” he said to those on duty.

“Yes, Prince Zuko.”

He went to his quarters where he sat down on his bed. Just knowing Chiara was not on board
made the ship feel empty to him. He looked at the table where they took their meals together.
There were few evenings since the beginning of his banishment when he had eaten dinner
alone at that table, and he could not bring himself to eat there now without her. He imagined
them playing cards or reading scrolls together at that same table, and he wondered what she
was doing at that moment. The tired feeling began taking over his body, so he lay down
without undressing and he fell sleep, but his sleep was short and restless, and he was awake
and on the bridge before sunrise.

“Anything?” he asked the bridge crew.

“No, sir.”

He stepped out onto the upper deck and continued his vigil.

Rising with the sun, Chiara woke up to see the others still sound asleep. She looked at them
and was filled with deep sympathy since they seemed like children without a mother, and she
longed to take care of them as her nature desired. Carefully getting up, she quietly left the
camp and headed towards the river.

Losing her mother's diadem to the pirates was heartbreaking enough, but to lose her knife
from Zuko was even worse as it was a tool she used often and wished she had now. She broke
off a branch from a tree and managed to break the end so that it was fairly sharp. She waded
into the water and stood as still as possible waiting for a nice sized fish. It had been a long
time since she could stand in her element and not just look at it from the side of a ship or play
with a handful in her room. She desperately wanted to command the water around her and
feel it move at her touch and direction. She resisted the urge to do so, and she continued
standing patiently waiting for a fish. When she finally spotted one nearby, she managed to
waterbend it in place so she could spear it. Anyone watching would never suspect her ability.
She sat on shore and gutted her catch. She would be sure to thank Ozen for his story about
losing his knife to the crocoshark that nearly bit off his hand. His demonstration of gutting a
fish without a knife had proven beneficial. After cleaning up, she began her walk back to
camp, and in her skirt she gathered any berries and nuts she discovered on the way since she
knew Aang was a vegetarian. Everyone was still asleep when she arrived and started a
campfire setting the skewered fish over it. She worked as quietly as possible, but it was the
smell of the cooking fish that woke Sokka up first. His eyes grew wide when he saw the fish
roasting over the fire.

“Did...did you catch that yourself?” he asked.

“Yes. I apologize for the lack of spices.” She turned the fish over the flames.

“By the smell, my stomach tells me that's not going to be a problem.”

She laughed.

“So do all of the royal family learn how to do that?” he asked seating himself on the other
side of the fire and staring at the cooking fish.

“Not usually. But I enjoy working, so I learned everything I could while traveling.”
“Something smells really good,” said Katara as she walked up rubbing her eyes. “When did
you go fishing, Sokka?”

“It wasn't me. Chiara caught it.”

“Really?” asked Katara looking at her. “How?”

“I speared it,” she answered. “It should be done soon.”

“You must've been up early.”

“Like the firebenders, I like to rise with the sun.”

When the fish finished cooking, Chiara placed it on a plate that Katara provided and Sokka
began cutting it up. Chiara took only a small piece allowing the other two to eat most of it.
Just as she finished her portion, she looked up to see Aang walking towards them with a little
less spring in his normally flighty gait. Momo circled around before alighting on his
shoulders.

“Wow, you guys are up early,” he said yawning. “You're eating breakfast already?”

“Chiara caught it this morning and cooked it,” said Sokka with a mouthful. “You're really
missing out.” He barely swallowed what was in his mouth before he shoved another piece in
there.

“Greetings, Avatar Aang,” said Chiara as she bowed before him Fire Nation style.

“Flamey-O, Hotwoman,” he said as he returned her bow.

She giggled at his unusual greeting.

“I found these for you,” she said unfolding part of her skirt revealing the nuts and berries.

He looked up at her in awe at her kindness. “You know I'm a vegetarian?”

She smiled. “Prince Zuko studied everything he could about the Air Nomads and previous
Avatars, and I read everything he did.”

He smiled as he took them from her. “Thanks, Chiara.”

“I apologize that I didn't find more.”

She threw a berry up into the air for Momo who leaped up and caught it. After he landed
back on Aang's shoulder, Chiara scratched behind his ear.

“You're so adorable.”

As the others were eating, Chiara walked over to Appa and ran her hand along his thick coat.

“Thank you for the soft bed, Appa,” she said as she scratched his neck. “You were the most
comfortable bed I've been on in years.”
He let out a contented moan making her laugh.

-----------------------------

Iroh stepped off the bridge onto the upper deck of the ship where his nephew quietly stood
with a spyglass aimed at a fluffy white cloud floating against the bright blue sky. He was sure
that Zuko was hoping that one of them might be concealing a sky bison.

“Prince Zuko, you did not sleep at all?” he asked worriedly.

“I did,” he answered, though he looked and sounded tired. He moved the telescope to study
another of the clouds.

Iroh stood next to him glancing at the sky also with the hope that one of the clouds might
move in an unnatural manner. “You cannot allow yourself to worry like this. We will find
Chiara.”

“It could be weeks before we find the Avatar.” He lowered the telescope. “And what if...what
if she doesn't want to come back?” he asked softly.

He looked at his nephew. “Do you really believe Chiara would want to stay with him?”

“She's never wanted me to capture him.”

“She's never wanted you to turn him over to the Fire Lord,” he corrected. “She understands
the importance of the Avatar's role in the world.”

“If she believes that about the Avatar, then she might choose to stay with him,” he said sadly,
his eyes dropping to the sea below.

“I do not believe she would choose to remain with the Avatar without my...or even your
approval.”

Though he wanted to believe his uncle, Zuko was still unsure.

-----------------------------

When the gang finished breakfast, they relaxed around the campfire for a while.

“So...,” started Sokka, “what are we going to do?”

Katara looked around to see if Chiara was nearby. “We need to start heading...you know
where,” she said in a low voice.

“What if angry jerk doesn't catch up to us?” said Sokka.

“But he always finds us,” said Aang.

“Yeah,” said Katara. “And he sounded really angry that we had her. He's probably looking for
us a lot harder now.”
“Well, we can't put off our plans to wait for him,” said Sokka poking a stick at the fish bones
in the fire pit. “I really like having Chiara around.”

“You just like having someone else to cook for you,” said Katara.

“Yeah, I definitely don't have any complaints about that,” he said pointing the stick at her.
“Maybe that's why Prince Hothead's so anxious to get her back.”

“Because it couldn't possibly be that she's family and he's worried about her,” she said
sarcastically.

“Speaking of Chiara,” started Aang looking around, “has anybody seen her?”

“Not since breakfast,” said Sokka as he sat up straight.

Katara was also looking around the camp. “You don't think she left on her own to find Zuko,
do you?”

“I don't know,” said Aang. “I'm sure she would've said something...or at least said goodbye.”
He felt hurt at the thought that Chiara would just leave them without saying goodbye.

“If Zuko finds us and she's not here...,” started Sokka.

“Or if he finds us and something happened to her...,” started Katara as they looked at each
other worriedly.

They all jumped up to start searching.

“I found mint,” said Chiara strolling into the camp.

All three stood frozen looking at her anxiously.

“Is everything okay?” she asked them.

“Uh...yeah...,” said Sokka.

“We were just worried that you were gone,” admitted Aang.

She did not think she had been gone that long, and she did not expect them to look as nervous
as they did.

“I wanted to make tea if that's okay,” she said.

“Sure,” said Aang with a big smile. “Tea sounds good.”

Katara handed her a pot so she could stew the leaves.

“The General would love this,” she said as she worked.

“I think I'm going to go hunting,” said Sokka as he walked off into the forest. “I could really
use some meat for lunch and dinner.”
When Chiara finished making the tea, she served it to Aang and Katara, and they all enjoyed
it before the two went to the river to practice their waterbending. Chiara sat on the riverbank
watching them. She desperately wanted to practice with them and even help them with their
forms. She did not realize just how much she missed waterbending so freely up to that point,
but she learned just how difficult it was to watch without participating. When the two began
playing around in the water, she decided to keep busy and started foraging for nuts and
berries for Aang and Momo.

Hours later after Sokka returned from an unsuccessful hunt, they decided to look for food
together. They cleaned up their camp and packed their equipment onto Appa. Before leaving,
Chiara left a few spirals similar to those from her diadem drawn in the ashes of their
campfire, and then they left on foot.
 The Fire Days Festival

Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Chiara spent the afternoon searching for food, but found little to
eat. Chiara, her senses heightened, had been distracted feeling as though someone had been
watching them for the last hour. Flashbacks of attempted robberies in the Earth Kingdom
made her really regret not having her knife, and now especially her sword, and the recent
attack by the pirates still had her on edge. She was not sure which of the Gaang she should
approach first to tell of her suspicions. She initially wanted to tell Aang since he was the
Avatar, but his age made her want to protect him more rather than worry him. Katara was her
next thought as she felt more comfortable speaking in private with another female, but she
worried that she might overreact. She suspected Sokka would be the best choice, but only if
he could remain calm and be stealthy. Finally, she just decided to make a general statement.

“We need to stick together,” she said. “I...I'm feeling a bit apprehensive about our
surroundings.”

“Huh, I think it seems pretty quiet,” said Aang.

“Just don't let your guard down,” she said.

“Goo' a'vice,” mumbled Sokka with a mouthful of food, his attention inside a pouch he was
carrying.

The path they followed led them to a sign board.

“This should give us a good idea of what's around here,” said Katara while Sokka emptied
the last crumbs of his pouch into his mouth.

“See if you can find a menu,” he said. “I'm starving.”

“You were just eating, Sokka,” she said.

“That was snacking,” he moaned making his sister roll her eyes.

While the Gaang was looking over the posters on the board, Chiara was staring at the woods
still feeling wary.

“I bet we'll find something to eat here,” said Aang pointing at one of the posters. “The Fire
Days Festival.”

“Really?” asked Chiara, her attention drawn away from the forest. She walked over to him. “I
haven't been to that festival in years.”

“Fire Nation cultural exhibits, jugglers, benders, magicians, firebending masters, puppet
shows, and here's something for you, Chiara: plenty of fire to make you feel like you're back
home in the Fire Nation,” read Aang. She giggled. Aang looked at Katara. “This would be a
great place for me to study some real firebenders.”
“You might want to rethink that,” said Sokka staring at a poster on the other side of the board.
“Look at this.”

They walked around to Sokka.

“Hey, a poster of me!” said Aang excitedly.

“A wanted poster,” said Sokka. “This is bad.”

Aang removed the poster and started reading it. Chiara was looking at the poster of the Blue
Spirit and smiling to herself as she read it.

Wanted, by order of the Fire Lord: The so-called Blue Spirit. He is a thief, guilty of stealing
the Avatar from the Fire Nation. He wears a traditional Earth Kingdom opera mask. His true
identity is unknown, but disregard the rumors that he is a ghost. If you locate the Blue Spirit
and attempt to apprehend him, you are advised to enlist as many forces as you can gather for
the task.

“I think we better keep moving,” said Katara.

“I have to learn firebending at some point and this could be my only chance to watch a
master's up close,” said Aang.

“If you want to see a master firebender, Master Jeong Jeong would be the one to speak to,”
said Chiara.

They turned to her as she pulled his wanted poster from the board and held it up.

Aang read it out loud:

“Wanted, by order of the Fire Lord: Jeong Jeong, former Admiral in the Fire Armada. He is a
deserter, traitor, and coward. He is 61 years old with white-hair. Although he has taken the
most wretched path of pacifism, he is a master firebender and should be approached with
extreme caution.”

“He's one of the most legendary firebenders,” said Chiara.

“So there's a firebender out here who's not with the Fire Lord?” he asked excitedly.

She nodded.

“Do you know him?” he asked her.

“I met him years ago. He came to understand the destruction the Fire Nation was causing and
he deserted the military for which I always admired him.”

“Do you think he'll teach me?” he asked, his eyes wide with hope.

“He might once you master the other elements, but I imagine he'll be able to give you some
insight and advice for now.”
“I think we should find him,” he said full of excitement.

“Keep in mind he's very strict,” she warned. “He puts a lot of emphasis on discipline. He sees
fire as destructive, which it can be if one isn't disciplined enough to control it. Fire is a
powerful element, but it can also be life.”

“How will we find him?” asked Katara.

“Good question,” said Chiara. “He moves a lot so as not to be found by the Fire Nation.”

“We can start at the Fire Days Festival,” suggested Aang.

“I doubt a deserter hiding from the Fire Nation is going to be at a festival,” said Sokka.

“I guess we could go check it out anyways,” said Katara.

“What?” he said stomping over to her. “You want to walk into a Fire Nation town where
they're all fired up with their...you know...fire?”

“We'll wear disguises, and if it looks like trouble, we'll leave,” said Katara walking towards
Appa while Aang happily dashed after her.

“Yeah, because we always leave before we get into trouble,” said Sokka sarcastically.

“They have food at the festival,” said Chiara still staring at the board.

“Well...maybe we could check it out,” he said as he turned to follow Aang and Katara.

Chiara quickly ripped down the Blue Spirit wanted poster along with another deserter's poster
and rolled them up together with Jeong Jeong's. Then she followed the others as they walked
towards the town.

“You guys stay out of sight here while we go to the festival,” said Aang to Appa and Momo.

Momo dove into a bush while Appa lay down behind it.

Chiara was laughing at Appa's huge form still completely in view. “You're so adorable,
Appa.”

“Ready disguises,” said Aang.

Sokka and Katara put on cloaks pulling their hoods up over their heads while Aang pulled his
shawl over his head.

“It's like you're a whole different person,” said Sokka sarcastically.

“Everyone'll be wearing masks,” said Chiara. “They give them out for free.”

“Well, that's convenient,” said Sokka.

“Let's go,” said Aang.

It was dark by the time they arrived in the town.

“Get your genuine Fire Festival mask here!” called a merchant.

“Like I said, that's convenient,” said Sokka as they walked towards the mask stand.

They each chose a mask. Sokka chose one that was smiling, while Aang's had a frown, so
Katara switched their masks to match their own expressions.

“Hey, there's some food,” said Aang pointing ahead.

“Finally,” said Sokka as he ran towards the food stand. “What do you have?” he asked the
merchant.

“Flaming fire flakes. Best in town.”

“I'll take 'em,” he said eagerly.

“Sokka, wait...,” started Chiara as she ran up to him.

“Aaahhh! Hot! Hot!” he said as he started wiping the spice off his tongue.

“'Flaming fire flakes,' hot? What do you know?” said Katara sarcastically.

“Here, try this instead,” said Chiara as she handed him a pastry from the merchant. “It's not
as...flaming.”

“Huh, never had fire flakes before?” asked the merchant.

“They're not as hot in Yu Dao,” she said. “My cousins aren't used to them.”

“Hey, look at this,” said Aang, his eyes following a few kids hurriedly running by them.

They followed the kids towards a puppet show.

“Don't worry, loyal citizens. No one can surprise the Fire Lord!” spoke a puppet.

An Earth Kingdom general puppet started rising up behind the Fire Lord puppet prepared to
attack him with a rock.

“Oh no! Look out!” yelled the kids fearing for their puppet Lord.

The Fire Lord puppet turned and blew fire at the Earth Kingdom puppet who went up in
flames to the cheers of the children.

Chiara rolled her eyes. “Ugh,” she whispered disgustedly. “This show's gotten worse since I
last saw it.”

They turned away from the puppet theater and Aang started following a crowd of people.

“Aang, hold on,” said Katara. “Where are we going?”

“I don't know, but there's a big crowd so it must be good.”

“Knowing the Fire Nation, it's probably an execution,” said Sokka. “No offense, Chiara.”

“None taken.”

They approached a stage where a firebender was guiding balls of flame over the crowd until
they clashed together and appeared to turn into birds that flew away.

“I got to learn that trick!” said Aang excitedly.

“Thank you,” said Malu on stage. “For my next trick I need a volunteer from the audience.”

Aang's hand was immediately up in the air. “Oh! Oh! Me! Me!” he yelled.

Sokka grabbed hold of him. “What do you think you're doing?”

“I want to get a closer look.”

“It's best that you don't,” said Chiara.

Despite his happy mask, the disappointment in his voice made it clear that his real face
reflected Sokka's mask.

Katara leaned towards him. “It's better that we don't attract any attention to ourselves.”

“How about you, little lady?” Malu pointing at Katara.

All four looked up at him, their mouths dropped open behind their masks.

“Uh...,” started Katara as she backed away.

“Awww, she's shy,” said Malu. “Let's give her some encouragement, folks.”

The crowd cheered her on as someone pushed her towards the stage where Malu pulled her
up.

Aang folded his arms in disappointment that he was not chosen to participate. “Awww, that
could've been me.”

Malu brought out a chair.

“This next trick is called 'Taming the Dragon.' You will be my captured princess,” he said as
he set Katara in the chair. He tied her to it before creating a dragon out of fire and guiding it
around them. “Don't worry, young maiden. I will tame this fiery beast.” Malu continued his
act making it look as though he was losing control of the fire dragon. “It's too strong; I can't
hold it!”

“We got to help her,” said Aang worriedly, stepping towards the stage..

“No,” said Sokka stopping him. “We don't want to make a scene.”
“It's just an act,” whispered Chiara. “Katara's safe up there.”

“The rope, it's breaking!” Malu dramatically announced as he sent the fire dragon towards
Katara.

When Aang heard Katara's worried cry he immediately jumped up on stage before Sokka or
Chiara could stop him. He created a vortex of wind that dissipated the fire dragon above the
crowd.

“Hey, you trying to upstage me, kid?” asked Malu from where he had fallen on stage.

Aang stood maskless before the crowd while everyone started booing him. With all eyes on
him, he did a goofy little dance while Sokka and Chiara climbed up on stage to free Katara.

“Hey, that kid's the Avatar!” yelled one of the men in the audience.

Soldiers immediately started heading towards the stage.

“I think it's time to go,” said Sokka.

“Follow me.”

They turned towards the voice at the side of the stage where someone was motioning to them.

“I can get you out of here,” he said.

“There they are!” yelled the guards.

The four of them ran towards the stranger calling to them. As soon as they jumped past him,
he threw explosives onto the stage just as the soldiers were running after them. They ran
through the streets following the mysterious man who saved them.

“Over there!” yelled another soldier as they passed.

“I'm calling Appa,” said Aang before blowing on his whistle.

“I hope he can really hear that bison whistle,” said Sokka.

“This way,” said their rescuer as he turned down an alley. He stopped abruptly as guards
came towards them from the other end. “Okay, not this way.”

He threw a smoke bomb and then they turned down another alley where they came to a dead
end. From behind soldiers cornered them with spears.

“Appa! Down here!” yelled Aang as the bison appeared overhead.

The soldiers started running away when the large bison flew down towards them. Appa
turned himself around, and as he landed between the Gaang and the guards he brought his tail
down creating a wind that threw the guards backwards. The group quickly climbed onto
Appa who flew off before the soldiers could pursue them. Their new guest threw one last
bomb towards the fireworks display setting it off and creating a beautiful show in the night
sky and lighting the giant torches in the town to the delight and cheers of the crowd.

“Nice touch setting off the fireworks,” said Aang.

“You really know your explosives,” said Sokka.

“I'm familiar,” said the stranger pulling his hood down.

“I'd say more than familiar, Captain Chey,” said Chiara.

He looked at her startled that she knew who he was.

Sokka's eyes were wide. “You're a Fire Nation soldier!”

“Was,” Chey corrected him. “Do I know you?” he asked Chiara.

“No,” she answered. She pulled out the wanted poster and held it out to him.

He unrolled it and glanced at his image. “Yeah, I...uh...I'm a deserter,” he said in a low voice.

“I wish more soldiers were as brave,” she said.

Most people saw being a deserter as a stigma, and it took him a second to register her words.
He raised his eyes to meet hers and smiled.

-------------------------------

After putting some distance between them and the town, they landed and set up camp for the
evening. After starting the fire, Chiara pulled out the wanted posters and threw them in
without unrolling them. The others soon sat around and began talking.

“I serve a man,” said Chey. “More than a man really, he's a myth, but he's real, a living
legend, Jeong Jeong the Deserter. He was a Fire Nation general...”

“Admiral,” Chiara corrected him softly.

“Yeah, he was a...an admiral...”

“He was very highly ranked, we get it,” said Sokka impatiently.

“Yeah, way up there,” continued Chey. “But he couldn't take the madness anymore. He's the
first person ever to leave the army—and live. I'm the second, but you don't get to be a legend
for that. That's okay though. Jeong Jeong's a firebending genius. Some say he's mad, but he's
not. He's enlightened.”

“We got to see him!” said Aang as he eagerly jumped to his feet. “He can train me!”

“We're not going to go find some crazy firebender,” said Sokka.

Taking offense to Sokka's insult of Jeong Jeong, Chey stood up. “He's not crazy! He's a
genius. And he's the perfect person to train the Avatar. That's why I followed you into the
festival.”

“You were the one in the woods,” said Chiara.

“Yes.”

“Look, thanks for the help,” said Sokka, “but we're leaving for the...”

“No, no, don't say where!” interrupted Chiara.

It took a second for Sokka to understand what she meant. “Uh...we're leaving in the
morning.”

“Sokka, this could be my only chance to meet a firebending master who would actually be
willing to teach me,” said Aang.

“I'm not so sure he will, Aang,” said Chiara.

“But you said I should talk to him.”

“I agree you should meet with him, but don't get your hopes up that he'll instruct you. There's
an order in which the elements should be learned, and fire is very powerful. It requires
discipline.”

“Who else will instruct me then?” he asked.

“I'm sure you'll find a teacher once you master the other elements.”

“So if he's not going to bother teaching you, we shouldn't waste our time,” said Sokka.

“It can't hurt just to talk to him,” said Katara noticing how anxious Aang was to meet the
firebender.

“That's what you said about going to the festival! Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?!”

He turned around to find a spear in his face as they were all suddenly surrounded by Earth
Kingdom tribesmen. Chiara found herself automatically reaching for a sword that was not on
her back before she took a defensive stance like the others.

“Don't move!” warned the leader.

Several of the tribesmen put out the fire.

“Now, go,” said the leader pointing towards the woods.

The tribesmen remained around them as they forced them to move ahead through the woods.

“Jeong Jeong told you not to look for Avatar,” said the leader angrily to Chey.
“Hold on,” said Sokka. “You know these guys?”

“Oh, yeah,” said Chey turning to them. “Lin Yee's an old buddy. Right, Lin Yee?”

“Shut up! Keep moving.” He jabbed his spear at Chey forcing him to continue walking.

Chiara noticed that Aang, Katara, and Sokka looked worriedly at one another.

They walked on until they reached a small encampment.

“Go on,” said Lin Yee to Chey motioning him towards a hut. “He sees you only.”

“Is that where Jeong Jeong is?” asked Aang eagerly. “I need to talk to him right away.”

He stepped towards the hut, but Lin Yee dropped his spear blocking the Avatar.

“No! You wait there.” He pushed Chey ahead. “Go now!”

“Don't worry,” said Chey nervously, looking back at them. “Everything'll be fine. He's a great
man, great man.”

He walked towards Jeong Jeong's hut while Lin Yee led the others to a different one. They all
sat down, and soon all but Chiara were asleep.

--------------------------------

Later, Chey entered and quietly sat on the floor looking downcast.

Aang immediately woke up and looked at him anxiously. “What happened?” he asked. “Can I
see Jeong Jeong now?”

“He won't see you,” he said dejectedly. “He's very angry that I brought you here. He wants
you to leave immediately.”

“Finally,” said Sokka rolling over. “Let's hit the road.”

“Why won't he see me?” Aang persisted.

“He says you're not ready. Says you haven't mastered waterbending and earthbending yet,”
Chey explained.

“Wait, how does he know that?”

“He saw the way you walked into camp. He could tell.”

“I'm going in anyway!”

Chiara stood up and stopped him. “Wait, Aang. Let me talk to him first.”

He hesitated. He really wanted to confront the firebending master, but he nodded deciding to
trust Chiara. She stepped outside of the hut where she found Lin Yee.
“What do you want?” he asked frowning at her. “Return to the hut.”

“Please inform Master Jeong Jeong that Lady Chiara would be honored to engage him in a
game of Pai Sho.”

Aang, who had been peeking outside, heard what she said, and he was curious about her
request. Lin Yee was clearly annoyed by it, and even more so that she refused to back down
to his glowering. He let out a huff as he walked off to do as she requested. Several minutes
later he approached her, frown still in place, and pointed his spear at Jeong Jeong's hut.

She gave him a polite bow before following the path to the hut. Parting the curtains, she
stepped just inside the entrance.

“Master Jeong Jeong,” she said seeing him sitting opposite a Pai Sho table. “It's an honor to
meet you again.” She bowed respectfully.

“Lady Chiara, what are you doing here?” he asked in a gruff voice filled with worry as well
as curiosity. “Is General Iroh with you?”

“No, Master. He's probably looking for me.”

“What happened? Why are you with the Avatar?”

“I was kidnapped by pirates intent on making a profit.”

His expression darkened at her explanation and even more so when he noticed the bruise over
her cheekbone.

“Avatar Aang and his friends saved my life,” she continued. “I'm waiting to meet up with the
General again, but for now I'm just a traveling companion.”

“I see.”

He pointed to the seat opposite him and she sat down.

“The guest has the first move,” he said.

She placed a tile on the board and their game began.

“How is General Iroh?” he asked after making a move.

“He's been busy assisting Prince Zuko with his quest to find the Avatar. We've been at sea for
years.”

“Yes, I heard of the unfortunate punishment and banishment of the young Fire Prince after his
defense of Fire Nation soldiers,” he said darkly.

Tears came to Chiara's eyes. “The whole division,” she said in a near whisper.

“And yet the Prince follows his father's orders?” There was displeasure in his voice.
She thoughtfully turned a tile between her fingers. “He feels it's the only way to restore his
honor.”

He shook his head. “Notions of honor among...most of the royal family has become corrupt.”

“I can only hope he chooses the right path when the time comes,” she said. She laid a tile on
the board.

“It's such a strange turn of events that he searches for the Avatar and now you're his traveling
companion.”

She smiled. “As the General would say, Destiny is a funny thing.”

His lip curled slightly upon hearing Iroh's words. “It will be dangerous for you to be caught
by the Fire Nation with the Avatar.”

“I understand. But I am my prince's loyal subject.”

He looked at her curiously. “Then you help him on his quest?”

“He has my loyalty; however, I won't betray the Avatar. This world needs balance.”

“I agree.”

“I've asked that they say nothing of their plans, and I've said little to them about me in order
to protect the General. My only goal is to return to him soon.”

“Is Iroh aware of your situation?”

“I believe so. They told me Prince Zuko saw them when they escaped with me.”

He looked puzzled. “You don't remember?”

“The last things I remember are pirates and fire, and then I woke up on the Avatar's bison.”

He nodded in understanding, and they continued playing quietly for a while.

“So the Avatar wishes to learn firebending,” he said thoughtfully as he made a move on the
board.

“I suggested that he ask you for advice, but I've already told him that he shouldn't worry
about firebending until he masters earth and water.”

“There is little advice I can give him save what you have already given. It was clear when I
saw him that he lacks discipline.”

“I understand, but he may benefit just by hearing that counsel from you.”

He nodded in agreement.
She made a move on the board before raising her eyes to meet his deep amber ones. “He fears
that he won't find an instructor,” she said. “But I know that when he's ready he'll find the
right teacher.”

“Iroh always said you were wise beyond your years.”

They continued the game until Chiara made the final winning move.

“You are certainly General Iroh's protege,” he said with a rare smile.

She stood up. “Thank you for honoring me with a game,” she said bowing to him.

“It is always a pleasure, Lady Chiara.”

She returned to the hut where Aang had been anxiously waiting for her.

“What'd he say?” he asked eager for news.

“He said I'm certainly General Iroh's protege,” she said.

He cocked his head curiously. “What does that mean?”

“Nothing,” she smiled. “He said you must first learn water and earth. Fire requires
discipline.”

He was instantly disappointed. “I already know that, but I don't want to lose an opportunity to
learn fire now that I know a master.”

“I'm sure he'll speak to you, but wait 'til he sends for you,” she said. “Give him time to think
about it.”

She knelt on the floor getting ready to quietly meditate, but the rustling of the curtain and
absence of Aang told her he was not willing to wait. She suspected the Avatar's impatience
and impulsivity was not going to go over well with the master.

When Aang returned later that night, Chiara was surprised to learn that Jeong Jeong agreed to
teach him. Finally lying down, she fell into a light sleep while thinking about Iroh and Zuko
and wondering what they were doing at that moment.

That evening, Iroh approached Zuko on the upper deck where he kept a constant vigil
searching for any sign of the Avatar's bison heading inland.

“Eat some noodles,” said Iroh holding the bowl out to him.

Zuko wanted to argue, but he reluctantly took the bowl and just held it as he continued
scanning the sky.

“I don't believe I've ever seen you so downcast, Prince Zuko.”

“I can't lose her, Uncle,” he said sadly. “My mom left, my dad banished me, I've never been
close to Azula. Chiara's always been there for me.” His eyes fell to the empty deck. “Even
when she was in the Earth Kingdom, she always wrote me. I can't imagine my life without
her.”

Iroh sympathized with his nephew. “I miss her too, and I know it is difficult not to worry, but
we will find her.”

As they stood there silently both staring at the sky, Zuko started slowly eating the noodles,
and though he did not feel hungry, his body was thankful for the nourishment.

When it grew later, Iroh decided to go to bed.

“Do not stay up so late, Nephew,” he said with a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I'm sure
they have settled down for the night.”

He turned and went inside. Zuko did not heed Iroh's words, and it was late into the night
when he struggled to keep his eyes open that he finally went inside.

“Wake me immediately if you see any sign of Chiara or the Avatar,” he said tiredly to the
bridge crew.

“Yes, Prince Zuko.”

He left the bridge.

Early the next morning as the sun was rising, Iroh went to the bridge.

He was sure he would have been informed immediately if there had been any changes, but he
felt it was necessary to ask. “Any sign of Chiara or the Avatar?”

“None, sir,” answered Jee.

Iroh's brow furrowed when he noticed the empty upper deck. “Prince Zuko is not on deck?”

“I haven't seen him all morning, General.”

Iroh hoped he was sleeping and decided to check on him. When he arrived at Zuko's cabin,
he slowly opened the door to peek inside. There were no candles burning, and the dim light
in the room came only from the rising sun. His eyes moved to the bed which he was surprised
to find empty. He stepped inside the room to make sure he did not miss his nephew brooding
in a corner. He flicked his wrist bringing the candles to life, but the room was completely
devoid of another person. Iroh left the room, the candles extinguishing as he exited. Though
he knew it was unlikely, he next went to the galley. As he suspected, he did not find him
there, and he was disappointed that no one except the bridge's night crew had seen him before
he had left the bridge late the night before. He continued his search in the ship's hold to see if
his nephew might have left to search for Chiara by himself. He found the riverboat, but once
again Zuko was still missing. Iroh was now getting worried.
 Firebending Training

After breakfast, Jeong Jeong took Aang to the river to start his training. Sokka spent the time
fishing while Katara practiced her waterbending. Chiara sat in the grass along the riverbank
watching Jeong Jeong work with Aang.

“Widen your stance,” commanded Jeong Jeong.

Aang spread his feet farther apart.

“Wider!” he demanded.

Aang moved them again.

“Bend your knees. Now, concentrate.”

Aang frowned wrinkling his brow trying to focus, though he was not sure what he was
supposed to focus on.

“Good, good,” said Jeong Jeong before he started walking away.

“Wait!” said Aang. “What do I do now?”

“Silence! Talking is not concentrating. Look at your friend,” he said referring to Katara. “Is
she talking.” He pointed at Sokka. “Even that oaf knows to concentrate on what he's doing.”

“Hey!” said Sokka from his rock.

“But what am I concentrating on?” asked Aang.

“Feel the heat of the sun,” he said, motioning to the sky. “It is the greatest source of fire. Yet,
it is in complete balance with nature.”

“So when do I get to make some fire?” the Avatar asked eagerly.

“Concentrate!”

Sokka and Katara started giggling, but stopped when Aang looked at them.

“Lady Chiara, tea?” asked Jeong Jeong.

“I'd be honored,” she said. She stood up and followed him.

Iroh left the ship's hold still looking for Zuko. He was puzzled by his disappearance, but
before sounding the alarm for another missing crewmember, he decided to check one more
place for the lost prince. He went up to Chiara's room and opened the door. Looking inside,
he could make out Zuko's dark figure lying on her cot. He could see and hear his slow,
rhythmic breathing which told Iroh he was asleep. As he stood there and quietly watched his
nephew, memories rushed into his mind—memories of his own grief after losing Mina, the
times he would lie on her side of the bed after she was gone. Though his marriage at
seventeen had been arranged, he did have some say in his choice of bride. He had spent time
with her during royal balls and ceremonies, and they grew to love each other deeply during
their marriage despite their years of childlessness. After so long a wait their patience was
rewarded with Lu Ten, but their joy was short-lived as Lu Ten was only a year old when his
mother passed away. At first, he struggled as he grieved for his wife, but he was lucky to
have Amiku to help take care of the infant. He would learn to deal with his loss by giving his
son as much love and attention as he could, love and attention he would also share with his
young nephew as well, and eventually with the young Water Tribe girl he took into his home.
As Mina's death made him realize how important family was, Lu Ten's would make him
realize that nothing was more important than loved ones.

Though Iroh was certain that Chiara was safe as long as she was with the Avatar, he hoped
that Zuko's grief might make him understand the importance of family. He quietly left the
room leaving the young prince to rest.

Later, when Jeong Jeong led Aang up a mountain, Chiara sat and watched Katara practice her
waterbending. She longed to practice with her, but she did not want to take the chance of the
knowledge of her ability getting back to the Fire Nation. She stood up and walked over to
Katara.

“Have you had a master?” she asked, though she knew the answer.

“No. I was the last waterbender of the Southern Tribe.”

“I was glad to see that you escaped the raids,” said Chiara sincerely.

Katara's head whipped towards her as the water she was suspending fell to the river. “You
know about the raids?” she asked. “Of course, you do,” she immediately answered her own
question with a hint of bitterness in her voice.

“I heard they were trying to...to eliminate all the waterbenders,” said Chiara gently. “When
the General told me you were one, I was really happy to know they failed.”

“But they killed my mother,” she said bitterly. “She died to protect me.”

Chiara's heart felt broken as she understood her pain. “I'm so sorry, Katara. I...I wish there
was something I could say.”

Katara wanted to be angry with her since she was from the Fire Nation, and she wanted to
blame her, but she could not bring herself to do so as Chiara had been nothing but helpful to
them.

“It's...it's not your fault,” said Katara softly as she fought the bitterness. “A few years later
our father left to fight in the war,” she continued. “As chief of our tribe he led the other
warriors, but it's been over two years since we've seen him.”
“I know this may sound vague, but I've heard there are still raids of Fire Nation ships by the
Water Tribe between the South Pole and the Earth Kingdom,” said Chiara wanting to share
any hope that her father might be alive.

“One of the men from our tribe was staying at the abbey. He told us our father was still alive,
and when we parted, he was going to meet up with him.”

“You chose to stay with Aang.”

Katara nodded. “Yes, but we know dad is alive.”

As Chiara continued watching her move the water around an idea came to her.

“You know, I might be able to help you with your waterbending...” Katara gave her a strange
look. “It won't be much, but it should still be helpful.”

“How?”

“I studied the different bending forms, and I practice with firebenders. Some of their moves
can be similar to waterbending.”

Chiara was tempted to explain everything she learned about waterbending, but she knew she
had to hold back.

“If you're not a firebender, why would you practice with them?” asked Katara.

“I enjoy the exercise, and some of the moves help in self-defense.”

Katara considered it. “I would like that.”

Chiara got into position.

“Like in firebending, breathing is important. With firebending, power comes with the breath.
The breath becomes energy in the body, and the energy extends past the limbs and becomes
fire.” She went through firebender motions as she repeated Iroh's words. “As a waterbender,
your breathing helps guide the flow of energy in your body. Your defense becomes your
offense, and you turn your opponent's energy against him. And just like water, your
movements should be fluid and smooth.”

Katara practiced the movements with Chiara, and then she tried her suggestions as she was
waterbending. Her eyes grew big when she saw the improvement.

“I can't believe it,” said Katara excitedly. “Look at this.” She drew the water around her with
more control and stability. “This is incredible. Sokka, look.”

“Yeah, yeah, bigger glob of water floating in the air,” he said waving indifferently. “Nothing
new.”

Chiara laughed at his lack of interest.

“Thanks for this, Chiara. I never thought I'd learn waterbending from someone from the Fire
Nation.”

Chiara smiled.

Zuko was standing on the upper deck looking for Appa when Iroh rushed out to him.

“Prince Zuko, I've just received word that the Avatar was spotted at a Fire Days Festival in
one of the colonies.”

“Have the helmsman set a course for the colony,” he said, his voice carrying a tone of hope
and excitement rather than the listlessness Iroh had been hearing lately.

“It's already done.”

“Do you think she'll still be there?” asked Zuko.

“The Avatar's bison was seen flying away, but it's still a promising lead.”

Zuko was anxious to get there and find her.

When Jeong Jeong returned from the mountain, he was alone. He approached Chiara who
was sitting by the river watching Katara waterbend and recommending small adjustments to
her form.

“Lady Chiara, Pai Sho?” he asked.

“Yes, Master Jeong Jeong,” she said as she stood up and followed him.

Katara and Sokka looked at each other.

When they entered Jeong Jeong's hut, he began preparing the tea. They sat down at the game
board surrounded by candles and began playing Pai Sho and drinking their tea. Midway
through their game, the curtains flew apart as Aang stormed into the room.

“What are you doing here?” demanded Jeong Jeong harshly. “I did not tell you to stop!”

“I've been breathing for hours!” he argued.

“You want to stop breathing?”

“I want you to stop wasting my time!” said Aang frustrated. “I already know how to squat
and breathe and feel the sun. I want to know how to shoot fire out of my fingertips!”

Though she was used to Zuko snapping at others, Chiara was stunned by Aang's outburst.

Jeong Jeong sighed. “I had a pupil once who had no interest in learning discipline. He was
only concerned with the power of fire—how he could use it to destroy his opponents and
wipe out the obstacles in his path, but fire is a horrible burden to bear. Its nature is to
consume, and without control, it destroys everything around it. Learn restraint or risk
destroying yourself and everything you love.”

Aang turned and walked out.

“He's more like Prince Zuko than I expected,” she said softly.

“He is impatient.”

“I agree, but he is only a child, and one with a great burden. To lose everyone he knew and
wake up in a world that's been devastated by a war that he's expected to fix, it must be
terribly difficult, and he's had little time to adjust.”

Jeong Jeong was impressed by her observation. He poured more tea, and they continued their
game.

---------------------------------

Later, after he won at Pai Sho, they walked out of the hut to see Aang sitting patiently
outside.

“I thought about what you said,” he said calmly. “I promise I'll be more patient.”

“We're going to work with fire now,” said Jeong Jeong.

“Oh yeah!!” Aang excitedly jumped in the air. Then he composed himself. “I mean, let us
begin.”

Jeong Jeong grabbed a leaf that was falling, and he burned the center.

“Concentrate on the fire.” He held the leaf out to Aang. “I want you to keep the flame from
reaching the edges of the leaf for as long as you can.”

Suddenly, a tribal man came running towards them. “Master! There is trouble!” he said.

“What's going on?” asked Aang.

“Concentrate on your leaf!” said Jeong Jeong before running off with the tribesman.

“This is the worst firebending instruction ever!” complained Aang. “All he does is leave me
for hours to concentrate or breathe!”

“I'm sure there's a good reason,” said Katara.

“But I'm ready to do so much more.”

“Power in firebending comes from the breath,” said Chiara repeating Iroh's words. “And
basics are important. If you don't master the basics, then you'll never master advanced
techniques.”
Aang was surprised by Chiara's advice, especially since he believed her to be a non-bender.

“You should listen to her,” said Katara. “She helped me with my waterbending.”

“Really?” asked Aang. “How?”

“You need to practice breathing just as Master Jeong Jeong said,” answered Chiara.

He continued concentrating on his leaf and he breathed deeply. Soon the leaf went up in
flames.

“I did it!” he said excitedly. “I made fire!”

Chiara was stunned by how quickly he picked it up, but she was worried he was going
beyond his instruction. “Your task was to keep the fire under control.”

“Yeah, but I made fire,” he said. “That's the whole point.”

“Aang, that's great, but you should take it slow,” said Katara.

He made a movement that increased the flames making both Chiara and Katara nervous.

“Careful,” said Katara.

He nearly fell in the water, but maintained the fire in his palm until he regained his balance
on the rock.

“Now that's firebending,” he said proudly.

He threw a stream of fire out.

“Aang, you'll hurt yourself,” said Katara.

He started playing with the fire tossing it from one hand to the other.

“Avatar, you should follow your instructions from the master,” warned Chiara.

He continued throwing the fire around.

“I wonder how that juggler did it,” he said.

He threw his arms out and the fire spread out around him. Chiara, seeing it coming, ducked
down to avoid the stream of fire, but Katara was not so lucky as she held her hands out to
block it, screaming as the flame burned her.

“Katara! I'm so sorry!” said Aang hopping towards her.

Chiara ran and knelt by her side. “Let's get them in the water.”

Hearing his sister scream Sokka came running over. “Katara, what's wrong?” He saw the
burns on her hands and glared at Aang. “What did you do?!”
“It was an accident! I was...uh...K-Katara, I'm so...”

Sokka jumped up and tackled him to the ground. While he continued scolding Aang, Chiara
helped Katara up and walked her to the river.

“Do you have healing abilities?” Chiara asked her.

“What?” she asked looking at her through her tears.

“I learned that some waterbenders have the ability to heal.”

“I-I never heard that before.”

Chiara was hoping she had the ability to heal herself, but if she did not she was prepared to
use her “special salve” even if she had to get a bit creative about disguising it.

The girls knelt down by the river, and Chiara tenderly took Katara's hands and placed them in
the water.

“Focus on the feel of the water around your hands,” said Chiara.

The water began glowing, and the burns began healing to Katara's great surprise.

“You have healing abilities,” said Jeong Jeong as he walked towards them. “The great
benders of the Water Tribes sometimes have this ability.” His eyes met Chiara's. He knelt
down on Katara's other side. “I've always wished I were blessed like you—free from this
burning curse.”

“But you're a great master,” said Katara. “You have powers that I will never know.”

“Water brings healing and life. But fire brings only destruction and pain. It forces those of us
burdened with its care to walk a razor's edge between humanity and savagery. Eventually, we
are torn apart.”

Chiara disagreed with him, but she felt it was not her place to argue.

“Lady Chiara, Zhao is here,” said Jeong Jeong.

“Zhao?” asked Katara.

“You must not be seen with me,” he said to Chiara. “Or with the Avatar.”

She nodded, and then suddenly, flames hit the water in front of them and they stood up to see
Zhao on a riverboat heading towards them. Flames flew towards them again, but Jeong Jeong
broke up the next attack.

He looked at Katara. “It's too late. You must make it look like she's the Avatar's prisoner.”

Katara was confused.

“Go get your friends and flee!” he said. “Do not come back here or you will all be destroyed.
Hurry!”

Chiara was worried about him, and her instinct was to stay and help him, but she knew he
was a powerful bender and she would be able to do little to help without using her own
bending.

“Be careful, Master Jeong Jeong.”

He nodded and then the girls left to find the boys. They found Sokka preparing Appa.

“Katara, are you all right?” he asked.

“I'm fine, we've got to get out of here. Where's Aang?”

He pointed towards the hut.

“Jeong Jeong said we have to make Chiara look like our prisoner,” Katara told him before
running off to find Aang.

Sokka looked at Chiara who started helping him. “What's going on?”

“Zhao is here. If he sees me with the Avatar or Master Jeong Jeong and thinks I'm an ally, I'll
be branded a traitor.”

“I have an idea. Get in the saddle.” She did as he said, and he grabbed rope out of one of their
packs. “Hold out your hands.”

She allowed him to tie her wrists. A few minutes later Katara returned.

“Where's Aang?” asked Chiara.

“He went down to the river to help Jeong Jeong,” she answered as she took the reins.

They flew Appa to the river where they saw Zhao attacking Aang as he bounced around the
boats avoiding Zhao's fire blasts.

Chiara came up with an idea she did not like. “I could give myself up to Zhao.”

Sokka and Katara looked at her.

“What?” asked Sokka.

“If he thinks you guys kidnapped me, he might take me back to General Iroh. And it could be
enough of a distraction to allow you to escape.”

“He might take you back?” asked Katara.

Chiara shrugged, but they could tell that she was uncomfortable with the plan.

“No,” said Katara shaking her head. “We can't trust him.”
Sokka stood up. “Chiara,” he whispered as he reached down to help her stand. “Um...forgive
me for this.” He placed his hand over her mouth. “Aang, come on! Let's go!” he yelled. “I
have the prisoner.”

Chiara struggled to break free from him, but Sokka held on to her hoping she was acting.
Aang was confused by Sokka's actions with Chiara, but when Zhao saw her trying to pull
away from him, he became angrier and started after them.

“You're kidnapping a Fire Nation citizen!” he yelled.

He raised his hands to send a fire blast towards the bison, but the bow of the burning boat
upon which he stood broke off and Zhao fell into the river.

“Have a nice walk home!” Aang called to him before quickly hopping up on Appa. “Yip!
Yip! What's going on?” he asked as they flew off.

“I'll explain later,” said Sokka. “Just get us out of here.”

“Wait. Where's Jeong Jeong?” asked Aang.

“He disappeared,” said Sokka. “They all did.”

They were looking at the empty camp below, except for Chiara.

“Are you okay, Chiara?” asked Aang.

Sokka began untying the rope around her wrists.

“If Zhao thinks I'm your ally or Master Jeong Jeong's ally, there'll be a wanted posted for
me.”

He suddenly felt guilty about putting her in that kind of danger.

“I'm sorry,” he said. “I never...well, I never thought about that.”

“What would they do to you?” asked Katara.

“Probably prison after a lengthy interrogation,” she said. “But I'm not worried about me; I'm
more worried that they'd go after General Iroh.”

“Why would they go after him?” asked Katara.

“If I left the Fire Nation to follow the Avatar, then the man who was in charge of me could be
held responsible.”

When they were safely flying, Chiara relaxed, and Aang went back to the saddle with the
others.

“Aang, you're burned,” said Katara spotting the burn on his arm. “Let me help you.” She
drew water out of her water skin and healed his injury.
“Wow, that's good water,” he said.

Chiara giggled.

“When did you learn how to do that?” asked Sokka.

“Chiara asked me if I had healing abilities, but...I guess I always knew.”

“Oh, well then thanks for all the first aid over the years,” he said indignantly while crossing
his arms. “Like when I fell into the greaseberry bramble. Or that time I had two fishhooks in
my thumb!” He shoved his thumb towards them.

“Two?” asked Aang.

“He tried to get the first fishhook out with another fishhook,” said Katara.

Chiara was laughing as she imagined it.

“Oh, and the time that mink snake bit me!” continued Sokka. “Thanks for healing that up.
That was great. Really helpful,” he said sarcastically before crossing his arms and pouting.

Katara just turned to Chiara. “Where did you study about waterbenders?”

“General Iroh and I spent a year traveling, and Prince Zuko and I read every scroll we could
find about the Avatars and other Nations.”

As they were flying, Aang told them how he defeated Zhao, a story which Chiara found
extremely entertaining and could not wait to share with Iroh and Zuko.

“I can't believe Zhao was here!” said Zuko angrily as they were leaving the Fire Nation
colony on their komodo rhinos.

“If he sees Chiara with the Avatar, he might consider her a traitor,” said Iroh.

Zuko felt angry at the thought of Zhao considering her a traitor, but deep down he still
worried that she might not want to return to the ship or to him.

“We need to find her,” said Zuko.

As they were riding, he was trying to trace how they might have come to the colony.

“Uncle, before we head back to the ship, I want to follow the main road that leads to the
town,” he said.

“They were seen flying away on the Avatar's bison,” said Iroh. “It's unlikely they followed
the road.”

“They flew away from the town, but they couldn't have entered without being seen. They had
to have hidden the bison somewhere and walked.”
Iroh nodded his head, and they went along the main road as Zuko looked for any sign that the
Avatar and his friends might have been in the vicinity. They traveled for nearly an hour
before deciding it was time to give up when they reached a river.

“We should head back, Prince Zuko,” said Iroh. “This forest is large, they could have been
anywhere.”

Zuko nodded sadly and they turned their komodo rhinos to go back, but they decided to cut
through the forest. The clearing ahead caught Zuko's attention as it reminded him of the
clearing where he saw the Avatar's bison leaving with Chiara.

“Hold on, Uncle. I want to check this out.”

He jumped off his rhino and began looking around, and he was excited to find bison prints
and signs of a camp, but his heart leaped when he saw the old campfire.

“Uncle, look!”

Iroh quickly walked over.

“Look at the ashes.”

Iroh's eyes grew wide upon seeing the swirled design traced in the ash with pebbles in the
place of the gemstones. “Her diadem.” He looked at Zuko. “She's left us a sign that she's been
here.”

Zuko felt relieved, and his hope grew stronger as they began riding back towards the boat.

“Look at the smoke,” he said pointing towards the distant sky.

Iroh looked at it wondering what it could mean. “Maybe we should check it out.”

“What if it's unrelated? We could be wasting our time.”

Iroh was thinking back to the pirates. “I believe we should look into it.”

Zuko was unsure, but decided to do so, and they started traveling as quickly as they could
towards the smoke. When they finally arrived, they saw the burning remains of Zhao's
riverboats.

“General Iroh!”

Iroh and Zuko turned towards Zhao's voice and saw him with several of his soldiers.

“Admiral Zhao,” said Iroh pleasantly. “Out for a swim?” he asked taking note of his dripping
uniform.

“Hardly.” Zhao looked livid as he approached them as they still sat on their rhinos.

“I was not expecting to find you in such a remote location inland,” said Iroh.
“Nor was I expecting you,” he replied, still feeling irate over the loss of his boats by his own
hand. “But let me guess, the Avatar has stolen something valuable from you.”

“Yes,” said Iroh. “Did you happen to see Lady Chiara?”

“As a matter of fact, I did,” said Zhao. “One of the savages that travels with the Avatar had
her restrained. Of course my boats were on fire because of the Avatar and I couldn't get to her
before they flew off on that flying rug.”

Both Iroh and Zuko were surprised to hear that Chiara was being restrained, and they
wondered what it meant or if Zhao was even telling them the truth.

“However did you let them get hold of her?” he asked them.

“They made off with her at the last port,” answered Iroh.

“I see. Well, as soon as I return to my ship I'll have the resources necessary to retrieve your
daughter. It will be a double victory for me in capturing the Avatar and rescuing Lady
Chiara,” he said arrogantly. “Of course, General, if you accept my proposal for her hand, it
would prove quite beneficial in her rescue.”

The reins in Zuko's hands started smoking.

“The search for the promised wife of an admiral would certainly elicit help from many
sources,” continued Zhao taking pleasure in seeing the prince's anger.

Zuko was about to yell at him, but Iroh intervened.

“I believe such a promise might also elicit unwanted attention from criminals and pirates
seeking ransom—many who would not care to return her alive.”

Zuko suddenly appreciated his uncle's quick analysis of the situation and response.

Another ship had come ashore and Zhao and his men began walking towards it.

“Well, in any case, don't worry about your daughter,” said Zhao. “I'll catch up and retrieve
her soon enough. And I'll keep her quite safe.”

“Until she is returned to me of course,” said Iroh, his voice sounding dangerous.

Zhao ignored the warning. “Of course, after she is properly...debriefed,” he said with an
arrogant smirk. “And when you're ready to hand over that treasure, I'll be waiting.”

Zuko growled as Zhao stepped on the boat and they sailed off down the river.

“You aren't seriously considering giving her to him, are you, Uncle?”

“That man is not worthy of Chiara's hand,” said Iroh in a deep voice.
Zuko felt relieved to hear that from him. “We need to find her quickly,” he said. “And before
Zhao.”

“I agree.”

They left to go back to the ship.

 Interception
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

When the sun began setting, Aang decided to land for the evening and make camp. He found
a spot inland, but not far from the beach and a freshwater stream. Chiara built a fire, and after
eating a small meal, they settled down on Appa to sleep. As she had done the first night,
Chiara lay staring at the moon thinking about Iroh and Zuko, and she was anxious to return to
them.

---------------------------

That night Zuko stood on deck staring at the moon thinking about Chiara. The sight of her
mark in the ashes brought a sense of relief to him. He had been worried that she did not want
to return, but now he realized she had left a clue for him, something that would most likely
go unrecognized by anyone else. He placed his hand over his chest where her diadem rested
in a pocket inside his tunic. Distracted from his thoughts, his eyes caught a messenger hawk
flying by close to the ship, and he gripped the railing as he continued watching the bird
heading towards the land where it disappeared.

Unable to keep his vigil any longer, he left the upper deck and walked onto the bridge.

“Wake me if you see any sign of Chiara or the Avatar,” he said.

“Yes, sir.”

He left the bridge, and as he descended to the next level, he stopped. It was the floor Chiara's
bedroom was on, the floor above his. Just as he had done the night before, he walked to her
room and slowly opened the door. He held a flame in his hand as he entered the small cabin
and looked around. If it were not for her erhu sitting in the corner, the room might look
unoccupied. Approaching her empty cot, he sat down and pulled out her diadem. He held it in
his hand and gazed at the swirling metal embedded with gems which sparkled in the light of
his flame. He was again relieved at the thought of the same swirling shapes in the ashes of
the campfire. Struggling to keep his eyes open, he tucked the diadem away and lay down on
her cot allowing his flame to dissipate.

The next morning Chiara fried fish for breakfast to the delight of the siblings, and she had
fruit picked for Aang and Momo. While they were eating, she decided to give some attention
to Appa caressing the bison's long fur while he groaned contentedly. After a while she headed
towards the beach. Staying in the treeline she sat staring out at the sea hoping to spot Zuko's
ship; though she feared that if she did see it she would be unable to control herself and
waterbend her way to it.

It was not long before Aang found her sitting by herself.

“Thanks for breakfast, Chiara,” he said.

“You're welcome, Aang.”

“It's been really great having you with us,” he said, seating himself next to her.

“I want to help any way I can. I wish I could do more for you.”

“You've done a lot. Katara was showing me what you taught her.”

She smiled. “And don't worry about your firebending,” she said. “I'm certain you'll find the
right teacher when it's the right time.”

He looked down. “I'm never going to firebend again,” he said sadly.

“You will when the time is right,” she said confidently. “I know Master Jeong Jeong sounded
harsh, but he's seen the destruction his students have caused, and it's his desire to avoid that.
It's not normally my place to disagree with a master, especially since I'm not a firebender, but
I've lived with them my whole life. While fire is dangerous, it's also necessary to life. We
have to respect it, not fear it.”

Though he still had no desire to learn firebending, he found her wisdom impressive.

They sat quietly as she continued gazing out over the water.

“You must really miss them, don't you?” he asked.

“I do,” she said softly. “They're my family.”

Aang nodded in understanding, but he could not help feeling sad at the thought of her leaving
them. He enjoyed her wisdom, her knowledge, and the way she provided for them. It felt like
having a mother. He had hoped she would choose to stay with them, but he knew it was not
right to keep her when she wanted to return to her family.

-----------------------------------

That afternoon, while Sokka was out hunting, Katara busily mended clothes near the fire.
After finding chamomile plants, Chiara set about making tea while Aang watched her work.

“I have a question, Aang,” started Chiara, “and I understand if you don't wish to answer as
I've given you so little information. For Prince Zuko's story, it's not mine to tell, and as for
my own...I have significant reasons for keeping it a mystery.”

“What do you want to know?” he asked her.

“How is it that you've stayed hidden for a hundred years without aging?”

“I was frozen in an iceberg.”

She looked at him with a puzzled expression. “Really? How?”

“When the monks told me I was the Avatar, I ran away.”

“But...you're not...or you weren't sixteen, were you?” she asked.

“No. I'm twelve...or a hundred and twelve now. The monks were worried about the war, so
they didn't wait to tell me.”

“I see.” She added the dainty white flowers to the hot water to allow them to steep.

“Appa and I got caught in a storm and crashed into the sea. The next thing I remember is
waking up in Katara's arms,” he said glancing over at Katara. The sparkle in his eyes as he
looked at her did not go unnoticed by Chiara, and she smiled to herself.

“That's incredible,” she said as she thought about what had happened to him. “So you
survived by going into the Avatar State?”

“Yes.” He was growing used to her knowledge.

Chiara recalled the time he had gone into the Avatar State after he fell in the water at the
South Pole.

“But...but after I left,” continued Aang, “the Fire Nation attacked the air temples. All my
people were destroyed.”

“All but you,” she said softly. She thought about her own village. Though she knew her pain
was not to the extent of Aang's losing his whole people, she had a small understanding of
what he felt.

“Yes,” he said sadly.

“A wise man I know has said, Destiny is a funny thing. Had you not run away, there might be
no airbenders left.”

Katara giggled while Aang smiled. “Katara told me the same thing.”

“Then you should trust Lady Katara's words.” She poured the tea into cups. “Thank you for
sharing that with me,” she said as she handed him a cup. “Lady Katara?”

“Yes, please.”

Chiara took her a cup of tea.

When Sokka eventually returned from an unsuccessful hunt he flopped down by the fire.

“No luck?” Katara asked him.

“No,” he moaned lying back.

“I wish I had my bow,” said Chiara. “But I can go fishing again if you like.”

“Yes, food,” he said as he was sprawled out on the ground. “Fish good.”
She laughed, and then she stood up to go to the river.

After she left, Katara glanced back to make sure she was gone and then turned to the boys.
“So where are we going next?” she whispered.

Sokka sat up from his reclined position. “We need to go to the Northern Water Tribe, and we
can't just take her along.”

“She really wants to go back to the ship,” said Aang. “She misses her family.”

“I'm kind of torn,” said Katara packing up her sewing kit. “I want her to go with us, but we
can't have Zuko follow us north.”

“I'm not sure she would be welcome in the Northern Tribe anyways,” said Sokka. “If they
find out she's Fire Nation, they might not be too happy about it.”

Aang was nervous at the thought of what the Water Tribe might do to her. “That settles it; we
have to get her back to Zuko,” he said with a finality in his voice.

“I'm definitely going to miss waking up to breakfast,” Sokka lamented as he reclined against
a log.

Katara threw his mended tunic at him. “There's no reason you can't get up early and go
fishing.”

“Hey...” He pulled the tunic off his face, “...I'm not from the Fire Nation, so I don't rise with
the sun,” he said in a mocking tone. “Besides, you're the waterbender. Why don't you
waterbend some fish for breakfast?”

“Maybe I will,” she said getting up to put her kit away.

----------------------------------

When Chiara returned from the river she was carrying a large fish. Sokka's eyes were nearly
as large as her catch while he watched her set it up over the fire.

“Chiara, we want to get you back to your ship,” said Aang sitting next to her.

“Wait a minute, Aang...,” started Sokka, “...maybe...maybe she should come with us instead.”

Aang looked at him incredulously. “But you said it wouldn't be good if she went to...you
know...where we're going.”

“So she goes in disguise.” His eyes were still on the fish.

“We can't just take her if she doesn't want to go,” said Katara. “Then it really will be
kidnapping.”

“But lunch smells so good,” he whined.

His sister glared at him. “Quit thinking with your stomach. We're not kidnapping her.”

Aang looked at Chiara who was quietly giggling to herself at their exchange.

“We're going to start looking for the ship,” he said. “And if I know Zuko, he's probably not
far behind.”

“I'm...I'm worried he might try to attack,” she said adjusting the fish on the spit.

“You think he'd attack if you're with us?” asked Katara.

She paused what she was doing as she thought about Zuko. “He tends to be impulsive and
reacts without thinking,” she said recalling how she ended up in her current situation.

“Then we'll have to depend on Appa to get away quickly,” Aang said with determination.

Chiara remembered the time Zuko and Iroh attacked Appa, and she was not happy about it,
but she hoped they learned their lesson after the damage it caused the ship.

“If we find the ship, Aang, make him give you his word to let you guys go before you land on
the deck,” she instructed him.

None of them had expected her advice, nor had they thought of it themselves.

“How can we trust him?” asked Katara.

“If he gives you his word, he'll keep it,” she said. “Trust me, he really is honorable,
just...misguided.”

“What if he doesn't promise?” asked Aang.

“Don't land. Insist that he do as you ask. If he refuses again, then fly away.”

“Just leave? But I thought you wanted to go back.”

“I do, but not at the expense of your capture. If he sees that you won't give in to his demands,
he may be willing to negotiate next time. Remember, you're the Avatar, and you have the
upper hand in this deal.”

Aang did not like the idea of negotiating, especially with Zuko who was more likely to throw
fire at him than words.

“Maybe Sokka has a point,” he said softly. “Are you sure you don't want to stay with us?”

Chiara gently laughed. “I wish I could, but I have to get back to my family.”

“I understand,” said Aang with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

------------------------------------
After eating, they packed up their camp. Chiara drew her diadem shapes in the ash adding
pebbles to simulate the gems. They climbed on Appa, and carefully went in search of Zuko's
ship. Chiara kept watch through the telescope.

“There! What's that over there?” asked Sokka pointing off in the distance.

Chiara looked through the spyglass. “It...it looks like a cruiser, but it's not Prince Zuko's.” As
she was studying it, she realized something. “There's more,” she said. “It looks like a small
fleet. I count five.”

“What do you think they're doing?” asked Sokka.

“I'm not sure.” She knew there was a port nearby and suspected they were heading there.

“Could it be a search party?” asked Aang. “Maybe they're looking for you.”

She shook her head. “No. I'm not that important.”

“I think you're important,” he said.

Chiara smiled at him. “Thank you, but I'm not that important to the Fire Nation.”

“Okay, so we avoid the fleet,” said Sokka.

They flew on until they spotted another ship in the distance. Chiara looked through the
spyglass.

“Those look like battleships,” she said.

She handed the telescope to Sokka.

“Yep, they're battleships all right.”

Seeing so many ships, especially battleships, this far north troubled Chiara, and she wondered
what was being planned.

--------------------------------

They continued flying and searching without success, and as the sky grew dark, they decided
to set up camp for the evening. Chiara built the fire before helping Katara heat up the noodles
they would have for dinner.

“I'm sorry we didn't find them, Chiara,” said Aang as they were eating.

“I wasn't really expecting to find them so soon anyways. The sea is so vast, but we might
have better luck keeping land in sight. He knows we'll be landing in the evenings, so they
may stay close to the shore.”

“Good idea.”
“And you're sure you don't want to stay with us?” asked Sokka. “There's plenty of room on
the A-team.”

She gently shook her head snickering under her breath.

“I'd like her to go with us too, Sokka,” said Katara. “But it might be too dangerous for her.”

“Not if she's in disguise,” he suggested. “We just dress her in some of your clothes, teach her
some Water Tribe customs, and...poof! We have a cousin—just like at the festival.”

Now Chiara was giggling at his plan. She knew they were aiming for the North Pole, and she
wondered what might happen if she showed up there with them. They would definitely learn
her secrets. She would also get to see Yue and her cousin Surak and his family again. “It's
really tempting, Sokka, but I'm not really sure that'd go over well with the General or Prince
Zuko if I defected.”

Aang looked a little down. “We should probably leave right after breakfast,” he said softly.

Chiara nodded in agreement.

That evening, she lay looking at the moon as was her ritual, and she fell asleep thinking about
Iroh and Zuko.

----------------------------------

That evening, Zuko stood on the upper deck hoping for some sign of Appa in the sky. The
moon shone down on the empty deck, but Zuko's heart was full of hopefulness. He now knew
she was waiting for him to find her. Just as he searched and searched for the Avatar until he
found him, he would do the same for Chiara, but the biggest difference was that she was out
there waiting for him and wanting him to find her. And now with Zhao looking for her, he
was even more intent on finding her first.

The next morning Zuko was again on the upper deck keeping watch with a telescope.
Spotting something small flying in the distance, he followed it with the scope. It was a
messenger hawk, and it looked as though it was coming from the land with its current path
bringing it close to the ship. Quickly sliding down the ladder to the lower deck he picked up
the bow and arrow he had placed there earlier, and he quickly took aim as the bird flew close.
Releasing the arrow sent a net attached to a rope which intercepted the hawk, and he was able
to bring it aboard. The bird was unhappy when he struggled to untangle it from the net, but
once it was freed, he pulled out the note and began reading it.

Admiral Zhao, we received and accept your request to find the Avatar and his female
prisoner. We will contact you with their location as soon as we retrieve them. Colonel
Mongke

----------------------------------
Chiara was following her same morning routine of foraging and fishing for breakfast and
having it ready for the others when they woke up.

“I'm really going to miss this,” said Sokka taking the plate with the cooked fish. “Are you
sure you want to go back to the angry jerk?”

“I'm sure,” she said with a smile at his persistence.

While Sokka cut up the fish, Chiara gave Aang a plate filled with fruit.

“Wow!” said Aang, his eyes wide. “You found moon peaches!”

“There are more,” she said tossing one up in the air for Momo who leaped up and caught it
before gliding down nearby to eat it. “The tree was full of them.”

“Thanks, Chiara. The grapes look good too.”

She took a large piece of fish Sokka had cut up and placed it on a plate for Katara. She put a
few smaller pieces on another plate for herself.

“This is really good,” said Sokka with a mouthful of fish.

“If you and Lady Katara work together, you should have an endless supply of fish for
breakfast,” she said.

“What do you mean?” asked Aang.

“Lady Katara can waterbend the water around the fish, and Sokka can spear it.”

“Yeah, because nothing can go wrong with that,” said Sokka whose voice was dripping with
sarcasm.

Katara gave him a wry smile remembering the last time she used waterbending to pull a fish
out of the sea the day they discovered Aang in the iceberg.

After breakfast, they packed up, and Chiara made her little shapes in the ashes before they
flew off on Appa. They spent the morning and most of the afternoon searching, but all they
saw were more fleets of Fire Nation vessels. By late afternoon, the sea was just a vast
expanse devoid of ships. Chiara, Sokka, and Katara lay back in the saddle to rest their eyes
from their search.

----------------------------------

“Lieutenant! It's him! It's the Avatar!” yelled Zuko from the upper deck. He was pointing to a
speck in the distant sky. “Don't lose him!”

Iroh stepped off the bridge to stand next to his nephew. Taking Zuko's telescope, he could just
make out the flying bison. A sense of relief came over him. He had not realized just how
worried he had been.
“It appears they're flying towards the land,” said Iroh.

“They better have her,” said Zuko deeply.

“What do you plan on doing, Prince Zuko?”

Zuko looked at him. “What do you mean?”

“Do you plan on getting Chiara back or will you try and capture the Avatar?”

Zuko did not answer. He had not thought about capturing the Avatar for the past several days,
but only of finding Chiara.

-----------------------------------

Aang took Appa inland to find a place to eat and rest for the night. While Sokka and Katara
set up camp, Chiara decided to search for food and tea in the woods before it grew too dark.

“Thank you, Chiara,” said Aang who suddenly appeared next to her.

“For what?” she asked as she picked wild grapes, collecting them in her outer skirt.

“For taking care of us.”

“Aw,” she smiled. “You're welcome.”

“So, are you sure you don't want to stay with us?” he asked.

She laughed. “I...I wish there was a way I could stay.” For as much as she longed to return to
her family, she did enjoy taking care of the group.

They continued walking deeper into the woods searching for a variety of food while picking
whatever berries and nuts they could find. Chiara was also scanning the forest floor for any
plant she could turn into tea.

“I know you don't want to say too much about yourself,” started Aang while pulling a few
mapleberries from a bush, “but what was it like growing up in the Fire Nation?”

She smiled as she reminisced about her home. “It was great. There was a beautiful garden
where I lived; it was more beautiful to me than any I saw in the Earth Kingdom.”

“That sounds nice.”

She quietly wondered if she would ever return there.

“So if Zuko's your cousin, did you see him a lot?” he asked her.

“Before he became Crown Prince he lived next door, so we spent as much time together as
we could.”

“It sounds like he really was different then.”

“His banishment has weighed heavily upon him,” she said softly.

Aang thought about young Zuko and wondered if they would have been friends if they had
met before he was banished.

Chiara glanced over at him. “So what was it like living in the Air Temples?”

Aang began telling her all about his travels, and his friends, including his Fire Nation friend
Kuzon. They walked and talked during their long trek, and just as the light began growing
dim, they found themselves in a grove of fruit trees.

“Oh, this is great,” said Aang. “Look at all the apples!”

“There are pears over here,” said Chiara pulling them off the tree.

Aang was collecting apples. “Momo's going to love these.”

Suddenly, Chiara felt the ground vibrating and she froze. The food she had been collecting
dropped from her skirt as she looked at Aang.

“Someone's coming,” she said.

Five komodo rhinos, each with a fierce looking soldier riding it, surrounded the grove.

“You two are wanted by Admiral Zhao for questioning,” said Colonel Mongke, head of the
Rough Rhinos.

Aang quickly opened his staff and wrapped his arm around Chiara's waist. “Hang on!” he
said.

She put her arms around his neck and was lifted up off the ground.

As they started rising over the tops of the grove trees, she was reminded of Teo at the
Northern Air Temple, and she wondered if it would have felt the same gliding around the
temple cliffs. They seemed to stop in mid-air and they could feel themselves being pulled
back to the earth. Looking down, Chiara saw a chain wrapped around Aang's leg.

“You have to get away, Avatar,” she said as they got closer to the ground.

She let him go.

“No!” yelled Aang.

They were not far from the earth and Chiara landed with ease before jumping up and
avoiding another rider who reached for her. Aang was still in the air trying to break free, but
was steadily being pulled back. Chiara ran towards him and quickly unwrapped the chain
from his leg.

“Go,” she said.

“I'm not going to leave you,” he said dropping lightly to his feet.

Flames shot towards them, but Aang spun Chiara around while creating a whirlwind that
deflected the fire. Chiara's regrets for not having her sword were renewed. They turned to
run, but flaming arrows stopped them in their path, and the five men surrounded them.

“It's time to give up,” said Mongke. “Yeh-Lu, send a message that we'll be at the eastern
camp tomorrow afternoon,” he ordered. “Ogodei, Kahchi, tie them up.

“I'm a Fire Nation citizen,” said Chiara. “I demand to be taken to General Iroh.”

“You don't get to make demands,” said the colonel. “Our orders are to take you to Admiral
Zhao.”

Chiara narrowed her eyes. “And since when do you work for the Admiral?”

“Since none of your business, brat,” he growled.

Two of the men jumped off their rhinos while Vachir, the archer, kept an arrow aimed at
them, and Mongke held a fireball in his hand threatening to throw it at the two if they tried to
escape. Ogodei took Aang's hands and bound his wrists together while Kahchi bound
Chiara's. Ogodei placed Aang on his komodo rhino before handing the Avatar's staff to
Mongke. After Chiara's wrists were tied, Kahchi walked her over to Vachir's rhino and lifted
her up on it behind him.

Like with the pirates, all Chiara could do was wait for an opportune moment to attempt an
escape, or hopefully be rescued again since Sokka and Katara had not been captured. She
definitely did not want to face Zhao, but she was going to do anything she could to make sure
he did not capture the Avatar.

“So who are you guys?” asked Aang.

“No asking questions,” said Mongke.

Chiara looked at Aang on the back of the rhino next to her. “They're the Rough Rhinos,” she
said.

Mongke smiled pretentiously as he led the pack. “You've heard of us.”

“I heard of the villages you've destroyed,” she said.

“You mean conquered,” he boasted.

“No, I mean invaded,” she argued.

“Enough!” he yelled.

“So how many villages have you burned down today?” she asked.

“No talking!”
“You burn down villages?” asked Aang.

Mongke rolled his eyes clearly getting irritated. “Both of you need to shut up or I will shut
you up!”

Aang and Chiara looked at each and gently giggled at the man's frustration.

“So, Yuyan Archer,” said Chiara from behind Vachir. “You must've gotten on someone's bad
side to be demoted to mercenary.”

She could not see him wincing.

“We aren't mercenaries, little girl,” growled Mongke. “We're the Fire Lord's cavalry...”

“Who go around destroying villages for a profit,” she said.

Mongke let out a frustrated groan.

“And doing petty jobs for Admiral Zhao,” she said with disdain at his undeserved title.

“I said shut up!” yelled Mongke growing impatient.

Chiara just rolled her eyes at his anger, but Aang was snickering at her instigating.

“I met Colonel Shinu at Pohuai,” she went on talking to Vachir. “He told me I should
consider joining them one day.”

The archer did not respond to her.

“If you let me borrow your bow, I can show you what I can do,” she said.

“That's it,” said Mongke pulling the reins bringing his rhino to a halt. “We're camping here.
Tie them to a tree...and not together.” He climbed off his beast and pulled a scroll out of the
saddlebag. After unrolling it, he held up a flame and scanned over the message. “The admiral
doesn't say anything about retrieving you dead or alive,” he growled scowling in Chiara's
direction.

“Personally, I'd rather be dead than see him,” she said glaring back at him from the tree
where Vachir was tying her.

He gave her a malevolent grin. “That can definitely be arranged,” he snarled.

“I promise you, if anything happens to me, you'll have to deal with the Dragon of the West.”

Mongke just laughed. “The old Dragon's still at sea with the banished prince last I heard.”

“And never far behind the Avatar,” she added smoothly.

The colonel growled again as he skulked off to the other side of his rhino. “I need a drink,”
he grumbled while digging in another saddlebag.
 -----------------------------------

The men set up camp and cooked noodles over the fire. The moon had climbed high in the
sky while they sat around the campfire eating their dinner.

“Do you think you could spare some of your rations for the Avatar?” Chiara asked politely.
“He's a growing boy.”

“Prisoners aren't entitled to rations,” said Mongke.

“That's not true. According to Sozin's Rules for Ethical Treatment of Prisoners he's entitled to
be fed while in captivity.”

He was glaring at her. “You're a mouthy little brat, ain't you?”

“No. I'm civilized—something you clearly are not,” she snapped.

He scowled harder at her as he took another bite of his food tauntingly.

“I heard you guys can sing,” she said. “Care to entertain your guests then?”

“No,” he said shortly.

“I think you owe it to us for your barbaric treatment.”

“I'm about to show you barbaric treatment,” Mongke growled in a low voice as he stood up.

He pulled out a cloth he intended to use to cover her mouth, but a strange noise suddenly
sounded from the woods distracting him and making the others look up from their bowls.

“Ogodei, go check it out,” said Mongke.

Ogodei set his bowl down and reluctantly stood up and walked towards where they thought
they heard the sound. Mongke stood frozen, and about ten minutes later there was a rustling
noise that made the men look at each other. Then it stopped.

“Ogodei!” called Mongke.

There was no answer.

“Ogodei!”

Nothing.

“Kahchi, Vachir, go find him,” he ordered.

The two men appeared uneasy as they glanced at each other, but then they stood up. Vachir
readied an arrow in his bow while Kahchi held his guan dao. Both men disappeared into the
woods.

Another ten minutes later after more scuffling sounds, there was dead silence again.
“Sounds like you might have upset some forest spirits,” said Aang.

“Quiet!” ordered Mongke. “Yeh-Lu...”

At that moment an enormous explosion sounded sending the komodo rhinos stampeding
through the woods away from the camp, and then another explosion sounded near the two
men. Mongke and Yeh-Lu both ran into the forest where they found Vachir tied up and
unconscious on the ground and Ogodei bound to a tree with his own chains. There was no
sign of Kahchi. Yeh-Lu took off down the path while Mongke stood looking around only to
hear the sound of a sword being unsheathed. He was in a panic when he saw the frightening
blue face approach him bearing a malicious grin and drawn swords, and he began wildly
shooting fire at it. The spirit, however, parried the flames and moved so fast, Mongke could
hardly keep track of him. Every time he turned towards it, it blocked his flames and seemed
to disappear until he felt the hilt of a sword on his skull. He collapsed to the ground.

Minutes later, the flame of the campfire instantly died, and Aang and Chiara sat against their
trees with only the moonlight trickling down through the forest canopy.

“It would've been great if you really were a firebender, Chiara,” said Aang.

“I trust the spirit in the woods will take care of us,” she said lightly as she smirked.

Aang felt his bindings fall, and he felt someone pull him to his feet and away from the
campsite.

“Who...”

A hand was clamped over his mouth as he was dragged away. When he was released he
turned to look at his rescuer and found himself looking at the Blue Spirit who was holding his
staff out to him. Aang grinned widely.

“Hey, its...!”

A hand was clamped over his mouth again.

“This is the only time, Avatar,” said the Blue Spirit in a low, deep voice. “This is for Chiara.”

He pointed northwest, and Aang understood he was to leave, so he turned and took off on his
glider, though reluctantly as he wanted to say goodbye to her properly.

“You're safe now, Chiara,” he called as he was flying away. “Thanks for everything.”

Before Chiara could think much about his words, she felt a cloth over her eyes being tied
behind her head, and then she heard the dao sword being pulled from its sheath. She was
released from the tree as the rope fell down around her, but her hands were left tied. Someone
pulled her to her feet before lifting her from the ground, and she felt herself being cradled in
warm arms and carried through the woods. The moon continued peering down upon them
through the trees as the spirit sailed through the woods carrying her towards the ocean. Soon
Chiara could hear the waves of the sea ebbing and flowing against the shore.
When the earth was under her feet again, the spirit stood before her and gazed at her in the
moonlight. She lifted her bound hands to remove the blindfold, but he placed his hand on
hers preventing her from doing so. He slowly ran his fingers delicately down her cheek
longing to look into her eyes, and his warm touch sent chills through her body. The
temptation to steal a kiss from her was overwhelming him as he felt drawn to her. Her skin
was soft as silk against his fingertips, and he wanted to feel that same softness against his
lips. He knew he should not do it. But he was the Blue Spirit and he could take what he
wanted. His heart was pounding as he lifted the mask. He gently raised her chin, and leaning
towards her, he tenderly pressed his lips against hers. She did not resist, and her warm,
welcoming lips made his heart burn with desire for her, and he pressed himself more
intensely, more passionately upon her. Chiara's heart was racing at his touch. Her first kiss on
Ember Island was gentle and curious and innocent, but this one was different; it was full of
passion and longing. She loved him deeply and desired his love, and she did not want it to
end, but she knew she should not allow it. He was not to be hers. But he was not the Crown
Prince of the Fire Nation now; she knew it was the Blue Spirit, and she could not break away,
nor did the spirit want to release her.

“Prince Zuko!”

She felt a small rush of wind and she was disappointed that she no longer felt the spirit's
warm lips. But her heart was suddenly filled with a different kind of excitement when she
heard Iroh's voice calling for the prince. As she went to remove the cloth over her eyes, the
rope around her wrists fell to the ground. She ran out of the woods onto the beach and
towards the voice still calling for the prince.

When Iroh's eyes saw her running towards him they widened, and he opened his arms to
catch her as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I missed you so much,” she said.

“I missed you as well,” he said holding her tightly. He released her and looked over her in the
moonlight. “How did you get here?”

“The spirits are mysterious,” she answered.

Behind Iroh she saw Zuko running towards them. Her eyes lit up.

“Chiara,” he said breathlessly as he took her in his arms and lifted her off her feet holding her
tightly and never noticing or caring that Appa was flying off a short distance away.

“That looks like a happy family reunion,” said Sokka looking through his telescope. “I didn't
think angry jerk cared about anybody.”

“Let me see,” said Aang reaching for the spyglass. He smiled when he saw her in Zuko's
arms. “I just wish we could've said goodbye.”

Iroh was smiling at their reunion. Chiara thought Zuko would never release her, so she pulled
back.
 “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” he asked her anxiously. She shook her head. “What
about the pirates?”

“You know about them?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“No permanent damage,” she said.

“Let's get you back to the ship,” said Iroh.

She took his arm and they walked up the beach to the boat and he held her hand as she
stepped inside.

“How did you find me?” she asked as they sailed towards the ship.

“Prince Zuko saw the Avatar's bison, so we called a truce and spoke to his Water Tribe
companions,” explained Iroh. “They told us you and the Avatar had gone foraging and never
returned and they were looking for you. My impulsive nephew ran off to search for you
without assistance.”

Zuko was listening to them while he was steering the boat smirking to himself.

“Did you talk to the Avatar?” she asked Iroh.

“Yes, he showed up and said you were safe and on your way back.”

She smiled feeling relieved that Aang was back with his friends and that she was home with
her family. The trip to the ship was short since it was not far from shore, and when they
arrived, Lieutenant Jee was there to greet them.

“It's good to have you back, Lady Chiara,” said Jee bowing to her as she walked by him.

“Thank you, Lieutenant. It's good to be home,” she smiled.

“You get some sleep, Chiara,” said Iroh. “We'll talk over breakfast. I'm anxious to hear all
about your adventure.” He looked at Zuko. “Would you like to join us for breakfast,
Nephew?”

“Yes,” he answered. “We can eat in my room.”

“Then I'll have it served there in the morning,” said Iroh.

As Iroh escorted Chiara to her room, several of the crew members greeted her relieved that
she was safely on board again.

Chapter End Notes

For those who have not read The Search comics: spoiler alert!
Prior to joining the Rough Rhinos, Vachir was the Yuyan Archer who was sent by Prince
Ozai to find Ursa's former fiance, Ikem, and “rid the world of him.” Unable to find him
in the Forgetful Valley, he returned to Ozai without proof of Ikem's death, and the prince
forced him to promptly resign as a Yuyan Archer.
 Destiny is a Funny Thing

The next morning after her return, Chiara headed to Zuko's quarters and knocked on the door.
As soon as he saw her, he took her hand, pulled her inside his room, and wrapped his arms
around her.

“I'm so sorry,” he said softly. “I wanted to tell you that before you went to bed last night, but
Uncle didn't want me to disturb you.” He released her from his embrace, but his hands rested
on her arms. He refused to break contact with her as he gazed into her eyes cherishing what
he had missed for several days. “I never should've left you outside that tavern.” His voice
reflected the remorse he felt. “I promise I'll never do that again.”

She always understood his desire to return home to the Fire Nation, and she tried to make his
banishment less burdensome over the years, but she was hurt that he did not trust her
instincts. “No, you won't,” she said, “because next time we're at port, I'm staying with the
General.”

“Fair enough,” he conceded, feeling sorry for breaking her trust.

Though it was early in the morning, he appeared tired to her. “You look exhausted,” she said
lightly touching his cheek which sent chills through his body. “Didn't you sleep?”

“I got a little.”

“Too little by the looks of it...”

He took her in his arms again and held her enjoying the feel of her body against his. He had
missed her too much—even her motherly doting, and he was afraid if he let go of her she
would no longer be there and he would wake up on a ship devoid of her presence after
another fruitless search. When he finally released her, he tenderly moved some curls as he
caressed her face still trying to prove to himself she was really there. His eyes were drawn to
the cut above her temple.

“You were injured,” he said.

She tenderly ran her fingers over the wound she had forgotten to ask Katara to heal after the
waterbender discovered her new ability. “The pirates,” she said softly.

His eyes narrowed, and she could sense his anger rising.

“It's okay,” she said, relieved that Katara had healed the bruise on her cheekbone. She also
decided to keep silent about the bruising she discovered on her arms from the pirates' rough
treatment. “I'm home now.”

Her gentle smile set his heart on fire. He caressed her face and his soft touch brought back
memories of the previous night. Chiara could feel her heart racing as she was lost in his fiery
eyes, and Zuko could feel his heart pounding against his chest. His fingers slid over her cheek
and down her neck as he leaned closer to her desiring to relive his moments as the Blue
Spirit...

A knock at the door interrupted their reenactment and reminded them both of where they
were.

“Prince Zuko,” said Iroh looking inside. “Chiara, you're here. Good.”

“She was injured,” said Zuko as he turned her towards Iroh and tenderly moved her hair from
the cut.

“It's healing,” she said softly.

Iroh looked at it. “I can send for some ointment.”

“It'll be okay.”

“You look a bit flushed,” he said touching her cheek. “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” she said wishing her racing heart would slow down.

They knelt down around the table as one of the crewmen entered and set a tray of food down
before them.

“I'm quite anxious to hear of your adventure with the Avatar,” said Iroh as he offered her one
of the dishes from the tray.

“It was quite an adventure,” she said.

As she looked at the amount of food present before them, she felt bad for the Avatar and his
friends. She put only a small amount on her plate.

“I was told that you spit fire,” he said.

She smiled. “Fire whiskey is quite flammable.”

Iroh laughed figuring out exactly what she had done, but Zuko, who had trouble believing the
story when Iroh told him, could not imagine it.

“What'd you do?” he asked.

“One of the pirates got too...well, he got too close to me...”

To her surprise, small flames were emanating from Zuko's fists which were tightly clenched.

“I'm okay,” she assured him as she delicately caressed his forearm.

The flames faded at her touch and he seemed to relax. Iroh smiled to himself at her effect on
his nephew.

“I took advantage of it by grabbing his whiskey and a torch,” she continued.

Zuko's eyes lit up in understanding and a smirk broke out on his face at her quick thinking.

“It seems you are a firebender at heart,” laughed Iroh. “And truly the Daughter of the Dragon
of the West.”

“I was hoping they'd think twice about their plans when I said that,” she said. “But apparently
it took a demonstration too.”

Zuko could not help laughing. “I wish I could've seen it.”

“It looked like you put up quite a fight,” said Iroh proudly. “We saw the damage you caused.”

“They deserved it,” she said deeply.

Zuko smirked to himself as he thought about what Iroh had done to them too.

“You attended the Fire Days Festival?” asked Iroh.

“I did,” she nodded. “The puppet show's changed since you and I went...for the worse,” she
added in an undertone. “But the Avatar put an early end to the evening by revealing himself.”

Zuko was annoyed. After chasing the Avatar from the South Pole to the Southern Earth
Kingdom and all the way to the Northern Earth Kingdom, he was frustrated by how the kid
eluded him so easily despite being so negligent about hiding his identity in Fire Nation
territory. “Why would he reveal himself in a Fire Nation colony?” he asked.

“Lady Katara was on stage during a Fire Show, and Aang thought she was in danger, so he
jumped on stage to rescue her before Sokka and I could stop him.”

Zuko shook his head at the Avatar's naivety, but then something occurred to him. “You know
that savage's name?”

“After rescuing me from the pirates, it seemed like the least I could do was learn their
names.”

Iroh was chuckling.

“Wait...,” said Zuko. “You were at a Fire Nation colony. You could've gone to the local
authorities and they could've contacted us.”

“I might have if we weren't running for our lives after the Fire Show.”

“How did you get away?” asked Iroh.

“We had help from Captain Chey.”

“Captain Chey,” said Iroh. “I'm familiar with him. An expert in explosives if I remember
correctly. He left the army years ago.”

“He's a deserter?” asked Zuko.

“I'm glad to see he survived,” said Iroh.

“He took us to Master Jeong Jeong,” said Chiara.

“Admiral Jeong Jeong the deserter?” asked Zuko.

“Former Admiral Jeong Jeong the great firebending master,” she corrected him.

Iroh laughed at her words. “And how is the former admiral doing?”

“He hasn't changed. Unfortunately, he still sees firebending as a curse.”

Zuko looked shocked as he listened to their conversation. “Let me guess, you guys met him
on your travels?” he asked with a slight hint of derision in his tone over the knowledge they
shared from their time in the Earth Kingdom.

Chiara smiled at him and nodded.

Zuko was incredulous that his uncle, the former Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, Heir of the
Dragon Throne, and hero general of the Fire Nation army had associated with a deserter.
“Uncle, you were hanging out with a deserter that they were trying to track down for years?”

“He is also a lover of tea and Pai Sho,” he said pleasantly.

The young prince looked unamused.

“We played a couple games,” said Chiara.

“Did you win?” asked Iroh.

“The first game. He won the second.”

Zuko was staring at her. “I was worried sick about you, and you were out there playing Pai
Sho with a deserter?” he frowned.

“It was better than being mishandled by drunken pirates or sold to the highest bidder,” she
reminded him, her voice carrying a warning.

“I agree,” said Iroh.

Zuko's anger faded as his shameful feelings for putting her in that situation reemerged.

“I always admired Master Jeong Jeong's courage,” she said softly.

The prince struggled with such treasonous thoughts. “How is deserting your country
courageous or something to be admired?” he asked.

She looked at him. “Do you know why he deserted?”

He was a bit taken aback by her question. “Well...yeah...I heard stories back home,” he said
defensively. “They said he was a coward and refused to fight.”
“The admiral was no coward,” said Iroh. “He saw the destruction caused by the war,
including by his own student, Admiral Zhao.”

Zuko's eyes grew wide. “He taught Zhao?”

Iroh nodded.

“Speaking of evil,” said Chiara, “Admiral Zhao attacked the camp while we were there.”

“Yes, we encountered the admiral at a river,” said Iroh. “It appeared that several of his boats
had been destroyed.”

“You must've just missed us then.”

“He said they had you restrained,” said Zuko, his voice deep.

“Master Jeong Jeong said I had to appear as their prisoner so Zhao wouldn't consider me a
traitor.”

“Very wise of him,” said Iroh.

“I considered giving myself up to Zhao hoping it would distract him from the Avatar...”

“You what?!” Zuko interrupted angrily.

“I thought if I pretended to escape from the Avatar, it would distract Zhao long enough for
them to escape, and then he could contact you guys and get me back here,” she calmly
explained.

“He never would've contacted us,” said Zuko relieved she never got into Zhao's possession.
“He would've kept you.”

“He'd have no reason to keep me,” she said. “I'm not his prisoner.”

He narrowed his eyes. “He would've made up some reason to detain you.”

Her stomach turned at the thought of Zhao forcing her to remain with him. “But you said you
saw him at the river. We would've met up there.”

He realized she was right, but he still hated the idea that she would have been with Zhao for
any length of time. Then it occurred to him that he preferred that she stay with the Avatar
rather than Zhao. The thought made his head hurt. He had barely touched his food since they
started their conversation about her familiarity with the Avatar and his Water Tribe
companion, her and his uncle's association with deserters, and Zhao and his creepy intentions.

“It all worked out for the best,” said Iroh placing his hand over hers. “You are back with us,
and that's just as it should be.”

Zuko's thoughts of her and Zhao drifted to Zhao and the Avatar.
“So the Avatar set his boats on fire?” he asked.

“No. Avatar Aang provoked him and he inadvertently set his own boats on fire.”

His eyes were wide. “Wait...what?!”

She nodded, and Zuko was unable to hold back his laughter imagining Zhao accidentally
destroying his own boats.

“I thought you'd like that,” she smiled. “I know I did.”

“He said the Avatar did it.”

Chiara shook her head. “He did it himself trying to attack Aang.”

Iroh was also chuckling at Zhao's impetuousness. “Admiral Zhao lacks discipline.”

“As does Aang,” she added.

Iroh looked at her. “Was it the Avatar's intention to learn firebending?”

“It was,” she answered. “But he hasn't mastered water or earth yet.”

His expression became serious. “Then it's not a good idea for him to attempt firebending.”

“That's what I told him. Master Jeong Jeong told him too, but Aang was quite persistent. I
don't know how he managed to convince him.”

“So the Avatar's learned firebending?” asked Zuko.

“No. He had little patience and discipline. He ended up burning Lady Katara's hands.”

Iroh raised an eyebrow, and Chiara knew he was wondering if she healed her.

“She's fine,” she said, “but Aang's afraid to firebend now.”

“He will need to learn it eventually,” said Iroh after making a mental note to speak to her
privately.

“Uncle!” said Zuko.

“Oh...well...I'm just saying,” stumbled Iroh. “As the Avatar, he will need to learn firebending
eventually.”

“Maybe you could teach him,” Chiara casually said to Zuko.

His jaw dropped as did his chopsticks. He gaped at her, stunned that she would dare suggest
something so treasonous. “You didn't just say that.”

She smirked at him. “You're so good at firebending, and you're close to his age. You might be
able to connect with him and convince him that fire isn't a bad thing.”
Iroh started laughing.

Zuko thought for a second. “That's a good idea,” he said sarcastically. “Then I can convince
him to go back to the Fire Nation, and I can hand him over to my father and restore my
honor.”

“You'll have to wait until he masters water and earth first,” she said, not letting his counter-
suggestion get to her.

“Whose side are you on?” he demanded.

“I am my prince's loyal subject,” she said sincerely.

His heart melted at her words.

“B-but you're suggesting I abandon my quest,” he said in a tone more somber than agitated.

“Not at all. You have to get to the Avatar before Zhao.”

He was confused. “So...you want me to capture him?”

“No. I just think you'd be a good firebending teacher when it's time for him to learn. You've
already waited over two years to find him, so what's another year to let him learn the other
elements, and then you can take him back to the Fire Nation after he's learned firebending.”

“She has a point, Nephew,” said Iroh.

“That's...that's treasonous...,” started Zuko.

“How is it treasonous?” she asked. “You assumed he would already know all the elements
when you started searching for him...”

“Yeah, but he didn't, so that doesn't mean I should give him the opportunity to learn them
now, or...or teach him myself,” he cringed, disgusted by the thought.

Iroh was laughing at them. “It's so good to have you back, Chiara. I have missed you.”

She grinned at him, and even Zuko could not help breaking into a smile. He picked up his
chopsticks and finally started eating, but Chiara only picked at her food, her mind troubled by
what she had seen.

“I...I think something's going on with the navy,” she said softly.

“What do you mean?” asked Iroh.

“When we were searching for you, I saw fleets of cruisers and battleships. I'm not sure what
Zhao's up to, but it doesn't look good.”

“He's looking for you,” said Zuko bitterly.

“You mean he's looking for the Avatar,” she said.

“Yes, but he also wants you. He told Uncle it would be easier to find you if you were his
future wife.”

She immediately lost her appetite, and she looked at Iroh worriedly. “What did you say?”

“Just that more criminals and pirates would be after you dead or alive,” he answered.

She shook her head. “I don't want him for a husband.”

“I could never do that to you,” he assured her.

“He sent the Rough Rhinos after Aang and me.”

Iroh looked at her, his eyes wide. “How did you escape?”

Zuko found himself holding his breath.

Chiara's lip curled into the smallest smile, but she kept her eyes down. “The spirit of the
forest,” she said, her voice filled with affection.

The prince was hoping he was not blushing.

“The men disappeared and Aang and I were freed,” she continued.

“Yes, the spirits are quite mysterious,” said Iroh simply. If he knew which spirit was
involved, he did not show it. “But it seems Zhao was determined to find you if he sent the
Rough Rhinos after you.”

Zuko calmly breathed out but kept his eyes on his meal. “I guess he wasn't kidding when he
said he was going to use his resources,” he said.

“The ships I saw didn't look like they were being sent out as a search party,” she said, sure
that something big was being planned. “They were battleships.”

“He's got a navy the size of his ego at his disposal,” said Zuko.

“I...I'm not so sure it's just for the Avatar and me. I have a bad feeling.”

They continued eating, though Chiara ate very little.

“You're not eating very much,” said Zuko.

“I don't feel very hungry." She was still troubled by the amount of food before her. “Watching
them forage for food, I feel really bad. I wanted to mother them so much.”

“You're talking about the enemy,” said Zuko with a hint of anger in his voice.

She looked at him. “They're still kids out there on their own. You know most Avatars aren't
even identified until they're sixteen. Aang's just twelve...well, mentally he's twelve. It can't be
easy living like that,” she said sadly.
Jealousy and anger over her concern for his enemies immediately swelled up inside him, but
he forced them back down. He refused to take it out on her, especially since he was still
feeling guilty about leaving her alone at the port. He was responsible for the entire fiasco of
the last few days, and he could not fault her for her compassionate nature; it was a rare trait
he had seen in so few people, and he could not be angry with her because of it.

Iroh, who had expected his nephew to explode earlier when Chiara suggested he teach the
Avatar firebending, was sure he would explode now, but he was quite surprised when he did
not.

“Well, that doesn't mean you shouldn't eat,” said Zuko, tempering his anger. He picked up
one of the dishes and put more food on her plate. “You don't eat enough as it is.”

“I really missed this,” she said. “Being here with both of you.”

“As did I,” smiled Iroh.

After dumping the food onto her plate, Zuko returned the dish to the tray. “So did you find
out why the Avatar's just a kid?” he asked, curious to know anything she discovered while
spending time with him.

“When I asked him, he told me he was frozen in an iceberg for a hundred years.”

He looked mystified. “How did that happen?”

“Because of the war, the monks decided to reveal to him that he was the Avatar early, so he
ran away, and after getting caught in a storm he and Appa crashed into the sea...”

“Appa's his sky bison?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered. “The Avatar State protected them. He said the next thing he
remembered was waking up in Lady Katara's arms.”

“Incredible,” said Iroh fascinated to finally learn the answer to the mystery of the Avatar's
disappearance.

“Were you able to find out any other information?” Zuko asked softly, trying to sound
nonchalant as he did not want her to feel he was interrogating her.

“Nothing of interest really,” she shrugged. “I actually knew more about them then they did
about me.”

Zuko was surprised. “Really?”

She nodded. “They thought I was your sister.”

He chuckled at the thought, especially considering how different Chiara and Azula were, but
then he looked serious. “Wait...why did they think that?”
“I don't know. Maybe 'cause they've seen us together and thought we were related. I told
them we were cousins.”

He was upset to hear it. “Why did you tell them that?”

“It's close to the truth,” she said.

“But it's not true, and now that Water Tribe peasant's going to think he has a chance with
you,” he said, his voice rising slightly.

She looked up at him. “And what kind of chance is that, my Prince?”

Zuko always felt a flutter in his chest when she addressed him this way. Iroh, however, was
chuckling at her question.

“A...a chance to...to...defile you,” he said deeply.

Both she and Iroh were shocked at his assumption.

“Prince Zuko...,” started Iroh in a tone of admonishment.

“Are you serious?” she asked him.

“Yes. He called you beautiful the last time he saw you and invited you to go with him. He's
obviously attracted to you...”

“He's not attracted to me...”

“Would it be a bad thing if he were?” asked Iroh interrupting their argument.

Their jaws dropped, and Iroh found their wide-eyed stares comical and had to hold back a
chuckle.

“He's a warrior,” he continued. “And he's Water Tribe; they are quite family oriented.”

“Uncle!” yelled Zuko. “You can't possibly expect her to marry that peasant!”

“According to Lady Katara, their father's chief of their tribe,” said Chiara. “So technically
they're not peasants.”

“She has a point, Prince Zuko,” said Iroh.

“She's not marrying him!”

“He's better than Zhao,” she said.

He huffed. “Anybody's better than Zhao." He pointed his chopsticks at her. "But you're still
not marrying him.”

“There's always the convent,” she reminded him.

Zuko glared at her, but Iroh only laughed before enjoying the rest of his meal with his family.

-------------------------------

When they finished eating, Iroh rose from the table. “I will be on deck with a cup of tea.” He
looked at Chiara. “A game of Pai Sho later?”

She smiled. “Of course.”

She started cleaning the table when he left, but Zuko grabbed her wrist.

“Chiara, stop. Let someone else do this.” He pulled her over towards the bed where he picked
up her knife from a small table. Seeing her eyes light up when he held it out to her made him
feel ecstatic.

“You found it.” She raised her eyes to look in his. “You have no idea how much I missed
this.”

He was touched.

“Close your eyes,” he said softly.

She gazed into his for a few seconds before obeying. He stepped behind her and pulled her
diadem out of his tunic.

“If you missed that, then I bet you really missed this,” he whispered in her ear before placing
it around her head.

She nearly wanted to cry when she felt it, having thought she would never see it again. She
ran her fingers over the precious metal.

“Oh, Prince Zuko...thank you,” she said softly as tears filled her eyes.

She turned to him, and he hugged her.

“I'm glad you're here,” he said gently caressing her hair. “I saw your diadem in the ashes.”

She stepped back. “I was hoping you'd find them.”

“Did you do that everywhere you camped?”

“Everywhere but Master Jeong Jeong's camp. The next day, they decided we'd start looking
for you.”

His eyes dimmed a little. “So they were just going to keep you?” he asked.

“They thought you'd catch up. A couple days ago, Aang sat with me when I was looking out
at the sea, and he realized how much I missed you, so we flew around until it got dark.
Yesterday after we searched for the ship, Aang and I went foraging. And that's when the
Rough Rhinos found us.”
Neither of them brought up the rescue by the Blue Spirit, but their eyes were locked. Zuko's
heart started pounding, and Chiara could feel a flush rising to her cheeks. She took another
step back trying to force the previous night out of her head.

“You-you look like you need a bit of mothering too,” she said. “Lie down.”

“What?”

“Lie down and close your eyes.”

He knew what she was going to do, and if he had not been so exhausted from worry for the
last several days, he might have argued with her, but he did as she ordered. Once he was lying
down, she knelt at his head.

“Just relax,” she said as she caressed his head.

“I don't want you to go away, Chiara.”

“I won't.”

“I'm afraid if I close my eyes, you'll be gone when I open them,” he said softly.

She continued caressing his head. “I promise I won't be. I'll still be on the ship when you
wake. I'm here to take care of you...as long as you don't leave me alone in another port,” she
added.

He was filled with shame for his negligence. “I'm so sorry,” he said, his golden eyes begging
for forgiveness. “I promise I won't ever do that again even if the Avatar's standing right in
front of us.”

She considered his promise. At first, she could not imagine him ever giving up an
opportunity to capture the Avatar. But then her mind drifted to the night before when the Blue
Spirit released Aang and brought her to the beach.

“I believe you,” she finally whispered. “Close your eyes.”

When they were closed, she pulled out her vial and secretly used her waterbending technique
to bring peace and rest to his mind. His body nearly melted at her touch, and it felt as though
every bit of tension from which he suffered the last few days flowed away.

“I really missed you,” he said sleepily.

She softly caressed his face and then returned to the massage. When he was asleep, she stood
up and covered him with a blanket before quietly cleaning the table and leaving his room.
She took the tray to the scullery.

“I heard you were back, Lady Chiara,” said Ozen when he saw her. “It's good to see you.”

“It's good to see you as well,” she said.

“General Iroh must be so happy to have you back...and Prince Zuko...” He shook his head. “I
don't think he ate or slept while you were gone,” he said in a low voice.

“He's sleeping now. I'll take care of him.”

She started cleaning the dishes, but he stopped her.

“No, no, Lady Chiara. You've had enough adventure these last few days.”

“Then washing dishes will be less so,” she said.

Ozen laughed. “Still, I won't have you washing dishes today.” He shooed her out of the room.
“Go enjoy some Pai Sho with the General. He did miss the challenge.”

She laughed and bowed to him before heading towards the deck.

“Lady Chiara,” said Shoza stopping her as she walked out of the galley.

He was relieved to have her back safely on board, as were all the crew. Everyone had been
worried about her and what she might have suffered at the hands of the pirates and the Avatar.

“How are you doing?” he asked.

“I'm doing good. I'm happy to be home.”

“I heard about the pirates. Did they hurt you?” he asked deeply.

“Not as much as I hurt them,” she said.

Shoza laughed. “The Daughter of the Dragon of the West. I wish I could've seen that.”

She smiled.

“What about the Avatar?” he asked. “He didn't hurt you, did he?”

“Not at all. He and his friends actually rescued me from the pirates...”

“Lady Chiara,” said Tedo as he walked up and bowed to her. “How are you?”

“I'm good,” she said.

“Lady Chiara,” said Tazah also bowing to her.

“Tazah,” she greeted him.

“Were you hurt?” asked Tedo.

“Not really.”

“I guess the Daughter of the Dragon of the West held her own,” he said.
“Everyone's been talking about it,” said Tazah. “They say you spit fire.”

“Why should you firebenders have all the fun?” she said.

“So how'd you do it?” asked Tedo.

“Fire whiskey and a torch can cause quite a bit of damage,” she answered. They started
laughing. “But you'll have to excuse me. The General's waiting for a game of Pai Sho.”

“It's good to have you back,” said Tedo.

“Yeah, it's good to see you,” said Tazah.

“Take care, Lady Chiara,” said Shoza.

--------------------------

When she arrived on deck, Iroh was sitting quietly drinking his tea next to a Pai Sho table.
When she sat down across from him, he poured her a cup while she placed a tile on the board
beginning their game.

“Where is Prince Zuko?” he asked.

“I convinced him to get some sleep.”

Iroh gently smiled at the influence she had on his nephew. “I don't think he slept much while
you were gone, and when he did, it was in your cabin.”

“Really?”

He nodded. She felt touched by Zuko's concern for her, but she wondered if he thought she
did not want to return.

“Did he think I joined the Avatar?” she asked softly.

Iroh played one of his tiles as he considered his words carefully before answering. “He may
have been worried that you would...prefer to aid the Avatar.”

Her eyes dropped down staring blankly at the board where only two tiles lay. She could not
help feeling a little hurt that he thought she might deliberately run off with the Avatar.

“But I assure you,” he continued, “it was not his only worry. He was concerned that the
pirates might have hurt you or that the Avatar may have left you somewhere and we wouldn't
find you. And I believe he was jealous of the Water Tribe boy.”

She looked up at him. “Jealous? I barely know him”.

He waved his hand nonchalantly. “You know how Prince Zuko gets.”

“That wasn't really helped then when you suggested Sokka and I...”
Iroh started chuckling. “The son of a chief...” He looked at her. “Not a bad match,” he said
softly.

“The Southern Water Tribe doesn't arrange marriages.” She placed a tile on the board.

“The group is so small, it might be of benefit to them if you choose a husband from their
Tribe.”

She quietly sipped her tea wondering how she could give her heart to anyone but Zuko, her
mind briefly drifting to the previous night.

“You have quite a gift for tempering Prince Zuko's anger,” said Iroh taking his turn.

“He was quite tolerant of me,” she said trying to get her mind back on the game.

“It reminds me of the way the moon softens the light of the sun.”

Chiara smiled at his analogy.

“When you suggested he teach the Avatar firebending,” he chuckled, “I was expecting him to
send you to the brig. You may teach him patience yet.”

“I'm not so sure about that,” she said, contemplating her next move. “But my prince knows
I'm teasing him...and serious at the same time,” she added in a whisper before laying a tile
down. “Besides, you never know, he may end up teaching the Avatar. Destiny is a funny
thing.”

He laughed again. “Yes, it is.”

They continued playing their game until shortly before lunch when Iroh played his winning
move.

------------------------------

Later that afternoon long after lunch, Chiara was leaning on the rail of the main deck looking
out over the sea. When Iroh stepped out on the deck and saw her, he felt a renewed sense of
relief that she was back on board with them, but he was worried that she seemed unusually
down.

“Is something troubling you?” he asked stepping up to the rail next to her.

She continued staring at the calm water. “I'm worried about what Admiral Zhao is up to.”

“I'm sure time will reveal it,” he said simply.

She stood up straight. “I was sure when he found out I was adopted he wouldn't push the
marriage issue.”

“He believes that even as my adopted daughter a union with you will give him a chance at
some power in the Capital,” he said.
“So technically he wants to marry you.”

Iroh's eyes grew wide causing Chiara to laugh at his reaction.

“Don't worry,” she said as she held onto his arm and leaned against him. “I could never give
him your hand in marriage.”

Iroh chuckled and placed his hand over hers. “I appreciate that.”

They continued staring out at the sea.

“So about the young waterbender's injury...,” he started.

She smiled knowing what he was asking.

“She discovered that she has healing abilities,” she said. “And she can heal herself.”

He nodded his understanding. “I imagine it must've been difficult to watch without helping,”
he said softly.

“The temptation was strong, but I was stronger,” she said.

“You are a master of self-control.”

“If only self-control was a form of bending,” she said.

“It is,” laughed Iroh. “You are bending your own will against temptation.”

“What's so funny?” asked Zuko as he walked up to them.

“Chiara is a master self-control bender,” said Iroh looking up at him.

She started laughing.

“What are you talking about?” asked Zuko.

“She's a master at self-control,” he said.

“If only I could bend other people's wills,” she said.

“Like who?” asked Zuko, wondering if she was referring to him.

“Zhao,” she hissed. “I know he's up to something.”

“I can tell you what he's up to,” said Zuko. “He wants you for his wife.”

“I'm not sure it's me he wants,” she said as she gently rubbed Iroh's arm while repressing a
giggle.

“I think I'm going to see what's on the menu for dinner,” said Iroh as he turned to leave trying
to hide his smile.
Chiara started giggling as he walked off, but Zuko looked puzzled by their reactions.

“What was that about?” he asked her.

“Nothing,” she said smirking, though her smirk quickly disappeared. “There's something else
going on with the Navy. I can feel it.” She looked up at him. “How are you feeling?”

“Uh...rested.”

“Good,” she smiled.

They turned their eyes back to the sea.

“Every night I thought of you when I stood on deck looking up at the moon,” he said softly.

She stared up at him, stunned by his admission. “Really? Why the moon?”

Years' worth of memories of her standing on the deck flowed through his mind. “So many
times I've watched you as you stood on deck staring at it. You always look so radiant when it
shines down on you,” he said in a dreamy tone. “I wondered if it was shining down on you
while I was looking at it.”

He saw tears fall down her cheeks.

“What's wrong?” he asked worried that he made her cry. He reached up and gently wiped
them away.

“On the nights we slept outside, I stared up at the moon and thought about you and the
General until I fell asleep.”

He took her in his arms and held her, his heart thrilled to hear that she had thought about him
during their separation.

“Were...were you tempted at all to stay with them?” he asked.

“Not once. I am my prince's loyal subject.”

He held her tighter upon hearing her words that always stirred his heart. When he released
her, he tenderly caressed her face, and he desired nothing more at that moment than to press
his lips against hers. He could feel his heart beating harder within his chest as the memory of
the Blue Spirit's adventure the night before raced through his mind. He had to fight his
temptation; if only they had been somewhere private instead of on the deck in full view of
any of the crew who might be around. Hugging her was more than he should have done in
public, but kissing her would be crossing the line that he knew his uncle would not tolerate.

“But...but what about mothering them?” he asked trying to think of anything to distract him
from his desire.

Her smile did not help his self-control. “I wanted to take care of them while I was with them,
but this...this is home.”
Part of him understood what she meant. The ship and his routine had been empty without her
on board. Though he felt it could never be the same as his home in the Fire Nation, Chiara's
presence made it feel as close to home as possible.

“I did as much as I could for them,” she continued. “But I wish I could've done more.”

“What did you do for them?”

“I rose with the sun, went fishing and foraging, and had breakfast ready for them when they
woke up.”

“You were playing servant to a twelve year old kid and some Water Tribe savages?” he asked
offended at the idea.

“I was being a mother,” she corrected.

“You are a member of the Fire Nation royal family,” he insisted. “They should've been
serving you.”

“I live to serve, my Prince,” she said softly.

Her words caught him off guard, and he again found himself overwhelmed by a desire to kiss
her.

“You-you should say, I live to serve my prince,” he corrected.

She laughed. “You know I do. But I do enjoy taking care of others too.” She leaned against
the rail. “If I had had a bow, I would've gone hunting and had some meat for them.”

“Shouldn't the Water Tribe kid have been doing that?”

“He tried but he didn't find anything.” She looked up at him. “You know, as much as I missed
my mother's diadem, I missed your gift more.” She placed her hand on the knife he had given
her.

She enjoyed the way his eyes lit up.

“Really?” he asked.

“It was a tool I definitely needed and missed.”

Hearing her express her fondness for his gift erased the feelings of offense he felt over her
serving the Avatar and his friends.

“I really owe Ozen something special for teaching me how to gut a fish without a knife,” she
said.

He gazed out over the sea. “So all you did was gut fish and cook and play Pai Sho for the last
few days?” he asked. “Oh, and attend a Fire Days Festival.”
“I helped Lady Katara with her waterbending.”

He immediately turned to her. “You what?!”

She was a bit taken back by his tone, and she wondered if the offense was due to her helping
the Avatar's friend or due to him thinking that she herself was a waterbender.

“How could you possibly help a waterbender with waterbending?” he asked wondering how
it was possible for her as a non-bender to help a bender.

“With firebending,” she said as if it was obvious.

He looked even more confused. “But...what? How?”

She was chuckling at his reaction. “I've traveled enough to learn information about all the
bending forms. Firebending has some similarities with waterbending, so I was able to show
her a few moves that helped her improve her form.”

“Why would you do that?”

“She's had no formal training, no master to help her. She's the last waterbender of the
Southern Water Tribe.”

He made an effort to remain calm, something that was rarely easy for him to do. He
considered her reason. Having lived with her for so long, he understood her loving and
compassionate nature, and he appreciated it and loved her for it. He turned to look out at the
sea.

“Maybe you're an Air Nomad,” he said softly.

“Why do you say that?” she asked, puzzled by his words.

“All life is precious,” he said, repeating words from an Air Nomad scroll they had once read
together.

“Aww. That's such a compliment,” she smiled.

“It wasn't meant to be.”

“I know,” she said simply, still smiling.

He looked at her and started chuckling at her response.

“According to Uncle the pirates think you're a firebender,” he said.

“Between that and being an airbender and helping train a waterbender, I'm almost an Avatar.”

He laughed. “I'll never get my honor back then.”

“Why not?”
“I could never hand you over to my father.”

She did not expect the tears that his words brought to her eyes. “And for that reason, you are
a most honorable prince,” she said softly.

Though he knew she never believed him to be dishonored, the tenderness of her words
touched him deeply. He felt drawn to her like a magnet, and he knew he had to tear his eyes
away from her beautiful green ones, the ones he longed to look at the night before, but her
lips were no less a distraction, and it took every ounce of his willpower to look down away
from her. He lifted her right hand determined to keep some form of contact with her, and he
turned and leaned against the rail holding her hand in his while looking out at the sea. As he
caressed her hand, he realized she was wearing the ring he had given her.

“Were you wearing this when they kidnapped you?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“I'm surprised they didn't steal it.”

“I kept my other hand over it to keep it hidden.”

“I wish I could've seen you spit fire,” he said trying to imagine it. “That's...that's great.”

“Yeah, well, I can't let you firebenders have all the fun.”

He laughed. “You really are the Dragon Empress.” He caressed her hand. “The Daughter of
the Dragon of the West. Uncle was really proud when he heard that. He was telling all the
crew about it.”

They stood quietly lost in their own thoughts. Zuko's eyes followed a large, fluffy cloud
drifting ahead of them.

“What was it like flying on the Avatar's bison?” he asked.

“It felt like sailing on a ship.”

“Really?”

“The last thing I remember on land was fighting the pirates, and then I woke up on Appa. But
before I opened my eyes, I thought I was back here on the ship with the wind blowing across
deck. I thought I'd open them to see you.”

He felt bad. “I'm so sorry.”

“When I realized my hands were still tied, I thought I was on the pirate ship, so I was
relieved to hear Lady Katara's voice.”

“They tied your hands?!”

“The pirates did,” she said.

He still felt angry, but now it was mixed with shame.

“The Avatar's friends only left them tied because they thought I was a firebender,” she said.
“Apparently they saw my little trick.”

Zuko's lip curled as he imagined her trick. “Still, though, after helping them at the abbey, I
can't believe they didn't trust you.”

“After what they've been through, I understand their caution.”

“Okay, airbender.”

She laughed which made him laugh.

“I kind of wish I was an airbender,” she said. “The view from Appa was amazing. And he's
so soft. I got to sleep on his tail.”

He straightened himself to his full height as he looked down at her, his eyes wide. “You
what?” He had not even considered the sleeping arrangements during her time with the
Avatar and his friends. “Where did the others sleep?”

“Lady Katara and Sokka slept on his tail. I think Aang slept somewhere else on Appa, but I
didn't go looking for him so I don't know where he was...”

“So you slept with the Water savage?” he asked accusingly, feeling heated by the thought.

Now she stood up straight and fixed her eyes on his. “I didn't sleep with anyone,” she said,
her tone a little deep. “Appa's tail is quite long.”

“But you slept near him.”

The green of her eyes seemed to darken. “Be careful, Prince Zuko, that you do not question
my chastity,” she said threateningly. “I can self-control bend only so much.”

He nearly cowered under her hard stare, and he could not help but feel unnerved by her
threatening tone, and he could imagine her unleashing her fire without the whiskey if he
continued to insinuate impropriety on her part.

“I apologize if it seemed that I questioned your chastity, my Lady,” he said sincerely giving
her a perfectly regal bow.

Her lip gently curled at his apology, but her suddenly racing heartbeat did not escape her
notice.

“But seriously,” he continued forcing a less accusatory tone, “how close were you?”

She shook her head at his persistence. “Lady Katara slept next to me, but not close; and
Sokka slept on her other side, so I assure you my virtue is preserved.”

He softly laughed at her answer.

They continued gazing out at the ocean, their minds once again drifting over the recent
events.

Chiara, remembering something the Water Tribe siblings had told her, turned to Zuko. “Did
you threaten to kill the Avatar?”

He hesitated as the scene replayed in his head. “I...well...uh...I...may have said something...”

“Something along the lines of 'I'll kill you, Avatar'?” she asked.

“They were running away with you...,” he mumbled. He could not bring himself to look at
her piercing eyes, though he could feel her reproving stare.

“You threatened to kill a twelve year old,” she said in an admonishing tone.

“They didn't have to take you with them...”

“A twelve year old,” she emphasized.

In the heat of the moment he had not considered how absurd it was to threaten the Avatar so
heavily. “Okay, okay, I might have overreacted,” he admitted.

She raised an eyebrow. “Overreacted?”

“I'm sorry?” he said weakly, wondering what she expected of him.

“I'm not the one owed the apology.”

He bowed his head and sighed. “Fine. When I capture him, I promise I'll apologize for what I
said.”

She started giggling at his response which made him smile.

 Assassination
Chapter Notes

No torch will provide enough light in the dark tunnel this story's about to enter.

The ship set sail towards the east as Zuko continued his pursuit of the Avatar. One evening
after dinner, a fleet of Fire Nation ships pulled into the port where they were docked. Zuko,
suspecting Zhao was using his resources to search for the Avatar, stormed off the bridge.
When he did not return Iroh went to look for him.

“Prince Zuko,” he said after knocking on the door of his quarters. Iroh opened it and peeked
inside to see him staring blankly out a window. “Prince Zuko, it's music night. Maybe you
would like to join us on deck?”

“And since when have I ever joined in?” he snapped.

Iroh stepped inside the cabin. “But you have such a talent for the tsungi horn. It would be an
honor to have you play for us.”

“I'm not playing the tsungi horn.”

“Making music can be quite therapeutic, Nephew,” he persisted. “It would do you good to
relax on deck rather than sulk in your room.”

Zuko rounded on him. “How can I relax when Zhao is using the entire Navy to capture the
Avatar?! If he beats me to him, I'll never be able to go home. I'll never regain my honor.” His
eyes dropped to the floor. “How can my life possibly get worse?” he said desperately.

“There are worse things than losing your home, Zuko,” said Iroh solemnly.

The young prince was ready to snap at him again, but his uncle's sobering tone interrupted his
anger and frustration. He was reminded of Lu Ten and, even more recently, of Chiara's
absence from the ship. He turned back to the window.

“I-I just want to be alone.”

Iroh left the room making a mental note to send Chiara to deal with him—after music night
of course.

--------------------------------

Several of the crewmen joined in for music night that evening. Iroh sang while Chiara played
her erhu, Lieutenant Jee was on his pipa, and two other crew members played percussion. A
few of the men were dancing on the deck after sneaking a sip or two of the fire whiskey
someone had smuggled on board earlier that day.

Walking up the gang plank, two soldiers stepped on deck followed by Admiral Zhao. The
music and dancing stopped when they saw the men come on board.

Zhao's eyes scanned them all stopping at Chiara. “General Iroh, I see Lady Chiara has
returned.” His slight frown reflected his disappointment in not rescuing her from the Avatar
first.

“Yes,” said Iroh. “It seems that the Daughter of the Dragon of the West was too much for the
Avatar to handle.” His voice was filled with pride.

“I'm glad you're safe, Lady Chiara,” Zhao inclined his head to her.

“Thank you, Admiral,” she said stiffly.

“That must've been quite harrowing,” he said. “I would love to hear all about your ordeal as
the Avatar's prisoner and your return, but unfortunately I'm here on more pressing business.”
His eyes slid to Iroh. “General Iroh, I will be leading an attack on the Northern Water Tribe.”

Chiara's mouth dropped open, and she stood up and took a step towards the admiral.

“Oh, that is quite an ambitious endeavor,” said Iroh who placed his hand on Chiara
preventing her from advancing. “Would you like to join us for music night to celebrate?”

“No. I'm here to recruit these men. We will need every soldier for this expedition.”

“I am sorry to hear that,” said Iroh.

“I could use your expertise as general,” said Zhao.

“I am content with retirement,” he said pleasantly, “but I must inform Prince Zuko of the
change at once.”

He turned and went inside the tower pulling Chiara along with him.

“The Northern Water Tribe,” she said sadly. “I knew he was up to something.”

Iroh hoped the Tribe would be strong enough to defend itself from a siege.

“And can he just take the crew like that?” she whispered.

“They are still Fire Nation soldiers,” he said.

She worried about the men with whom she had sailed for years. She knew they could be
playing a part in the destruction of her people or that they might be going to their death, and
she did not want either for them.

They hurried down the hall towards Zuko's quarters.

“I am not looking forward to this,” whispered Iroh.

He opened the door and stepped inside the room with Chiara following him. Zuko stood
brooding on the other side.

“For the last time, I'm not playing the tsungi horn,” he said with his arms crossed.

“No,” said Iroh. “It's about our plans. There's a bit of a problem.”

Zhao entered into the room with an air of superiority. “I'm taking your crew.”

Zuko's eyes grew wide as he turned to him. “What?!”

“I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole.”

“Uncle, is that true?” asked Zuko.

“I'm afraid so,” said Iroh. “He's taking everyone, even the cook,” he added sadly.

Chiara tenderly placed her hand on Iroh's arm.

“Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar,” Zhao taunted Zuko. “But I can't
have you getting in my way again.”

In anger Zuko went to lunge towards the admiral, but Iroh and Chiara stepped in between
them to hold him back.

“No!” said Iroh.

Zhao was unfazed by Zuko's reaction and simply turned away from him, but his devious eyes
took notice of the broadswords on the wall. He walked towards them, glaring at them before
pulling one down.

“I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko,” he said swinging it.

“I'm not,” said Zuko dryly. “They're antiques, just decorative.”

Zhao studied the blade. “Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?”

“Just rumors. I don't think he is real.”

“He's real all right,” said Zhao deeply. “He's a criminal and an enemy of the Fire Nation.” He
held the sword out to Iroh. “But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon.”

Chiara softly giggled to everyone's surprise, and they all looked at her, though Zuko was
beginning to feel nervous.

“You find something amusing, Lady Chiara?” Zhao asked her.

“Just some rumors I heard,” she said lightly.

He narrowed his eyes. “What rumors?”

“Only that the Blue Spirit evaded two hundred Yuyan archers and defeated twice as many
firebenders,” she said, her voice filled with awe and admiration.

Zuko was stunned by the rumors and wondered where she heard them.

Zhao, however, looked livid. “Where did you hear that?” he growled deeply.

“At the last port. There was a wanted poster and all the girls were talking about it. They said
he disappeared in the wind...” Her eyes grew wide and she softly gasped as if she had just
realized something. “Maybe the Avatar is the Blue Spirit.”

Zuko appeared both bemused and amused at the same time. He was sure Chiara knew the
identity of the Blue Spirit, and she also remained on board at the last port making it
impossible to have discussed wanted posters with other girls. But she sounded so sincere
speaking of it he was tempted to believe her.

Zhao narrowed his eyes at her conjecture. “That's not possible,” he said, anger filling his
voice. “He stole the Avatar.”

“Maybe that's what the Avatar wanted you to believe,” she said innocently.

He huffed. “That's ridiculous!” He started walking towards the door.

Zuko thought he noticed a small smirk on Chiara's face after Zhao walked by.

“General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands if you change your mind,” said the
admiral. “And Lady Chiara, I do expect to hear your more accurate tales of the Avatar soon.”
He shut the door as he walked out.

“I don't believe this!” yelled Zuko.

Chiara touched his arm. She was worried about him, but she was also worried about the
attack on the Northern Water Tribe. As she stared into the fire, she wondered if there was
anything she could do to warn them. She left his room and went to her own where she paced
back and forth trying to think of some way to help them. She suspected the Avatar had
already made it to the North Pole since the last news they heard was that he was heading
northwest from the Northern Air Temple, and she had no way to contact him or the Tribe.
She wondered if it would be possible for her to sneak on board one of the ships heading
north. She had grown up around soldiers—navy, army, and Imperial Firebenders. She was
certain if she found a uniform that would fit her small frame she would be able to imitate one
perfectly. But what could she do once she infiltrated? There would still be no way to give
warning before their arrival. She could not fight the whole navy herself to prevent the siege,
and the number of ships she could sabotage would be negligible considering its size. She sat
down on her cot and broke down in tears feeling utterly helpless and useless.

Hearing a knock at her door, she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Come in,” she said,
recognizing Iroh's soft rapping which was distinct from Zuko's sharper, faster knocking.
Iroh entered her room. Seeing her red, swollen eyes, he sat down next to her and placed his
hand on her back.

“Chiara, I am sorry.”

“They're going to massacre the whole Water Nation, and all I can do is sit here and wait for it
to happen,” she cried.

“We can only hope the Northern Tribe can defeat them,” he said, tenderly rubbing her back.
“You trained with them; you know how powerful they are.”

“I've also seen the size of the Fire Nation Navy. The Water Tribe has no way to defend
against so many.” The tears continued flowing down her cheeks. “And the crew...what's
going to happen to them?”

He wondered what comfort he could give her having himself led an unjust siege against
another Nation where soldiers on both sides lost their lives.

“We believe the Avatar is at the North Pole,” he reminded her. “The Water Tribe will have a
very powerful ally if he utilizes the Avatar State.”

“It might cause more harm than help without control,” she said still feeling dejected. She
sighed and sat up wiping the tears from her eyes. “How's-how's Prince Zuko doing?” she
asked softly. “I know this must be hard for him.”

“As expected. When we reach port, I think we should all get off the ship for a while and take
a walk.”

He placed his hand on hers, and she nodded.

“Would you like to join me in seeing off the crew?” he asked. “I know they'll want to say
goodbye to you.”

“Yes,” she said softly.

------------------------------

Late that afternoon, Chiara went to the deck with Iroh as the crew said their goodbyes. Each
crew member stopped before them before disembarking. Shoza was especially disappointed
to leave since he still had hopes of winning Iroh's blessing for Chiara's hand.

“General Iroh, it's been a privilege to serve with you,” he said bowing to him. “I hope I will
have the honor to do so again in the future.”

“Shoza, you are a fine soldier and firebender. I wish you success in your endeavors.”

“You will not forget our discussion?” Shoza asked him.

“I will not forget.”

Shoza stood before Chiara and bowed. “Lady Chiara, it's been an honor to serve with you.
Thank you for all the work you've done for all of us.”

She returned the bow. “It was my pleasure to serve this crew. Please stay safe on your next
journey.”

“I hope to see you again soon,” he said before he disembarked.

Tedo stood before her next.

“Lady Chiara, I owe you my life,” he said as he bowed to her.

“You owe me nothing,” she said. “It was an honor to serve this crew in whatever way I
could.”

“General Iroh truly has a reason to be proud of you.”

She gave him a small smile and bowed. “Thank you.”

Lieutenant Jee was the last to leave the ship.

“General Iroh,” he said as he bowed, “it's been an honor as always to serve with you.”

“And you as well, my friend,” said Iroh.

“Give Prince Zuko my best.”

Iroh nodded. Jee now stood before Chiara.

“Lady Chiara, it's been a pleasure to have you on board,” he said bowing to her.

“The General always spoke highly of you, Lieutenant,” she replied. “Now, I may as well,
having experienced the honor of serving under you.”

Her words made him smile. “The honor is mine. Your bravery and selflessness are
admirable.”

“Thank you,” she said. “I wish you safety on your mission.” Though she sincerely meant it,
her heart was broken knowing his mission was to attack her own people.

-------------------------------

Iroh, Chiara, and Zuko were now the only ones on board the ship. There was no hum of the
engines or the sound of crew members as they worked their duty shifts. The only noise that
could be heard was the soft sound of the gentle waves lapping against the boat and shore.
Chiara followed Iroh through the empty tower to Zuko's quarters. When Iroh stepped into his
room, he saw him lying on his bed looking sullen.

“The crew wanted me to wish you safe travels,” he said.

“Good riddance to those traitors,” Zuko replied bitterly.

“It's a lovely night for a walk,” his uncle continued. “Why don't you join me and Chiara? It
would clear your head.”

Zuko remained despondent and said nothing.

“Or just stay in your room and sit in the dark,” said Iroh. “Whatever makes you happy.”

He walked out into the hall and shook his head at Chiara, so she stepped inside. She
approached his bed and knelt down next to him.

“Would you like me to get you anything to eat?” she asked.

“No,” he answered softly still staring blankly at the ceiling.

She slowly stood up and softly caressed his arm. He was touched by her comforting gesture,
but in his grief he remained impassive so she turned and left.

--------------------------------

Iroh and Chiara walked down the gangplank and left the dock. She wondered if she should
share with him her thoughts about secretly “enlisting” in the navy. Assuming he would not let
her do so, she kept it to herself.

“What will we do now?” she asked as they headed towards the town.

Iroh was silent for a few seconds as he had been pondering the same question. “We will have
to sit down with Prince Zuko and discuss our options,” he finally answered.

“There are options?”

“The Avatar will need to learn earthbending,” he said. “We can lie low until his return to the
Earth Kingdom.”

“If Zhao doesn't capture him...”

“We can only hope for the best, Chiara. And it will give Zuko hope when he realizes all is not
lost.”

She felt more pessimistic about the situation, but the impending attack on the Northern Tribe
weighed too heavily on her and its darkness was too thick to allow any ray of light from a
bright side to shine through.

“Shoza seemed quite disappointed to leave you,” he said, changing the subject.

“I think he would be even more disappointed to remain with me,” she said.

“He asked me to consider him in my search for a husband for you.”

She stared at him. “What?! When?”

He softly chuckled at her reaction. “Some time after the big storm.”
“And you're just now telling me?” she asked.

“I suspected it might be awkward for you to be on board with him if you knew.”

She thought about his reason and she was relieved he had never said anything.

“You're right,” she said. “Thank you.”

“He was planning on enlisting as an officer on his return to the Fire Nation. I believe he felt it
would increase his chances of taking you as his wife.”

Chiara was surprised to learn this. “What did you tell him?”

“I said that high rank doesn't equal a worthy husband. Love for his family must be above all
else, so even the poorest man could be more worthy than the highest general if his love for
his family comes first.”

Even in her current gloomy state, she managed a small smile as she appreciated Iroh's love
for family. She put her hand around his upper arm and held onto him.

“He believes he can love you as much,” he said.

She suspected that would change with knowledge of her secret. “As long as he doesn't realize
who I am,” she said softly.

“I did bring that up,” he said to her surprise. “I said that since you were an orphan, we do not
know your lineage. Of course, he said that didn't matter, so I asked him how he would feel if
he were to discover his wife was an earthbender or waterbender.”

“You really asked him that?” she asked, shocked.

He nodded. “And I must admit, what he said impressed me greatly.”

“What did he say?”

“He said that he would still take you as his wife no matter what Nation you were from just as
I, the son of Fire Lord Azulon, was willing to take you as my daughter.”

Chiara's mouth dropped open. “Wow,” she said. “I-I can't believe he feels that way.”

“I can't say it doesn't trouble me,” he said sounding slightly distraught. “I'm pleased that he
believes he could love you without measure, but...the thought of giving you away...”

Chiara gave his arm a comforting pat.

He glanced down at their path. “It was much easier when you were a child and we didn't have
to worry about things of this nature.”

“So what did you tell him?” she asked.

“I told him that I wasn't ready to give you away, but when I was I would keep his proposal in
mind.”

She wondered if that was what Shoza was referring to before he left the ship. “Was that the
discussion he mentioned?”

“It was.”

They were quite a distance from the docks now as they continued walking, and Iroh was
ready to change the subject again as he always found it disconcerting to speak of arranging
her marriage.

“You know, I'd like to hear more of those rumors about the Blue Spirit,” he said softly to
lighten the mood.

Chiara let out a soft giggle having taken great pleasure in trying to fool the admiral.

“Especially the one about the Avatar being the Blue Spirit,” he said.

“I don't think he bought that one,” she whispered.

The sudden sound of an explosion shook the ground and stopped them in their tracks. They
immediately turned in the direction of the blast to see fire rising from Zuko's ship.

“Zuko!” they both cried at the same time as they began running towards it.

Chiara ran faster, and when she made it to the dock, she looked around. “Zuko!” she cried as
she searched for him.

The entire bridge and crew quarters were in flames, and she could feel the heat emanating
from the fire. As she continued calling for him, the waves around the dock began growing
higher and debris from the explosion was being pulled towards the shore. Iroh finally caught
up to her. He was heartbroken when he saw the enormous conflagration engulfing what had
been their home for the last three years and was now to be the tomb of his nephew.

“Zuko,” he said softly.

Chiara, still looking for some sign of the prince and wondering if he might be trapped in the
fiery remains of the ship, pulled off her coat. She moved to jump off the dock, but felt arms
around her waist when Iroh quickly grabbed her from behind and held her back.

“You can't. It's too dangerous.”

“I don't care,” she said struggling to pull away from him. “Zuko!” she called.

“Chiara, I can't lose you this way, too,” he said in a pained voice, still holding onto her.

“Nooo!” she cried no longer fighting to break free. “Not my prince, my heart.”
He carefully released her and turned her towards him. Wrapping his arms around her he held
her as she cried on his shoulder. The waves around the docks slowly died down as she
slackened against him. He embraced her tightly, the only child he had left, but his heart ached
at the loss of another son, a pain he was not ready to suffer again.

Through his tears, he saw a ghostly figure on the dock slowly staggering towards them.

“Zuko?” he said softly as his eyes focused on his soaked and bruised nephew.

Chiara turned and looked, and when she saw him she ran and threw herself onto him
wrapping her arms around his neck. He nearly lost his balance as he was a bit disoriented
from the blast and every inch of his body was in intense pain, but despite his suffering, he
wrapped his arms around her waist and held her having heard her tearful words.

Iroh walked up and wrapped his arms around them, tears of relief now streaking down his
cheeks. As he held his family, everything began making sense to him. Iroh realized Zhao's
sudden need of their few crew members for the siege was no coincidence. He was boiling
inside.

After he released them, Chiara stepped back and wiped the tears from her face.

“This was no accident,” said Iroh deeply. “We must get off the docks quickly and go
somewhere where no one will see you.”

Chiara picked up her coat from where she dropped it and wrapped it around Zuko. They
quickly left the dock searching along the shore until they found a little cove.

Zuko grunted in pain as Chiara helped him sit on the ground. Iroh began building a small fire
to provide light, heat, and dry out Zuko's wet clothing.

“It was the pirates,” said Zuko hoarsely, pain in his voice. “They were hired by Zhao.”

“As I suspected,” growled Iroh. The small fire before him seemed to grow in response to his
rage inside, but not in proportion as he maintained control, otherwise the conflagration that
consumed the ship would look like candlelight in comparison.

“Lie down,” Chiara said to Zuko. “Let me help with your injuries.”

Iroh looked over at her. “Chiara...,” he cautioned.

“It'll be okay,” she assured him, not taking her eyes from the prince. She helped Zuko lie
down, his groans of pain bringing more tears to her eyes. She knelt next to him before
looking over his face. “You're so bruised,” she said softly, delicately caressing his cheek.
“Close your eyes,” she ordered, though he already knew the drill.

She pulled out her vial and poured the water in her palm. She started with the wounds on his
face. Once they were gone she returned the water to the vial before looking over the rest of
him. He winced in pain when she carefully palpated around his chest and ribs.
“I think you might have some broken ribs,” she said wiping the tears from her eyes. “Close
your eyes again.”

He did as she requested, though he was unsure why he needed to close them now. When his
eyes were shut she emptied the vial into her hand again and began healing any bruises and
injuries she found, including the broken ribs. Iroh was impressed as he watched her work,
and he wondered how often she secretly tended to Zuko's injuries.

“How do you feel?” she asked when she finished with his wounds.

His eyes opened. “The pain's gone,” he said amazed that he could take a deep breath without
feeling sharp pain radiating through his torso.

She moved behind him.

“Close them again,” she said kneeling down at his head. “I want to do something else.”

She gently brushed her fingers over his forehead and down his temple before using her water
to perform her massage with healing technique. By the time she finished, Zuko felt much
better; his mind cleared up, and the ringing in his ears had ceased. Even the frustration, anger,
and disappointment he was filled with since Zhao's visit seemed diminished. He sat up as she
was putting her vial away.

“I can't believe how much better I feel,” he said pressing his hands against his ribs and chest.

Tears were flowing down her cheeks as she could not control her sadness over his attempted
assassination, and she put her face in her hands and cried.

“Oh, Chiara,” said Zuko, feeling bad for her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as
she continued crying. “I'm okay.” He affectionately caressed her head.

Iroh watched their tender exchange. His heart was moved by their love for one other, and he
was not sure how he could ever convince Zuko to give her up or if he could ever arrange a
marriage for her to another man.

“I need a uniform,” said Zuko softly to Iroh as he still held Chiara. “I'm going on board his
ship.”

“I'll get you one,” said Iroh. “And I'll take Zhao up on his offer to join his mission.”

Zuko's grip tightened around Chiara. “What about Chiara?”

“She'll go with me.”

“Zhao's going to war with the Water Tribe,” said Zuko. “Is it a good idea to bring her?”

Chiara sat up. “Yes, I want to go.”

He looked at her tear-filled eyes. “But what if something happens to you?” He gently wiped
the tears from her cheeks. “What if you're attacked by the Water Tribe?”
“She'll stay by my side,” said Iroh. “I'll keep her safe.”

Zuko still felt uncomfortable about her going on board a ship headed to war, but he trusted
that being with his uncle would be the safest option for her.

-----------------------------

That night Iroh took a tearful Chiara aboard Zhao's ship. She remained quietly at the railing
at the stern staring out at the ocean beyond the port while Iroh went to speak to Zhao.

“I'm devastated to hear about Prince Zuko,” said the admiral as he poured their tea. “Just
devastated.”

Iroh was not fooled by his lie. “The Fire Lord will not be pleased when he learns who was
responsible,” he said gravely.

“You know who was behind the attack?” asked Zhao.

Iroh made no indication of the worry he detected in Zhao's voice.

“Yes,” he answered. “Pirates.” He added a dramatic slamming of his fist on the table as he
spoke. “We had a run-in with them a while back. They wanted revenge.”

Zhao's smirk was hidden behind his cup as he took a sip of his tea. He reveled in the success
of his cunning plan certain that his involvement was completely unknown.

“And my daughter,” continued Iroh, “she is beside herself with grief over...over the loss.”

“Oh, I'm sure she is,” he said with faux sympathy. “It can be so difficult to lose family.” He
set his teacup down. “So, have you reconsidered my offer?”

“Yes, I accept,” said Iroh.

Zhao's previously hidden smirk now resurfaced under the pretense of this new development.

“On the condition that my daughter can stay on board as well,” Iroh added.

The unexpected condition wiped the small triumph from the admiral's face. “Despite the
inevitability of my success, we are on a dangerous mission, General. I cannot guarantee her
safety.”

“I understand, Admiral, as does Chiara. She can be quite a capable fighter, and she's a hard
worker as well.”

Not wanting to lose the opportunity to flaunt his future victory to the former prince, and one
he might one day refer to as “father-in-law” among the highest circles in the Fire Nation, he
accepted the general's provision. “Then she is welcome to remain. I'm sure she'll find our
guest quarters here far more comfortable than what she is...was accustomed to,” he said with
a sly smile.
“Quarters next to mine will be more than adequate,” said Iroh.

Zhao gave him a slight nod. “As you wish.”

“Then it will be an honor to serve as your general.” Iroh held up his cup. “To the Fire
Nation.”

“To victory,” said Zhao lifting his cup. After another sip of his tea, he set his cup down and
looked at Iroh. “Have you given anymore consideration to my offer for your daughter's
hand?” he ventured.

Iroh's amber eyes seemed to darken. “I am not sure it would be a good idea to make such a
decision before the Siege.”

“I understand.” He decided to try another approach. “If Lady Chiara doesn't mind, I would
like to speak to her about her recent travels with the Avatar,” he said, determined to
communicate with her.

“Now is not a good time for her. She is quite distraught over Prince Zuko,” he said sadly.

“It's more business than leisure,” said Zhao as if he had no choice in the matter. “The Fire
Lord's niece in the hands of the enemy...well, many ideas come to mind. After all, I'm sure
she's privy to Fire Nation secrets that could have been leaked.”

“I hope you're not insinuating that my daughter is a traitor to the Fire Nation,” said Iroh, his
voice carrying a warning.

“Not at all, General Iroh. Torture can be an effective means to obtain information. I'm quite
sympathetic to any trauma she may have been subjected to,” he said smoothly.

“I can assure you, Admiral, the Fire Nation's secrets are quite safe. She has been at sea with
me for three years, and back in the Caldera Chiara was never involved in military
intelligence.”

“I'm sure, but if you could arrange a meeting, I would be interested in talking to her privately
of her ordeal.”

Iroh nodded knowing he would be unable to get Chiara out of it. “I will arrange the meeting,
but I think it would be more productive to go after the pirates responsible for my nephew's
death as I'm quite sure they are the same who kidnapped my daughter,” he said solemnly.

“Kidnapped her?”

Iroh nodded. “They are the ones who initially kidnapped her from the port before the Avatar
made off with her. It is the pirates who need to be brought to justice.”

“Yes, I'll look into that,” said Zhao with false sincerity.

---------------------------
After his meeting with Zhao, Iroh and Chiara briefly visited their quarters to get acquainted
with them before he escorted her to the kitchen to meet the cook. The cook on the flagship
was not as cheerful or talkative as Ozen, and Chiara wondered if he was so stern due to his
serving under the temperamental and egotistical admiral. Regardless of the man's austere
disposition, she chose to keep busy in the kitchen and scullery rather than remain in her cabin
all day alone with her worried thoughts while Iroh attended lengthy war meetings with the
officers.

Later that evening Chiara met Iroh in his room where she brought dinner for them. She set
the table where he knelt down across from her.

He hated to bring up his meeting with Zhao, but as it was the first private moment they had to
discuss anything at length, he knew he had to take advantage of it to deliver the unfortunate
news. “Zhao wants to meet with you to hear about your ordeal with the Avatar,” he said. “I
tried to stall, but he's quite insistent.”

She nodded, almost imperceptibly. “When?” She poured his tea for him.

“As soon as possible.” He spotted the piece of cake on his plate. “Ooh, dessert.”

She slid a small cloth-wrapped cake across the table. “And this is for...” She did not say
Zuko's name, but Iroh understood and nodded.

“Zhao's still trying to win your hand,” he warned her before taking a sip of his tea. “He may
bring that up.”

She narrowed her eyes in disgust. “So he's planning genocide and marriage,” she said darkly.
“What a combination...especially considering...”

She did not finish speaking, but he understood her to mean Zhao's proposal to a member of
the Tribe which he was planning on eradicating.

Her food sat untouched as her eyes met his. “Could you imagine the blood of the Tribe
descended in his own children?” she whispered.

“No, I cannot,” he said deeply, disgusted by the idea. “I don't even want to think about it.”

Chiara shuddered at the thought, and her eyes fell back to her plate.

“That's not much to eat, Chiara,” he said noticing the little food in front of her.

“I'm not very hungry.”

“You need to eat. It won't do you any good to go without food.”

She forced herself to take in a few bites.

-----------------------------
Later, after Chiara retired to her quarters next door, Iroh was walking down a deserted hall.
Just as they had planned Zuko approached him disguised as a soldier.

“Our plan is working perfectly,” whispered Iroh. “Zhao doesn't suspect a thing.”

“You didn't have to do this,” said Zuko.

“No nephew of mine is going to stowaway on a ship without some backup.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” he said softly.

“This is from Chiara,” he said handing him the cloth.

A noise came from down the hall.

“Someone's coming,” said Iroh. “Stay hidden until we get to the North Pole and the Avatar
will be yours. Good luck.”

They parted.

The next morning Iroh had been invited to breakfast with Zhao who reminded him of the
requested meeting. After their meal, Iroh escorted Chiara to the admiral's cabin.

Zhao stood up at his desk when they entered. “General Iroh, Lady Chiara, good to see you
both.”

He motioned towards one of the seats across from him and Chiara sat down, as did he. Zhao's
eyebrows rose when Iroh took the seat next to her.

“I would like to have a private word with your daughter, General, if you don't mind.”

“Actually, it would not be appropriate for Lady Chiara to be without an escort. Alone with a
man behind closed doors, you know how rumors spread among the crew,” said Iroh smoothly.
“For the protection of my daughter's reputation, I'm sure you understand.”

Zhao was not happy, but he knew he could not argue with him on the matter. “Of course.”

His head turned towards Chiara. He could see the sadness in her eyes, and he assumed it was
due to the loss of the young prince as Iroh had said. He derived a perverse pleasure out of her
sorrow; it made him feel as though he was in control. He caused her suffering, unbeknownst
to her, or so he thought, yet he felt he could relieve it by another proposal. He was power
hungry and desired to control all the circumstances in his life. Knowing that Iroh was
respected and well-liked in the Fire Nation, he was sure that such a union with his daughter,
even an adopted one, could only increase his power and status, and even endow him with the
inheritance left to an only child.

“As you know I've been in discussion with General Iroh to take you as my wife,” he said
bluntly.
Chiara lifted her head to look him in the eyes. His were not the bright, fiery gold of the prince
nor the warm, amber eyes of the general. They were dark and reminded her of rust. She
considered it a fitting color for someone so intent on destruction.

“I know he's quite reluctant to give you up yet,” he continued, “but I want to assure both of
you that it would be a wise and prosperous union for you.”

She had to force herself to remain impassive, but she felt disgusted by him knowing he was
responsible for the attempted assassination of Zuko.

“I would like to know what you think of our union,” he said to her with an air of confidence
that it was inevitable.

“I'm honored by your offer,” she lied.

“As you should be,” he said arrogantly. Zhao noticed that Iroh was about to speak, so he
interrupted. “But I understand General Iroh is not ready for this discussion at this time.” He
looked back at Chiara. “I'm quite interested in your recent interaction with the Avatar. Is there
anything you can tell me about it that would be of benefit to the Fire Nation?”

“No, sir,” she answered. “They said nothing of their intentions or plans.”

He looked curiously at her. “How is it that you became their prisoner?”

“I was attacked by pirates at the last port.” She allowed herself to become a bit overemotional
and she let tears fall from her eyes. “I believe it was the same pirates...” She pulled out a
cloth and soaked up her tears as she felt Iroh's hand on her shoulder.

“You are not to blame, Chiara,” said Iroh comfortingly, joining in perfectly with her act.

“Maybe if I never fought back they never would have...”

She put her head down as she allowed more tears to flow. Zhao was trying to look
sympathetic, but inside he was smirking at her suffering over the prince's death; and that she
blamed herself filled him with even more satisfaction since he believed he had gotten away
with it.

“We've had other run-ins with the pirates, Chiara,” said Iroh. “You can't blame yourself. If
you had not fought back, you might not be sitting here now.”

She composed herself and gracefully wiped the tears from her cheeks with her handkerchief.

“Forgive me, Admiral,” she forced herself to say with a well-acted sincerity.

“Oh, I understand,” he said in his own well-acted sympathy. “It's so hard to lose a family
member. Please go on.”

“I fought to get away from the pirates, but...” She slowly reached up and touched the small
scar on her head where she had been hit. “...I was hit on the head, and then I woke up on the
Avatar's bison.”
“Do you know why they captured you?”

“Initially, I believe their intention was to get me away from the pirates. But later, they
thought I could be used for leverage against the Fire Nation. They believed I was the
daughter of the Fire Lord.”

His eyes grew wide at this information. Even Iroh was surprised to hear it, and he was
amazed that she came up with such a believable story so quickly and naturally. It took him a
moment to recall her telling him after her return that they thought she was Zuko's sister.

“Did they try to get any information out of you?” asked Zhao.

“They only asked why we were pursuing them.”

“Is that so?” he asked skeptically. “They didn't interrogate you...?” She shook her head. “Or
torture you for information?”

“No, sir. The only abuse I suffered was at the hands of the pirates.”

He peered at her through his cold eyes. “I find it hard to believe they didn't try to force
information from you.”

“I believe you met the Avatar,” she said. “He's got the mind of a twelve year old boy, and the
Water Tribe siblings aren't much older. You're dealing with mere kids, Admiral, not
experienced officers or even soldiers.”

He contemplated her words, and memories of Aang's childish behavior that resulted in the
destruction of his river boats made him realize she was correct.

“Tell me then, why is it that you did not escape when you were present at the Fire Nation
village?”

“I was unfamiliar with our location. I knew Prin...” She hesitated. “...the General would be
following the Avatar, so I thought it was best to remain with them at that time. I was also
hoping to learn more information, but they never spoke of their plans in front of me. When I
recognized you at the river, I knew you could get me back to the General, and that's when I
tried to escape, but the Water Tribe boy wouldn't let me go.”

His eyes widened just enough to let her know he believed her. She appreciated Sokka's little
trick that now enabled her to successfully play to his ego.

“So how did you make it back to Prince Zuko's ship?” he asked intentionally speaking Zuko's
name in front of her.

It was not difficult for her to force tears to her eyes at his name as she felt Zhao had no right
to speak it. She tenderly touched the corner of her eyes with her handkerchief.

“After the Rough Rhinos were attacked, I ran...”

He leaned forward over his desk, his eyes growing wide. “The Rough Rhinos?” he
interrupted.

“Yes, sir,” she said.

“They had you?” he asked wanting her to confirm it.

“Yes, sir.” She wondered about his reaction, as did Iroh. “I'm curious, Admiral. I was told that
they were sent under your orders to retrieve the Avatar and me.”

“Oh...yes, yes. I requested their assistance in rescuing you.” He still appeared confounded.
“But they never responded to my missive.”

“I see,” she said. “I wouldn't recommend utilizing their services in the future, Admiral. They
were quite barbaric in their treatment.”

Iroh held back a strong urge to laugh.

“I will take that under advisement,” said Zhao. “I would like to know who it was that
attacked them?”

“I don't know, sir. There were noises in the forest, and then each of them disappeared.”

His brow furrowed in curiosity at what might have happened to the men.

“Did they have the Avatar too?” he asked.

“Yes, but he escaped.”

“He didn't take you with him?”

“No, sir. He took off on his glider, so I ran towards the beach where the General found me.”

Everything she spoke was truth or so close to the truth that even if he checked with the crew,
her story could be corroborated. She did not want to take any chances of lying to Zhao only
for him to later discover the truth and go after Iroh or her for some false charge of treason.

“Well, that was quite a story,” said Zhao sitting back in his chair, “even if you didn't obtain
any information that would be useful to the Fire Nation.” He spoke with a slight hint of
condescension in his voice as if she failed to accomplish a mission. “The Avatar's role will
make no difference soon anyways,” he continued, “and the Fire Nation will be one step closer
to world domination once we annihilate the Northern Water Tribe.”

Chiara's back grew stiffer. “Please, Admiral, I don't understand why it's necessary to attack
the Water Tribe. They're a peaceful Nation. They keep to themselves in the north, and they've
never been aggressive.”

“Which is why we need to attack now,” he said. “If we allow them to continue to grow, they
will one day attack the Fire Nation.”
“You don't know that,” she argued.

“We've caught the Tribes trying to spread their roots outside of the poles. It will be an easy
victory exterminating them now before they have a chance to grow stronger.”

Chiara was crying inside for her Nation, and at that moment the temptation to leap across the
desk and cut his throat for his past and future crimes grew inside of her. She fought back her
wrath and gripped the arms of the chair to keep from reaching for her knife. She knew his
death would not stop the Siege—cut off one head of the mythical hydra-dragon, another
grows in its place—and she was sure such an impetuous reaction on her part would only hurt
Iroh and possibly Zuko.

As she thought about the fate of the Northern Water Tribe, another idea came to her. It was
one that was so revolting to her, it took every ounce of her strength to speak it. She tried to
relax her grip on the chair and steady her breathing.

“Admiral Zhao,” she spoke as tenderly as possible, “as I said earlier, I'm honored by your
offer of marriage, and I would be willing to be your wife.” She was willing to sacrifice her
heart; it would always be Zuko's, but she knew it could never be given to him, so if possible
she would give it up for the Water Tribe.

“What?!” said Iroh completely stunned by her words.

Zhao was no less shocked by her acceptance of his proposal which seemed to him to come
out of nowhere, and a look of triumph appeared in his eyes.

“I beg you, though,” she continued, “that it's only under the condition that you will not go
through with this Siege.”

Zhao's look of triumph disappeared, and for once, he was at a loss for words. “I...uh...”

“I promise that I'll be a good, obedient wife to you, and I love children and will bear as many
as you desire, but I don't believe it's in the best interest of the Fire Nation to destroy the Water
Tribe.”

“Chiara...,” started Iroh placing his hand on her shoulder.

“I beg you to call off this Siege and I'll give you my life,” she continued as tears filled her
eyes.

What little remained of Zhao's heart was unwillingly touched by her gentle persuasive plea,
but it was so little that his pride could not accept the authenticity of her offer. He would have
to test her resolve with a counteroffer, a proposal that she was sure to turn down.

“Calling off the Siege seems quite a lot to ask for with only a promise in return. Maybe if we
could forgo the age of promise...,” he started silkily.

Iroh's glare became dangerous. “Surely, Zhao, you're not suggesting she marry at fifteen,” he
said deeply “She's still just a child...”
“That's exactly what I'm suggesting,” said the admiral smoothly, refusing to be intimidated by
the Dragon of the West. “I'm being asked to abort an important military mission immediately,
and since we would normally have to wait at least another year or two before marriage
and...uh...consummation...I think it's only fair to offer a condition of my own.”

Iroh was disgusted by his request. “I cannot allow...”

“Done,” interrupted Chiara relieved her stomach was empty.

Zhao's eyes grew wide in shock as he was sure his counteroffer would be refused. Iroh was
horrified by her acceptance, but he was also conflicted. He desperately wanted to stop her
from making such a commitment, yet he felt it was not his right to interfere with her decision
to protect her own people.

“Chiara,” he started in a pleading tone, “think what you are offering.”

“Why is this so important to you?” Zhao asked her. “Why would you be willing to bind
yourself to me for the lives of those Water Tribe savages?”

“Because I don't wish to see them suffer the fate of the Air Nomads.”

Zhao looked a bit thoughtful as he was impressed by her sincerity.

“I...I can't say you haven't presented a tempting offer,” he said tenderly, more tender than she
or Iroh ever thought possible from such a man, and it worried Iroh that he would accept.
“Give me some time to think this over.” He stood up. “I will get back to you with my
decision.”

They stood up and Chiara bowed to him before leaving the cabin. Iroh escorted her to her
room. As soon as they stepped inside and shut the door, he turned to her.

“Chiara, I beg you to reconsider your offer to him.”

She felt sick to her stomach. “I'll do whatever it takes to protect their lives,” she said softly.
“Even if I have to spend the rest of my life cherishing the man who tried to murder my prince
and giving him children.” Tears fell down her cheeks.

Iroh took her in his arms and held her.

“It's a small price to pay for the Tribe,” she cried.

Iroh still felt conflicted. He understood her intention and knew it to be the right decision for
the benefit of both Nations, but his own heart hated the life she would be forced to endure if
Zhao accepted her offer. He wanted to tell her to let the Water Tribe fight their own battle, but
he knew that would not bring her any comfort, so he just held her hoping that her destiny
would not be joined to Zhao's.

------------------------------
They spoke no more of it that day, but Chiara could not eat as she worried that she would not
be able to keep her food down. She and Iroh sat at a table in the galley, and as he ate she
poured his tea.

“You should eat, Chiara.”

“I'm not very hungry,” she said softly.

“You should have some ginger tea,” he said. “It will help soothe your stomach.”

She nodded. “I might have some later.”

-------------------------------

That night after dinner, Zhao spoke privately with Iroh.

“I'm quite surprised by your daughter's offer,” he said before taking a sip of his tea. His eyes
were locked on Iroh's to see his reaction. “She seems to care a great deal about the other
Nations.”

“Chiara and I traveled the world, and she met many different people,” Iroh calmly replied.
“She's also been exposed to more suffering and death than any person her age should have to
witness.”

Zhao considered him for a minute. “How do you feel about this proposal?” he asked him
bluntly.

Iroh hesitated. “I...I disagree with it,” he admitted. “She is too young for marriage.”

“But you didn't stop her,” noted the admiral.

“Chiara is very wise for her age. The proposal she offers is not simply the whim of a young
teenage girl, but a genuine consideration of a solution other than war. I can only hope to find
another way to reason with her rather than outright forcing her to withdraw her proposal.”

“Genuine you say. So you believe she'll do everything she proposed?”

Though Zhao kept a straight face, there seemed to be a smirk in his eyes that unnerved Iroh.
It sickened him to think about the answer, and even more so to admit it to Zhao. “I do,” he
said simply, knowing she was sincere in her offer to save the Tribe.

Again, Zhao sat thoughtfully before they began discussing other matters.
 Siege of the North Pole

The next morning Zhao called Iroh and Chiara to his office. He had been giving Chiara's
marriage condition serious thought, and he was ready to give his decision.

“General Iroh, Lady Chiara,” he greeted them.

He motioned for them to sit. Chiara sat quietly keeping her eyes on him as he sat down. She
was trying to read his decision in his face, but whatever he decided, it did not show in his
countenance. She knew, though, that no matter which option he chose she would lose in some
way.

When Zhao was seated, he fixed his eyes on her. He could still see the sadness that was in her
eyes the previous day, but he realized it did not bring him the same satisfaction as before.

He folded his hands on his desk. “I have given your proposal a great deal of consideration,”
he started. “Due to the conditions, however, I'm afraid I'll have to decline your offer.”

His ego would never be satisfied with just his family. He would always desire more—more
wealth, more control, and especially more power, and he believed he would gain far more
power from the Siege than from their marriage.

Iroh breathed a silent sigh of relief upon hearing his decision. He had been making mental
plans to prevent her from following through if had Zhao chosen otherwise.

“Please don't attack the Northern Water Tribe,” Chiara begged him. “They have no resources
that will benefit the Fire Nation. It'll just be a massacre of innocent people.”

“As I've said before, once the Fire Nation conquers the world there will be no more war.”

“But there's no war except that which you're creating,” she argued.

“I'm preventing a future attack by a Tribe of secretive savages,” he insisted.

She did not even realize she was now sitting on the edge of her chair. “I beg you, Admiral,
please reconsider this aggressive action.”

“It's too late to call off the Siege,” he said with finality. “We'll be leaving first thing in the
morning.” He stood up ready to end the conversation. “I do thank you for your time, General
Iroh, Lady Chiara.”

Iroh helped Chiara to her feet and after leaving Zhao's office, he escorted her back to her
quarters.

------------------------------

When they entered her room, Chiara sat on the bed and broke down in tears as Iroh sat next
to her and held her in his arms.
“I'm so sorry, Chiara,” he said.

He gently rubbed her back still amazed that she was willing to sacrifice her own pride by
marrying a man she despised in order to protect the Water Tribe.

“It was a noble sacrifice you were willing to undergo for them,” he said softly while
continuing to hold her.

“I feel like such a terrible person.”

He released her and lifted her chin to look in her eyes. “How can you say that after what you
just did?”

“I'm relieved he refused,” she said softly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Oh, Chiara,” he said taking her in his arms again. “That doesn't make you terrible. It's
natural for you to want to avoid a life of pain and misery you know would result from such a
union.”

He, too, felt relieved that Zhao declined the proposal.

Early the next morning Iroh stood on the upper deck with Zhao.

“My fleet is ready,” announced the admiral. “Set a course for the Northern Water Tribe.”

Upon his orders, the Fire Nation Navy departed for the North Pole.

Chiara worked in the kitchen and scullery trying to keep her mind occupied. Every night she
ate dinner with Iroh, though she missed her dinners with Zuko. She had not seen him since
the night she and Iroh took him a uniform and food in the little cove where he hid after the
assassination attempt. She knew he was on board the flagship, of course, but to meet with
him even in passing might be too suspicious. But it did not stop her from wondering every
time she saw a masked soldier on deck or passing her in the halls if it might be her prince in
disguise.

Iroh occasionally met with Zuko in secret to check on him. There would be nothing
suspicious about the general talking to a soldier if they were spotted. Many still admired the
old prince and war hero; a few were even brave enough to approach him and ask if he
remembered serving with their fathers or older siblings. Whenever he met with Zuko, Iroh
would bring him a small dessert that Chiara made for him.

Zuko always appreciated her thoughtfulness, and he missed his time with her. Sometimes
when he caught sight of her standing on the deck, he would watch her long locks as they
would glide around her in the wind. He desperately wanted to stand next to her and talk to
her and look into her beautiful green eyes again, but he knew he could not risk it. He was
determined to capture the Avatar. He was sure that it would be the first step in returning their
lives to normal. Once he accomplished his mission he would be able to return home with
Chiara and his uncle.
They had been at sea for a few days. Chiara, taking a break from the scullery, stood on the
main deck gazing out at the sea that seemed to go on forever. She wished it would. Maybe
their ocean journey would never end and they would never reach the North Pole. There
would be no siege, no war. She would be content to spend the rest of her life at sea eternally
searching for the Northern Tribe if it meant the Fire Nation could never attack them. She
even found such a fate far more desirable than marrying the admiral. Suddenly, a pod of
octodolphins breached the calm surface of the ocean as well as the troubled thoughts in her
mind. She could not help smiling as she watched their tentacles skim along the surface. She
gripped the railing tempted to dive in and swim alongside them.

Zuko stood on the deck above watching her as she gazed out at the ocean. He spotted the
octodolphins in the water, but his gaze quickly returned to Chiara. He admired the way her
obsidian curls reflected the rays of the sun. He could almost feel the silky texture against his
fingertips...

“She's really beautiful, isn't she?” came a voice next to him.

Zuko turned and saw another member of the crew staring at down at her.

“Usually we only get a chance to watch civilian girls at the port,” said another young soldier.
“This is a nice change.”

“She's General Iroh's daughter,” said a third soldier who had just walked up to them.

Zuko was feeling steamed. “Which means she's a member of the royal family and off limits,”
he said in a deep voice.

“Nothing wrong with looking though,” grinned the first soldier.

Zuko was doing everything in his power to keep his temper under control.

“I heard she took the prince's death really hard,” said one of them. “Not sure why though,” he
scoffed. “He was just a Fire Nation traitor from what I've heard.”

It hurt Zuko to hear that. He loved his Nation, his people; he would never betray them. He
spent years trying to get back there, trying to prove he was a good prince, a good son. He
would prove it all as soon as they made it to the North Pole. He would find the Avatar and
take him to his father who would be finally proud of him for his success.

“Maybe she could use a little comfort,” said the first soldier immediately drawing Zuko's
attention back to the other issue at hand that involved anger rather than hurt. “Something to
make her forget all about the prince,” the soldier added with a smirk.

The other young men laughed, but Zuko's knuckles were turning white as they tightly gripped
the rail.

“I've heard it's treason to even speak that way of the royal family,” he said deeply before
walking away.
He needed to get out of there. He decided to head down to the komodo rhino hold where he
could calm himself down before he inadvertently gave himself away. He could not allow
anything to jeopardize his mission.

The navy had been sailing through Northern Tribe waters and was quickly approaching the
North Pole. Zhao and Iroh stood on the upper deck waiting for the capital to make its
appearance on the horizon.

“This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh,” said Zhao. “Just think, centuries
from now people will study the great Admiral Zhao who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe
civilization.” His voice was light and airy as if he was merely discussing a simple game of
Pai Sho rather than the eradication of an entire Tribe. “You're lucky you're here to see it,” he
said, his voice dripping with condescension.

“Be careful what you wish for, Admiral,” warned Iroh darkly. “History is not always kind to
its subjects.”

“I suppose you speak from experience. But rest assured, this will be nothing like your
legendary failure at Ba Sing Se.” He relished the opportunity to boast about his soon-to-be
victory to the famed general.

Iroh's eyes were downcast. The only way the Siege of the North could be a failure like his
own was if Zhao lost what he loved most, which Iroh suspected was nothing more than
himself. “I hope not, for your sake.”

“Tell the captains to prepare for first strike,” Zhao ordered him.

Iroh left the upper deck and stepped onto the bridge.

-----------------------------

After carrying out the admiral's orders, Iroh secretly met with Zuko.

“We'll be landing soon,” he informed the young prince. “Do you have a plan?”

“I'm working on it, Uncle.”

“This is from Chiara,” he said handing him a small cloth with a cake wrapped inside.

Zuko's heart stirred as he thought about her.

“Tell her to be careful,” he told his uncle. “Some of the soldiers have been watching her.”

Iroh nodded.

------------------------------

Later, Iroh was looking for Chiara to update her on the Siege. Walking along one of the
decks, he caught sight of a few of the younger soldiers watching her on the deck below just
as Zuko had warned. He quietly approached them as they were talking.

“I'll talk to her,” said one of the soldiers. “It can't hurt to speak to her.”

“It can if the Admiral finds out,” said another. “I heard he was after her.”

“Isn't he too old for her?”

“I don't think that matters in the royal family.”

The others laughed.

“We're about to go to war,” said a third soldier. “I'd like to do more than speak to her.”

“Talking like that you may not live to see the battle,” said Iroh calmly.

The soldiers turned around and immediately stood at attention when they realized who it was
that had spoken, and their hearts were now pounding with fear at his threat.

“General Iroh, sir, I...I didn't mean...I'm s-sorry...,” stuttered the third soldier nervously.

Iroh raised his hand to silence him. “Have you heard the story of the Daughter of the Dragon
of the West and the pirates?” he asked them.

They shook their heads. “No, sir,” they answered.

Iroh calmly placed his hands in his sleeves, his piercing amber eyes taking in the panic in
their own. “Lady Chiara was recently kidnapped by pirates,” he started. “I was told by those
who survived that she spit fire when they threatened her virtue. Unless you also dare to
experience the wrath of the Dragon's daughter, you would do better preparing for the Siege
that lies ahead of you. I wager your chances of survival may be greater with the Siege.”

His voice was deep and so eerily calm, it was unnerving to the soldiers who all bowed to the
old general before quickly disappearing in different directions.

Zuko, who was standing hidden nearby, could not help laughing to himself as he heard his
uncle admonishing the soldiers.

The capital of the Northern Water Tribe soon rose above the horizon before them and Zhao
ordered the attack on the great city. The ships loaded with trebuchets were sent to the
forefront where they began to assail Agna Qel'a. The Avatar put up a valiant fight destroying
several ships, but the navy was too large for him to take out all the vessels, and the attack
continued. Throughout the day the navy sailed closer to the city while launching fireballs that
struck the great ice wall that surrounded the Northern Tribe.

Chiara spent her time pacing in her room wondering how she could help the Tribe. She
tensed at the resounding booms in the distance that indicated the destruction of the city and
possibly the loss of life.
Iroh spent most of the time with Zhao suffering through his rhetoric while secretly trying to
come up with a plan of his own to stave the Siege. He knew there was little he could do to
stop it altogether, but he hoped to at least spare the Tribe from complete extermination as
Zhao had been boasting.

“It's almost twilight, Admiral,” warned Iroh as the bright moon began rising in the eastern
sky. “As your military consultant, I must advise you to halt your attack. The waterbenders
draw their power from the moon, and it is nearly full tonight. You should wait and resume the
attack at daybreak.”

“Oh, I am well aware of the moon problem, and I am working on a solution,” said Zhao
deeply. “But for now, daybreak it is.”

The ships dropped anchor for the night.

------------------------------

As soon as everything settled down from the day's battle and there were fewer soldiers
running through the halls, Zuko prepared to leave the ship.

“If you're fishing for an octopus, Nephew, you need a tightly woven net or he will squeeze
through the tiniest hole and escape,” said Iroh as he and Chiara approached him.

“I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle,” said Zuko busily preparing the small boat
which would take him to land.

“I'm sorry,” said Iroh sadly. “I just nag you because...well...ever since I lost my son...”

Iroh's voice broke as he spoke, and Chiara placed her hand on his arm as tears came to her
eyes.

Zuko stopped what he was doing and closed his eyes. Losing his beloved cousin was
difficult, but he knew for his uncle the loss was far more painful. And down deep he also
knew that his uncle treated him more like a father than...

“Uncle, you don't have to say it.”

“I think of you as my own,” said Iroh.

Zuko turned to him. “I know, Uncle.” He bowed to him. “We'll meet again...”

Iroh stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his nephew.

“...after I have the Avatar,” finished Zuko as he took a step back breaking away from his
uncle's embrace.

Before he could turn away Chiara wrapped her arms around him. His body felt warm to her,
especially in the icy chill air. She closed her eyes and held him tightly. She did not know
what their future held. She knew any one of them could go down in battle during the Siege,
and she was still pondering whether or not to join the Water Tribe. This hug could be their
last, and she was not going to let him pull away from her so quickly as he did from Iroh.

Zuko, however, could not help but press his cheek against her soft hair and hold her for a
minute. It had been too long since he had been this close to her or had even been able to
speak to her. But soon he would have the Avatar and they would return home together, and
they would not be separated again.

“Please be careful,” she said as tears fell down her cheeks.

“I will.” He gently caressed her hair. “Keep her safe, Uncle.”

Iroh nodded. Zuko released her and tenderly kissed her head before turning and climbing into
the boat.

“Remember your breath of fire,” Iroh reminded him stepping over to the rail. “It could save
your life out there.”

“I will,” said Zuko as he started his descent towards the water.

“And put your hood up; keep your ears warm.”

“I'll be fine.”

He was gone. Chiara leaned against Iroh who wrapped his arms around her and held her for a
few minutes before they walked back inside.

“I want you to stay close to me tomorrow,” he said to her.

“I liked it better the first time we were here,” she said softly.

“I agree.”

The next morning, Zhao stood on the upper deck with Iroh. Chiara stood nearby watching as
the sunlight fell upon the white wall of the city.

“It's daybreak at last,” said Zhao. “Let's write history.”

After giving his order for the siege, he watched with pride as the ships under his command
began once again assailing the wall.

Chiara kept her head down feeling like she was betraying her own people. She still
remembered the awe she and Iroh felt when they first arrived there years earlier and saw the
beautiful ice palace surrounded by the great ice wall. She could not bring herself to watch its
destruction.

“The Water Tribe can try to resist the inevitable,” said Zhao, “but their city will fall today.”
Chiara's heart felt broken over his words, but she felt helpless knowing there was nothing she
could do to help the Tribe.

---------------------------------

The battle raged on throughout the day. The Fire Nation continued bombarding the city with
fire blasts. Just as the sun was sinking, their siege equipment finally broke through the Water
Tribe defenses, and soldiers were sent inside.

“I don't need to remind you we have a time limit,” said Iroh to Zhao still watching the battle
from the upper deck of the flagship. “If we don't defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon
rises, they will be undefeatable.”

“I assure you, I have everything under control,” said Zhao confidently. “I intend to remove
the moon as a factor.”

Chiara lifted her head to look at Zhao.

“Remove the moon?” asked Iroh, his eyes wide in shock. “How?”

“Years ago I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret: the identity of the moon spirit's
mortal form,” he said smugly.

“What?” asked Iroh wondering how the admiral could have possibly learned that
information.

As Zhao spoke, Chiara, who had been behind them, slowly walked closer to them.

“I was a young lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom,” he continued. “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.' I knew then that these
spirits could be found...and killed, and that it was my destiny to do so.”

“No,” said Chiara as she stepped towards Zhao.

Iroh put his arm out to keep her from advancing. “Zhao, the spirits are not to be trifled with!”
he cautioned angrily.

“Yes, yes, I know you fear the spirits, Iroh,” he said lightly, dismissing his warning. “I heard
rumors about your journey into the spirit world. But the ocean and the moon gave up their
immortality to become a part of our world. And now they will face the consequences.”

Chiara clenched her fists and turned away as tears fell down her cheeks. Unable to listen to
anything more, she stormed off the deck. After making her way through the bridge, she
stepped into a hallway where a soldier slammed into her. He did not even stop to apologize as
he arrogantly shoved her aside and kept going to the bridge. Turning to glare at him for his
rudeness, her annoyance turned into bemusement when she took in his cumbersome looking
uniform and its enormous, pointed shoulder guards that might have put her eye out. She had
not seen one that old since a visit to the museum in Capital City. Ignoring the slight, she
continued to her quarters.
When she arrived at her room, she quickly wrote a note. While everyone on the ship had been
busy preparing for the invasion, she went to the armory and took a set of dao swords and
throwing knives to add to her own sword and knife that she already carried.

Zhao, leaving Iroh to remain behind on the ship, was preparing to enter the city. Iroh took
advantage of the admiral's absence to find Chiara and keep her by his side. When there was
no answer at her door, he entered her cabin to find only a note on her bed addressed to him.

Father, thank you for the life you have given me. I love you.

Tears came to his eyes as Chiara had not addressed him as father since their journey through
the Earth Kingdom, and now he worried about what might happen to her. He lost his son at
the front lines at Ba Sing Se, and now he worried he would also lose his daughter at the front
lines at the North Pole. He left her room to look for her. Going to the secluded spot where
Zuko left the ship, he found her standing at the railing. She turned around when she heard
him, and he could see the worry and sadness in her eyes.

“I'm not here to stop you,” he said softly. “I told you before, it is to be your choice.”

“I can't let Zhao destroy the moon spirit,” she said, tears filling her eyes.

“I agree. We must do what we can to stop him.”

She threw her arms around him and he held her tightly.

“I love you, Father,” she said.

“I love you too, my daughter,” he said, tears now filling his own eyes.

She let him go and turned back to the rail.

“The full moon will be up soon,” he said. “Your powers will be strongest then.”

She nodded as she climbed over the railing.

“Zhao will enter the city on a rhino behind the siege equipment,” he informed her. “He'll head
straight for the Spirit Oasis. He will have a group of firebenders with him, so be careful.”

“I will.”

He stepped over to the rail and hugged her one more time.

“I will meet you there as soon as I can,” he said letting her go.

“Be careful,” she said.

He nodded.

With tears in her eyes she jumped into the icy water.

-------------------------------
Keeping an air bubble around her, Chiara quickly made her way towards the Water Tribe
shore. Once there, she managed to melt through the ice and find her way to a canal which she
followed. While everyone was busy fighting on the front lines, she emerged in a quieter area
to look for Water Tribe clothing. Since the civilians had been evacuated to the palace, she
was able to find clothing in the deserted living areas. She took off the coat Zuko had given
her for her thirteenth birthday, and she held it to her heart as a tear fell down her cheek at the
memory. After carefully folding it up, she set it down and began changing into Water Tribe
clothes finishing with a heavy coat. She strapped her knife to her waist as well as the dao
swords, and she strapped her sword around her back.

Now dressed in native clothing, she ran towards the front lines to wait for Zhao. She became
enraged when she saw the destruction the Fire Nation had inflicted upon the Tribe during the
day. But with the rising moon the Tribe now had the upperhand. She watched the
waterbenders submerge tanks and send out spikes of ice at their enemies. She recognized her
former master, Pakku, lifted on a vortex of water avoiding the blasts of firebenders. Feeling
the power of the full moon coursing through her body, she joined the Tribal warriors and
began waterbending with astounding moves raising up ice spikes that disabled the Fire
Nation tanks, and she trapped the soldiers in the ice.

After helping the warriors push back their opponents, she continued running through the
devastation keeping a lookout for Zhao wanting to prevent him from reaching the Spirit
Oasis. She quickly skidded to a halt when she saw the body of a Water Tribe warrior lying in
her path. Looking ahead, she saw that he was not alone. It was a field of Water Tribe blue
splattered with red and black. Burned Water Tribe warriors were lying in pools of blood
having been finished off by swords or spears. Fighting back her tears, she was unable to
mourn their loss at the moment, and she continued looking for Zhao until the movement of
one of the bodies caught her eye. She made her way to the injured warrior, but before she
could attend to him, a blast of fire came towards her. With lightning speed, she pulled out her
sword just in time to parry the flame while quickly moving her free hand to draw up water
and trap her opponent in ice. She did not want to kill the young soldier, but being a
firebender, she knew she did not have much time before he broke free of his ice enclosure.
She turned her attention back to the Water Tribe warrior who still showed signs of life.
Kneeling down next to him, her eyes on his wound, she melted a handful of snow and began
healing the injury. Despite the glowing water that was mending the wound, she could feel his
life slipping away. She knew there had been too much blood and fluid loss to save him.

“Chiara?” he said softly.

Her eyes moved to his face. Half of it was disfigured by fire, but her eyes grew wide in
recognition. “Surak?” she said as tears welled up.

“You're here?” he said in a weak voice.

“I'm here to help,” she nodded. “Hold still.”

She could not help the tears that flowed down her cheeks as she knew no amount of healing
could replace the blood he had lost. She continued working until the wound was closed.

“Surak, there-there's too much blood,” she said sorrowfully.

He slowly pulled one of his charred gloves off and took her hand in his.

“I'm sorry,” she cried. “I'm so sorry.”

His grip tightened on her hand, and then his whole body relaxed. She lay her head over him
and cried.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered tearfully.

She sat up and released his hand before closing his blue-green eye that had not been burned
away. Getting to her feet she wiped the tears from her face inadvertently smearing blood
across her cheeks. The young firebender had finally broken free of the ice and threw another
blast of fire at her, but she quickly slashed her sword easily blocking the flame while drawing
a wave of water over him covering him completely. She approached him, her clothing, face,
and hands covered in the blood of her kin. Her stormy eyes were drawn to the spear in one of
his hands; it was covered in the blood of the Water Tribesmen. She could see the firebender
struggling inside his ice prison, and she wondered if he could melt the ice before suffocating.
She did not have it in her to allow him to suffer; she was not a savage or a barbarian as the
young soldier in front of her most likely believed. She melted the ice around his face and
head, and he began taking deep breaths gasping for air. She put her sword to his throat.

“I will show you more mercy than you showed my family,” she said in a flat voice.

Pressing her sword against the soldier's neck she saw fear in his yellow eyes. His were not the
unique gold and amber of the royal family, but they were a shade not unfamiliar to her having
lived among and worked with Fire Nation citizens most of her life. He closed them bracing
himself for the pain and the end of his earthly journey. She withdrew her sword from his
throat, and swinging it, she removed the head of his spear. She had no intention of taking his
life. She glanced back at Surak's lifeless body. The urgency of her mission re-awakened
within her, and placing her grief for her cousin and the other warriors in the back of her mind
with the intention to mourn them later if she survived, she ran away from the soldier and
began looking for Zhao.

--------------------------------

Chiara had finally spotted Zhao and his troop from a distance. They had already made it into
the city and were heading towards the Spirit Oasis. She sprinted after them as fast as she
could. By the time she reached the garden she was appalled to see Zhao violently snatch one
of the koi from the pond. As he stuffed it into a bag, the moon became as red as blood
bathing the entire oasis in an eerie red glow. Chiara suddenly felt dizzy, like she had been
drained of her energy. Standing behind him and his soldiers, she made a move to send ice
over him in order to stop him, but the water did not respond to her summoning; her
connection to it was gone.

“I am a legend now,” he boasted proudly, grasping the bag with the koi. “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 Moonslayer, Zhao the Invincible!”
Chiara pulled out her sword, and at the sound of the blade being removed from its sheath,
Zhao and his men turned to see her.

“Put it back,” she demanded deeply.

Zhao did not recognize her, but before he could do more than flash an evil grin at her, Momo
jumped on his head pulling on his sideburns.

“Ugh...get it off!” he cried. “Get it off!”

While his firebenders were reaching towards him to disengage his furry attacker, Chiara saw
that Team Avatar had landed in the oasis. She was relieved that the Avatar was okay, but she
was worried about Zuko and wondered if he ever made it into the city.

When Zhao saw the Avatar on the other side of the water, he and his men stood ready for
battle, as did Aang. The admiral glanced back at Chiara, whom he still did not recognize and
who was also ready to fight. He was surrounded by enemies, but he was completely unfazed,
and he flashed another cocky smirk as he looked again at the Avatar.

“Don't bother,” he said raising a flame-covered fist, threatening to destroy the moon spirit.

“Zhao!” cried Aang, relaxing his stance and raising his hands in surrender. “Don't.”

“It's my destiny,” he started in a soft, but dangerous voice, “to destroy the moon and the
Water Tribe.”

“Destroying the moon won't hurt just the Water Tribe,” said Aang gently. “It will hurt
everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything will fall out of balance. You have no
idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world.”

“He is right, Zhao,” came Iroh's deep voice.

Chiara was happy and relieved to see him.

“General Iroh,” said the admiral calmly. “Why am I not surprised to discover your
treachery?”

“I'm no traitor, Zhao,” he said dropping his hood. “The Fire Nation needs the moon too. We
all depend on the balance.”

Zhao did not move further enraging Iroh.

“Whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash on you tenfold!” Iroh threatened angrily. “Let it
go now!!”

Chiara was proud of him.

Zhao relaxed, and then he slowly emptied the bag releasing the moon spirit back into the
pond. There was still tension in the air, but there was hope that the spirit was safe. Enraged,
Zhao stood up and quickly released a stream of fire at it. With the murder of the moon spirit,
the sky and the oasis became dark, and Chiara, filled with sudden weakness, had fallen to her
knees. Immediately the darkness of the garden was lit up by the fire blasts Iroh sent at Zhao
and his men. Chiara was desperate to jump in and help him, but she was still trying to recover
her strength. Iroh, though, held his own against Zhao and his soldiers, and after a short battle
they were all lying on the ground in defeat. Iroh now approached the pond where he had once
meditated, once journeyed into the spirit realm in search of his lost son. He gazed sadly as the
ocean spirit circled the corpse of the moon spirit. He reached down and tenderly lifted the
dead koi out of the water.

Chiara sheathed her sword and took a step towards him, but then she was relieved to see
Zuko jumping down off Appa's back. She turned to take a step in his direction, but movement
from Zhao stopped her. Seeing Zhao get up after looking at the exit, she quickly ran out of
the garden first determined to stop him. When he came running out, she stood before him
with her hood down.

His eyes narrowed as he now recognized her. “Well, like traitor father like traitor daughter,”
he growled. He took notice of the blood on her. “And how many of our Nation did you betray
to be covered in their blood?”

“It's the blood of the innocent for which you are responsible,” she said deeply.

“Innocent?” he scoffed. “And who are the innocent? The filthy Water Tribe? Without their
moon spirit they're finished.”

“The spirits will seek justice for your crime against nature,” she warned him. “But I seek it
for what you did to Prince Zuko.”

Chiara did not know it, but Zuko had followed Zhao, and he was amazed to hear her defend
him.

A contemptuous smile grew on Zhao's face. “And did you know I had him killed when you
begged me to take you for my wife?”

Zuko's heart stopped, and he wondered what Zhao meant.

“Or was revenge your plan for our wedding night?” the admiral sneered.

“I would've kept my promise had you accepted my condition,” she said.

“It's too late for that now; the Water filth will soon be wiped out. And it's a shame to have to
dispose of another member of the royal family, but I can't let you live to tell anyone of my
dealing with the prince.”

He threw a fire blast at her, but she had quickly drawn her sword and blocked it. Zuko had
been ready to jump in to protect her, but he could not help watching her mesmerized by her
skill as she defended herself expertly. During their battle, none of them had noticed the eerie
glow filling the canals in the distance. After another blast from Zhao, Chiara slid across the
ice and sliced his leg.
“You're going to die for that!” he growled.

He threw another blast at her which she dodged.

“Too bad your traitor father won't be here to see me kill you.”

He began throwing blast after blast at her, but was unable to strike her. Suddenly, a fire blast
shot past him from his right. He turned expecting to see Iroh, but shock took over his visage
when he saw the younger prince.

“You're alive?!” Zhao hissed.

“You won't touch her!” yelled Zuko throwing another blast at him.

Zhao ducked and dodged away from the prince's attack. “Well, Iroh isn't here to see me kill
her, but at least you can watch.”

“Murdering people seems to be your profession,” said Zuko. “You tried to have me killed
too.”

“Yes, I did,” he said calmly as Zuko stepped through the smoke of his attack. “You're the
Blue Spirit, an enemy of the Fire Nation.”

Chiara sheathed her sword.

“You freed the Avatar...,” continued Zhao.

“Are you sure about that?” asked Chiara pulling out the dao swords.

Zhao glared at her. “It was you?!” he said deeply and angrily.

He moved to attack her, but Zuko kicked out fire before punching more blasts at him. Zhao
smoothly diverted his attacks.

“I'm going to kill both of you,” he growled. He stood up straight and dropped his cape to the
ground while scowling fiercely at Chiara. “You never should've gotten in my way.” Flames
engulfed his hands. “I'm going to make sure Iroh can't recognize that pretty little face of
yours,” he threatened.

The mere threat of burning anyone's face enraged Zuko who kicked another burst of fire at
him. The force of the blast pushed Zhao backwards as he blocked it.

“And you should have chosen to accept your failure,” he said to the prince. “You're a
disgrace. Then, at least, you could have lived!”

He punched out an enormous flame, but Chiara stepped between them and parried it with the
dao. Before Zhao could attack her, Zuko kicked fire at him, but he dodged it while returning
it with two fire punches, one towards each of them. Zhao continued throwing powerful blasts
of fire at the two teens, while Zuko dodged, blocked, and fought with his own fire, and
Chiara blocked and attacked with her swords. Zhao, bruised and bleeding, was wearing down
battling the two.

During their fight, the darkness around them diminished as the moon suddenly became bright
again and everything around them was illuminated. Chiara hesitated when she felt the power
coursing through her body, and if Zuko and Zhao had not been so busy fighting each other,
they might have noticed a warm glow about her. Zuko, punching a fierce blast at him, sent
him flying backwards on the bridge. Zuko stood over him threateningly, but Zhao's eyes were
not on the prince.

“It can't be!” the man cried.

Zuko's first thought was that it was a trick, but the fear in the man's eyes was too real, and he
turned to his left to see what could cause such panic. The prince's golden eyes came to rest on
the bright moon in the sky.

In his fury, Zhao prepared to attack Zuko, but Chiara, who was just behind Zuko's right side,
never took her eyes off the admiral. She moved her hand drawing up ice underneath Zhao
freezing him in his place. When his eyes met hers, he saw within them a slight green glow as
if the celestial lights flashed through her eyes. He scowled at her.

“You're Water Tribe filth in the heart of the Fire Nation!” he snarled at her as Zuko turned
back and looked at him.

He wondered what Zhao meant, and he glanced at Chiara who just shrugged like she did not
know what he was talking about. Suddenly, the water underneath the bridge, enlightened by
the ocean spirit joined to the Avatar, rose up and towered over them. Chiara quickly sheathed
her swords, grabbed Zuko's arm, and pulled him out from underneath the massive living
wave. She continued pulling on him until they were off the bridge where they stopped.

“On your knees,” she said.

“Wha...?!”

She pulled him to his knees next to her where she had her head bowed just as the rest of the
Water Tribe had done all over the city in the presence of the ocean spirit. Chiara took his
hand and held it tightly in hers. Zuko bowed his head slightly, but he did not take his eyes off
Zhao as the water engulfed him, dragging him over the bridge. When he was gone, the
glowing water disappeared. Zuko looked at Chiara before wrapping his arms around her and
holding onto her.

When he released her, he looked at the blood on her skin and clothes.

“You were injured?” he asked as he tenderly touched her cheek.

“No,” she said as she shook her head.

He was curious as to whose blood it was, but he wanted to escape before they could be
caught by the Water Tribe.
He stood up. “We have to get out of here.”

He took her hand, and after helping her to her feet, they went to search for Iroh.

Finding him outside the Spirit Oasis, he was excited to see them both alive. He hugged them
both at the same time, and after releasing them, he tenderly touched Chiara's face.

“I was afraid...I was afraid I would never see you again,” he said to her. “Are you hurt?”

“Not physically,” she said softly.

He nodded his head in understanding.

“We need to get to the shore,” he said.

They stayed in the remote areas of the city as they looked for a way out avoiding any of the
Water Tribesmen. Most of the warriors were busy collecting prisoners while others were
collecting corpses from both Nations for identification and burial.

When they found their way out of the city, they started making their way towards the shore,
collecting fresh water on the way. When Zuko was far enough ahead of them, Chiara took the
opportunity to speak to Iroh privately.

“Surak's dead,” she said, tears filling her eyes as she spoke the words out loud.

“I-I am so sorry, Chiara.”

“I tried to save him, but...but he had lost too much blood before I found him.”

The tears fell and Iroh stopped and took her in his arms holding her tightly.

“He was a good man,” he said softly.

When Zuko stopped at a small stream he realized they had fallen far behind him. He saw Iroh
holding her and wondered what was going on.

“Zhao's dead too,” she said softly when he released her. “The ocean spirit won.”

Iroh shook his head. “He never should've trifled with the spirits.”

They continued walking until they caught up to Zuko.

“Is everything okay?” he asked his uncle.

“It's been a long night,” said Iroh.

Seeing Chiara's red eyes, he wondered if she was mourning Zhao's death especially as he
thought back to their conversation of which he was very curious to learn more.

Chiara knelt down to collect water, and after filling up a skin, she put her hands in the icy
stream and began rubbing off the blood. When it was gone, she kept scrubbing feeling like it
would never come off even if it was not visible. Zuko, noticing she still had her hands in the
cold water, knelt down beside her and pulled them out, and he began warming them in his
own. Tears ran down her cheeks not even making streaks through the dried blood on her face.

“Uncle, warm up the water in the skin,” he said handing it to him.

Iroh did as he requested, and Zuko poured some of the warm water onto a cloth. He tenderly
cleaned the blood from her face. Her tears kept falling, and when he finished cleaning away
the blood, he wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cried. He had no idea what
happened to her or what she had been through, but it broke his heart to see her so sorrowful.

“It's okay, Chiara,” he said softly, gently rubbing her back. “It's over now.”

When she stopped crying, she pulled away from him, and they stood up and continued
making their way towards the shore. Iroh began collecting debris which they used to build a
raft while Chiara collected other items that she thought might be useful since she was not
sure how long they would be at sea. Just as they were about to step on the raft, Iroh stood
before her.

“It's still your choice,” he said softly.

Zuko overheard him and was wondering what he meant.

“I choose you,” she replied softly. “If you'll have me.”

“I never made a better decision than on that day in the village all those years ago,” he said in
reference to his decision to bring her home with him.

He grabbed hold of her and held her. When he released her, he took her hand and helped her
onto the raft where Zuko took her other hand and pulled her on board. He jumped off and
helped Iroh push the raft from the shore, and then they left the North Pole together.

Chiara was helping Iroh rig a sail while Zuko stood staring at the snow covered land they
were leaving. None of his plans had worked out, and once again he was heading nowhere
without the Avatar.

“I'm surprised, Prince Zuko,” said Iroh a bit warily, “surprised that you are not at this
moment trying to capture the Avatar.”

“I'm tired,” he said softly.

“Then you should rest.” His uncle placed a hand on his shoulder. “A man needs his rest.”

Zuko lay on the deck and closed his eyes. As he rested, Chiara sat on the other side of the raft
stealthily using her waterbending to propel them.

“What happened in the Spirit Oasis?” she softly asked Iroh. “Didn't Zhao destroy the moon
spirit?”
“Princess Y...” He glanced at Zuko who still lay quietly with his eyes closed. “...uh...the
princess gave her life to bring it back.”

Chiara stopped waterbending as the pain of another loss overtook her. She glanced at Iroh,
and his own mournful gaze verified the truth of his words. Her feelings, however, were
mixed. She was sad at the death of her friend Yue, yet impressed and grateful for her
sacrifice.

“How honorable of her,” she said, though sadly.

She did not want to verbally express her sadness over Yue's death or her familiarity with the
princess in case Zuko was listening in, so for now she kept her grief to herself, but Iroh
understood. With her back to them, however, she let her tears fall.

As their makeshift raft sailed away from the North Pole, they began to see more of the
destruction left by the retaliation of the ocean spirit against the Fire Nation Navy. In the dim
twilight it appeared as thought they were sailing between giant black icebergs, but as the sun
began rising, its rays fell upon the remains of the capsized ships. They discovered more
debris floating in the sea, and as Chiara quietly cried with her back to them, she saw
something drifting near the raft. She wiped the tears from her eyes, and once they focused she
let out a small gasp and leaned back. Iroh moved towards her as Zuko quickly got up to see
what was wrong. The body of a Fire Nation soldier was floating nearby. Zuko took Chiara in
his arms and held her to him. The soldier was not alone; looking out, the prince could see that
the ocean was littered with the corpses of his Nation among the debris of destroyed vessels.
Chiara held onto Zuko and quietly cried into his shoulder. She cried for all the dead, and she
hoped that none of the deceased soldiers was anyone she knew from Zuko's ship.

When she went to sit up, Zuko kept hold of her. “Don't,” he said softly keeping his hand on
her head.

He held her for over an hour as they made their way through the debris field. To keep from
staring for so long at the remains of his own people, he often closed his eyes resting his cheek
against her soft hair, peering up only to see if they cleared the field. When there were no
more bodies visible, he released her.

“It's been a long night, Chiara,” said Iroh holding two flames as a memorial for the deceased
of both Nations. “Why don't you get some rest.”

Zuko helped her to lie down, and then he tenderly caressed her head for a few minutes before
also holding a vigil for the dead.
 Adrift

By late afternoon, all that could be seen was the great expanse of the ocean circled by the
horizon with an occasional iceberg in the distance.

“One nice thing about living on the ship was the galley,” said Iroh as his stomach growled.

“You have a menu of seafood before you,” said Chiara softly still lying on the deck. “How
about fish?”

“Anything would be good right now, even the sail,” he said with a grim smile.

Zuko was awake just lying on his back still worn, tired, and dejected. Chiara rolled over and
leaned over her edge of the raft. She scanned beneath the surface of the water until she
spotted a school of fish. She unsheathed her sword, and picking out a fish of interest, she
stealthily froze part of the water around it, and at the same time she used her sword to impale
it giving the impression that she caught it with just her sword.

“Very good, Chiara,” said Iroh when he saw the fish at the end of her sword. “And I was
worried about losing our cook to Zhao.”

She pulled out her knife and began preparing their future meal.

“We need to burn these,” she said of the innards. “I don't want to throw them in the water.”

Iroh burned the discarded fish parts before he began cooking the fish. Zuko had no desire to
eat, but the smell of the frying fish made his stomach ache with hunger, and he was unable to
resist sitting up and joining them. Chiara took only a small piece leaving as much as she
could for the men.

“You should eat more than that, Chiara,” said Zuko softly, noting her small portion.

“I've had enough.”

“Uncle, can't you make her eat more?”

“As growing men, you need to eat,” she said.

“He doesn't need to grow anymore,” said Zuko pointing to his uncle's rotund figure.

Iroh only chuckled while eating his lunch.

“Before we left the Fire Nation, Ezih told me to take care of both of you,” she said. Her voice
was soft and sad. “What good am I if I can't feed my guys?”

Zuko's mouth opened as it occurred to him that she had seen that as her own personal
mission, and taking care of him and his uncle was something she had taken very seriously
ever since they left the Fire Nation years earlier.
“You're alive,” he answered her.

“I promise I won't starve.”

“We can always eat the sea vultures when they come down to feed on us,” said Iroh trying to
lighten the mood.

“You're not helping, Uncle,” Zuko scowled at him.

“If we have the energy to catch them,” deadpanned Chiara.

“That's not funny,” he said, now glaring at her.

“I wasn't trying to be,” she said softly.

When darkness settled on them, Chiara started propelling the raft while Zuko slept. She
watched the moon as it began its ascent above the horizon, and she could not stop the tears
that came to her eyes as she thought about Yue. By the time the moon had traveled across
half of the sky, she felt cold and tired, but she continued bending the water around them
anxious to get them to land. Iroh began worrying about her hours later when he woke to find
that she was still propelling them. He sat up and moved close to her taking her hands in his.

“You're freezing, Chiara.” He started warming them in his own.

His warmth relieved the stiffness in her fingers brought on by the low temperatures.

“You should get some rest,” he said as he put his arms around her to warm her up.

She leaned against him enjoying the warmth he provided. He caressed her head just as he had
done when she was a child in need of comfort.

“Let the gentle current rock you to sleep,” he said.

She was worn out and tired, so she nodded and then lay down on the deck where she fell
asleep until the sun started its course through the sky.

Her sleep was dreamless that night, and when her mind began waking she lay with her eyes
closed while allowing her other senses to take in her surroundings. There was no droning
engine to let her know she was safely on board Zuko's ship, or even on Zhao's. The only
sounds to be heard were water gently splashing against metal mixed with Iroh's soft snores.
She did not feel the smooth rocking of the cruiser as it sped through the sea, but only the
choppier movements of their homemade raft as it drifted across the ocean. A chill breeze
blew over her face and she forced her eyes open. The sun was just making its appearance
over the horizon while the ocean reflected its golden rays. She sat up to see Zuko sitting
quietly on the other end of the raft leaning against their makeshift mast and staring out at the
sea.
Zuko had been watching her sleep, but when she began to stir awake, he turned his eyes to
the ocean. He had been thinking about everything, and, as usual, Chiara constantly entered
his thoughts. He had not forgotten that she referred to him as her prince, and especially her
heart, after the attempted assassination. He was impressed that she disguised herself as Water
Tribe and attacked Zhao, and that she made him believe that she had been the Blue Spirit. But
he was also concerned and worried by the conversation between her and the admiral. The
mere thought that Chiara begged to be Zhao's wife disturbed him, and he could never imagine
her doing so. He wanted to believe Zhao was lying, but Chiara never argued with his claim,
but only confirmed its truth.

“Are you okay?” she asked. She realized it was stupid question to ask considering their
circumstances, but it was too late to take it back.

He was not okay. He moved his eyes to focus on hers. There were dark rings around them,
and her face was pale. He had never seen her look so worn out. “As okay as I can be stranded
on a raft in the middle of the sea,” he answered darkly.

“Are you hungry?”

He shrugged. “I'll wait 'til Uncle's ready to eat...which'll be as soon as he opens his eyes.”

She knelt over the edge and started looking for schools. He watched her. He was not used to
seeing her in Water Tribe clothes and he was having trouble getting used to it, especially as
she was covered in blood.

“Where'd you get the clothes?” he asked.

“I found them.”

“Why?”

“I was on a mission.”

His brow furrowed as he wondered what mission she could have been on. “A mission?”

“I knew Zhao was planning to destroy the moon spirit,” she said. “I went to stop him, but I
failed,” she added sadly, her eyes losing focus on the water. “I wasn't able to get to him in
time before he destroyed it.”

“Did Uncle send you on that mission?” he asked both shocked and upset that his uncle would
send her alone into enemy territory to deal with Zhao.

“No. I just couldn't take anymore of his plans to destroy the Water Tribe.”

“So you just left the ship and broke into that ice fortress?” he asked incredulously.

She turned to look at him. “Didn't you?”

He raised his eyebrows at her retort. “Yes, but...but I wouldn't have made it in without my
firebending.”
She shrugged. “You have your resources; I have mine, Blue Spirit,” she added in a whisper,
but she could not help blushing as she spoke the name of his alter ego. She wondered if she
would ever be able to speak it without feeling her cheeks flush as the memories of her rescue
brought a flutter to her chest. She found it to be a sweet respite from her other thoughts.

His lip curled at her response, and she found his smirk to be a ray of sunshine piercing
through the darkness of the past week.

“So you're the Blue Spirit,” he said softly, remembering her words to Zhao. “I never would've
guessed.”

“There's still a rumor floating around that it's the Avatar,” she said as she released the strap of
the sheath holding the dao swords. “And seeing how I was blindfolded, it's a very
real...and...uh...concerning possibility,” she added remembering their kiss.

He quietly laughed and shook his head. “I don't like that rumor,” he said, trying not to
imagine her and the Avatar kissing.

She slid the sheath towards him.

“Did you...did you really mean what you said to Zhao?” he asked her. “About justice...for
me?”

“I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it.”

It touched him deeply to know that she stood up to Zhao for him. “You were really good
when you fought him.”

“Thanks to you.”

“You would've defeated him without me,” he said.

“I meant thanks to training with you.”

She turned back to the water and continued looking for fish while he continued watching her.

“Whose blood?” he asked her.

Tears fell from her eyes, and she was thankful he could not see her face as she tried to
stealthily wipe them away. Zuko, however, noticed her movement and suspected what she
had done, and he wondered what violence she had encountered to be covered in so much
blood.

“A Water Tribe warrior,” she said softly.

His eyes were wide and he straightened his back, his whole body going stiff. “Did...did
you...?” he started, but before he could finish the question, it occurred to him that he was not
sure he wanted to hear her answer.
“I tried to help him.” Her voice broke slightly as she spoke, and more tears fell down her
cheeks.

Zuko's body relaxed, but he was surprised to find himself so relieved to learn that she had not
killed the warrior. Knowing her as he did having lived with her compassionate nature for so
long, he realized he should have suspected the blood was the result of her trying to help
someone.

They grew silent as they were lost in their own thoughts. Zuko had been anxious to bring up
her and Zhao's conversation, but he was also hesitant. He was not sure if he wanted to hear it.
Her words on the dock of he, himself, being her prince and her heart, and her words of
seeking justice on his behalf made him believe that she loved him as he had always loved her.
But to hear that she offered herself to another man, especially to Zhao, made his heart ache.

Before he could work up his courage to question her, Iroh woke up, and as Zuko predicted, he
was hungry.

“Oh, what fish will be on the menu for breakfast?” he asked running a quick hand over his
disheveled gray hair.

“The first one I catch,” said Chiara still scanning the water.

After the first week, fish close to the surface became more scarce and they were surviving on
one a day. The weather was still cool, though not freezing; however, nights were colder with
the sun down. It was at night when Chiara would wait until Zuko was asleep that she would
waterbend waves to propel the raft south. As time progressed, she went from dreamless sleep
to having nightmares as the dead haunted her dreams. The days were long and dull since
there was nothing to do except look for fish which got tedious after a while. Zuko and Chiara
both desired to exercise, but with the scarcity of food, they did not want to expend their
energy.

Every morning, she would start looking for fish as soon as she could see.

“Have you seen anything good today, Chiara?” asked Iroh when he woke up one morning.

“No. I've been looking all morning, but I have yet to see a single fish bigger than a minnow.”

She continued scanning the water as Iroh and Zuko joined her in the search, but there were no
large schools to be seen.

The day went by and as the sun drew closer to setting it became impossible to see anything
beneath the surface, so they went without food.

As soon as the sun was bright enough the next day, Chiara was up hunting for fish again, and
Iroh and Zuko both joined her when they woke up. Hours had gone by, but they found
nothing to eat.
“Army rations would be good right now,” said Iroh as he lay back on the deck.

Chiara glanced up at the sky. “I'm thinking sea vultures would be a nice change in diet.”

“We might get our chance soon,” he said.

She stood up and took off her knife and sword.

“What are you doing?” asked Zuko as she dropped her coat.

“I'm going in.” She was now strapping her knife to her waist

“What?!” He stood up. “You can't catch a fish like that.”

“I won't know if I don't try.”

“But...but it's too cold. You'll freeze,” he argued.

“I'll be fine.” She started removing her boots.

He looked pleadingly at Iroh. “Uncle, don't let her do this.”

Iroh did not even move to look at him. “I would argue, Zuko, but it is getting late, and we do
need food.”

“You can go without a few meals. She could die in there.”

“If something happens to me, I'll float to the surface and you'll have fresh meat,” she said.

He scowled at her. “You don't have enough meat on you for an appetizer,” he growled.

She smirked at his reply.

“Chiara is a good swimmer as she has demonstrated before,” said Iroh waving his hand
dismissively in the air. “She'll be fine.”

When she stepped to the edge, Zuko grabbed her arm. “Chiara, please don't do this,” he
begged. “I-I don't want to lose you.”

She was touched and tempted to obey him. She placed her hand on his. “I promise you won't.
I'm just going swimming.”

She took a deep breath, placed her knife blade between her teeth, and jumped in the water.
Zuko kept his eyes on where she went until he could no longer see her. He held his own
breath as he waited and worried.

“Uncle, why did you let her do this?” he demanded, not taking his eyes off the water.

“We need to eat, Prince Zuko.”

“Not if it's going to kill her.”

Zuko began pacing around the raft scanning the water hoping to catch a glimpse of her.

“Where is she?” he said feeling more nervous when he saw no sign of her.

“She is probably still waiting for something good to swim by.”

“How can you not be worried?” he asked him.

Iroh sat up while Zuko continued pacing and worrying.

“She's been under too long,” said the prince. “Something's wrong.”

He stood at the edge of the raft getting ready to jump in to look for her, but hearing a splash,
he turned and was relieved to see Chiara holding on to the other side.

She hauled a fish out of the water. “Take this,” she said as she could not lift it up on the raft.

“Uncle, grab it,” said Zuko as he started pulling it out of the water.

Once Iroh took hold of the fish, Zuko reached down and pulled Chiara onto the raft. She was
shivering since she would not waterbend herself dry in front of him.

“You're freezing,” he said touching her cold skin.

“I'll-I'll be okay.”

She knelt down next to the fish and pulled out her knife.

“What are you doing?” asked Zuko.

“I-I have to-to g-gut i-it,” she said, her teeth chattering.

“No. You're shaking too much.” He took the knife from her and held it out to Iroh. “Uncle,
you deal with that.”

“I've never gutted a fish before,” said Iroh frowning at the knife.

Zuko glared at him and slammed the knife on the deck. “Then dinner's going to have to
wait.” He placed her coat over her shoulders. “Look at her. She risked her life for your
stomach.”

She was pulling her boots back on, her hands still shaking.

Zuko sat down next to her. “Come here.” He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around
her inside her coat and warmed her with his body producing heat to raise her temperature.
“You're not doing that again.”

“You're-you're so-so warm,” she said still shivering. “Y-you f-firebenders are r-really useful.”

He chuckled at her comment. She rested her head against his shoulder and held onto him, and
he tenderly placed his hand on her head. He was reminded of the time she saved Tedo during
the storm. Her body had been cold, but not this cold, and he was worried about her.

Iroh appreciated his nephew's concern and care for Chiara. It was not the first time he
wondered if it would be wiser to let Zuko know that she was a waterbender. The usefulness
of her bending might outweigh any possible consequences. Though he could not imagine
Zuko hurting her, he did know his nephew's temper, so he once again decided to withhold
revealing it to him.

While Zuko continued holding her, his thoughts drifted to the night on the dock after the
assassination attempt. He remembered being in the water after the explosion. His ears were
ringing, but he could still hear Chiara's voice calling his name. Every part of his body had
ached which was amplified by the water which felt as though it was pulling on him. He had
not remembered the tides being so strong that day, and he wondered if the explosion itself
caused the strong waves which pulled his body towards the shore. He could barely remember
climbing up on the dock, but he could still hear Chiara crying over him, the sorrow and grief
in her voice had made his heart ache as he had made his way towards her. 'My prince, my
heart' still echoed in his head.

He was relieved when she stopped shivering, but he continued holding her.

“I can feel my fingers again,” she said as she went to sit up.

“Are you sure?” he asked. He did not want to let her go. “You're still soaked.”

“The fire will help dry out my clothes.”

He reluctantly released her, and she took her knife and proceeded to gut the fish.

“Did you learn that from Ozen?” Zuko asked as he watched her.

“No. Tai taught me in the General's kitchen back home.”

“What would we do without you, Chiara?” asked Iroh.

“You'd be eating sushi.”

He laughed. “That's if we could catch it.”

They continued drifting for two weeks. In the evening when Zuko was asleep Chiara would
remain awake for hours waterbending in order to boost the raft's speed. She would usually
continue until Iroh made her stop as he knew she was exhausted. During the day, Zuko would
not let her go under water anymore to catch fish despite her insistence, so they lived on the
few fish she was able to catch from the boat.

Zuko never thought he would miss being back on his own ship, but he would have given
anything to be standing on the deck with his crew rather than drifting aimlessly, lost in the
middle of nowhere wondering if this was where his life would end. His eyes moved from the
endless ocean to Chiara and Iroh. He did not want to think about them dying, but he knew
there was a possibility that he would have to watch them slowly starve to death. He hated the
thought. It seemed that his life just kept shrinking—from living as the Crown Prince of the
Fire Nation to living as a banished prince on a ship at sea to dying on a raft with the only two
people who stayed by his side through all of it. It was his fault they were here with him, and
now it was his fault they were going to die in the same shameful manner he was.

Near the end of the second week, their fresh water had run out despite their rationing it.
Chiara took a metal bowl she had collected from the shore and filled it with sea water.

“What are you doing?” asked Zuko hoarsely as he watched her prop the bowl underneath a
piece of metal.

“We need fresh water,” she answered. Her voice was a bit hoarse as well due to thirst. “Can
you boil the water, please?”

He held a flame underneath the bowl, and as the steam collected on the metal plate, Chiara
tipped it into one of their empty water skins. It seemed to take forever to collect such a small
amount of water, but they continued working together until they had enough to share. Zuko
appreciated her forethought in gathering materials before they left land.

By the end of the second week, the weather was much warmer as they had traveled farther
south. Zuko still refused to allow Chiara to go back in the water, so she lay on the edge of the
raft looking for fish while he leaned against the mast staring listlessly at the horizon. Iroh was
lying on the deck still asleep. Suddenly, Zuko thought he saw something. He rubbed his eyes
and looked again.

“Land,” he said, his voice barely working.

Chiara slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position and focused her eyes on where he was
pointing. Instead of seeing the same smooth perfect line of the horizon where sky met ocean
that had been their only view for two weeks, there was a rough, uneven mass rising above sea
level. They both stood up and started adjusting the sail.

“Uncle, there's land ahead,” said Zuko.

Iroh slowly sat up, the lack of food taking its toll on his energy. He was relieved when he
spotted the misty land rising out of the ocean. The sea breeze filled their sail, and they were
thankful it was blowing strong. Chiara desperately wanted to help by waterbending them
there as fast as she could, but she held back.

“I wish I was an airbender right now,” she said.

Zuko and Iroh laughed.

As they sailed closer to the land Zuko looked at Chiara. “I'll race you.”

She smiled and then dove into the water; Zuko followed her leaving Iroh on his own to sail
the raft towards the beach. When they arrived close to the shore where it was shallow, Chiara
stood up and started running. Zuko also stood up and ran after her playfully tackling her and
taking her down in the water. He quickly jumped up to run, but she grabbed his ankle and
pulled on it until he fell down in the wet sand. As soon as she stood up again, he reached out
for her, but she jumped over him and started sprinting towards the land before he could grab
her. She already made it to the dry shore when he caught up and tackled her again.

“I never thought I'd miss land this much,” he said.

“Or at least a bigger boat,” she said softly.

Zuko laughed. He felt elated to be back on shore, to be off the raft, to be anywhere at that
moment except drifting in the middle of the ocean.

They continued lying on the sand until Iroh sailed closer to the shore. Zuko stood up and took
Chiara's hand helping her to her feet. They returned to the water where they helped Iroh drag
their makeshift raft onto the beach. They grabbed their weapons, and Chiara grabbed her
Water Tribe coat and boots, and they started walking up the coast.

“We need to be careful until we find out where we are,” warned Iroh.

It did not take them long to discover where they were when they came across a huge resort.
Iroh and Chiara immediately recognized it.

“We could not have landed in a more perfect place,” said Iroh.

“It seems like a long time ago,” said Chiara sadly.

“You guys were here before?” asked Zuko.

“Yes,” answered Iroh. “We spent many relaxing days here.”

The weather was mild and the cherry trees were in bloom as they approached the Fire Nation
resort. As royalty from the Fire Nation, they were treated as such, and they were given a
small cottage where they left their few belongings.

“Let's go eat,” said Iroh, his stomach growling loudly at the mere thought of food. “I'm
looking forward to some good Fire Nation cuisine.”

While enjoying a meal other than fish, Zuko was already making mental plans for resuming
his search for the Avatar, especially after discovering what day it was. After filling their
empty stomachs, they headed to the baths where Iroh and Zuko were led in one direction and
Chiara was led in another. They met up after they had bathed and changed into clean, dry
clothes. Zuko was content to see Chiara out of the Water Tribe clothing; and her hair, which
had been braided since the Siege, was now hanging about her in long, thick locks which he
always admired.

“I didn't think someone so beautiful could be even more so,” smiled Iroh when he saw her.

Zuko was thinking he felt the same way, and he was disappointed that he could not articulate
his feelings as eloquently as his uncle.
Chiara gave Iroh a small smile. She wished she felt as beautiful as Iroh believed her to be, but
the memories of the Siege were still fresh in her mind, so she remained quiet.

--------------------------

Feeling clean and sated, they took a walk taking in the scenery and enjoying the chance to
move around.

“Let's get massages,” suggested Iroh as they approached the spa.

“I'll pass,” said Zuko as he leaned against the wall.

“Me too,” said Chiara. “I'm going to walk around.”

As Iroh was enjoying his massage, Zuko sat nearby on the floor while Chiara walked outside
amid the trees and the falling cherry blossom petals. She found a quiet, solitary spot where
she sat down and cried, allowing herself to mourn Surak, Yue, and the dead warriors as well
as the Fire Nation soldiers, especially any she had known personally.

After so long adrift on the raft with little food and too little to do to take his mind off his
worries, and now stranded without a ship and crew, especially on the anniversary of his
banishment, Zuko was feeling moody and agitated.

“Aahhh,” moaned Iroh contentedly as the masseurs worked on his aching muscles. “This is
what I've been missing. Who knew floating on a piece of driftwood for two weeks with little
food and water and sea vultures waiting to pluck your liver could make one so tense.”

He glanced over at Zuko who sat impassive, saying nothing in his sullen state. Iroh noticed
that he had become moody quickly after learning the date earlier, but he was still surprised to
find that that one bit of information had completely destroyed the joy his nephew had felt
upon reaching land, and even caused him to brood despite a decent meal and a warm bath.
Walking over, Iroh sat down next to him.

“I see,” he started in a sympathetic tone. “It's the anniversary, isn't it?”

“Three years ago today I was banished. I lost it all. I want it back. I want the Avatar. I want
my honor, my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless.”

“I'm sure he doesn't,” said Iroh positively. “Why would he banish you if he didn't care?”

Zuko scowled at him before getting to his feet and walking off.

“Uh...,” frowned Iroh towards the masseurs. “...that came out wrong, didn't it?”

Zuko walked around the grounds until he found Chiara sitting underneath a cherry tree with
blossom petals speckling her hair. As he approached her, though, he realized she was crying,
so he knelt down next to her.

“Chiara? What's wrong?”

She was startled when she heard him and she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and
slowly shook her head.

“Tell me why you're crying,” he said gently caressing her head.

She could not tell him about her cousin or Yue.

“We're safe now,” he assured her assuming she might still be worried about the danger they
were in at the North Pole.

He took her hand and held it, and they sat there silently until they heard Iroh calling them.

That night, they all enjoyed lying down in a bed rather than sleeping on the cold, hard deck of
a raft, though once they were lying still they could still feel the movement of the waves when
they closed their eyes.

Despite the comfortable bed, something Chiara had not had in many years, she tossed and
turned throughout the night. It was long before sunrise when a nightmare kept her from
falling back to sleep, and she spent the next few hours in tears.

Iroh and Zuko rose with the sun, and the three of them enjoyed a fishless breakfast together.

“Oh, I slept so well last night,” said Iroh.

Zuko nodded in agreement. “It was more comfortable than a raft.”

Chiara was silent, but she looked tired and her eyes were red.

“What about you, Chiara?” Iroh had been worried about her silence. “How did you sleep?”

“Okay,” she said softly, barely touching the noodles in her bowl.

“You don't look okay,” said Zuko who had been worried about her as well.

“I...I woke up early.”

“Was your bed not comfortable?” Iroh asked her.

“It was.”

“Then you really should take advantage of the masseurs,” he suggested. “They will help with
all that tension.”

She was looking down at her bowl. “I'm going to look for work.”

“What?!” said Zuko, upset by the idea. “You don't need to work.”

“I want to keep busy.”

“Then go take a walk or...or get a massage like Uncle said.”

She did not feel like arguing, but she was determined to do anything to keep her mind from
dwelling on recent events. After breakfast she left the cottage and started towards the spa to
look for work.

“Chiara...” Zuko had hold of her arm, stopping her. “You shouldn't be doing manual labor,”
he argued. “You're royalty. You should be relaxing here.”

“I find work relaxing,” she said.

“You don't look well,” he said softly not wanting her to go. “You don't look like you slept at
all last night.”

“I told you I woke up early this morning.”

“Then go back inside and rest.”

“I can't,” she insisted. She could not be alone with her thoughts. “I need to keep busy.”

He sighed, but he let her go.

Every morning, Chiara woke up before sunrise after a restless sleep. Unable to go back to
sleep, she would sit outside under the stars and quietly cry.

One day after seeing that her sad and tired disposition was not improving, Zuko waited until
she left the cottage, and he went to talk to his uncle who was sitting out back beneath a cherry
tree with his morning tea.

“There's something wrong with her, Uncle,” he said as he stared out at the calm ocean in the
distance. “She's not sleeping and she always looks like she's been crying.”

“Give her time, Prince Zuko. We've all been through a lot recently.”

The trauma of seeing so many of their people dead had affected each of them. Though Iroh
had seen the casualties of war, he had never seen so many soldiers lost in one battle. But he
knew that Chiara was also mourning the loss of her cousin, Yue, and the other Water
tribesmen. He, too, mourned those innocent lives that were cut down too soon, but he knew it
was more personal for Chiara, and he understood that she needed time to heal.

“She hasn't been right since before the Siege...since before the assassination attempt,” said
Zuko trying to think back to when she last seemed herself.

“And she was very troubled by that,” said Iroh. “If I had not stopped her, she would've
jumped into the burning wreckage to look for you.”

Zuko turned to him, stunned to hear it. “R-really?”

Iroh nodded solemnly.

“But I'm alive,” said the prince. “Zhao failed, and now he's...he's gone. She shouldn't be
worried about that anymore.”

“Like I said, Nephew, give her time,” he repeated.

Zuko did not like that answer.

“Do...do you know what happened between her and Zhao?” he asked his uncle in a soft,
hesitant voice.

Iroh looked at him and contemplated whether he should tell him.

Zuko noticed the hesitation. “What happened?” he asked, now worried.

Iroh looked down at the teacup in his hand. “You remember Zhao's interest in taking Chiara
for his wife.”

“How can I forget,” he said in deep voice still feeling indignant about it.

“He believed marrying my daughter would put him close to the throne. I thought when he
discovered that Chiara was adopted he would lose interest, but I think he believed it would
still be a powerful union,” he said as if rambling to his teacup, though Zuko suspected he was
stalling.

“I already know that,” he said impatiently. “But something else happened between them.”

Iroh's eyes met Zuko's anxious ones. He knew his nephew was going to get upset. “When
Zhao talked of destroying the Water Tribe, Chiara offered herself as his wife on the condition
that he would abandon the Siege.”

“What?!” he yelled. “And you let her do that?!”

“It was a bigger surprise to me than it was to Zhao,” said Iroh. “I know how much she
despised him, yet she offered to be an obedient wife and give him many children if only he
would leave the Water Tribe alone.” Iroh stared blankly at his tea again. “He would've been
wiser to take her offer,” he added softly as he considered Zhao's fate.

Zuko found himself clenching his fists. He was both stunned and angry. “I...I can't believe
she would do that.”

Iroh looked at him. “Do not get upset with her, Prince Zuko,” he said as he worried about
Zuko's temper and Chiara's depressed state. “It's Chiara's nature to take care of others even if
it means sacrificing her own happiness, especially considering it was for an entire Nation.”

“But what if Zhao had accepted her offer?”

His uncle looked grave. “I thought he was going to when he requested to forgo the year of
promise.”

Zuko did not think he could feel any angrier or more disgusted with Zhao. “He what?!”
“I begged Chiara to reconsider, but she thought her life was a small price to pay.”

Zuko sighed as he knelt down nearby and tugged at a few blades of grass. “He wouldn't have
been good to her,” he said softly.

“She understood that, but she would've accepted it for the safety of the Water Tribe.”

“She wouldn't deserve it though,” said Zuko sadly as he thought about how cruelly Zhao
might have treated her. “I don't understand how she could sacrifice herself so easily. She
doesn't owe that Tribe anything.”

Iroh's eyes met his nephew's, but they did not betray any secret. “It wasn't easy for her, Zuko.
Later she was crying after Zhao had turned her down...”

“Good,” he interrupted. “She never should've made the offer.”

“No, you don't understand. She wasn't crying because Zhao turned her down; she was crying
because she thought she was a terrible person for being relieved that he refused her
proposal.”

Zuko was stunned, and he wondered what he could do to help her. As he processed the
information, he realized he still did not understand why she had been so depressed lately. The
Water Tribe was not destroyed and Zhao was dead. He knew there had to be something else
upsetting her.

Early the next morning Zuko woke before sunrise. He lay in bed with his mind turning over
new plans. Without his ship he needed to find a new way to search for the Avatar. Zuko was
sure that he would be searching for an earthbending master now, so it was just a matter of
finding a way to travel through the Earth Kingdom in disguise. But he had no resources, and
pondering over all he lost frustrated him. It was weeks ago when he wondered how much
worse his life could get, and that was before he lost his ship and crew. Now he was sure it
could not get any worse.

He climbed out of bed to step outside for fresh air. Walking through the cottage, he heard a
soft whimper as he passed Chiara's room. He stopped at her door.

“Chiara?” he said softly.

There was no answer.

“Chiara?” he called again.

There was still no answer, though he was sure she was inside. He slid the door open a little
and carefully peeked inside. Holding up a flame he slid the door open just enough to squeeze
through. He walked in to find her asleep, but she was moving around restlessly in her bed. He
had never entered her room before while she was sleeping, but he was too worried about her
to be concerned over the awkward feeling. Stepping over to the bed he carefully sat down
next to her. He tenderly caressed her head as she turned and moaned in her sleep, and he
wondered what was causing her so much distress. Suddenly, she sat up startling him, and his
flame went out. He quickly lit the small lamp next to the bed and when he turned back to her
she was looking down at her hands.

“Chiara, it's okay. You're okay,” he said.

Tears began streaming down her face. She wiped them from her eyes and turned away from
him in shame, her hair flowing around her like a veil. He put his hand on her back and gently
rubbed it.

“Chiara, please tell me what's wrong.”

She shook her head.

“Why not?” he asked.

She did not speak, but only cried quietly with her face in her hands.

“Chiara, something's wrong. You need to talk to me. You haven't been...well, you haven't
been yourself since before...since before the assassination attempt,” he said.

She continued crying.

“Please talk to me,” he begged. “I want to help you.”

She would not speak.

Not wanting to push her anymore, he turned her towards him and wrapped his arms around
her. He held her while caressing her head allowing her to cry on his shoulder. He wanted to
comfort her just as she comforted him after his nightmares during those first few weeks of his
banishment.

After a long time in his arms, she sat back, and he reached up and tenderly wiped the tears
from her cheeks.

“It...it's nothing I've done, is it?” he asked her.

She looked up at him and shook her head. “No,” she answered softly. She hesitated, but then
she finally decided to tell him. “When-when I was looking for Zhao, I came across so many
dead warriors. There was so much blood.” Her voice was soft and nearly a whisper and she
was looking at her hands again as if she could still see blood on them. “One of them was still
alive. He-he died holding my hand.”

More tears fell and her sorrow broke his heart, so he wrapped his arms around her and held
her again. He thought it had been one man she tried to save, not a field of dead warriors.
Suddenly, his own worries seemed less heavy at that moment.

“I'm so sorry, Chiara.”

“I couldn't help him,” she softly cried. “Every time I close my eyes, I see those burned
warriors, their blood, one taking his last breath.”

He continued holding her caressing her head. He had no idea that she had seen such violence.
He remembered Iroh speaking of the burials of the Air Nomad remains being hard on her
tender heart. He could not even imagine how difficult actually seeing the slaughter of the
Water Tribe had been for her. Though he saw the remains of his people floating in the
aftermath of the ocean spirit's wrath, he never saw the battles or the blood of the soldiers as
he was too busy looking for the Avatar.

“I'm sorry,” he said softly as he held her more tightly.

 Family Reunion

Iroh, Zuko, and Chiara remained at the spa resort. During their stay, Iroh took advantage of
the quiet time by walking the beach or relaxing in the spa. Chiara kept busy having taken up
work as a seamstress, or cooking, or cleaning which it made it easier for her to deal with her
memories of the Siege. She was even able to sleep through the night as her nightmares
lessened in intensity. Zuko, however, had been growing increasingly tense and upset. Even he
struggled with the loss of his people at the North Pole, so many Fire Nation soldiers
unnecessarily sacrificed to Zhao's ego, possibly even his own crewmen. But now he was
stranded in the northern Earth Kingdom with no Avatar, no way to travel, and little hope of
going home. He was anxious to resume his mission, and he was frustrated by their current
circumstances, especially since he felt he was in the middle of two extremes: Iroh refused to
do anything and showed no interest in leaving the resort any time soon and Chiara refused to
sit still. To him her constant work amounted to slavery, and he nagged her about it on a daily
basis, but it did not stop her from leaving the cottage every morning to busy herself with
anything that would keep her mind occupied.

It had been nearly two weeks since they had arrived at the resort. Zuko was making his way
towards the cottage after a firebending session down at the beach to blow off steam and keep
up his training. When he saw Chiara walking up the path towards their little bungalow, he
stood outside and waited for her. When she spotted him, she suspected she was in trouble by
his crossed arms and the scowl he was wearing on his face.

“Where's the General?” she asked him before he could start griping at her.

“He's still at the beach. You should've been home hours ago,” he snapped.

“I lost track of time.”

“You're doing too much there,” he complained. “You're never here.”

It was the same argument every day, but she refused to sit around the cottage moping.

“I like keeping busy.”

“We need to figure out where we're going next,” he said.

“Why can't we stay here a while longer?” she asked. “It's relaxing, and I like seeing the
General happy. He really needs this, and he's been enjoying it so much.”

“You haven't taken any time to relax. All you've been doing since we got here is work while
he sits around being fat and lazy,” he complained, pointing in the direction where Iroh was
approaching them.

“I don't mind, Prince Zuko. He deserves it. Besides, the work keeps my mind off...other
things.”
He sighed. He could vent through his firebending, but it troubled him that as a non-bender
she would only cope with her stress by being a slave to a bunch of strangers.

Iroh strolled past them after his long walk on the beach.

“Look at these magnificent shells,” he said entering the cottage and dropping several on the
table.

They followed him inside.

“I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come.” He held one up admiring it.

Chiara gently smiled at him.

“We don't need anymore useless things,” Zuko complained. “You forget, we have to carry
everything ourselves now. And while you're spending time collecting this junk, Chiara's been
working like a slave...”

“It suits her,” came a drawling voice from behind them.

All three turned to see Azula sitting comfortably in a chair in a dark corner of the room.

“Hello, brother...Uncle,” she greeted them. “Chiara,” she added with a deeper tone of
spitefulness.

Zuko's initial shock passed quickly. “What are you doing here?” he asked deeply.

“In my country, we exchange a pleasant hello before asking questions.” She stood up and
walked towards them. “Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?”

“Don't call me that!” yelled Zuko.

“To what do we owe this honor?” Iroh calmly asked her.

“Hmm, must be a family trait,” she said. “Both of you so quick to get to the point.”

She broke one of Iroh's shells to his dismay.

“I've come with a message from home,” she said. “Father's changed his mind. Family is
suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumors of plans to overthrow him, treacherous
plots. Family are the only ones you can really trust. Father regrets your banishment. He wants
you home.”

Nobody said anything as they all silently contemplated her words, though Chiara noticed that
Azula averted her eyes as she was speaking, and she sensed she was lying.

“Did you hear me?” she asked Zuko when he remained quiet.

He turned to look out the window, his mind imagining a reunion with his father after so many
years.
“You should be happy, excited, grateful,” she said. “I just gave you great news.”

Iroh stepped forward. “I'm sure your brother simply needs a moment to...”

“Don't interrupt, Uncle!!”

“Don't speak to him like that,” warned Chiara deeply, stepping towards her.

Zuko, who had been lost in thought, turned around to see Iroh pulling Chiara back.

“Still sticking up for him, I see,” said Azula casually inspecting her nails, unfazed by Chiara's
anger.

“You have no right to speak like that to him,” she admonished her.

Azula's golden eyes narrowed at her. “I have every right. I am the princess of the Fire Nation.
You don't even know what you are...”

“It's not about me, Princess Azula,” Chiara glared back. “It's about you speaking with respect
to the General.”

Zuko was reminded of Chiara admonishing him at the Western Air Temple, and he was
impressed to hear her standing up against Azula in order to defend Iroh who was also most
appreciative of her devotion to him. But both were also worried about the consequences.

“Oh, yes, your beloved General,” sneered Azula. “The man who's more than likely
responsible for the death of your family. I'd say it is about you.”

“You will treat him with respect,” demanded Chiara. “He is still the brother of the Fire Lord
and a great general and hero to the Fire Nation...”

“He's a failure and a...,” started Azula angrily, but realizing she said too much, she stopped.

“A what?” asked Chiara. “Let me guess, the next word out of your mouth was going to be
'traitor'? Is that what you're luring them back to?”

“Enough!” snapped Azula. “Who are you to speak for them? Zuko and Uncle are members of
the royal family. You aren't even royal blood, Earth peasant.”

“Unlike you, Princess, I love them, and I will defend them with my life.”

Zuko's heart melted at Chiara's words, as did Iroh's.

Azula smiled deviously and a charge of electricity spread through her fingers. “Is that so?”

“Chiara, enough,” said Iroh gently before she could continue arguing as he worried that
Azula would hurt her. He pulled her back and stood between them.

Azula smiled smugly at Chiara who continued glaring at her.

She turned to her brother. “I still haven't heard my thank you. I'm not a messenger. I didn't
have to come all this way...”

“Then why did you?” asked Chiara deeply.

Azula glared at her. “Not that it's any of your business, I wanted to bring my brother this
good news personally.”

“Father regrets?” asked Zuko softly.

“You're lying, Azula,” said Chiara. “I can see it in your eyes.” She stepped next to Zuko.
“Don't listen to her, Prince Zuko.” She looked up in his eyes placing her hand gently on his
arm.

“He...wants me back?” he said softly.

“I can see you need time to take this in,” said Azula smiling mischievously at Chiara. “I'll
come to call on you tomorrow. Good evening.”

Azula left the cottage, but Zuko still gazed out the window still lost in thoughts of hope that it
was true.

“Prince Zuko,” said Chiara softly, “I don't trust her. Something isn't right. She's lying.”

“But...but why would she lie?” he said. “Why else would they want us to come home?”

Chiara was sure that Azula was lying, and she worried about them being lured back to the
Fire Nation. Zuko, however, was so weary of his long exile and so anxious to go home, that
he was willing to believe anything Azula said.

---------------------------

That night Chiara sat in a chair watching Zuko pack.

He was elated. “We're going home,” he said happily. “After three long years. It's
unbelievable.”

“It is unbelievable,” said Iroh thoughtfully. “I have never known my brother to regret
anything.” He stood up.

“Did you listen to Azula?” asked Zuko. “Father's realized how important family is to him. He
cares about me.”

“I care about you!” said Iroh frustrated by his nephews idealistic views of Ozai. “And if Ozai
wants you back, well, I think it may not be for the reasons you imagine.”

“You don't know how my father feels about me!” said Zuko angrily. “You don't know
anything.”
“Zuko,” started Iroh more calmly, “I only meant that in our family, things are not always
what they seem.”

“I think you're exactly what you seem...,” he snapped. “...a lazy, mistrustful, shallow, old man
who's always been jealous of his brother.”

Chiara stood up as Zuko stormed out of the cottage. She followed him to the ridge that
overlooked the sea, and when he stopped walking, she stood before him.

“I would expect Azula to disrespect the General, but after all he's done for you, how could
you possibly say those things to him?” she asked deeply.

“I have the chance to go home, to be Crown Prince of the Fire Nation again, to have my
father care about me...” His voice was filled with longing rather than anger.

“General Iroh has been more of a father to you than the Fire Lord ever has...”

“If he cared about me at all he would be happy that we're going home, that my father wants
me back,” he insisted truly believing his own words.

“After all these years have you forgotten how Azula lies?” she asked. “How can you trust
what she's saying?”

“What reason would she have to lie to me? Why else would they want me to return? For you
and Uncle this has been a cruise, a vacation, but for me, it's been a search and a struggle to
restore my honor. Now that I'm finally going home, why can't you both be happy for me?”

She wanted nothing more than his happiness, but she could not bring herself to believe his
sister. “I don't trust Azula. I think she's setting you up...”

“I think you just don't want to go back,” he snapped. “You've never been part of the Fire
Nation, so what do you care if we never return?”

Chiara could not have felt more pain from a sword in her heart, so deeply hurt was she by his
words. Seeing the pain in her eyes, Zuko immediately regretted his words. She could not help
the tears that fell down her cheeks, and he was filled with guilt at the sight of them especially
knowing he caused them. She slowly backed up and turned her back to him.

“Chiara...”

“The Fire Nation may not be in my blood, but it's where my heart lies,” she said softly.

She quickly walked back to the hut. Zuko remained where he was, but he regretted his words
to her. He had never said anything so hurtful to her before that made her cry.

---------------------------

“Chiara,” called Iroh as she stormed through the cottage towards her room.

She stopped and wiped the tears from her eyes before turning to him.
“You're crying,” he said noticing her red eyes.

“He had no right to speak to you that way.”

He was always amazed by her defense of him.

“He spoke the truth,” he said softly.

“It's not true,” she said moving towards him. “You gracefully conceded the throne your
brother stole from you, and you've been a more worthy father to Prince Zuko than the Fire
Lord. And you also know Azula's lying.”

“Zuko is too ready to believe anything if he thinks it means going home. Nothing we say will
change his mind. He will return to the Fire Nation tomorrow with or without us.”

She was worried about the prince. “But if this is a trap to imprison him...or...or something
worse, what can we do?”

“We have to hope it is revealed before it is too late,” said Iroh.

Chiara went to her room and sat on the bed. Zuko's words stung her deeply, and she had not
felt she did not belong to the Fire Nation since her first days there. Mixed with her pain was
the worry that he was being set up, but she knew she could not convince him otherwise, and
she did not believe she could do anything to help him if he was. She now considered that it
might be time to return to the Water Tribe.

------------------------------

Late that night, Chiara was counting her earnings from her work to see how much she had
towards passage to the North Pole. Just as she was tucking it away, there was a knock at her
door. When she slid it open, Zuko stood before her with his eyes downcast.

“May I come in?” he asked.

She stepped aside allowing him to walk inside.

“I'm-I'm sorry for what I said,” he said sincerely.

He had been feeling guilty for his words all evening, especially after he remembered her
telling Azula that she would give her life for them. He also recalled everything she had done
for him over the years and how hard she worked for everyone on his ship, and he regretted
having accused her of being on a cruise.

“I was angry,” he continued. “I didn't mean it when I said you weren't part of the Fire
Nation...”

“Don't apologize for speaking the truth,” she said softly.

“But it's not true...”

“It is. I'm not part of the Fire Nation, which is why I'm not returning.”

His eyes grew wide in shock. “What?! Chiara...” He stepped closer to her taking her hand in
his. “I'm sorry. Please forgive me for saying that,” he begged.

“There's nothing to forgive. You were right. I don't belong there...”

“Don't say that. You do,” he insisted. “It's your home.”

She gazed up into his eyes. “Just promise me that you'll watch Azula carefully.” She placed
her other hand on his. “Don't let her hurt you.”

“Where-where do you plan on going?”

“I've been here before.” She pulled her hands from his. “I'll find some place,” she said
ambiguously, unable to reveal her true destination.

He recalled how lost he felt when she was gone with the Avatar for several days. He could
not imagine being separated from her again.

“No. You're not staying here,” he said adamantly. “All those years at sea, you made it feel
like home. You were my connection to the Fire Nation more than anyone else besides Uncle,
and I...I don't want to return without you.”

He wrapped his arms around her and tenderly caressed her head.

“Please go back with me.”

Tears started falling down her cheeks. He released her and seeing her tears he gently wiped
them away.

“I won't go back unless you go with me,” he said.

She found it hard to believe that he would forgo his return to the Fire Nation for her. “You
don't mean that.”

“I do mean it,” he insisted. “I'll tell Azula right now I'm not going with her if you don't go
too.”

She was tempted to test his resolve, but she worried that he might be stubborn enough to do
as he threatened just to prove it. She felt conflicted. She worried that returning to the Fire
Nation was a trap, but she knew how much his Nation meant to him, and she did not want to
force him to choose her over his home.

“Please come home with me,” he said, his voice pleading. He caressed her face.

She finally nodded her head reluctantly agreeing as more tears fell. He wiped them away
before embracing her again.
The next day, Zuko was excited about leaving for the Fire Nation as they all headed down to
the port. He was nearly running towards the ship he was so excited.

“We're finally going home,” he said eagerly as he was walking ahead of them.

Iroh and Chiara exchanged glances, neither as excited as the prince.

When they arrived at the dock, it was lined with the Royal Procession guards. Iroh and
Chiara, still behind Zuko, grew more and more suspicious while walking between the
soldiers, and they eyed them warily. When they reached the gangplank, they stopped and
looked up at Azula.

“Brother, Uncle,” she greeted them pleasantly from aboard the ship. “Chiara,” she added in a
less pleasant tone. “Welcome.”

She bowed, and they returned the bow. The Imperial Firebenders stepped in line behind them.

“I'm so glad you decided to come,” she said.

The captain stepped before them facing the princess. “Are we ready to depart, your
Highness?”

“Set our course for home, Captain,” she said.

“Home,” said Zuko longingly.

“You heard the princess,” yelled the captain as they ascended the gangplank. “Raise the
anchors. We're taking the prisoners home...”

Everyone stopped as Azula scowled at the captain over his faux pas.

“Your Highness...,” he started. “...I...”

Zuko now understood it was a trap. Iroh turned and immediately attacked the guards behind
them, and Chiara followed his lead. Zuko threw the captain off the gangplank before angrily
storming towards Azula.

“You lied to me!” he yelled.

“Like I've never done that before,” she said in a smug tone. She turned and pranced away
leaving her Imperial Firebenders to attack him.

As Iroh and Chiara continued fighting the guards on the dock, Zuko fought his way onto the
ship to go after Azula.

“Zuko!!” yelled Iroh. “Let's go!!”

Zuko was busy attacking Azula.

“You know, Father blames Uncle for the loss of the North Pole,” she told him. “And he
considers you a miserable failure for not finding the Avatar. Why would he want you back
home, except to lock you up where you can no longer embarrass him.”

Zuko furiously charged her again with fire daggers, but she merely dodged his attacks
scratching his forehead in their duel. As they fought up the ramp, she grabbed his arm before
blasting him with a blue flame sending him to the bottom of the ramp. She began swinging
her arms in large arcing motions generating lightning. Chiara quickly ran over to Zuko and
knelt down by his side.

“Interfering in family affairs again,” said Azula looking down at her, electricity crackling all
around her.

Chiara stood up and faced her blocking Zuko to protect him.

“You'll have to go through me first to get to him again,” said Chiara deeply to Zuko's
surprise.

Azula cackled. “You always did protect little Zuzu. But I don't have a problem with that,
Earth tramp.” She charged her lightning even more.

“Chiara! Move!” yelled Zuko who was getting up.

Azula brought her arm down to send her lightning towards Chiara, but Iroh grabbed her hand
and redirected it off the ship where it crashed against the cliff face. He kicked her off the ship
before running down the ramp. Zuko grabbed Chiara's hand and pulled her towards the
gangplank with Iroh following. The three of them immediately left the ship and ran into the
Earth Kingdom.

Back at the resort, Azula held up a wanted poster with the three fugitives. “Anyone who
harbors these traitors will face the wrath of the Fire Lord. There will be no place left to hide.”
 Involuntary Exile in the Earth Kingdom
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

Iroh, Zuko, and Chiara continued running through the woods trying to get as far from the
resort as possible. They finally dropped down on their knees by a small stream to catch their
breath.

“I think we're safe here,” said Iroh, panting.

Azula's words were echoing in Zuko's mind: He considers you a miserable failure for not
finding the Avatar. His father thought he was a failure, and he sent his sister...his little sister
to bring him back in chains or kill him—whichever was most convenient to her.

He pulled out his knife glancing at the blade. Made in Earth Kingdom. He turned it over.
Never give up without a fight. He wondered if there was any hope in continuing to fight. He
was no longer just the banished prince, but he was now in exile with no home to which he
could return. Taking hold of his phoenix tail in his other hand, he sliced it off tossing it into
the stream.

Iroh took the knife from him. He, too, could no longer call the Fire Nation home. But he
would never regret his decision to defend the moon spirit in the Spirit Oasis. Some things are
more important than the land of his birth. He cut off his topknot and dropped it into the water
where it followed Zuko's downstream.

Chiara gathered her hair to one side. Her exile was joined to her family's. She had chosen to
stay with them and she would share their suffering—they had no home and neither did she.
She pulled out her knife.

“What are you doing?” Zuko asked her grabbing her wrist.

“Cutting my hair...”

“No!!” he shouted causing her and Iroh to jump.

He took the knife from her hand, startling her by his reaction.

“I'm just as much in exile,” she said softly.

“You're not cutting your hair,” he said.

“Zuko,” started Iroh, “it might be best for...”

“No! She's not cutting it. I just lost everything!” he yelled. “I...I need something to remain
normal.”
Neither Iroh nor Chiara argued with him. She let go of her hair and slowly reached for her
knife to put it away. She pulled off the diadem from around her head and placed it around her
neck wearing it as she did before she traveled to the Northern Water Tribe with Iroh years
earlier.

They stayed by the stream to rest for a short time before they would have to move on. Chiara
reached up tenderly touching Zuko's temple as she studied the scratches Azula's perfectly
manicured nails left above his right eye. She pulled out her vial.

“Close your eyes,” she said.

“What if I don't?” he asked feeling defiant.

Her eyes fell down to the vial in her hand. “If what I'm about to do gets in your eyes, you
may never forgive me.”

Iroh softly chuckled at her explanation. Zuko sighed, but he complied and closed his eyes
while she healed the wounds.

After quenching their thirst and taking a brief respite, they cautiously started down the road.
Coming across a small farm, they stealthily “acquired” Earth Kingdom clothes that had been
hanging out to dry. Chiara was not happy about pillaging an innocent family's attire, so she
left behind a few coins from her earnings.

“What are you doing?” Zuko whispered to her.

“I'm leaving them something in exchange,” she said dropping the coins in the pocket of one
of the garments still hanging on the clothesline.

“But we'll need that money,” he said.

“I'm not taking someone's clothes without compensating them. We're not thieves.”

He rolled his eyes but did not argue with her further.

Now dressed as Earth Kingdom civilians, they followed a road heading southeast. They went
through one small town early in the afternoon and continued quietly walking for the rest of
the day.

Zuko was lost in thought over everything that occurred that morning. He had not seen Azula
in years. And before that they had not been close for a long time—not since their father took
an interest in her prodigious bending ability when she was just a young child. Once she had
Ozai's attention and love, she grew cold and mean to those around her, and at times she could
even be cruel. But for as spiteful as she had been growing up, he never thought his own sister
would try to kill him—and with lightning no less.

His mind moved to the only family he had left. He was filled with remorse when he realized
he should have trusted his uncle and Chiara. He thought about Iroh leaving the Fire Nation to
help him during his exile, and now he was a fugitive. He thought back to his childhood when
Chiara always defended him against Azula, and now she was willing to give her life to
protect him against his sister, making her a fugitive as well. He was once again wondering
how much lower his life could descend.

As the sun started setting, they were all tired and hungry.

“I don't think we're going to find another village before nightfall,” said Iroh. “We'll have to
camp outside tonight.”

“We should do it off the road,” suggested Zuko. “Somewhere in the woods.”

They turned into the forest where Chiara began gathering kindling as they hiked along
searching for an area where they could spend the night. Finding a secluded spot, she set up
the wood for a campfire. Iroh sat down exhausted and lit the fire. Though Chiara was tired
from their journey, she did not feel like sitting still. She wanted to break away and spend time
alone with her thoughts.

“I'm going to look for more wood,” she said as she started walking deeper into the forest.

“Don't go too far,” said Iroh. “It's getting dark.”

Zuko stood up and followed her. He lit a fire in his hand to provide her with light.

“Thank you,” she said softly though wishing he had stayed with Iroh so she could be alone.

They walked around together searching for twigs.

“I'm sorry,” he said.

“For?”

“For believing Azula. For not trusting you and Uncle. For leading you into a trap.”

“It's natural for you to want your life back,” she said. “And Azula's good. She told you
everything you wanted to hear.”

She picked up a few sticks from the ground.

“I can't believe my sister tried to kill me,” he said softly.

Chiara had been struggling with that issue too. Azula could be mean, but that she attempted
to bend lightning at her brother troubled her deeply. She had been left behind, alone with
Ozai who masterfully manipulated her. Chiara remembered Azula being a sweet toddler when
she first arrived in the Fire Nation. But it was not long after her arrival that she noticed the
change in the young girl when Ozai began spending more time with his daughter,
encouraging her to use her firebending as punishment to those around her. Chiara was
disgusted that he would send her on a mission to kill her own brother.

“That was not who we grew up with,” she said, her voice soft and sad.
Zuko looked at her. Chiara was now a target too. “Why did you stand between us on the
ship?”

“To give the General time to distract her,” she answered.

It had been his uncle that prevented Azula from bending her lightning at Chiara. If it had not
been for Iroh... “But what if he hadn't made it in time?”

“Then I'd be dead, and you'd be collecting these sticks by yourself,” she said flatly as she
picked up another twig.

He was shocked by her bluntness. He appreciated how far she was willing to go to protect
him and Iroh, but it also worried him because he did not want to lose her.

“Why did you tell Azula you'd defend us with your life?” After seeing what his sister was
capable of doing that morning, he was sure she would have no problem testing Chiara's
resolve.

“Because you're my family,” she answered. “You're all I have.” She stopped and looked at
him. “I know that you long for home in the Fire Nation, but I told you before, for me,
wherever you guys are, that's home. Whether we're sailing on a ship, stranded on a raft, or
wandering as fugitives in a forest, I'd rather be here starving with you than back at home in
the Fire Nation by myself with a full stomach worrying about you.”

He was at a loss for words.

She looked down at the bundle of sticks in her arms. “This should be enough,” she said
softly.

His flame went out as he took them from her and dropped them on the ground. He took her in
his arms and held her tightly. He wanted to tell her he loved her, but he could not seem to get
the words out. Chiara was not expecting his embrace, but she relaxed and held onto him
relieved that he was not in the brig of a ship on his way back to the Fire Nation...or dead.
When he let her go, he collected the sticks with her help.

The next morning at sunrise they started their journey again.

“I know we're all still pretty burnt out on seafood,” started Chiara, “but if we find a river I
can catch something for breakfast.”

Zuko groaned. “I think I'd rather starve than eat another fish.”

“I'm sorry,” she said sadly. “If I had a bow, I could hunt game.”

“That sounds really good,” said Iroh with his hand on his growling stomach. “But if it means
eating I will be happy with fish.”

They walked on until they finally came to a river. Chiara searched around until she spotted a
long branch. She began sharpening the end while Iroh set up a small campfire. When she
finished making her spear, she stood in the river and patiently waited for a fish. While
secretly waterbending, she was able to trap one long enough to spear it. After scaling and
gutting it, she left it with Iroh who prepared it over a fire while she disappeared into the
woods.

Iroh continued roasting the fish.

When he turned it over the fire one final time, he inhaled deeply. “Ah, it's almost done.”

Zuko glanced around. “Where'd Chiara go?”

“I don't know,” said his uncle as he broke off a piece of fish to test it.

“Chiara!” called Zuko softly not wanting to yell.

There was no answer.

“She'll return when she's ready,” said Iroh unconcerned. He tested another piece.

Zuko stood up. “She shouldn't be off on her own—not with Azula after us.”

At the reminder of their predator, Iroh stopped eating and looked wide-eyed up at Zuko.
“Find her.”

Zuko walked off in the direction he remembered her going while Iroh set the fish aside to
search for her by the river.

“Chiara!” called Zuko, though not too loudly.

He still heard no response, nor did he see her anywhere. He was beginning to get worried as
he walked on in search of her.

“Chiara!”

“Hey,” she said.

He stopped and turned towards her. She was holding a bow and two unfinished arrows. He
took in why she had been gone.

“Where'd you learn to do that?” he asked her.

“Pohuai Stronghold,” she answered.

He thought about his last adventure there as the Blue Spirit. “When were you...?” As he was
asking the question, he remembered her telling him about their stay there years ago. “Oh.” He
took the bow from her to look at it more closely. “Where'd you get the twine?”

“The last village. It's kind of primitive, but it should work.”

He was impressed, and he appreciated her foresight.

“The fish is done,” he said. “You should eat.”

She nodded, and they returned to camp where Iroh joined them relieved she was okay.

“We'll continue heading south,” he said as they ate.

“We'll have to go through the mountains,” said Chiara.

Iroh nodded.

Zuko looked at them curiously. “We can't go around them?”

“Only if you want to be spotted by Yuyan archers,” said Iroh gravely.

“Are we that close?”

“Yes,” his uncle answered. “On one side of the mountains is the stronghold, and on the other
side lies steep cliffs that lead straight into the river.”

“Before we reach the mountains, we need to stock up on food,” said Chiara.

“And more tea,” added Iroh.

They continued traveling south through the Earth Kingdom. The villages in the area were
sparse, but whenever they traveled through one, they purchased supplies with the money
Chiara had earned at the resort. As the weeks went by, they drew closer to the mountains
which they were dreading, but it was the only option they had to get to the other side of the
Earth Kingdom unless they passed through Fire Nation occupied territory.

It had been days since the last village, and despite rationing their supplies, they still grew too
low to get them through the trek ahead of them, and they were not even sure how long it
would take to traverse the mountains. After stopping to make camp one afternoon, Chiara
disappeared with her bow. When she returned to them, she was carrying a small animal that
had been gutted and skinned. Iroh's and Zuko's eyes were enormous.

“Where'd you get that?” asked Zuko.

“From the woods,” she said as she began cutting thin strips of meat and setting them off to
the side.

“Did you find it like that?” he asked wondering if she might have stumbled across another
camp out in the forest.

“No. I shot it.”

“And you skinned it?”

“Yes. Gutted and skinned,” she answered, still busily cutting strips.
Both Iroh and Zuko were amazed.

“I didn't want the innards to attract unwanted animals, so I did it down at the river.” She
started preparing the rest of the animal over the fire.

The guys watched her intently as she worked on dinner.

“You are amazing, Chiara,” said Iroh.

“Where'd you learn to do that?” asked Zuko.

“Tai taught me.”

“Oh, Tai,” said Iroh dreamily. “He was a great cook.”

They continued watching her work.

“What are those for?” asked Zuko pointing to the extra strips of meat.

“We can dry those with the salt I got at the last village. They'll be perfect for traveling over
the mountains.”

She finished setting up the spit. “This needs to be turned every now and then so it cooks
evenly.” She began salting the extra pieces carefully placing them on a stick where the smoke
was blowing. When she finished, she stood up. “Don't let these get near the fire, but keep
them in the smoke so the bugs won't get on them.”

“Tai did all that?” asked Zuko.

“No. I learned it when we stayed at Master Jeong Jeong's camp years ago.”

“What would we do without you, Chiara?” asked Iroh.

“I'm sure you'd manage,” she said as she started walking away.

“Where are you going?” asked Zuko.

“To the river to clean up,” she called back.

“She has been a treasure,” said Iroh after she was gone.

Zuko was thinking the same thing.

They journeyed another day before they arrived at the base of the mountains. Chiara had
gone hunting again, and this time Zuko watched as she prepared to gut and skin the animal
near a river.

She pulled out her knife. “Do you want to do this?” she asked him.

“No,” he said leaning back against the rock as he watched her.

“You should learn. It's a good skill to have.”

“I shouldn't have to learn it,” he snapped. “I should be living in the palace letting other
people do it for me.”

She stared down at the dead raccoon-quail. “If something happens to me, I want you to be
able to take care of the General,” she said softly. “And yourself.”

He was troubled by her words. “What's going to happen to you?”

“Who knows when our time is up here,” she said gently running her hands over the feathers
of her kill. “I'm sure the dead soldiers at the North Pole had no idea they would never see
their families again. You and the General should be able to do this.”

He hated the thought of losing her especially to death, and that she brought it up upset him.
“Now I'm definitely not learning how to do it,” he said stubbornly, crossing his arms. “You're
just going to have to stay alive.”

She knew the strain of exile was getting to him, so she did not argue.

She made more jerky that evening, and they stocked up on water before beginning the trek
through the mountains.

It took them a week to travel through the mountain range as they stopped every evening to
sleep.

Towards the end of the week their supplies were running low, and food seemed to be scarce
where they were. Zuko had long grown frustrated with their exile, and the constant walking
and lack of shelter from the elements was taking its toll on him; and though they were not
completely starving, their stomachs ached with hunger more often than not.

When they finally cleared the mountains, they entered a forest rich with game. One
afternoon, after stopping to make camp, Chiara disappeared and returned later dragging a
hog. When Zuko saw her through the trees straining to drag it, he ran up to her.

“Whoa!” he said. “This is the biggest thing you've ever caught!”

“And heaviest,” she said rubbing her lower back.

He took over for her by picking it up and carrying it.

“Take it to the river,” she said.

Zuko watched her as she gutted the animal. He was curious about her technique, but he
obstinately refused to learn it because he considered it to be a task that was beneath him, and
he felt that if he did learn it, he would be admitting defeat. He believed that by lowering
himself to such a base skill, however important it might be, he would be giving up his destiny
and accepting his failure to capture the Avatar and reclaim his rightful place in the Fire
Nation.
When she finished, Zuko carried the much lighter carcass back to the camp. Iroh was gaping
at them when he saw them return with such a large meal.

“I can't wait to sink my teeth into that,” he said. “We can eat for days.”

“We should probably dry as much as we can,” she said. “It's pretty huge.”

That evening after extremely full stomachs, they slept soundly for the first time in weeks.

They continued traveling south through the forest until they came to a drier region with the
river to the east and small mountains to the west. Iroh and Zuko appreciated the dried meat
Chiara had made prior to entering such an arid land as they found little to eat in the area.

After days of walking they came to an enormous canyon.

“We must've reached the Great Divide,” said Iroh.

“Great,” said Zuko cynically. “Like the mountains weren't bad enough, now we have a giant
hole in the earth to deal with.”

“I never imagined it to be so big,” said Chiara as she studied it.

Iroh peered in both directions along the divide. “Going around it will take too long.”

“I don't think we have a choice,” she said.

“What do you mean?” asked Zuko. “We'll just go through it.” He started searching for an area
where they could descend into the canyon.

“What about the canyon crawlers?” she asked.

Zuko stopped and turned back to her. “What?”

“The canyon crawlers,” she repeated.

“Yes, I remember the villagers speaking of them,” said Iroh.

Zuko glared at them. “What are you two talking about?”

“When Chiara and I traveled through a village near the coast,” started Iroh, “they spoke of
the Great Divide and the canyon crawlers that inhabit it.”

Zuko's shoulders slumped. “Then what do we do?”

“Let's continue south.”

They journeyed south along the edge of the canyon.

They had been walking for hours when they came upon a small building. A gray haired man,
not much younger than Iroh, stepped out of the hut and approached them.
“Looking to go across the canyon?” he asked.

“If you can direct us which way to go, it would be most appreciated,” said Iroh pleasantly.

“You can't go without a guide,” said the man.

“I think we'll be fine,” said Zuko.

“So you're an earthbender then?” asked the man.

The young prince scowled at him. “No.”

“Then you'll never make it,” he said. “To cross the canyon requires an earthbender.”

Zuko sighed. Chiara reached in her pocket and pulled out the last two coins of her earnings.

“This is all we have,” she said as she held them out.

The guide looked at the two coins, and then looked at them. He hesitated.

“You look pretty down on your luck,” he finally said, taking in their weary appearance. “I'll
do it.”

Chiara gave him the coins.

“It'll take a day to cross the canyon,” he explained. “And you must get rid of any food you're
carrying.”

“Why do we have to get rid of our food?” asked Zuko.

“The canyon crawlers,” said the guide. “They have an extremely sensitive sense of smell and
can detect the smallest bit of food you're carrying.”

“We can handle some crawlers,” he said.

“One or two maybe, but a swarm of them will pick your bones clean.”

“What about tea?” asked Iroh.

“Tea is fine.”

Iroh let out a sigh of relief before pulling out their leftover jerky and other meat and began
eating it. Zuko grumbled, but he and Chiara followed suit.

When their food was gone, they followed the guide into the canyon. It was clear to them why
they needed an earthbender to travel through it as he expertly moved rocks to create bridges
and walkways.

“So you're probably wondering how the canyon was formed,” started the guide.
Zuko looked at Chiara. “Isn't this something you already know from your travels?” he asked
with a slightly bitter tone.

She just shrugged and shook her head.

The guide continued. “Experts tell us the canyon was most likely carved into the ground by
earth spirits who were angry at local farmers for not offering them a proper sacrifice.” His
words were spoken as if they were memorized from a script. He made a movement and
created a bridge of rock for them to cross, and after walking over it, he removed it. Iroh
studied the man carefully and he began talking to him, and as they conversed, Zuko and
Chiara walked behind them.

“Does it bother you when I mention something I know?” she asked him.

He thought about it. He was often amazed at her knowledge over the years, but he was also a
bit jealous that she had learned so much about the world while he had been stuck in the Fire
Nation with no mother, an uncaring father, and a cruel sister.

“No,” he said softly, feeling guilty for his bitter feelings towards her. “I think it's cool that
you know everything.”

“I don't know everything.”

“You know more than I do about the Earth Kingdom.”

“Only because I traveled through it.”

His eyes were downcast. “I wish I had been with you and Uncle then,” he said sounding
sullen. “Maybe I wouldn't be here now.”

She glanced at him. “But you are here with us now. Take advantage of the knowledge you're
gaining.”

He realized she was right. He began thinking that he should just accept his fate that he would
forever be on the run from his own Nation. Suddenly, he heard the guide speak a word that
caught his attention.

“...he and his friends traveled across the Great Divide with the two groups,” said the guide.
“That was quite a trip. It turns out both groups had food that had an entire swarm of crawlers
after them. I don't know what happened to those two tribes, but the poor tour guide quit after
that.”

“So the Avatar went through here?” asked Zuko.

“Oh, yes.”

“When?”

“Months ago.”
For as often as he felt disappointed, this new disappointment did not sting any less.

--------------------------

It was late at night when they reached the far side of the canyon.

“Thank you for your services,” said Iroh. “It was quite an interesting tour.”

“Thank you,” said Chiara bowing to him.

“You're quite welcome,” he said. “And since it's just the three of you, you're welcome to
spend the night in the shack over here. It's pretty dark out and the town's not easy to find this
late.”

“Thank you for your hospitality,” said Iroh.

Being tired and hungry, they accepted his offer. The guide led them to a small building and
invited them inside where he started a fire in the fire pit. Iroh proceeded to make tea while the
guide disappeared for a minute before returning with a small bit of food.

“I know it's not much,” he said, “but it's kept here for the guides after leading a tour.”

“We can't thank you enough for your generosity,” said Iroh.

“It's okay. I've escorted quite a few refugees who've lost everything. They're heading towards
Ba Sing Se to flee the Fire Nation.”

Zuko glanced at Iroh who remained impassive as he gazed down at his teacup.

After finishing their small meal and tea, they settled down and slept for the night.

Early the next morning they began their trek south. Still in an arid region, there was little
food available, and it was late in the evening when they finally reached a forest. Since it was
too dark to hunt, they went to sleep hungry.

The next morning, Chiara got up early to go hunting. She returned to camp after dressing the
small game she managed to kill. Iroh fixed it over a fire and began to cook it while she lay
down with her back to them feeling famished.

“Are you okay?” Zuko asked her.

“I'm just a little tired,” she said.

He knew it was more than that. It did not escape his notice that she often sacrificed food so
he and Iroh could eat more. She also expended more energy on her hunting trips trekking
through the woods and dressing her kill.

After the food was cooked, Zuko cut off a piece and took it to her. He leaned over her and
tenderly caressed her head.
“Chiara, it's done. You need to eat.”

She sat up, and he held out the large portion of meat.

“That's too much,” she said.

“What? You've hardly eaten anything in days.”

“It wasn't a very big animal,” she argued. “You and the General need to eat too.”

“There's more meat left. Just eat this,” he insisted.

“Not until you guys have your fill.”

“Uncle,” he called, “make her eat something.”

“Zuko is right, Chiara,” said Iroh also having noticed her famished look. “Eat what he's given
you.”

She reluctantly ate what he held out to her. It was energy her body definitely needed, and she
felt better after eating.

After packing up their small camp, they continued their journey south through the forest, and
that evening, they were happy to enjoy a hog for dinner.

A couple days later, they came to a river, and after crossing the bridge, they discovered what
looked like the remains of a village poking up through the water.

“It looks like the entire village was flooded,” said Zuko as they stayed on the high ground.

Iroh was looking at a signpost. “It's Gaipan,” he said sadly.

Chiara gasped.

“Isn't that one of the army outposts?” asked Zuko recognizing the name.

Iroh nodded gravely.

“I hope nobody was hurt,” said Chiara remembering when she and Iroh passed through the
town years earlier.

They crossed a second river and traveled through another large forest foraging and hunting as
they journeyed.

“We're not far from the Cave of Two Lovers,” said Iroh.

“That means Omashu's on the other side,” said Chiara.

Zuko was wondering what they were talking about. “The Cave of Two Lovers?”
“The story we were told,” started Chiara, “was that there were lovers, Oma and Shu, who
came from two villages that were at war. They were forbidden to be together, so they learned
how to earthbend and they created a labyrinth inside the mountain where they would meet
secretly.”

Zuko thought about it. “That sounds familiar,” he said as he took her hand and smirked at her.

“But then Shu died in the war,” said Iroh as he glared at Zuko.

“You're just saying that, Uncle.”

“Actually, he's not,” said Chiara. “Shu was killed in the war.”

“That's...that's pretty tragic,” said Zuko.

“Oma showed both villages how powerful an earthbender she was, though, and demanded
peace between them, and they joined together and created a new city.”

“Omashu,” said Zuko softly as he realized the connection.

Chiara nodded.

“Maybe King Bumi will help us,” she said to Iroh.

He nodded considering it. “That's a possibility.”

“Why would the king of Omashu help us?” asked Zuko.

“Because he's a nice guy,” she said.

“How do you know?” he asked. “No, no...,” he said before she could answer. “You met him?”

“I told you we met him,” she said.

Zuko remembered her telling him about the unusual king of Omashu. “He's the one that put
you in prison?”

“Yes.”

“He's quite a good Pai Sho player,” said Iroh.

Zuko rolled his eyes.

The next morning Zuko and Chiara woke up to see Iroh digging through their bags. What
little they had was strewn around him as he combed through everything.

“We're out of tea,” he said sounding disappointed.

Chiara rubbed her temples before getting to her feet. “I'm going fishing.” She picked up the
stick she had been using to spear fish. “Why don't you guys find some berries or fruit,” she
suggested.

She preferred to fish alone, and she left to go down to the stream leaving the other two to
forage. After hastily cramming their belongings back in their bags, Iroh joined Zuko in the
forest where they looked for anything edible.

An hour had gone by, but it felt like they had been searching forever. Zuko stomped through
the forest agitated that he had to scrounge around the woods for food and aggravated that
there was nothing to be found. He finally stumbled through the brush falling on his knees
behind Iroh who was squatting on the ground nearby.

“I didn't find anything to eat,” said Zuko frustrated. “I can't live like this. I wasn't meant to be
a fugitive. This is impossible!”

Iroh was inhaling deeply, and his deep breaths drew Zuko's attention from his rant. He turned
to see his uncle with his wide eyes fixed intently upon a flower in front of him.

“Uncle, what are you doing?”

“You're looking at the rare white dragon bush,” he said excitedly of the plant in front of him.
“It's leaves make a tea so delicious it's heartbreaking.” He clasped his hands and closed his
eyes in a dreamy expression imagining a sip of such a rare tea. He fixed his gaze on the
flower once again studying it closely. “That or it's the white jade bush which is poisonous.”

“We need food not tea. I'm going fishing with Chiara.”

“Hmm...delectable tea...,” he said brightly as Zuko walked off. “...or deadly poison?” he said
darkly.

---------------------------

Zuko approached Chiara who was standing in the shallow stream.

“Any luck?” he asked.

“No, not really,” she said wishing she had more time to herself. “A river would offer more
promising fish.”

Zuko searched around until he found a long stick. He began carving the end in order to make
his own spear. When he finished, he stood some distance away from Chiara and waited for a
fish to swim by. Nearly another hour had passed, and neither spotted anything worth
catching.

“Let's just go find Uncle,” he said.

They walked through the woods until they found Iroh who was still sitting before the bush
where Zuko had left him.

“Zuko, remember that plant I thought might be tea...?”

Zuko raised his head. “You didn't...”

“I did,” said Iroh as he turned around to show his red, swollen face. “And it wasn't.”

Zuko gasped as he jumped back, but Chiara ran to him.

“Oh, no,” she said as she knelt down and looked closer at the rash.

“When the rash spreads to my throat, I will stop breathing,” said Iroh nonchalantly as he was
scratching his chest and back.

She began pulling out her vial of water intending to use it regardless of Zuko finding out, but
Iroh stopped her.

“Look what I found,” he said holding out a branch. “These are bacui berries known to cure
the poison of the white jade plant.” He appeared more solemn. “That or maka'ole berries that
cause blindness.”

Zuko ran up and grabbed the branch from him throwing it to the ground. “We're not taking
any more chances with these plants! We need to get help.”

“But where are we going to go?” asked Iroh still scratching all over. “We're enemies of the
Earth Kingdom and fugitives from the Fire Nation.”

“If the Earth Kingdom discovers us, they'll have us killed,” said Zuko softly.

“But if the Fire Nation discovers us, we'll be turned over to Azula.”

They looked at each other and nodded.

“Earth Kingdom it is,” said Zuko.

Chiara had one hand around Iroh's back, and with her other hand she was trying to keep him
from scratching.

“Go get our bags,” she ordered Zuko. “We'll start heading to the next village.”

“Don't forget my teapot,” said Iroh.

Zuko glared at him tempted to kick the teapot sitting nearby.

Chiara walked Iroh to the road they had been traveling the day before.

“I think you should let me take care of this,” she said pulling his hand away from the rash.

“Prince Zuko's been very stressed lately,” he said trying to scratch another rash before she
could stop him. “I'm not sure how well he'll handle it if he finds out something else in his life
has changed.”

She wanted to point out that nothing had “changed,” but between the constant daily strain of
hunting and foraging and Zuko's increasing moodiness, she was too exhausted to argue over
semantics.

After running back to their camp and gathering their things, Zuko caught up with them on the
road. When they finally arrived at the village, they took him to the hospital.

“Oh, my,” exclaimed the young woman when she saw Iroh. “What happened?”

“Oh, funny thing,” said Iroh pleasantly, smiling despite his swollen face. “I discovered white
jade in the forest and made some tea.”

The young woman gasped. “Come over here,” she said taking his right arm.

She and Chiara walked him to an empty bed. Once he was seated, Chiara joined Zuko at a
bench while the woman began gathering medicine to treat Iroh's rash.

“You must not be from around here,” said the young woman as she washed the rash before
applying ointment to it. “We know better than to touch the white jade, much less make it into
tea and drink it.”

Iroh chuckled sheepishly. “Oops.”

“So where are you traveling from?” she asked.

Zuko stood up. “Yes, we're travelers,” he said awkwardly.

“Do you have names?”

“Names?” said Zuko. After months of traveling through the Earth Kingdom, this had been
their first interaction with any locals in which they had been asked their names. “Of course
we have names. I'm...Lee, and...” He pulled Chiara up and put his arm around her back.
“...this is my wife...L-Lin.”

Chiara's eyes grew wide while Iroh peered around his healer and frowned at Zuko.

“And that's my wife's father...uh...Mushi,” the prince continued.

“Yes,” said Iroh deeply, “my son-in-law was named after his father, so we just call him
Junior.”

Iroh smirked impishly at Zuko who frowned and drew his finger across his throat.

“Mushi, Junior, and Lin, huh?” said the healer sounding unconvinced. She rubbed lotion over
the inflammation on Iroh's arm. “My name is Song. You three look like you could use a good
meal.” She gently swatted Iroh's hand away as he tried to scratch one of the rashes. “Why
don't you stay for dinner?”

“Sorry, but we need to be moving on,” said Zuko.

“That's too bad,” said Song. “My mom always makes too much roast duck.”
“Where do you live exactly?” asked Iroh.

“Meet me here at sunset and I'll take you there.”

Chiara moved closer to Song. “Is there any place around that could use help?”

“There's a manor near the center of the village,” she said. “They can always use help.”

“You shouldn't go alone, Chi...Lin,” said Iroh. “Junior, take her there. I don't want her alone
in the village.”

The two left the hospital and started towards the residence Song had recommended.

“You shouldn't be doing this peasant work,” Zuko complained. “I don't care what Azula says,
you are royalty.”

“I'll do whatever it takes to feed you guys.”

“I hate this,” he said deeply.

“I know. But it'll beat foraging in the woods every day.”

He wanted to argue with her, but he knew she was right. The money she had earned at the
resort had helped them early in their exile.

----------------------------

Chiara spent the rest of the day working at the manor where she earned a few coins. At the
end of the day she left to find Iroh and Zuko waiting for her outside.

She reached up and touched Iroh's face looking closely at it. “You look so much better,” she
said when she saw that the swelling had gone down.

“I feel better too.”

He took her hand and placed it on his arm beneath the remnants of a rash, and they headed
back to the hospital to meet with Song.

“Did you hear about Omashu?” she asked them.

“What about it?” asked Iroh.

“The Fire Nation conquered it. It's now called New Ozai.”

Zuko scoffed at the new name as he rolled his eyes.

“And something about a pentapox outbreak,” she continued, “...whatever that is.”

“I guess we won't be going there,” said Iroh. “We'll just continue south.”

“I hope King Bumi's okay,” she said.

“He's a master earthbender,” he assured her. “I trust he will retake his city when the time is
right.”

Chiara thought about the family they stayed with in Omashu. “I wonder how Nisha and her
kids are doing?” she said. “I hope they're safe.”

“Hopefully, they weren't there when it was taken over,” said Iroh also wondering about the
safety of the family.

----------------------------

At sunset they met with Song who took them to her house for dinner. The young woman's
mother greeted them kindly inviting them into their home where they knelt around the table.

“My daughter tells me you're refugees,” said Song's mother setting a plate of roast duck on
the table. “We were once refugees ourselves.”

“When I was a little girl, the Fire Nation raided our farming village,” said Song. “All the men
were taken away.” She looked down sadly. “That was the last time I saw my father.”

“I haven't seen my father in many years,” said Zuko, longing in his voice.

“Oh,” said Song. “Is he fighting in the war?”

Iroh stopped eating his noodles and looked at his nephew across the table.

“Yeah,” answered the prince looking away.

Song's mother served Chiara a bowl with roast duck.

“That's a beautiful necklace,” she said to her. “Where did you get it?”

Chiara placed her hand over it. “It's all I have left of my mother.”

“I'm so sorry.” She placed a bowl of duck before Iroh. “So you lost your wife,” she said
sympathetically.

“I did. But...Lin is just as beautiful as her mother. She reminds me of her everyday.”

Song's mother smiled warmly. And though the true story was not what she believed it to be,
there was truth in Iroh's words.

“Song told me you're married,” she said to Zuko and Chiara. “You two seem so young.”

“Yes, well, crazy kids don't always listen to their parents' advice,” Iroh stepped in. “They can
be so impulsive.”

“Do you have any children?” she asked them.

“N-no,” said Zuko. “Not yet. But...but we've been working on it,” he said as he placed his
arm around Chiara while looking across the table at Iroh whose eyes got wide as his back
stiffened. “We want to have as many as we can,” continued Zuko to Iroh's displeasure. He
looked down at Chiara and gently pulled her closer, shaking her a bit playfully.

She quickly stuffed pieces of roast duck in her mouth to keep from saying anything. Iroh,
however, appeared ruffled by Zuko's words.

“It's not a good idea to consider children right now, Junior,” he said through gritted teeth.

“That's between me and my wife,” said Zuko as he tenderly ran his fingers down her arm. He
lifted her hand still holding her chopsticks and kissed it.

“You are much too young for that now,” said Iroh glaring at him.

Zuko just gently smirked. “But you know how much Lin loves kids.”

“Yes, too bad about that injury that will prevent you from having children,” said Iroh
immediately erasing his nephew's smirk.

“You were...injured?” asked Song's mother.

“Oh, yes,” said Iroh. “He was mauled by a...a goat gorilla. It caused some...uh...damage. So
having children may not be possible.”

Zuko was stunned and embarrassed. “We'll just keep trying,” he said through gritted teeth,
scowling at his uncle.

Chiara just sat quietly as she continued eating and laughing to herself listening to Zuko and
Iroh try to outshock one another.

-----------------------------

After dinner, Chiara helped clean the table and dishes while Zuko sat outside by himself
thinking about his father. He had not been sitting long when Song stepped outside.

“Can I join you?” she asked when she saw him alone. He had no time to respond before she
was sitting next to him. “I know what you've been through,” she said. “We've all been
through it. The Fire Nation has hurt you.” He could feel her staring at his scar. “It's okay,” she
continued. Lifting up her pant leg, she revealed a dark scar covering her lower right leg.
“They've hurt me too.”

Zuko was appalled to see the remains of the burn, redder and larger than his own. It was an
injury inflicted on an innocent, young girl by his Nation. He had been punished by his own
father for speaking out in the war room, but Song had been a civilian whose only crime had
been living.

“I'm sorry about the goat gorilla,” she said.

Zuko, drawn out of his thoughts, sighed to himself. “Yeah, it's...it's not as bad as he says.”

---------------------------
 As it grew late, they prepared to leave Song and her mother.

“Thank you for the duck,” said Iroh standing outside.

“Yes, thank you very much,” said Chiara.

“It was excellent,” said Iroh.

“Your welcome,” said Song's mother. “It brings me joy to see someone eat my cooking with
so much...gusto.”

“Much practice,” said Iroh patting his belly.

Iroh and Chiara bowed to the women as they bowed back, but Zuko turned away.

“Junior,” called Iroh. “Where are your manners? You need to thank these nice people.”

Zuko turned back to them bowing respectfully. “Thank you,” he said before turning once
again to leave.

“I know you don't think there's any hope left in the world,” said Song as he walked away,
“but there is hope. The Avatar has returned.”

Chiara and Iroh both held their breaths worried about Zuko's reaction.

He looked up stopping only for a second. “I know,” he said deeply.

Iroh and Chiara followed him out of the gate, and they left the town.

Chapter End Notes

Thanks for the reviews, everyone; I really appreciate the support.

This chapter was based on a map I saw online that shows the journey Iroh and Zuko
took after they left the Fire Nation resort and traveled south/southeast through the Earth
Kingdom. They go through the mountains near Pohuai, across the Great Divide, down
by Gaipan (the village flooded by Jet), and near the Cave of Two Lovers.
 Never Forget Who You Are
Chapter Notes

Thanks for the reviews...I loved reading them. And it really makes me hate posting this
chapter, but the story needs to go on. I'll explain why it went this way at the end.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Traveling on foot they continued their journey south staying in the forest eating whatever
they could find or whatever Chiara could kill. Arriving in another village, she decided to try
and earn money. Zuko felt frustrated but he did not argue with her since the last bit of money
she earned stopped Iroh's whining about not having any tea and prevented him from turning
another poisonous plant into another emergency trip to the hospital. At the end of the day, she
had a few more coins, and they enjoyed a hot meal that had a lot more flavor than the
unseasoned meat and fish they had been eating for too long. Not having enough for an inn,
they stayed in the woods as usual.

Early the next morning, when Iroh and Chiara were getting ready to return to the village for
food, Zuko turned up with an ostrich horse.

“Where'd you get that?” asked Chiara when she saw him riding it into their camp.

He jumped down. “Nowhere it'll be missed,” he said indifferently.

She glared at him.

“I'm done walking,” he said. “Just get on.”

“This isn't right,” she argued.

“What's not right is us living like this!” he yelled, angrily pointing to their camp. “Come on,
Uncle. It can carry all three of us. We're not walking anymore.”

Iroh sighed feeling ashamed that his nephew had resorted to stealing, but since the deed was
already done, he slowly climbed on the animal. Chiara put the strap of her bag over her
shoulder and started walking towards the town.

“What are you doing?” said Zuko.

“I'm going to the village,” she answered clearly upset by his behavior. “I'll meet you there.”

Her refusal to ride only angered him further. Instead of petitioning his uncle's intercession as
he usually did, he grabbed her arm with more force than necessary and pulled her over to the
animal.
“Get on,” he demanded.

She huffed and crossed her arms. “I'd rather walk,” she said stubbornly.

He narrowed his eyes at her frustrated by her defiance. “You'll get on it or I'll put you on it,”
he threatened deeply.

Iroh knew Zuko meant it. “Chiara, we need to go,” he said firmly not wanting his nephew
manhandling her.

She reluctantly climbed on in front of Iroh. Zuko took her bag and packed it on the back
before seating himself in front of her and taking the reins.

They rode on, now at a much faster pace, and camped in the evenings. Chiara would continue
hunting as the few coins she earned did not provide too many meals. After a few days
journeying they discovered a cave where they decided to sleep that night. It was not far from
a village that they visited the following day where Chiara was relieved to find work. When
she went inside the business, Iroh and Zuko led the ostrich horse to the side of the building
where they all sat down to rest. Iroh removed his hat and gently fanned himself with it before
wiping the beads of sweat from his forehead. Hearing a soft thump, he peered inside his
overturned hat and spotted a coin a passerby had tossed in there.

His face brightened. “Ooh, thank you,” he said, pleased to see it.

After that, he began begging for money to Zuko's complete embarrassment.

Towards the late afternoon, Chiara came out after a day's work.

Iroh held his hat up. “It's been quite a productive day,” he said.

She smiled. “Far more than mine.” She held out her hand to show three coins which she
dropped in his hat.

“That's it?” asked Zuko. “You're worth more than that.”

“There wasn't much business,” she said as she sat down between them leaning against the
ostrich horse that was quietly sleeping. “Apparently, a lot of people are out of town this week.
They're going to be celebrating Avatar Day in Chin Village in a few days.”

Zuko turned his disgusted expression towards her. “Avatar Day?” He sighed. “Great. He's got
a whole day just for him,” he said wryly.

“Yep,” she said. “They hate the Avatar.”

“What?!” he asked incredulously.

“They believe Avatar Kyoshi murdered Chin the Great, so every year they burn giant effigies
of the Avatars.”
He found it unbelievable and was speechless.

“We should go see it,” she suggested. “It sounds like something you'd like.”

“Will the Avatar be there?” he asked hopefully.

“I certainly hope not,” chuckled Iroh.

Zuko was disappointed and put his head down while Iroh held out his hat to a passerby.

“Spare coins for weary travelers?”

The man stopped and tossed a couple coins in the hat making Iroh grin happily.

“This is humiliating,” said Zuko angrily. “We're royalty. These people should be giving us
whatever we want.”

“They will if you ask nicely,” said Iroh.

Chiara giggled and lightly patted Zuko's hand, but he just crossed his arms and turned his
head away brooding.

They remained in the same spot since the sun was still up, and Iroh continued begging.

As a young woman passed by, he put on a doleful face and held out his hat. “Spare change for
a hungry, old man.”

“Aww. Here you go.” She dropped a coin in.

“The coin is appreciated,” said Iroh now grinning, “but not as much as your smile,” he added
sweetly.

The woman giggled as did Chiara while Zuko just facepalmed disgusted and embarrassed.

After she walked away, a man walked up and stood before them. “How about some
entertainment in exchange for a gold piece?” He held up a gold coin.

“We're not performers,” said Zuko flatly, his arms still crossed.

“Not professional anyways,” said Iroh getting up. He broke out into song. “It's a long, long
way to Ba Sing Se, but the girls in the city, they look so pretty.”

“Come on,” said the man dissatisfied with the performance. “We're talking a gold piece
here.” He withdrew his broad swords.

Chiara jumped up, and stepping over to Iroh she started singing. Her beautiful voice in song
sent a pleasant jolt through Zuko's heart, and he was gaping at her. It seemed like a long time
since they last heard her sing during music night on Zuko's ship. Iroh joined in with her.

“And they kiss so sweet that you've really got to meet the girls from Ba Sing Se.”
The man laughed as he watched the duet. “What's a pretty young thing like you doing
begging for coins with them?” he asked Chiara.

Zuko immediately felt enraged.

Iroh put his arm around her. “This is my daughter,” he said proudly.

He pulled out more coins. “I have a few more gold coins if you let me borrow your pretty
daughter for the evening,” he said.

Zuko jumped up and stood in between the man and Chiara. “She's not for sale!”

“I'm not talking about buying her,” the man smirked. “I just want to rent her for the evening.”

Zuko growled as he went to jump at the man, but Chiara and Iroh held him back.

“If you change your mind, I'll be around,” said the stranger, feeling completely unthreatened
by the scarred boy. He walked off laughing obnoxiously.

“That's it, Uncle!” said Zuko turning to Iroh. “Now it's getting dangerous for her.”

“Well, I think we earned enough,” said Iroh as he shook his hat making the coins jingle.

Zuko took Chiara's hand as well as the ostrich horse's reins and they followed Iroh. After
having dinner, they returned to their cave in the woods, but late that night, Zuko disappeared
for a few hours.

The next day Iroh and Chiara returned to the village where she worked again, and when she
finished working she joined Iroh who had spent the day begging. When she was with him,
they would often sing together and draw small crowds. Some days she would remain at their
campsite and hunt small game and fowl and they would enjoy the meat in the evening.

“This will allow us to save more money,” said Iroh as he was eating part of a bird they
cooked. “I think we should try to save up for a tsungi horn or an erhu or pipa. That will really
bring in crowds.”

“Good idea,” said Chiara.

Zuko just rolled his eyes at the thought of them being street performers.

He found it humiliating when they would sing for coins, and he refused to go into the village
with them when they were together. He isolated himself on those days and did not speak to
them much when they returned to the cave in the evenings. On the days that Chiara remained
at the camp to hunt, she and Zuko would often spar together while the meat was roasting over
a fire. For Zuko their sparring was the only thing that felt normal to him, and it was
something they both missed as they had not had time for it since before Zhao stole the crew.
The cave offered them some stability and an opportunity for rest as it provided shelter, a
luxury they had not had since they started running from the Fire Nation, and it was the first
time they remained in an area for an extended period. Unfortunately, without the continuous
traveling and non-stop work attending to their basic needs to provide a distraction, Zuko
began dwelling on his current situation and plotting ways to resume his search for the Avatar.

One morning, Chiara was brewing tea in the cave for her and Iroh when Zuko walked in
dropping two baskets of food before them.

His uncle looked with surprise at all the delicious edibles before turning his eyes up to his
nephew. “Where did you get these?”

“What does it matter where they came from?” he said walking out of the cave.

Iroh stared at him suspiciously and growled, but it did not stop him from picking up one of
the pastries and taking a bite.

“Mmmm,” he moaned with delight. He offered one to Chiara.

“I'm not eating stolen food,” she said. She poured his tea and set the cup in front of him
before standing up. “I'm going fishing.”

She left the cave and went down to the river. When Zuko saw her walking off he followed
her. He was surprised to see her heading towards the water with her spear to work for her
food after the barrels he had just left in the cave.

“Why are you fishing?” he asked her. “I thought you were sick of seafood?”

“I'm not eating stolen food.” She slowly stepped on a rock under the water, and carefully
balancing herself, she started searching the stream for fish.

“How do you know it's stolen?”

She stopped what she was doing and looked at him with suspicion. “Where did you get it?”

“What does it matter?”

She turned back to the water.

“I'm not used to this life,” he said trying to justify his actions, “begging and groveling
and...and singing for my dinner.”

“And I am?” she asked holding her body as still as possible.

“You and Uncle wandered the Earth Kingdom before.”

“But not begging. We left the camp with provisions that lasted us our entire journey. We
didn't live like royalty, but we weren't impoverished either. We even shared what we had with
those who had nothing. The coins people drop in the General's hat could have been coins he
dropped in someone else's back then.”
She thrust her spear in the water, and pulling it up, she had a fish on the end. Zuko began
building a fire for her while she gutted it. After she ate, she cleaned up and returned to the
cave.

“I'm going to town,” she told Iroh.

“Chiara, wait,” he called as he stood up and went after her. “I don't want you to go alone.”

They left to go to the village while Zuko remained at the cave to sulk.

A few days later, while Iroh was in town, Zuko and Chiara were sparring in the woods. As
they battled, she did not hold back like she used to, and he could not understand why he
could not defeat her as he was always able to win when they sparred on the ship. Every lunge
he made she blocked and returned with an equally powerful counterattack.

“Have you been practicing without me?” he asked as he swung his sword.

She blocked his attack. “No.”

“You seem more...aggressive?”

“Maybe you're just out of practice,” she said.

He narrowed his eyes at her now determined to win, and after a particularly aggressive move
of his own, he disarmed her, took her to the ground, and sat on top of her.

“You win,” she said a bit breathlessly.

“So you surrender?” he asked.

Her hair flowed everywhere, and he slowly moved it indulging in its softness as it glided
through his fingers.

“I could fight my way out,” she said unwilling to surrender.

His mind was completely caught up in his prize. “I'd rather you not.” His voice was soft and
tender, and it was a tone Chiara had not heard in a long time.

He delicately slid his fingers down her cheek, relishing her smooth skin as he moved closer
to her. She suddenly felt nervous by his affectionate touch, and her mind wanted to turn away
from him, but her heart did not. His fiery eyes were locked onto hers. The swirling green of
her beautiful eyes, reminding him of the ocean which held him prisoner for years, had been
holding his heart prisoner even longer, but it was a far more pleasant imprisonment. He was
drawn to her just as he had always been, and he could not help giving in to his heart's desire
as the magnetic pull of her lips upon his drew him closer and closer. He tenderly pressed his
lips against hers just as the Blue Spirit had done. Chiara's heart was racing as she had always
loved him. With her left hand she reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, gently
resting her hand on his neck behind his right ear. His heart was burning fiercely at her
receptiveness and touch.
Her heart desired his love, and it did not want to let him go, but her mind did not give up the
battle. Knowing she could not continue giving in to her desire, she placed her hand on his
chest and pushed him back.

“I-I'm sorry,” she said.

“For what?” he asked, his eyes gazing into hers.

“For giving in to my heart.”

“Don't be sorry. I love you, Chiara. I've always loved you.”

Tears filled her eyes as she heard the sincerity in his voice. “You can't. You're not allowed
to.”

“Why? Because I'm the Prince of the Fire Nation?” he said deeply. “Well, I'm not anymore.
I'm a fugitive stuck in the middle of enemy territory.”

“You won't be a fugitive forever. One day you'll be Fire Lord. I won't do anything that will...”

He forced a kiss upon her lips before she could finish. She pushed him away, and after
forcing him off, she stood up to run, but he quickly jumped up and grabbed her wrist pulling
her back to him.

“I won't let you go,” he said.

She was trying to pull away from him. “You have to.”

He forced her against a tree and leaning over her, he kissed her again. She pulled out shuriken
and pushed him away from her while pinning his sleeve to the tree. He reached for her as she
ran off, but he was stuck, and by the time he removed the small blade, she disappeared in the
woods.

That evening neither of them spoke much over dinner, but Iroh did not really notice as he
happily chatted away about the coins he made while in the village.

The next morning, Chiara was up early performing her daily chores. She wanted to keep as
busy as possible to keep her mind off Zuko's newest behavioral issue.

And just as she was trying not to think about him and their forbidden kiss the day before, he
walked up to her holding his dao. “Let's spar,” he demanded.

“No.” She poured animal feed into a bowl.

“Why not?” he asked as he followed her.

She was not anxious for a repeat of the previous day. “I have work to do.”

“After you're done.”

“I'm never going to be done,” she said placing the bowl of feed before the ostrich horse.

“What about after Uncle leaves?” he asked.

“I'm going with him.”

“I thought you were staying here today,” he said, annoyed by her sudden change in plans.

“I changed my mind.” She turned away from him.

He stormed off feeling frustrated by her refusal. Chiara picked up a bucket and walked
through the woods on her way to the river. Seeing movement from the corner of her eye, she
quickly ducked as Zuko jumped out from behind a tree swinging his own sword towards her.
He swung high in order to deliberately miss her, but his caution had not been necessary since
she had reacted so quickly. The bucket went rolling towards a tree stump as she pulled out
her sword and immediately stopped his downswing. She fought as hard as she could, and
after a long exhausting sword fight in which neither could claim victory, they stopped to rest.
As they were catching their breath, she put her sword in her sheath hoping he was tired out.
Zuko never took his eyes off her, eyeing her like a predator watching its prey, and as soon as
he sheathed his own sword, he ran towards her. She turned and began running back towards
the camp, but he was faster and tackled her. Before he got a chance to pin her to the ground,
she pushed him away and jumped to her feet and started running again until she made it to
the camp.

Iroh was outside tending a small campfire and brewing tea. “Chiara, are you okay?” he asked
when he saw her running towards the camp.

“I'm fine,” she said breathlessly walking by him.

Zuko came running into camp.

“Did you feed the ostrich horse?” Iroh was asking her.

“Yes, but I didn't water him,” she said. "Have Lee do it. He knows where the bucket is.”

She disappeared into the cave.

“I'm on it,” said Zuko in a flat tone as he turned to walk back towards the river.

Days later, Iroh walked into the cave to find several luxury items lying around inside.

“Looks like you did some serious shopping,” he said to Zuko as he sat down. He lifted a
fancy teapot for a closer look. “But where did you get the money?”

“Do you like your new teapot?” asked Zuko avoiding the question.

“To be honest with you, the best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a
tin cup.” Iroh got up and walked across the cave to sit next to him. “I know we've had some
difficult times lately. We've had to struggle just to get by, but it's nothing to be ashamed of.”
He put a comforting hand on his nephew's shoulder. “There is a simple honor in poverty.”

“There's no honor for me without the Avatar,” he said plainly.

Iroh closed his eyes frustrated by his nephew's Avatar obsession, as well as his own brother's
notions of honor, especially seeing how deeply the indoctrination scarred his nephew, even
deeper than the burn Ozai left on the teen's face. “Zuko,” he sighed, “even if you did capture
the Avatar, I'm not so sure it would solve our problems, not now.”

“Then there is no hope at all,” he said sadly as he started to get up.

“No, Zuko.” He pulled him back. “You must never give in to despair. Allow yourself to slip
down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is
something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength.”

Zuko looked at him and hesitated, but then he got up and walked off.

A short time later, Chiara returned to the cave carrying a fish she caught. When she entered
she stopped abruptly and looked around at the luxuries that were not present before. She
glared at the new items before sitting down by the fire.

“I'm really worried about him,” she said softly, arranging the fish over the fire.

“He is having a hard time dealing with this change,” said Iroh sadly.

“Aren't we all?”

He watched as she cooked the fish. “You have a remarkable way of adapting,” he said. “It's
not so easy for Prince Zuko.”

There was so much that worried her about the prince's behavior. She hated any form of
thievery, and she found it completely unnecessary since she always managed to provide food,
whether she hunted it or earned money for it. What he was doing now was not only
unnecessary, but reckless, especially if he were to get caught and identified by the Earth
Kingdom. But there was something worse going on inside him, and it not only worried her,
but it was even beginning to scare her. It was also something she feared sharing with the
general.

“I understand he's struggling with this,” she said, “but I fear he's changing in the process.”

Iroh's eyes were downcast as he considered the truthfulness of her words, though he was
unaware of her deeper meaning.

--------------------------

Later that day, Chiara took several items of clothing down to the river to wash. Zuko quietly
followed her and watched her for a while as she knelt by the water and washed the clothes.
Before she finished he approached her and knelt down behind her.
“You shouldn't be doing this peasant work,” he said.

“I don't mind.”

He tenderly ran his hand up her arm, and then he pulled her long hair back over her shoulder.
She could not help feeling a bit unnerved by his touch.

He delicately touched her neck and shoulder making her tense up slightly. “You are so
beautiful, Chiara,” he said softly.

“Are you feeling okay?” she asked, not taking her eyes from her work.

“The men on the ship used to talk about how beautiful you are.”

He ran his fingers through her hair. She tensed up again, and she closed her eyes hoping he
would stop, but he moved closer to her.

“They would fantasize about being wrapped in your hair,” he said as he allowed the long
curls to flow over his hand. “They wanted to feel your soft skin under their fingertips.” He
began touching her neck again.

“Please stop,” she said moving away from him.

She was deeply concerned about his mood.

“I got you something.” He pulled out a jeweled necklace and held it in front of her.

Her eyes grew wide when she saw it, and she was immediately upset. “Where did you get
that?” She set aside the tunic she was washing.

“What does it matter?”

She was frustrated by his repeated reply.

He moved behind her again and placed it against her neck, but she took it from him and
turned around holding it out to him. “Return it to whomever it belongs,” she demanded.

“It belongs to you.”

“No, it doesn't.” She dropped it in his hand as she glared at him. “I will not take something
that's been stolen.”

“You deserve it,” he said. “You earned it.”

“No, I didn't.” She looked in his eyes and softly sighed. “Prince Zuko, this isn't you,” she said
in a tender voice trying to appeal to the boy she grew up with in the Caldera.

“No, it's not, but what choice do I have now?” he said darkly.

“You can choose not to steal.”

“I should be able to have whatever I want,” he said in a deep voice.

He leaned towards her and kissed her, but she placed her hand on his chest and backed away
from him. He grabbed hold of her upper arms, and pulling her close, he kissed her again.

“Stop!” she demanded as she stood up and stepped away from him.

He got to his feet too.

“You need to snap out of this,” she said.

He grabbed her and pulled her to him and forced another kiss upon her lips. She pushed him
back and turned to run, but she did not make it far in the woods before he caught up and
forced her hard against a tree.

“Prince Zuko, please stop,” she begged.

“Stop fighting me. I know you love me.” He moved close to her. “I heard you crying my
name on the dock,” he said. “You called me out of the water; it was as if the waves were
lifting me towards your voice. Even through the ringing in my ears, I heard you call me your
heart,” he said tenderly as he caressed her face. “You're my heart. You've always been my
heart.”

He kissed her again. Tears fell from her eyes at his words as she loved him deeply, but for the
first time she felt afraid of him.

She pushed him back. “I won't let you do this.”

“I've lost everything,” he said softly, his eyes locked on hers. “I don't want to lose you.”

“You-you're not going to lose me.”

“I heard you tell Uncle once that you'll leave the Fire Nation and go north. Everything else
has been taken from me. You're all I have left, and I won't let you go.”

“I'm...I'm not leaving. I'm doing the best I can to take care of you...”

He forced his lips against hers again, but she shoved him away and turned to walk off. He
grabbed her wrists pulling her against him. She struggled to break free of his grasp, but he
refused to let her go as he gripped her harder.

“You-you're burning me,” she cried.

Her soft, sorrowful cry snapped him out of his passionate thoughts, and he immediately
released her. Suddenly, he was filled with guilt for his loss of control.

“I'm-I'm sorry, Chiara,” he said taking her hands in his and looking closely at the burns. “I'm
so sorry.”
There were red marks in the shape of hand prints wrapped around her wrist. It was the first
time he had ever burned her, and he felt sick at what he had done.

“I didn't...I didn't mean to hurt you.”

He walked her to the river where he scooped up cool water and poured it over her wrists.

“I'm sorry,” he apologized again.

Tears were falling down her cheeks from the pain in her heart rather than the pain on her
wrists.

“I shouldn't have let this happen,” he said. He wrapped his arms around her and held her
tenderly caressing her hair. “You're right, this isn't me.”

He gently kissed her head, and then he stood up and quickly took off in the woods. Chiara
remained by the water's edge and cried as she felt helpless being unable to help him.

The next day, Chiara remained near Iroh though she had not seen Zuko much since the day
before. After cooking Iroh's breakfast, she started making tea for him with the small teapot
she had purchased when they were still staying at the resort. It had traveled with them
through the Earth Kingdom and was one of the first purchases she made with the money she
earned at the resort. She refused to touch anything Zuko stole or bought with stolen money.

She was pouring the tea when Zuko stood at the entrance of the cave.

“Uncle, I thought a lot about what you said.”

“You did?” said Iroh, sounding pleased. “Good, good.”

“It's helped me realize something. We no longer have anything to gain by traveling together. I
need to find my own way.”

Iroh closed his eyes and bowed his head, but Chiara stood up and stared at Zuko as he picked
up a bag and started walking away.

“Wait,” said Iroh.

Zuko turned back to see his uncle bringing him the ostrich horse.

“I know you'll take good care of Chiara and protect her,” Zuko said to him.

After placing his bag on the animal's back, he took the reins and walked off leading the
ostrich horse along. Iroh disappeared inside the cave while Chiara quietly followed Zuko.

“Prince Zuko...,” she said after they were a short distance away from the cave.

He stopped, but he did not turn towards her because he was afraid he would not be able to
leave her.
 “If you're going to try to talk me out of it, don't bother,” he said.

“I'm not going to try to talk you out of it,” she said softly. “I've known you long enough to
know that when you have a mind to do something, you do it.” He loved her, and he wanted to
laugh. “I...I just want you to know something. In-in case I never see you again, I don't want to
lose the opportunity to tell you...” She did not want to say it, but she did not want to leave it
unsaid. “I love you.” Zuko was sure his heartbeat accelerated upon hearing her words. “I
have always loved you. And had I been worthy of being your wife, I would've considered it
an honor. Just remember, if you ever feel alone on your journey, there is somebody
somewhere that loves you and is thinking about you.”

Zuko was stunned by her words, and he did not know what to say, but the more they sank in,
the more he desired to run to her and take her in his arms. He heard something land on the
ground behind him. He hesitated, his resolve to leave waning. He finally turned to her, but
she was not there, and he wondered if he imagined it. At his feet lay a small bag, and when
he picked it up he heard the coins inside letting him know it had been real. It felt like it was
all the money she had earned working in town. He stood staring in the direction of the cave
tempted to go to her. He closed his eyes questioning his decision to leave them.

You're hurting me kept echoing in his mind. She was right—he changed. He was not himself,
and it angered him to see who...what he had become. He was determined to leave in order to
sort himself out...maybe find the Avatar and set everything right again despite what his uncle
believed. He would not risk hurting Chiara again, so he would make this journey on his own.
He would trust his uncle to take care of her (and trust her to take care of his uncle—
poisonous plants coming to mind), and he would find them when he completed his mission.
He tucked the small bag away and left.

Chiara went down to the river where she sat at the water's edge and cried. She was still there
when Iroh later found her and sat down next to her.

“He will be okay,” he assured her. “He is quite resilient.”

“I always thought I would be the one to leave one day.”

He put his arm around her. “I think it's time we move on.”

Chapter End Notes

I know Zuko's actions seem dramatic and rash, but I need him to go off on his own to
follow the “Zuko Alone” episode (I won't cover that episode except for a couple small
scenes; otherwise, it follows the show). I don't think he would've left Chiara had he not
done something drastic enough to make him feel he needed to leave her. It's intended to
be an eye-opener for him; he now realizes just how much he's changed and how that
change is hurting the one closest to him.
We're dealing with two teenagers, now 17 and 16, who have both suffered through quite
a bit of trauma.
Zuko's lost everything. He went from Crown Prince of the Fire Nation to a starving,
homeless fugitive with little hope of completing his mission, and it's causing him to
become reckless as it drives him towards despair.
He's been suffering serious abandonment and rejection issues since his childhood which
he takes out on Chiara because she's been the one constant in his life and he doesn't want
to lose her. This is what drives his jealousy.
Just a side note: Because of Iroh's insistence that he can never marry her, Zuko showed
his rebellious teenager side that resulted in the dinner scene in the previous chapter.
As for Chiara, she suffers from her own traumas, and for her the escape is to keep
constantly busy. Her self-sacrificial nature is due to the loss of her mother, and any kind
of loss of life affects her deeply. She wants to protect everyone, especially Iroh and
Zuko (her only family now), and she'll risk her own life to do so. When it comes to
Zuko, she's always loved him, but being more logical and less impulsive, she refuses to
do anything that could jeopardize his future no matter how much it hurts her own heart
or even his.
Anyways, enjoy the upcoming roller coaster.
 Showdown at Tu Zin

Zuko had been traveling on his own and living sparingly off the bag of coins Chiara had
given him. After passing through an ancient battlefield, he reached an Earth Kingdom village
not far from the Si Wong Desert. His stomach was aching with hunger forcing him to stop for
food.

“Could I get some water, a bag of feed, and something hot to eat?” he asked the merchant as
he held out his last two coins.

“Not enough here for a hot meal,” the merchant replied. “I can get you two bags of feed.”

As his stomach growled, Zuko gently touched his tunic where he kept Chiara's diadem. It was
after his first few days of traveling on his own that he realized she had put it in with the
coins.

He nodded to the merchant who disappeared to get the feed. While he waited, he spotted two
kids nearby whipping an egg at the Earth Kingdom soldiers behind him. The loud splat was
followed by an even louder “Ow!”

The kids quickly took off laughing before they were seen by the angry soldiers.

An earthbender named Gow stood up and turned around. Two large hammers hanging from
his waist swayed menacingly. “Hey!” he called to Zuko. “You throwing eggs at us, stranger?”

“No,” answered Zuko with his back to them.

“You see who did throw it?”

Zuko turned to them. “No,” he said placing his hand on his sword handle.

“That your favorite word, no?” asked another soldier.

“Egg had to come from somewhere,” said Gow.

Zuko turned his back to them again. “Maybe a chicken flew over.”

The second soldier laughed making Gow glare at him.

The merchant returned with the bags of feed and set them down in front of Zuko

“Thanks for your contribution,” said Gow as he grabbed them up. “The army appreciates
your support.” He tossed the bags to one of his men. “You better leave town,” he said turning
to Zuko. “Penalty for staying's a lot steeper than you can afford, stranger...trust me.” He
patted his hammer threateningly before turning to leave with the other soldiers.

“Those soldiers are supposed to protect us from the Fire Nation,” said the merchant. “But
they're just a bunch of thugs.”
As Zuko walked towards his ostrich horse, one of the young boys popped up from the other
side.

“Thanks for not ratting me out,” he said.

Zuko ignored him as he mounted the ostrich horse and began to ride away, but the boy went
after him and grabbed the reins.

“I'll take you to my house and feed your ostrich horse for you. Come on. I owe you.”

----------------------------------

That night Chiara sat alone by a river. Iroh was not far away sound asleep, but she could not
sleep, and she stared at the moon as she worried about Zuko and wondered where he was.
She and Iroh had been tracking him, but keeping at a far enough distance that they sometimes
lost his trail for a while. As she looked at the moon, she thought about their separation when
she was with the Avatar. She remembered how they had thought of each other when they
looked at the moon, and she wondered if he still thought of her.

-----------------------------------

Late that night Zuko walked into the barn on the farm where he worked that day. He set his
dao down for the second time that night hoping Lee would not sneak in again. He did not
mind helping the young boy, but it was late and he wanted to get some sleep before sunrise.
He flopped down on the hay where the bright light of the descending moon was now
streaming through a window. He stared at the glowing orb and thought about Chiara.
Reaching into his tunic, he pulled out her diadem. The moonlight reflected off the gems, and
the whole diadem seemed to glow as the light struck it. It reminded him of how Chiara
seemed to glow whenever she stood in the full moon's rays. He imagined her standing on the
deck of his ship, the sky sparkling with stars and the bright moon shining down upon her as
her beautiful long dark locks floated about her in the wind as if she were under water. He felt
alone without her presence, and he would give anything to be back on the deck of his ship
watching her. If you ever feel alone on your journey, there is somebody somewhere that loves
you and is thinking about you. He wondered if she really was thinking about him. But then he
remembered how he treated her by the river and how he lost control and even burned her. He
placed the diadem back in his tunic and closed his eyes.

Iroh and Chiara had been tracking Zuko across the southern Earth Kingdom. One day, Iroh
was resting next to a boulder when he found himself suddenly propelled forward.

“Oh, that really hurt my tailbone,” he said as he rubbed it. He looked up to see a young
earthbender standing on the boulder.

-----------------------------------

Meanwhile, Chiara was in the woods searching for dinner, and as she was walking through
the trees a large shadow traveled across the forest floor. Too large to be a bird, she looked up
and her eyes grew wide when she saw Aang flying east on his glider. She was curious as to
why he was alone and without Appa, and she considered trying to follow him, but she did not
want to leave Iroh behind without telling him. She continued her search for their next meal.

-----------------------------------

Iroh poured a cup of tea for Toph.

“Here is your tea,” he said as he held it out to her.

She did not move.

“You seem a little too young to be traveling alone,” he said still holding the cup.

“You seem a little too old,” she replied dryly as she finally took it from him.

Iroh started laughing. “Perhaps I am. But I am not alone. My daughter is out hunting for
dinner.”

Toph had a blank expression on her face as she just held the cup in her hand. “I know what
you're thinking,” she said. “I look like I can't handle being by myself.”

“I wasn't thinking that.”

“You wouldn't even let me pour my own cup of tea.” She took a sip.

“I poured your tea because I wanted to and for no other reason,” said Iroh.

“People see me and think I'm weak. They want to take care of me, but I can take care of
myself, by myself.” She took another sip from her cup.

“You sound like my nephew—always thinking you need to do things on your own without
anyone's support. There is nothing wrong with letting people who love you help you...not that
I love you, I just met you.”

Toph laughed and relaxed. “So, where is your nephew?”

“We've been tracking him, actually.”

“Is he lost?”

“Yes, a little bit,” he said sadly. “His life has recently changed, and he's going through very
difficult times. He's trying to figure out who he is, and he went away.” His eyes were
downcast.

“So, now you're following him.”

“I know he doesn't want me around right now, but if he needs me, I'll be there.”

“Your nephew is very lucky, even if he doesn't know it.” She set the cup on the ground and
stood up. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he smiled. “Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true
delights.”

“No. Thank you for what you've said. It helped me.” She lifted her bag over her shoulder and
turned to go.

“I'm glad.”

She stopped and turned to him. “Oh, and about your nephew, maybe you should tell him that
you need him, too.”

Iroh took a sip of his tea as he considered the young girl's words.

---------------------------------

Chiara was on one knee, her bow in her hands with an arrow aimed at a lop-eared rabbit. She
could not help thinking how adorable it looked as she watched it nibbling on some
vegetation. She hesitated, tempted to search for something else to eat since she was finding
the little creature too adorable...almost too adorable as she thought of Iroh waiting for dinner.
Just as she was about to release the arrow the ground started shaking and the rabbit
immediately hopped away at lightning speed. Wondering what was causing the commotion,
she stood up and began looking for the source, but it did not take her long to discover it as
she saw the mongoose lizard in the distance through the trees coming towards her. She
quickly took cover out of its path, and she waited for it to run past her. From where she hid
she could clearly see the rider, and as soon as it was out of sight, she started running back to
where she left Iroh.

He was sitting alone drinking tea when she finally made it to him.

“General!” she said, sounding out of breath.

“Chiara, tea?”

“No. Azula's here!”

He sat up more alert. “Did she see you?”

“No. She's heading east. I think she's after the Avatar because I saw him flying earlier in that
direction. We can't let her hurt Aang.”

Iroh silently considered their options.

“We'll find Zuko later,” he said. “We should follow Azula.”

They quickly packed up and started east towards where the remains of an abandoned mining
town lay. They were surprised to spot Zuko far ahead of them riding the ostrich horse in the
same direction.

“He's after the Avatar,” said Iroh.

“And so is Azula,” she said. “We need to get to him.”

They started running to catch up.

--------------------------------

Down in the abandoned town, Azula stood facing an exhausted-looking Aang.

“Do you really want to fight me?” she asked him in a lofty tone.

“Yes,” said Zuko jumping off his ostrich horse and standing in front of her. “I really do.”

“Zuko,” said Aang in surprise.

“I was wondering when you'd show up, Zuzu.”

Aang covered his mouth as he started snickering. “Zuzu?”

“Back off, Azula,” said Zuko standing between them. “He's mine.”

“I'm not going anywhere.” Azula looked around. “Your little Earth tramp isn't around to save
you this time?”

“No. It's just you and me.”

Azula and Zuko stood ready to fight. Aang, seeing the two sibling firebenders in fighting
stances, took a defensive stance. The princess made the first move sending blue flames
towards Zuko who raised a shield of fire, but her powerful blast knocked him off his feet.
Aang's mouth dropped open when he saw Azula take out Zuko so quickly and easily. He
turned around and started flying off, but Azula fired a stream of blue flame towards him
which he deflected with his glider as he fell to the ground. Running across a roof, the
princess jumped down in front of him and kicked fire at him, but as he ran from her, he found
himself trapped between her and Zuko who started attacking his sister. Aang weaved his way
between their fire battle until he made his way behind Azula. She defended herself against
Zuko while trying to attack Aang at the same time.

As Iroh and Chiara ran towards Tu Zin, they could see the fire fight, and Chiara started
sprinting as fast as she could no longer keeping pace with Iroh.

Zuko jumped up and leaped at Azula bringing down fire, but she countered it with her own.
She quickly turned to run after the Avatar who took off up the stairs into one of the
dilapidated buildings. Running up the steps behind him, she nearly fell off a ledge as there
was no upper level. She managed to steady herself to keep from falling, but Zuko came
running up behind her without stopping and plummeted to the first floor. Azula attacked
Aang again, but he sprinted towards her and pushed her to the first level before running out
the way he entered. As soon as Azula landed below, she quickly threw a stream of fire up at
Aang before sending her brother flying through a wall and into the street where he lay
unconscious.
When Chiara reached the town, she flew down the street and fell to her knees by Zuko's side.
After feeling his heartbeat, she jumped up and took off after Azula. She turned the corner and
saw Katara running out of a building being pursued by the princess. Sokka jumped out of
another doorway swinging his machete at the firebender, but she evaded him only to face
Chiara drawing her swords.

“Beautiful mystery girl!” called Sokka.

“Chiara!” said Aang excitedly.

Azula sent several fire blasts at her which she parried and dodged.

“I was wondering when you'd show up, Earth tramp,” Azula said to Chiara as they all
approached her.

She continued hurling streams of blue fire at Chiara while defending herself from Team
Avatar.

While they were battling, Iroh made it to the town and stood over Zuko who was still lying
on the ground. Zuko opened his eyes and saw his uncle above him.

“Uncle...,” he said.

“Get up,” he ordered as he helped him to his feet. “Chiara has gone after Azula.”

Any exhaustion Zuko felt immediately left him as he imagined Chiara at the receiving end of
a bolt of lightning.

“You're more of a traitor than I thought,” Azula said to Chiara as she threw a burst of fire at
her. Chiara swung her sword expertly deflecting it. “You're always around to save Zuko,”
continued the princess, “but now you team up with the Avatar too?”

“I told you before you'll have to go through me first to get to Prince Zuko,” said Chiara
deeply, fighting the blue fire with her sword.

Azula narrowed her eyes at her. “And I told you I don't have a problem with that.”

Suddenly, Azula was knocked forward falling to her hands and knees. Behind her stood Toph.

“I thought you guys could use a little help,” said the little earthbender.

“Thanks,” said Katara sweetly.

Azula stood up and threw a few more blasts at them before running off down an alley where
she unexpectedly bounced off Iroh and fell to the ground. Now, all of them together cornered
her.

“Well, look at this,” she said quickly getting up, “enemies and traitors all working together.
I'm done,” she said holding her hands in the air. “I know when I'm beaten. You got me. A
princess surrenders with honor.”
Her eyes scanned them all before locking on Chiara's. She smirked at her and then quickly
took aim shooting a concentrated blast of hot, blue fire.

Chiara had not expected it. “Nooo!” she screamed as she immediately ran towards Iroh but
was too late to block it.

Zuko's eyes went wide when he heard his uncle's scream, and he yelled out when he saw him
fall to the ground. He turned back to Azula, and he and Team Avatar all attacked her at once
while Chiara was on her knees at Iroh's side. As all four elements were fired upon the
princess there was an explosion. Chiara could not hear a heartbeat, and a heartbreaking
memory of her journey through the Earth Kingdom years ago resurfaced. After the smoke
dissipated, Azula was gone. Zuko turned and knelt down at Iroh's side opposite Chiara. He
was hurt and angry seeing his uncle lying lifeless on the ground while Chiara was crying with
her head on Iroh's chest. The others gathered around looking sympathetic.

“Get away from us!” Zuko yelled at them.

“Zuko, I can help,” said Katara.

“Leave!!” he yelled as he threw a stream of fire in their direction.

They all ran away, and as the noise died down Chiara heard a heartbeat.

She sat up, tears still streaming down her cheeks. “Get the ostrich horse,” she said.

Amid Zuko's anguished expression was confusion.

“Now!” she demanded as she was opening Iroh's tunic. “Go find it.”

Zuko, a bit shocked by her demanding tone, obeyed and left to find it. When he disappeared
she pulled out her small vial of water and poured it over Iroh's wound. Tears leaked out of her
eyes when she sensed the damage—it went deep and very close to his heart. Holding the
glowing water over his chest she tried to heal the worst of it, and she did not care if Zuko
returned while she was waterbending. She refused to rush it. After she did as much as she
could do, she put the water away, but Zuko still had not returned. She closed Iroh's tunic and
was monitoring his heartbeat when he finally showed up with their transport.

“Is he alive?” he asked.

“Barely,” she answered. “We need to find shelter for him.”

They gathered their supplies together, and then they made a makeshift stretcher which they
attached to the ostrich horse in order to transport Iroh. They traveled east of Tu Zin to another
abandoned village, and they carefully moved him inside one of the run down houses where
he could rest quietly. When they settled him in, Chiara knelt by his side holding his hand.

“Will he be okay?” Zuko asked her, kneeling across from her.

“I hope so.” She looked up at him, and noticing he looked a little gaunt, she reached over and
tenderly lifted his chin looking for injuries. “I have some dried meat if you're hungry,” she
said softly.

“Not really,” he said.

---------------------------------

When the sun went down Zuko built a small fire. Neither of them ate that evening, but Chiara
sat and mended clothes by the firelight.

“I'm sorry, Chiara,” he said softly after what felt like a long awkward silence to him. “I'm
sorry I left you...both of you.”

“Don't apologize,” she said impassively.

“I need to apologize.”

“Fine. I forgive you.”

She did not take her eyes from her work, and he felt frustrated by her apathy.

“You can't just forgive me that easily.”

“Why not?”

“I don't deserve it. I shouldn't have...” He turned his head away. “...I shouldn't have treated
you the way I did. It was...shameful.”

She silently kept working.

He looked at her. “Please say something.”

“You already apologized and I forgave you. What else do you want me to say?”

“I don't know. Yell at me. Hit me...”

“Will it do any good?” she asked, finally lifting her eyes from her work to meet his. “Will it
change what happened?”

He looked down. “No.”

“Then all you can do is promise me you'll never treat me like that again,” she said.

He looked up at her; her eyes were boring into him.

“I promise,” he said immediately.

She returned to her sewing tying off her last stitch.

“I left because I didn't want to risk hurting you again.”

“I understand,” she said softly.

She started putting her sewing needles and thread away. Zuko's eyes moved to Iroh on the
other side of the room, and he watched his uncle's chest slowly rise and fall under the
blanket.

“I shouldn't have gone. It wasn't worth this happening to Uncle.”

“This isn't your fault,” she said. “Who could've known which of us she planned on attacking
first?” Her words did not alleviate her own guilt. She had expected the princess to attack her
directly. But Azula knew how to inflict the most pain. Chiara could not help but feel
responsible believing that Azula attacked her general knowing it would hurt her more.

She got up from her spot next to the fire and walked over to Iroh where she lay next to him
and placed her head on his chest just as she did when she was younger.

“Are you going to sleep there?” asked Zuko.

“I'm monitoring his heartbeat,” she said.

“How is it?”

“Steady.” She was relieved to hear the steady rhythm, but she was worried that he was still
unconscious.

The next day Chiara went out hunting. She brought back a small animal, but she was
disappointed to see that Iroh was still unconscious. After preparing her kill, she and Zuko ate
it. Having been on his own for so many weeks, he had missed her cooking, and he ate like it
was the first time he had eaten in months. It frustrated Chiara that he had refused to learn how
to dress a kill in the wild when she offered to teach him, and she was worried about him
because he looked so thin. As they ate, she took less than she would have because she wanted
him to eat more. Zuko noticed the small amount she had, and he was just as concerned about
her.

“You need to eat, Chiara,” he said.

“I did eat.”

“You didn't eat very much. You need to eat more.”

“I'm not very hungry,” she said softly.

He assumed worry over Iroh was affecting her appetite, so he could not bring himself to push
her or scold her. She had not talked much to him, and he suspected she was still upset with
him for how he treated her back near the cave so he avoided being too demanding with her.
After eating, he pulled out her diadem.

“Why do you still have that?” she asked when her eyes focused on the silvery metal.

“I couldn't trade it,” he said softly.

“But...those are real gems. You should've been...”

“I mean I wouldn't trade it,” he interrupted her.

“That's why I gave it to you.” She was upset that he did not even bother to take care of
himself when she had given him the means to do so.

“But it belonged to your mother.”

“You're more important, and you look like you haven't eaten in weeks.”

Her words echoed through his mind: This is all I have left of my mother, and I would never
choose it over you. She had meant what she said, and he loved her for it. He stood up, and
walking to the other side of the fire, he knelt down behind her.

“I managed to survive without selling it,” he said.

He wrapped it around her neck noticing that she tensed a little which stoked his guilty
feelings. Once it was connected, he immediately returned to his seat across from her in order
to maintain a respectful distance.

“You shouldn't have given it to me,” he said.

“Then you should've learned how to dress game,” she scolded him deeply.

He knew her reprimand was justified, and he cast his eyes downward conceding her point.
“You're right.”

For two days they remained in the shelter watching over Iroh. They did not talk much except
what was necessary to speak since Zuko still felt ashamed for his behavior towards her and
did not want to push her into conversation. He also noticed that she seemed a little distant
which he worried might be because she was afraid to be near him, so he was trying to give
her some space. They took turns hunting, and whenever Zuko was out, Chiara would do a
healing session over Iroh's wound.

On the second day after she had gone out hunting early in the morning, Iroh began stirring.

The crown prince ran up the hill looking back to see his pursuer. Young Lu Ten was running
after him and threw his hands forward mimicking a firebending move.

“I got you, Dad!”

Iroh turned around groaning as he playfully clutched his chest and fell back to the ground.
They both laughed as Lu Ten happily jumped on his father.

Everything darkened as Iroh walked through the crypt. It had been years since he had last set
foot in the Fire Nation, but only one year since Lu Ten's death at Ba Sing Se. It was his first
visit to his son's grave having spent the year traveling the Earth Kingdom and visiting the
North Pole, and even unsuccessfully searching for him in the spirit world. He approached the
tomb of the prince and knelt down before it.

“My beloved Lu Ten, I will see you again...”

“Uncle,” said Zuko as he watched him move again.

Iroh opened his eyes to see his nephew kneeling next to him.

“You were unconscious,” said Zuko.

Iroh clutched his chest and groaned in pain when he tried to sit up.

“Azula did this to you,” said his nephew. “It was a surprise attack.”

“Somehow, that's not so surprising.” He sat up despite the sharp, deep pain in his chest, and
pushed himself against the wall. “Where is Chiara? Is she okay?”

“She's out hunting. She should be back soon.” He held out a cup of tea to his uncle. “I hope I
made it the way you like it.”

Iroh took it with a gentle smile anxious for a cup of tea. The first sip immediately wiped the
smile from his face. “Mmm...good,” he lied. He hurriedly downed the rest of it shuddering in
disgust. “That was very...uh...bracing,” he smiled.

Zuko took the empty cup and refilled it to his dismay. “So, Uncle, I've been thinking...”

Iroh quickly dumped the tea out of his cup when his nephew was not looking.

“...It's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I'm going to need to know more
advanced firebending if I want to stand a chance against her.” He quickly put up a defensive
hand before his uncle could speak. “I know what you're going to say: she's my sister and I
should be trying to get along with her.”

“No,” said Iroh placing his cup on the ground. “She's crazy, and she needs to go down.” He
grunted and groaned as he forced himself to his feet. “It's time to resume your training.”

Chiara's kill and bow fell from her hands as she stood at the door. She ran to him wrapping
her arms around him. Zuko smiled, and Iroh laughed as he returned her hug.

“Why are you up like this?” she asked releasing him from her embrace. “You need to lie
down.”

“I was going to help Zuko tra...”

“No, you're not,” she said to their surprise.

Zuko wondered if she was so angry with him that she was going to insist Iroh not help him.
“You just suffered a serious injury,” she scolded him. “You're going to rest and eat first. Then
you can help him.”

“I guess I can't argue with that,” said Iroh.

Zuko smiled to himself. After Chiara helped him back down on his mat, she picked up the
teapot and filled his empty cup. She took a sip to make sure it was hot enough, but no sooner
had she tasted it, she spit it back in the cup.

“I think this went bad.”

She stepped over to the window and dumped it all out.

“I just made that,” said Zuko softly.

“It didn't taste right,” she said while she started making a fresh pot for which Iroh was
secretly thankful.

Afterwards, she went outside to skin her game before she began cooking it.

Early in the afternoon after eating their meal, Iroh made more tea and began teaching Zuko
about lightning bending. Chiara sat nearby and listened while she mended Zuko's torn
clothes.

“Lightning is a pure expression of firebending without aggression,” said Iroh. “It is not fueled
by rage or emotion the way the other firebending is. Some call lightning the cold-blooded
fire. It is precise and deadly,” he said as he poured the tea, “like Azula.” He handed a cup to
Zuko. “To perform the technique requires peace of mind.”

“I see,” said Zuko. “That's why we're drinking tea, to calm the mind.”

“Oh, yeah, good point...I mean, yes.”

-----------------------------

After their tea, they all went outside where Iroh began giving Zuko instructions.

“There is energy all around us,” he said. “The energy is both yin and yang, positive energy
and negative energy. Only a select few firebenders can separate these energies. This creates
an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance, and in the moment the positive and
negative energy come crashing back together you provide release and guidance creating
lightning.”

He had Zuko and Chiara step back. He began moving his arms in a circular motion, the
lightning he created sparked sharply around him before he sent it off into the distance.

Zuko looked on enthusiastically. “I'm ready to try it,” he said.

Chiara saw Iroh rubbing his chest, and she immediately walked over to him. “Are you okay?”
“I'm fine,” he nodded. “Remember,” he said to Zuko, “once you separate the energy, you do
not command it; you are simply its humble guide. Breathe first.”

He and Chiara stepped back. Zuko took a deep breath. He moved his arms around him, but
there was no lightning created from his movements, and as he followed through the motions
an enormous explosion sent him flying backwards. He was undeterred by his failed attempt
and he stood up to try again.

While he continued practicing, Chiara was worried about Iroh overexerting himself.

“Why don't you sit down,” she said to him.

He was rubbing his chest again. “I'm okay....”

“Let me rephrase that,” she interrupted sternly. “Sit down now.”

He gently laughed at her command, but he did not dare defy her order. They sat down in the
shade of the house they were using as shelter.

Zuko continued practicing over and over, yet he was unable to create lightning.

“Do you think he'll ever find the peace he needs to generate lightning?” Chiara softly asked
Iroh as they watched the continuing explosions.

Iroh sighed. “I do not know,” he said thoughtfully. “There is so much going on inside him.”

She looked at him. “Why don't you teach him how to redirect it?” His eyes widened at her
suggestion. “It'd be far more beneficial to him to learn how to protect himself from it.”

“Why can't I do it?!” yelled Zuko having grown frustrated with his repeated failures. “Instead
of lightning, it keeps exploding in my face, like everything always does!”

“I was afraid this might happen,” said Iroh as Chiara helped him to his feet. He started
walking towards his nephew. “You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt
with the turmoil inside you.”

“What turmoil?!” he snapped.

“Zuko, 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. I'm as proud as ever.”

“Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame but its source. True humility is the only
antidote to shame.”

“Well,” said Zuko more calmly, “my life has been nothing but humbling lately.”

“There is something else we will try,” he said. “I will teach you a firebending move that even
Azula doesn't know because I made it up myself.”
To learn something that Azula did not know put a smile on Zuko's face.

“Sit down,” he said.

Zuko took a seat on the ground while Iroh picked up a stick. He began drawing in the dirt.

“Fire is the element of power,” he said as he finished drawing its symbol. “The people of the
Fire Nation have desire and will and the energy and drive to achieve what they want. Earth is
the element of substance,” he said as he traced its symbol. “The people of the Earth Kingdom
are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring. Air is the element of freedom,” he
continued. “The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace in
freedom. Also, they apparently had pretty good senses of humor.” He smiled at Zuko who
looked impassive. “Water is the element of change,” he said tracing its symbol. “The people
of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of
community and love that holds them together through anything.”

Chiara, sitting in the shade nearby, was listening to Iroh's teaching, and she perked up when
he mentioned the Water Nation. They exchanged a glance.

“Why are you telling me these things?” asked Zuko.

“It is important to draw wisdom from many different places,” he explained. “If we take it
from only one place it becomes rigid and stale.” He drew lines in the dirt separating the four
symbols. “Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you
become whole.” He drew a single circle enclosing all the symbols of the four elements.

“All this four elements talk is sounding like Avatar stuff.”

“It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful,
but it can make you more powerful too,” he said, jabbing his stick at Zuko's chest. “You see,
the technique I am about to teach you is one I learned by studying the waterbenders.”

Chiara jumped up to join them when Iroh began demonstrating a new set of warm-up
movements.

---------------------------------

The sun was getting low in the sky as they stood outside practicing.

“Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy,” said Iroh as they exercised. “A waterbender lets
their defense become their offense turning their opponent's energy against them. I learned a
way to do this with lightning.”

Zuko stopped moving and stared at his uncle. “You can teach me to redirect lightning?”

Iroh nodded. “If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it.” He
stretched out his right arm tracing the direction with his left hand. “You must create a
pathway from your fingertips, up your arm to your shoulder, then down into your stomach.
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 said letting out a hearty laugh. “From the stomach you direct
it up again and out the other arm.” He stretched out his left hand. “The stomach detour is
critical. You must not let the lightning pass through your heart...” He pointed at Zuko's chest.
“...or the damage could be deadly. You may wish to try a physical motion to get a feel for the
pathway's flow, like this.”

Iroh demonstrated the stance and began showing him the movements of his technique while
Zuko mirrored him. Chiara was standing behind Iroh going through the same motions.

“Now, are you focusing your energy?” asked Iroh. “Can you feel your own chi flowing in,
down, up, and out?”

“I think so.”

“Come on,” said Iroh, “you've got to feel the flow.”

They continued practicing until the sun dropped down to the horizon.

“Excellent,” said Iroh stopping. “You've got it.”

“Great,” said Zuko. “I'm ready to try with real lightning.”

Chiara stopped her movements and looked at him.

“What are you crazy?” said Iroh, appalled. “Lightning is very dangerous!”

“I thought that was the point,” said Zuko. “You teaching me how to protect myself from it.”

“Yeah, but I'm not going to shoot lightning at you! If you're lucky you will never have to use
this technique at all.”

“Well, if you won't help me, I'll find my own lightning,” he said stubbornly.

Zuko hopped on the ostrich horse and took off riding to the top of a mountain covered by
clouds of a coming storm.

Chiara sighed and turned to Iroh. “How are you feeling?” she asked him. “Any pain?”

“Not much really.”

“We should go inside. I'll do a healing session.”

They went into the house where she treated the injury as there was still some residual damage
that she would have to continue working on. The healing water felt soothing to his throbbing
pain.

“How were you able to do this without Zuko seeing it?” he asked her as she finished.

“When I realized you were still alive, I sent him for the ostrich horse,” she said. “The other
treatments I did when he was out hunting.” She helped him sit up. “But I don't care if he saw
me. I was going to do it anyways.”
Tears started falling down her cheeks as the memories of Azula's attack on him flashed in her
head.

“It's okay, Chiara,” he said as she was helping him with his tunic. “You did good.”

She shook her head. “It was so close to your heart. I wasn't sure I'd be able to help.”

He wrapped his arms around her and held her. “It's not your fault if you can't save everyone.”

“I was sure you were gone,” she softly cried.

He gently rubbed her back. “It's okay. I'm here.”

 It's a Long, Long Way

Days later, they left the shelter and traveled west on the ostrich horse. Zuko sat up front with
the reins while Chiara rode behind Iroh since she was still worried about his injury. They had
been traveling half the day with few breaks when Iroh began grunting in pain.

“Are you okay?” Chiara asked him.

“I'm fine,” he groaned.

“Maybe we should make camp,” said Zuko.

“No, please,” he said. “Don't stop just for me.”

He groaned even more dramatically.

“Stop the ostrich horse,” Chiara called to Zuko.

“I'm on it,” he said pulling the reins annoyed by his uncle's drama.

Chiara jumped off and helped Iroh down. He sat on rock rubbing his chest and shoulder
which were still tender. Chiara leaned over him to check his injury just as the ostrich horse
nervously lifted its head and brayed.

Zuko immediately took a defensive stance.

“What now?” groaned Iroh exasperatedly.

Several men on komodo rhinos suddenly appeared and surrounded them. Chiara sighed when
she recognized the men. Zuko, too, recognized the men he defeated in the forest of the
northwest Earth Kingdom.

“Colonel Mongke,” said Iroh delightfully as he put his hand on Zuko's shoulder. “What a
pleasant surprise.”

“If you're surprised we're here, then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps,” he growled
in reply.

Each of the men prepared his weapon.

“You know these guys?” asked Zuko.

“Sure,” said Iroh. “Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary. Each one is a
different kind of weapons specialist. They are also a very capable singing group.”

“We're not here to give a concert,” said Mongke.

“You might want to think twice about that this time,” said Chiara, “or you might upset the
spirit of this forest too.”

Zuko smirked to himself, but Mongke looked agitated when he realized what she said.

“We're here to apprehend fugitives,” he said deeply. “And you won't get away this time.”

“Would you like some tea first?” asked Iroh. “I'd love some. How about you, Kahchi?” He
glanced at the man holding a guan dao. “I make you as a jasmine man. Am I right?”

“Enough stalling!” yelled Mongke. “Round 'em up!”

The men began wielding their weapons. Ogodei threw his chains toward Iroh who kicked
them sending them around the leg of Kahchi's rhino. Chiara had drawn her sword diverting
Vachir's arrow just as Iroh rolled over to Kahchi's rhino and slapped it. It took off with the
chain wrapped around its leg pulling Ogodei with it. Chiara diverted another arrow with her
sword preventing Zuko from being struck. He turned and sent fire towards the archer
disabling his bow. Mongke began throwing fire at Iroh who continued blocking it until Zuko
jumped up on the rhino and attacked Mongke throwing him off. Iroh and Chiara ran towards
the ostrich horse and jumped on, Chiara at the reins. As they passed by Zuko still atop
Mongke's komodo rhino, he jumped on behind Iroh. Yeh-Lu began pursuing them throwing
an explosive ahead of them, but Chiara continued riding through the explosion without
stopping.

“It's nice to see old friends,” said Iroh pleasantly as they rode on.

“Too bad you don't have any old friends that don't want to attack you!” yelled Zuko.

“Hmm,” said Iroh thoughtfully. “Old friends that don't want to attack me...”

-------------------------------

They continued riding west as fast as they could, Chiara going where Iroh directed her. As
the sun was going down they arrived at Misty Palms Oasis where they followed Iroh into a
tavern. They sat down at an empty table in the corner. Zuko was looking around at the other
patrons apprehensively, but Iroh's eyes were searching.

“No one here's going to help us,” said Zuko turning to his uncle. “These people just look like
filthy wanderers.”

“So do we,” said Iroh as he continued scanning the room. “Aah. This is interesting. I think I
found our friend.”

Zuko and Chiara followed his gaze to the other side of the tavern to a man sitting at a Pai Sho
table. Chiara smirked at Iroh as he stood up.

“You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?” asked Zuko.

“I don't think this is a gamble,” he said.

They followed him to the table.

“May I have this game?” asked Iroh.

The man motioned towards the board. “The guest has the first move.”

Iroh sat down and placed a white lotus tile in the center of the board.

“I see you favor the white lotus gambit,” said the man. “Not many still cling to the ancient
ways.” He cupped his hands and set them on the table before him.

“Those who do can always find a friend,” responded Iroh doing the same.

“Then let us play.”

They took turns placing their tiles on the board. Zuko pulled a chair over for Chiara and then
himself, and they sat down and watched. By the time they finished, the tiles formed the shape
of a lotus flower.

“Welcome brother,” said Fung. “The white lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets.”
He spread his hands apart.

“What are you old gasbags talking about?” asked Zuko.

Chiara placed her hand on his. He turned to her to see her shaking her head at him.

“I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game,” said Iroh.

“It's over!”

They all turned to see a large man wearing a scowl marching towards them. He was followed
by an older, more dignified-looking man.

“You three fugitives are coming with me.”

Chiara was sure she recognized the man speaking, but she could not place where she had seen
or heard him before. Fung quickly got up from his seat and stood between Iroh and the two
men.

“I knew it,” he said pointing at the three fugitives. “You three are wanted criminals with giant
bounties on your heads.”

“I thought you said he would help,” whispered Zuko angrily to Iroh as he moved Chiara
behind him.

“He is,” said Iroh, placing his hand on Zuko's shoulder. “Just watch.”

“You think you're going to capture them and collect all that gold?” Fung said loudly to the
two bounty hunters.

“Gold?” said another voice in the tavern.

Everybody looked up.

“Uh...maybe we shouldn't,” said the older bounty hunter.

The large one took a step towards Iroh, but two men jumped in his way. Suddenly, a fight
broke out and Zuko grabbed Chiara's hand and they followed Iroh and Fung who led them
out of the tavern and into a flower shop.

“It is an honor to welcome such a high ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus,”
said Fung to Iroh after shutting the door behind them. “Being a grand master you must know
so many secrets.”

Iroh smiled.

“Now that you played Pai Sho are you going to do some flower arranging or is someone in
this club going to offer some real help?” asked Zuko impatiently as he followed Iroh to the
other side of the shop.

Chiara placed her hand on his arm in an attempt to calm him down.

“You must forgive my nephew,” said Iroh. “He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for
the cryptic arts.”

Fung knocked on a door at the back of the shop. A small door slid open.

“Who knocks at the garden gate?” asked another man from behind the small window.

“One who has eaten the fruits and tasted its mysteries,” answered Iroh.

The door opened and Iroh and Fung entered. Zuko went to follow them, but Chiara pulled
him back as they shut the door. He was about to say something to her about it, but the small
window opened.

“I'm afraid its members only,” said Iroh through the door. “Wait out here.”

“What is going on?” Zuko asked Chiara.

“The General made some important friends during our year of traveling,” she said. “Just trust
him.”

She sat down while Zuko paced back and forth.

“Earth Rumble!” she said suddenly, causing him to stop his pacing and turn to her.

“What?”

“The big guy in the tavern,” she said. “He was one of the competitors at Earth Rumble in
Gaoling. I knew his voice sounded familiar.”
Zuko remembered her telling him about the earthbending tournament years ago when she
returned from her travels with Iroh.

“Looks like he had a change of profession,” he said wryly as he flopped down next to her.

Hours went by as they sat and waited, and both of them had fallen asleep. The sun was rising
when Iroh finally came out of the back room startling Zuko who jumped up ready to fight.

“What's going on?” he asked. “Is the club meeting over?”

“Everything is taken care of,” said Iroh. “We're heading to Ba Sing Se.”

“Ba Sing Se?” asked Zuko shocked. “Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom capital?”

“The city is filled with refugees,” said Fung. “No one will notice three more.”

“We can hide in plain sight there,” Iroh assured him. “And it's the safest place in the world
from the Fire Nation. Even I couldn't break through to the city.”

The main door to the shop opened, and a young man, Peng, entered. “I have the passports for
our guests, but there are two men out on the street looking for them.”

They peeked outside the main door and saw the two bounty hunters from the tavern.

“I have an idea,” said Fung. “Follow me.”

They followed him to a room filled with flower pots.

“We can transport you in these until you're out of danger,” he said pointing to two enormous
pots.

There was only one way to transport the three of them inside two vases. Zuko and Chiara
looked at each other, and they both felt apprehensive about being crammed into a vase
together for an unknown period of time.

The two pots were placed on a cart, and Chiara stepped up to Iroh and held his arm as he
started climbing into his vase.

She gently touched his chest. “Are you going to be okay?” she asked, worried about his
injury.

“I'm quite sure I'll be better in here than out there,” he said nodding towards the door.

She turned towards the other vase in which Zuko was now standing. He took her hand and
helped her as she climbed in. After removing their swords, they crouched down inside where
Zuko took their swords and set them to his left. Flowers were placed over the top to hide
them and now they were sitting in near darkness. Chiara tried to take up as little space as
possible sitting with her arms wrapped around her legs and her head resting on her knees.
Zuko, with his longer legs, could not get comfortable and kept shifting. Finally, he took her
hand.

“Come here.”

He pulled her towards him and wrapped his arm around her shoulder trying to pull her closer.
“Lean against me.”

She automatically tensed up. When he felt her resisting, he started feeling guilty.

“I promise I won't...I won't hurt you,” he said softly. “I'm just trying to get comfortable.”

She allowed him to pull her close to him, and she relaxed against him resting her head against
his right shoulder and her hand over his heart.

“Are you comfortable?” he asked.

“I don't think that's possible in here.”

Except for his cramped legs, he enjoyed the feeling of her warm body pressing against his.
He started caressing her arm that lay over his chest. He had been wanting to talk to her ever
since they were taking care of Iroh, but it did not seem like the right time then as they were
worried about his uncle's recovery. And now that they were alone together, he could not risk
conversing and blowing their cover.

The large flower pots were wheeled out the door. Having grown up in the Fire Nation, Chiara
was accustomed to the heat more than most Water Tribesmen, but Zuko's body was so warm,
and combined with the heat inside the pot, it grew a bit overwhelming for her.

After a while, Zuko thought she was feeling warmer than she should have.

“Chiara,” he whispered.

She did not respond.

“Chiara,” he whispered again as he touched her face.

When she still did not respond he began panicking internally. He shifted his body and
checked her pulse, feeling relieved that her heart was beating. He reached for a water skin
and took off the top, and pouring a little onto his hand he tried to wet her forehead and cheek.

“Chiara, please wake up,” he whispered.

Suddenly, to his relief, she moved. “My firebender is so warm,” she said softly sounding half-
asleep.

His heart skipped a few beats at the thought that he was her firebender. “And-and so are
you,” he said reining in his thoughts. “Drink some water.”
She struggled to sit up. He produced the smallest of flames in order to provide just enough
light for her, but he could see that her face was flushed.

“Here, drink,” he said. “You need water.”

She took the skin, drank a little water, and then held it out to him.

“Drink more.”

She obeyed. He closed the top and took it from her.

“You should drink some too,” she said, her mind somewhat hazy.

“I'm fine. I can tolerate the heat better than you.”

She slowly and carefully shifted her body to lean against the wall of the vase, and Zuko, too,
slowly shifted his body trying to get comfortable.

It seemed like forever before the flower cover was finally removed and light poured in on
them. Zuko moved to shield his eyes, but he also immediately went into alert mode in case
they had been discovered by the bounty hunters.

“You can come out now,” said Peng.

“Chiara,” said Zuko softly as he put his hand on her back.

She did not move, so he moved some strands of hair from her face.

“Chiara,” he said again. “We're here.”

Her mind was still hazy, but she slowly sat up. Zuko stood up and helped her, but they both
suffered from a great deal of pain and stiffness in their legs, and Chiara felt dizzy. Her face
was still flushed, and Zuko did not think she looked well, so he kept one hand on her back,
and he held her hand so she could climb out first as Peng helped her from the outside.

“Thank you,” she said in a weak voice.

Suddenly, she started collapsing, but Peng caught her and gently laid her down.

“Chiara!” said Zuko as he tried quickly to get to her, though his legs were not moving as fast
as he wanted them to.

“What happened to her?” asked Iroh as other men were helping him out of his pot.

He also had trouble standing, and it took time for his blood to flow more freely.

“She's overheated,” said Zuko now kneeling by her side.

He poured water over her head and was wetting her skin trying to bring down her
temperature.
“Here's more water,” said one of the other men handing Iroh a water skin.

Zuko had flashbacks of her in his ship's infirmary.

“Come on, Chiara, wake up,” he said softly as he caressed her face.

Her eyes slowly opened. “You look worried,” she said in a low, hoarse voice.

“I am worried.”

She started sitting up with their help.

“And you were worried that I wouldn't be okay,” said Iroh, his hand on her back to help
support her.

“I don't like the desert,” she said softly.

Zuko smiled. “That's why we're trying to get out of it.”

Her cheeks were still pink, and Zuko and Iroh were still worried about her. Zuko gave her
more water before helping her to her feet.

“We've arranged transportation to the port where a ferry will take you to Ba Sing Se,” said
Peng handing Iroh their documents. “I hope you have a safe journey.”

“Thank you,” said Iroh.

Chiara bowed to him. “Thank you for all your help.”

Zuko did the same.

They arrived at the port the following day and caught an afternoon trip on the ferry crossing
Full Moon Bay. The ship was filled with refugees all seeking asylum in Ba Sing Se. After
standing in line for food, Zuko and Chiara took their bowls and stood at the rail looking out
over the water.

“How are you feeling?” Zuko asked her.

“Better,” she answered. “This breeze feels good. It's like being back on the ship again.”

Zuko considered her words. Even if he closed his eyes it could never feel to him like he was
on his ship. On his ship it was just his crew and Uncle and Chiara, not groups of refugees and
strangers. On his ship he was in charge, not some Earth Kingdom captain. On his ship he was
free to sail where he pleased (outside of the Fire Nation), not being forced to take refuge in a
foreign land. On his ship there was always hope of finding the Avatar and returning home
with his honor; now that hope was gone, and he had no home.

Iroh walked up and stood on the other side of Chiara, and he, too, looked out over the water.
“Who would've thought after all these years I'd return to the scene of my greatest military
disgrace...,” he started in a thoughtful tone. “...as a tourist?” he finished cheerfully.

Zuko's thoughts of all he lost had darkened his mood, and his uncle's optimistic view of their
fugitive status did not help.

“Look around,” he scowled at him. “We're not tourists; we're refugees.” He took a sip of his
soup and then spit it out. “Ugh! I'm sick of eating rotten food and sleeping in the dirt. I'm
tired of living like this.”

“Aren't we all?”

The three of them turned towards the voice to see a young man with a wheat stem protruding
from his sly smirk.

“My name's Jet,” he said. “And these are my Freedom Fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot.”
He indicated his two young companions.

“Hey,” said Smellerbee.

Longshot just nodded.

“Hello,” said Zuko with little fervor turning back to face the water.

“Here's the deal,” said Jet. “I hear the captain's eating like a king while us refugees have to
feed off of scraps. Doesn't seem fair, does it?”

Chiara stared suspiciously at the teen.

“What sort of king is he eating like?” asked Iroh.

“The fat happy kind,” answered Jet as if it were obvious. He approached Zuko who still stood
at the rail with his back to them. “You want to help us liberate some food?”

Immediately understanding Jet's implication, Chiara turned away from him, but Zuko stared
down at his bowl thoughtfully.

He hurled it out into the water and turned to Jet. “I'm in.”

--------------------------------

Later, when Zuko was standing alone at the rail, Chiara approached him.

“I don't think you should go with them tonight,” she said.

He looked down at her. “Why not?”

“Stealing food isn't right.”

He could see the concern in her expression, but he forced his eyes back out to the water. “It is
when we're starving.”
“The food may not be good, but we're not starving,” she argued.

“I'm tired of feeling hungry all the time.”

“You can have my rations,” she offered.

“No!” he said deeply. “You barely eat enough as it is. I'm doing this for you too.”

“I don't want you to do this. And if you get caught...”

“I won't get caught.”

“You don't know that.” She placed her hand on his arm. “The last thing we need is for anyone
to identify us,” she whispered.

“I know how to be stealthy.”

Chiara was worried that he was going to start acting as he had done when they were staying
in the cave.

-------------------------------

That evening Zuko disappeared with Jet and his friends. Chiara was on edge worrying about
him during his absence hoping he would not get caught. But they all finally returned with
food they shared with other passengers. Zuko held out a bowl to Chiara.

“No, thank you.”

“You must be hungry,” he said.

“I don't eat stolen food,” she said softly.

“They have plenty of food up there,” he argued. “They won't miss it.”

She shook her head.

“But you'll sing for it on the street,” he said deeply.

“Singing is more dignified than stealing.”

Iroh chuckled at their argument. “You will not win that argument, Z...uh, Lee.” Iroh looked at
Jet's friends. “So...Smellerbee. That's an unusual name for a young man.”

Chiara gasped softly and placed her hand on Iroh's wrist.

“Maybe it's because I'm not a man; I'm a girl,” snapped Smellerbee in an offended and hurt
tone. She got up and stormed off while Longshot went after her.

“Oh,” said Iroh feeling guilty.

“How could you say that to her?” Chiara asked him.

“Now I see. It's a beautiful name for a lovely girl,” he called to her.

Iroh turned to Chiara with a guilty expression. “I didn't know.” He looked at Zuko. “Did you
know she was a girl?” he whispered.

“I do now,” he said.

“Shame on you guys,” chided Chiara.

Jet sat down across from them with a bowl of his own. “From what I heard, people eat like
this every night in Ba Sing Se.”

“I hope they don't have to steal it every night to do so,” said Chiara darkly.

He just smirked at her and shrugged. “Maybe. But I can't wait to set my eyes on that giant
wall.”

“It is a magnificent sight,” said Iroh.

“So you've been there before?” asked Jet.

“Once,” said Iroh, feeling ashamed. “When I was a...different man.”

“I've done some things in my past that I'm not proud of,” said Jet. “But that's why I'm going
to Ba Sing Se, for a new beginning, a second chance.”

“That's very noble of you,” said Iroh. “I believe people can change their lives if they want to.
I believe in second chances.”

He and Zuko looked at each other.

------------------------------

While everyone was eating, Chiara went to the rail where she gazed out over the water. Iroh
noticed that she had been fairly quiet most of the trip, and he was concerned about her.

“You've been very quiet, Lin,” he said standing next to her on deck. “Are you okay?”

“It seems like so long ago when we were here last.” Her voice was low and sad.

He placed his arm around her and held her while she rested her head on his shoulder.

“I miss him,” she said.

“I know,” he said softly. “As do I.”

“Are you going to be okay?” she asked.

He knew he had no choice. There was no other place he could go than to city where he lost
his son. “I will deal with it. We'll do what we must to stay alive.”
Zuko was nearby and heard their conversation. He had forgotten that Chiara had stayed at the
Fire Nation camp after Lu Ten's death, and it suddenly hit him how difficult the trip must be
for both of them.

“How are you feeling?” Chiara asked Iroh as she tenderly touched over his chest.

“Stronger,” he answered.

“Any more pain?”

“Not much really.”

------------------------------

Late that night, Zuko was asleep on the deck while Iroh stood lost in thought and Chiara was
still staring out over the dark water. Something large sailing across the sky caught her eye.
When she focused on what looked like a giant, fast-moving cloud, she realized it was Appa
flying over them heading north. She stood up straight, her wide eyes following him as he
flew over. Iroh, seeing her reaction, glanced up and gasped when he spotted the bison.

“Uncle?” said Zuko tiredly, opening his eyes to see his uncle staring at the sky. “What are
you looking at? Is there something out there?”

Iroh and Chiara exchanged a glance. “Uh...it's nothing,” he said. “Go back to sleep.”

“Where's Chiara?”

“I'm right here,” she said softly.

He looked back at her. “Why aren't you sleeping?”

“I'm about to,” she said.

He lay back down and went to sleep.

Early the next morning they were nearing the port on the other side of the bay. Zuko and
Chiara stood at the railing watching the land getting closer. They had never discussed their
conversation before he left her and Iroh, and he had not forgotten her words to him.

“Back at the cave,” he started, “did you...did you mean what you said?”

“Yes.” He felt a rush of excitement at her admittance. “I'm not eating stolen food,” she
finished.

He turned to her, his mouth dropping open as he had not expected her response. “No...that's
not what I meant...”

“I know what you meant.” She looked down. “I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it.”
He took her hand in his. “You know I've loved you as long as I can remember,” he said softly.

Tears came to her eyes.

“I will find a way to restore my honor,” he whispered confidently, “and I will make you my
wife.”

The tears fell down her cheeks. She was sure that even if the Fire Lord took his son back,
Ozai would never accept her as the wife of the crown prince. She did not want to force Zuko
to choose between her and his beloved country, and though it hurt her to think about it, she
suspected she would not be his choice. “Marrying me will bring you true dishonor.”

“There's got to be a way around your family history. I never even heard that before. I think
Uncle made it up. I think...”

Jet came up behind them and Zuko stopped talking while Chiara wiped the tears from her
cheeks.

“You know, as soon as I saw your scar I knew exactly who you were,” said Jet.

Zuko and Chiara exchanged looks, and her grip tightened on his hand.

“You're an outcast,” said Jet. “Like me. And us outcasts have to stick together. We have to
watch each others backs...because no one else will.”

They both relaxed.

“I've realized lately that being on your own isn't always the best path,” said Zuko as his eyes
gazed into Chiara's.

She tenderly caressed his hand. “I'm going to check on Father,” she said.

She walked away leaving Zuko with Jet.

“Your sister doesn't like me,” said Jet.

“She's not my sister,” he said flatly, wondering why everyone seemed to think they were
siblings. “She's...my wife.”

Jet looked at him curiously. “So the old man isn't your dad?”

“He's her father.”

“Huh. You two look pretty young to be married.”

“We've known each other for...forever. There could never be anyone else.”

Jet leaned backwards against the railing. “She didn't seem too happy with the food last
night.”

Zuko shrugged. “She would prefer to work for it.”

“I'd say it took some work to get it,” he said with his sly smirk.

Zuko chuckled.

“I bet she'd eat it if that's all there was,” said Jet, the wheat between his lips fluttering in the
wind.

“You don't know Lin,” said Zuko. “She'd probably starve first...or give it to someone else.”

---------------------------------

Soon the ferry reached the port and they disembarked and walked to the monorail station
where they stood in the long line to have their tickets stamped. Finally reaching the front,
Iroh laid their tickets before the ticket lady.

“So...Mister Lee, and Lin,” she said studying their tickets, “and Mister...um...Mushy, is it?”

“It's pronounced Mooshi,” said Iroh.

She scowled at him, offended by the correction. “You telling me how to do my job?”

“Uh...no,no,” said Iroh stepping closer to the counter. “But may I just say you're like a flower
in bloom. Your beauty's intoxicating.”

Her stern face softened at his sweet talk.

“Mmmm...you're pretty easy on the eyes yourself, handsome.” She gave him a wink.
“Reoww,” she seductively growled at him. “Welcome to Ba Sing Se.”

She stamped their tickets and Iroh took them with a happy smile. Zuko angrily grabbed his
and Chiara's tickets.

“I'm going to forget I saw that,” he said as Chiara was stifling laughter.

When they sat down inside the monorail station, Chiara playfully bumped Iroh with her
elbow. “Handsome, eh?”

“It seems I've still got it,” he said proudly.

They were laughing while Zuko looked disgusted.

“Yes, you do,” she said.

“That's enough from you two,” said Zuko.

“Wouldn't you love to have a mother-in-law?” Chiara teased him.

Zuko rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as she and Iroh laughed again. As they were
enjoying their private joke, Jet approached Zuko and sat down on his left.

“So, you guys got plans once you're inside the city?” he asked.
Zuko felt Chiara's hand on his upper arm. He knew she was worried about him getting in
trouble.

“Get your hot tea here,” called a vendor passing by. “Finest tea in Ba Sing Se.”

Iroh began waving his hand. “Oh, jasmine please.” He looked at Chiara. “Tea?”

“No thanks.”

The man wheeled his cart over and poured the tea for Iroh before moving on. Iroh anxiously
took a sip of his tea but immediately spit it out.

“Blah! Coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it. What a disgrace.”

Jet turned to Zuko. “Hey, can I talk to you for a second?”

Zuko looked at Chiara and sighed. He could see the concerned look in her eyes, and he gently
patted her hand still on his arm before getting up and following Jet. Chiara watched them as
they talked, and she hoped Zuko would not get involved with the gang and risk their lives in
Ba Sing Se.

“You and I have a much better chance of making it in the city if we stick together,” said Jet as
they walked a short distance away. “You want to join the Freedom Fighters?”

“Thanks,” said Zuko, “but I don't think you'd want me in your gang.” Ba Sing Se was the last
place in the Earth Kingdom they could go to be safe from his sister, and he knew he could not
jeopardize it for Chiara and his uncle.

“Come on,” coaxed Jet. “We made a great team looting that captain's food. Think of all the
good we could do for these refugees.”

“I said no,” said Zuko firmly before turning back to Iroh and Chiara.

“Have it your way.” Jet's eyes narrowed and then widened when he saw steam coming from
Iroh's cup.

Chiara's eyes were on Zuko wondering what was said between the two. When he looked back
at Jet, he saw the boy narrow his eyes at them before walking off. Zuko turned back to Iroh to
see him drinking hot tea. He immediately knocked it out of his uncle's hands making Chiara
jump as she had not expected his reaction.

“Hey...,” said Iroh.

“What are you doing firebending your tea?” Zuko angrily whispered.

Chiara was shocked, not expecting Iroh to be so irresponsible. She had been so worried about
Zuko getting into trouble, she had not even noticed what Iroh had done.

“For a wise old man that was a pretty stupid move,” hissed Zuko.
“I know you're not supposed to cry over spilled tea,” said Iroh, “but that's so sad.”

Zuko took his seat next to Chiara and they continued waiting for the monorail to take them
into the city.

“What did he want?” she asked him softly.

“He wanted me to join his Freedom Fighters,” he admitted.

She had heard Zuko's refusal to Jet, and she was relieved he turned down the offer.

--------------------------------

When the monorail arrived they stepped inside one of the cars and found a seat, Chiara sitting
between them. On Iroh's left side sat a young woman with her newborn. He leaned over and
smiled.

“What a handsome baby,” he said as he tenderly touched the cooing infant.

Her mother smiled back. “Thank you.”

“Oh, she's a newborn,” said Chiara excitedly, her eyes wide. “She's so precious. May I hold
her?”

The woman smiled at her and handed the baby to Chiara whose eyes lit up as she cradled the
tiny infant in her arms.

“She's so beautiful,” she said. “What's her name?”

“Hope,” said the woman.

“Aww.” She caressed the baby's cheek. “She's got such big, brown eyes,” she smiled.

She began softly singing an Earth Kingdom lullaby, and her voice was so beautiful, everyone
around them that could hear her became entranced. Zuko stared at her and could not help but
enjoy the sight of her entertaining the baby. Her sweet voice singing the relaxing song had a
soothing effect, even on him. His quest to capture the Avatar to return home to the Fire
Nation was always in the back of his mind. But for those few minutes Chiara sang to the
baby, nothing else was in his mind except her voice and the tranquility with which it filled
him, and there was no other place he would rather be at that moment.

Baby Hope soon fell asleep in her arms, and Zuko was impressed by her effect on the infant.
He put his left arm around her and with his right hand he tenderly pulled some of her long
curls back over her shoulder. He leaned over to look at Iroh.

“As many as we can, Grandfather,” he said softly.

Iroh instantly glared at him, but Chiara softly giggled.

She handed the baby back to its mother. “Thank you,” she said.
“Thank you,” said the mother as the infant was sound asleep.

“You crazy kids never listen to your parents,” said Iroh to Zuko. “You are too impulsive. You
have to be ready to take care of your children.”

Zuko sat back and chuckled to himself.

 A New Life

When the monorail stopped at the station within the outer wall of the Ba Sing Se, they stood
in the line to be assigned to their new living quarters. Being refugees of the lowest status,
they were given an apartment in the Lower Ring. Once again they boarded the monorail and
were taken inside the outer wall of the city. Both Iroh and Chiara stared at the inside of the
wall as they sped across the Agrarian Zone towards the first inner wall that surrounded what
would be their new home.

Leaving the monorail station, they took an ostrich horse-drawn cart to their neighborhood. It
was midday when they finally arrived at their new apartment.

“What a dump,” said Zuko dejectedly glancing around the small place.

“It's so much better than being outside every night,” said Chiara. “And we have a kitchen
too,” she added excitedly.

“Lee and I will share a room,” said Iroh pointing towards the two small bedrooms.

Zuko put his arm around Chiara's shoulders. “I believe my wife and I will share a room,” he
said with the intention of provoking his uncle.

Iroh glared at his nephew. “You are treading in dangerous waters, Lee,” he threatened deeply.

Zuko smirked and Chiara started giggling at his threat.

“I'll put a mat in the living space if you want your own room,” she said to Zuko. She knew
the trip through the Earth Kingdom had been difficult for him, and she hoped to relieve some
of his misery by offering him his own room.

“No,” he said, his bitter tone returning. “We should be living in a palace.”

“It's still better than a cave,” she shrugged.

“I agree,” said Iroh.

Zuko just groaned at their optimistic attitudes.

“I know just what we need,” said Iroh cheerfully. “A shopping spree.”

They left to visit the shops to buy food and new clothes with the money provided by Iroh's
connections. After returning to the apartment and changing his clothes, Iroh decided to
explore the city on his own. Chiara remained in the apartment and started on dinner while
Zuko just lay despondently on a mat wondering if this was where his life would end.

“Do you want me to make you tea?”

He opened his eyes to see Chiara kneeling next to him.

“No.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Not really.” He stared listlessly up at the cracked ceiling.

She wished there was something she could do to bring some joy to his darkness.

“Pai Sho?” she asked. “We can break in the new game Father bought.”

“Maybe later,” he said before rolling over to face the dark wall.

She tenderly touched his arm before going back to the kitchen.

It was not long before the scent from the kitchen drew Zuko out of his bed. He stood at the
doorway staring at her as she was carefully placing freshly baked cookies on a plate.

“You win,” he said walking up to her.

She smirked to herself.

Just as he reached for one she blocked him. “You know the price.”

He put his head down feigning defeat. “I'll get the game.”

He set the game up on the table, and she placed the plate next to it.

“Be careful. They're still hot,” she said when he reached for one.

He could not remember the last time she had made cookies, but at that moment it was the
best one he had ever eaten.

--------------------------

“Dinner smells delicious,” said Iroh when he walked in the door late that afternoon.

“I hope it's as good as it smells,” she said setting the table. “It's so nice to cook with spices.”

His eyes grew wide when he saw the cookies on the counter. “Ooh...”

Chiara quickly grabbed the plate before he could reach it. “After dinner.”

“Oh,” he moaned.

He joined Zuko who was now kneeling at the table while Chiara served their meals before
sitting with them.

“Just like old times aboard the ship,” said Iroh softly.
Zuko suddenly missed those days on the ship again. Although he had been banished and
destined to search for the Avatar, he had felt freer on his ship than he did at the moment
living as a refugee trapped within the walls of an enemy city.

The next day, Zuko and Iroh had gone out early while Chiara remained in their apartment to
clean. Iroh, carrying a pot of flowers, caught up with his nephew.

“Do you think Chi...Lin will like these?” he asked holding the pot out. “She always loved the
garden back home.”

“This city is a prison,” complained Zuko. “It'll never be like home, and I don't want to make a
life here.”

“Life happens wherever you are whether you make it or not,” said Iroh. “Now, come on, I
found us some new jobs and we start this afternoon.”

They returned to the apartment where Chiara was still busy cleaning. Zuko immediately went
to his and Iroh's room and flopped down on the mat.

“I brought you some flowers,” said Iroh walking up to her.

“They're beautiful,” she said taking the pot from him. “Thank you.”

He grinned happily when she kissed him on the cheek.

“I got jobs for Zuko and myself at a tea shop,” he said proudly. “We start this afternoon.”

“That sounds perfect for you.” She set the flowers on the table before heating water to make
their tea.

--------------------

That afternoon, Iroh and Zuko went to Pao's Tea Shop to start their new jobs.

“Well,” said the owner, Pao, examining them as they stood before him wearing their aprons,
“you certainly look like official tea servers. How do you feel?”

“Ridiculous,” said Zuko in a flat tone.

“Uh...,” started Iroh who had been struggling with his apron, “does this possibly come in a
larger size?”

“I have extra string in the back,” said Pao. He poured tea into two cups. “Have some tea
while you wait.” He handed them the cups and disappeared into the back of the shop.

Iroh took a sip. “Blech!” he grunted disgustedly. “This tea is nothing more than hot leaf
juice.”

“Uncle, that's what all tea is,” said Zuko, annoyed.

Iroh was completely offended by his nephew's accusation. “How could a member of my own
family say something so horrible?” He picked up the teapot. “We'll have to make some major
changes around here.” He dumped the tea out the window.

----------------------

During their absence, Chiara continued working around the apartment cleaning each of the
rooms. Later in the afternoon she started dinner and worked on laundry while it cooked.
When Iroh and Zuko arrived home that evening, dinner was ready for them.

“Oh, it smells delicious in here,” said Iroh walking through the door.

Chiara was setting the table. “And you're just in time, too.”

Iroh looked around the room. “This place looks amazing. You did a wonderful job, Lin.”

“Thank you,” she smiled.

“Too bad it's still a dump,” mumbled Zuko.

“It doesn't mean it has to be a dirty dump,” she said airily, placing a bowl on the table before
him.

He groaned at her comeback as he knelt down at the table.

While they ate, Iroh animatedly told Chiara about their day at the tea shop. Zuko had been
mostly quiet, and after dinner, he lay down.

“Would you like a pot of tea?” Iroh asked them.

“We've been working in a tea shop all day,” called Zuko from his room. “I'm sick of tea.”

“Sick of tea?” said Iroh, sounding unamused. “That's like being sick of breathing.”

“I'll have a cup,” said Chiara as she was cleaning the kitchen.

“Have you seen our spark rocks to heat up the water?” he asked her while looking through
the cupboards.

“They should be here,” she said helping him search for them. “I used them for dinner earlier.”

They went through each of the cabinets until Iroh finally gave up. “I'll be back.”

He disappeared while Chiara continued searching for them unsuccessfully.

She again looked through the cabinet she last remembered storing them. “I know I put them
here earlier,” she muttered, frustrated that they were nowhere to be found.

“I borrowed our neighbor's,” said Iroh returning a few minutes later. “Such kind people.”

When Chiara finished in the kitchen, she sat with Iroh and they enjoyed their tea.
Days went by as Iroh and Zuko continued working in the little tea shop. One afternoon,
Chiara walked in carrying a basket.

“Lin,” greeted Iroh happy to see her. He gave her a hug. “Lee, bring some chamomile,” he
called. With his arm around her, he led her to a table. “It's good to see you here.”

Zuko came out from the back with a cup of tea and walked to the table where Iroh was
standing.

“What are you doing here?!” he asked loudly and angrily when he saw Chiara.

Every face in the shop turned in his direction.

She was surprised by his anger. “It's good to see you too, Lee,” she said calmly.

He leaned towards her lowering his voice. “You shouldn't be out on the streets by yourself.”

She was not sure what to think.

“Don't you remember what happened in that village or with the pirates?” he growled.

Iroh was about to scold his nephew for his overbearing attitude, but at the mention of the
pirates he immediately felt uncomfortable.

“Walking from the apartment to here is hardly similar to standing outside a tavern...,” she
started.

“But he is right, Lin,” said Iroh, “you shouldn't be out on the streets on your own. This isn't
the safest of neighborhoods.”

“But I came by to bring lunch to my two favorite men.” She placed the basket on the table
and opened it revealing the food inside.

“Ooh,” he said staring wide-eyed at it. “I'll be taking my break right now.”

He sat down at the table, and Chiara began setting food in front of him. Zuko huffed before
turning away from them to clean off another table.

“I was thinking about looking for seamstress work or a cooking job,” Chiara said softly to
Iroh as she sat down across from him.

“No!” snapped Zuko turning back to her.

Everyone looked at him again. He sat down at their table.

“You worked enough,” he said, lowering his voice. “You don't need to work now.”

“But I don't mind,” she said. “It'll keep me busy during the day...”
“No,” he insisted.

“Lee,” started Iroh, “she cannot be kept locked up in the apartment.”

“You just said she shouldn't be on the streets...”

“That doesn't mean she can't get a job,” his uncle argued.

“My wife doesn't need to be running around town on her own,” said Zuko.

Iroh frowned heavily at him while taking a bite of his dumpling.

“I'd like to see the city,” said Chiara.

“This place is too dangerous for you to be going around by yourself,” said Zuko. “You'll be
safer at the apartment.”

“May I suggest children,” said a patron sitting at the table next to them.

They looked over at him stunned by his suggestion.

“Once my wife had children, she was quite content to remain home with them,” he said.

“That's a good idea,” said Zuko looking back at Chiara.

Iroh stopped eating and glared at him. “I don't think you are ready for children, Lee,” he said
deeply and dangerously. “Were you not just saying that you didn't want to make a life here?”

“Um...I made some tea cakes,” interrupted Chiara as she pulled out cakes wrapped in cloth
and began unwrapping them.

“Ooh,” said Iroh, his eyes growing bright at the sight of the dessert. “I love your tea cakes.”
He picked one and held it up. “Maybe we could sell them to the customers.”

“May I try one?” asked the man next to them.

“Of course,” smiled Chiara holding out the cloth containing the cakes.

He took one.

“These are delicious,” he said after taking a bite. “I'd buy them.”

“Thank you,” she said.

“There, you found a job,” said Zuko. “You can stay home and bake cakes and raise babies.”

Iroh glared at him again.

Chiara pulled another box of noodles and dumplings out of the basket. “You sound hungry,”
she said, placing it before Zuko. “You need to eat.”
One evening not long after their arrival in the city, Iroh and Zuko were busy working in the
tea shop.

“This is the best tea in the city,” complimented one customer after Iroh poured his tea.

“The secret ingredient is love,” said Iroh pleasantly.

Zuko just shook his head in disgust and continued cleaning off a table.

Pao stood looking happily at all his customers. “I think you're due for a raise,” he said to
Iroh, pleased at the success his new employee brought to his shop.

Suddenly, Jet stormed through the door. “I'm tired of waiting. These two men are
firebenders!” he said pointing at Iroh and Zuko.

He pulled out his hook swords threateningly. Iroh and Zuko exchanged glances while
everyone else in the shop just stared at Jet like he was crazy.

“I know they're firebenders,” he said. “I saw the old man heating his tea.”

“He works in a tea shop,” said one of the patrons.

“He's a firebender,” insisted Jet. “I'm telling you.”

“Drop your swords, boy,” said the patron who stood up as did the other man at the table.
“Nice and easy.”

Jet ignored him and slowly walked towards Iroh and Zuko.

“You'll have to defend yourself,” he threatened, pointing a hook sword at them. “Then
everyone will know. Go ahead, show them what you can do.”

Zuko walked towards him grabbing the swords of the customer. “You want a show, I'll give
you a show.”

He pulled out a table and kicked a table at Jet who jumped over it and attacked him. Zuko
raised the dao blocking Jet's sword before leaping up on a table. They continued fighting in
the shop before it eventually moved out onto the street.

“You must be getting tired of using those swords,” said Jet. “Why don't you go ahead and
firebend at me?”

“Please, son,” said Iroh watching from the doorway, “you're confused. You don't know what
you're doing.”

“I bet you wish he'd help you out with a little fire blast right now,” said Jet as he and Zuko
battled.

Zuko pinned one of Jet's swords to the ground. “You're the one who needs help.”
Jet jumped onto the edge of a well.

“You see that?” he said to the crowd. “The Fire Nation is trying to silence me. It'll never
happen.”

He attacked Zuko again and the fight continued until the Dai Li showed up.

“Drop your weapons,” one of them ordered.

“Arrest them,” said Jet. “They're firebenders.”

“This poor boy's confused,” said Iroh. “We're just simple refugees.”

Pao pointed towards Jet. “This young man just wrecked my tea shop and assaulted my
employees.”

“It's true, sir,” said the patron from the shop. “We saw the whole thing. This crazy kid
attacked the finest tea maker in the city.”

“Oh,” said Iroh blushing, “that's very sweet.”

The Dai Li approached Jet. “Come with us, son.”

Jet swung his sword at one of the Dai Li who caught it and disarmed him.

“You don't understand,” said Jet as he was being dragged away. “They're Fire Nation. You
have to believe me.”

They loaded him into a cart and took him away.

--------------------------

That night during dinner, Iroh and Zuko were telling Chiara about the excitement at work.

“...because somebody couldn't restrain himself at the monorail station,” whispered Zuko.

Iroh just chuckled sheepishly. “Well...cold tea...that's a crime.”

“They don't arrest people for cold tea,” said Zuko. “But I'm sure they arrest people for
firebending.”

“It sounds like he was pretty obsessed though,” said Chiara. “He must've been following you
since we got here.”

“I don't think we'll have to worry about him anymore,” said Iroh. “And Pao's been very
impressed with my tea making skills. He's going to give me a raise.”

“That's great. I know you've earned it,” she smiled at him. “I can't say my day's been as
exciting, but I do have some good news. We're going to have a baby...”
Iroh's teacup instantly slipped from his hand crashing into his empty bowl spattering tea
around the table while Zuko dropped his bowl. Thankfully, the few noodles that had been left
in it managed to fall back in the bowl unlike Iroh's tea.

“What?!” they both demanded, their eyes wide.

She raised her eyebrows at their reactions. “Mister Wen from down the hall...”

“He's the one whose kids you've been babysitting,” Zuko interrupted deeply, his eyes
narrowed at her.

She nodded her head. “Yes.”

Iroh appeared to be taking deep breaths in an attempt to remain calm, and Zuko was doing
everything possible to keep the chopsticks still in his hand from bursting into flames.

“He's a married man...,” he growled.

“Well I should hope so.” She did not think it was possible for him to glare any harder at her.
“His wife Lady Su is coming by tomorrow with their new baby.”

As her words sank in, the shock in their expressions faded as the tension in both men seemed
to relax.

Although Zuko was relieved, he was still agitated and slammed his chopsticks on the table.
“You know, you could've just said that instead.” He was still glaring at her, though it had
softened a little.

She gently giggled as she stood up to get a rag to clean up the mess.

“Look at Uncle, you nearly gave him a heart attack,” he said.

Chiara started wiping up the spilled tea on the table. “Then next time, let me finish my
sentence before freaking out.”

“I think I need some chamomile and lavender tea,” said Iroh looking a bit pale.

She went to the kitchen to make him a fresh pot.

“Mister Wen said Lady Su would stop by here tomorrow so I could spend time with the baby.
They had a little boy.”

“How long will it be before you're babysitting him too?” Zuko asked with a hint of
resentment.

“As soon as he's weaned I hope,” she said happily.

Zuko rolled his eyes. “For watching three kids they hardly pay you anything. I hope they give
you more when they force this one on you.”
Chiara brought the teapot to the table to let it brew.

“They didn't force them on me,” she said. “I love watching their kids. Besides, you're the one
who told me to stay home and raise babies. I should pay them for giving me something to do
during the day.”

He playfully scowled at her making her giggle.

“And little Yun really looks up to you,” she said to him. “He can't wait 'til you're off from
work again.”

Iroh gently chuckled. “He does enjoy following you around, Nephew.”

The way Yun looked at Zuko reminded him of Lee back at the farm before the boy realized
he was a firebender. And he was sure that just like Lee, if little Yun knew who he really was,
he would want nothing to do with him.

Zuko's eyes were on Chiara as she poured Iroh's tea. Except for going to the market with his
uncle, she had not left the apartment building since he got upset with her for being out on her
own. He was only thinking of her safety in the dangerous city. And though he hated his life in
Ba Sing Se and was content to sit in his room and mope every night, he knew it was unfair to
force her to do the same. He had an idea to get her out for the evening.

“I heard some of the customers talking about a fountain that's lit up at night. Would you like
to go see it?” he asked somewhat softly.

Her eyes lit up at the offer. “Of course. When?”

He was surprised by her excited reaction. “Right-right now?”

“Yes.”

“Uncle, would you like to see it?” he asked him.

Iroh considered it. “I think my heart has survived enough action today,” he said. “You two go
enjoy yourselves.”

Chiara softly giggled as she gently patted his hand, and even Zuko could not help a small
smirk.

Time went on and they lived their quiet lives in Ba Sing Se. Most days Iroh and Zuko worked
in the tea shop, and every evening they went home where Chiara had dinner waiting for them.
Chiara spent her days at the apartment building helping the younger mothers with their
children, especially the widows who had to work to support their families. She also helped a
few of the elderly that lived in the apartment building who had no family to take care of
them.
On days Iroh did not work, he and Chiara would go to the market together to get supplies.
Often in the evenings after dinner, Zuko would take her around the city to get her out of the
apartment which usually included a walk to the Firelight Fountain.

On the anniversary of Lu Ten's birthday, Iroh took the day off and spent the time on his own
while Chiara filled in for him at the tea shop helping Zuko. She wished she could visit the
site of Lu Ten's cremation at the old Fire Nation campsite, but she did not want to ask Iroh for
permission to do so, so that evening she stayed in her room and quietly mourned Lu Ten in
her own way. Zuko did the same in his room as he missed his older cousin who had been
more like a brother to him.

Early one afternoon, Iroh and Zuko were working at the tea shop, but it had been a slow day.

“Lee,” said Iroh, “why don't you take the rest of the day off. It's been slow, and Pao said you
can leave.”

Zuko eyed him suspiciously. “But what if it gets busy later?”

“I think Pao and I can handle it. Just do me one favor.”

His nephew sighed. “I knew there was some catch...”

“If you don't want to do it, I understand,” said Iroh in a voice intended to make Zuko feel
guilty.

“What is it?” he asked, still suspicious.

“Chiara has been working very hard at the apartment and even here in the shop. I think it
would be a nice surprise for her to get out for the day.”

Zuko was surprised by his uncle's request since he was expecting a favor that required work.
He enjoyed his alone time with Chiara on the evenings they went out; in fact, it was the only
time he found enjoyable during his exile. To be able to spend most of the day with her outside
his one day off was an unexpected treat.

“I would do it myself,” said Iroh, “but then who would make such delicious tea, except
Chiara of course, and then she would just be cooped up here in the shop...”

“Okay, I'll do it,” said Zuko interrupting his uncle's rambling.

Iroh smiled and walked over to him. After Zuko removed his apron, he saw Iroh holding out
a small bag.

“Take her somewhere nice to eat,” he said.

Zuko nodded, and then he started towards the door. He opened it, but just before stepping out,
he turned and looked at Iroh.

“Uncle...”
Iroh looked up at him.

“Thank you,” said Zuko softly before walking out.

Iroh smiled and continued working.

Zuko started his walk back to the apartment. Passing by a flower vendor, he turned back to
look at the flowers that were on display and spotted beautiful red ones with a color close to
the shade of fire lilies.

“Looking for flowers for your young lady?” the old woman asked him.

“H-how did you know?” he asked her.

She grinned. “I've seen you two pass by together. Such a cute couple.” She pointed to a
bouquet. “If you like I can make a custom bouquet for her.”

“Actually I just want the red ones.”

When he arrived at the apartment he could smell the tea cakes that Chiara had baked, but
when he entered, she was not in the kitchen. Hearing the floor creak behind him, he turned
around. His eyes grew wide upon seeing Chiara standing with her knife in one hand and
ready to throw a shuriken with the other.

“It's just me,” he said, defensively holding out an empty hand. His heart was pounding, but he
was not sure if it was from the threat to his life or that he found himself even more attracted
to her with weapons in her hands.

She breathed a sigh of relief and put her blades away. “What are you doing here?”

He relaxed. “Is it normal to think you look even more beautiful when you're about to kill
me?” he asked, not answering her question.

“No, it's not normal.” She could not help smiling. “You sound like Father flirting with the
ladies in the tea shop.”

Zuko cringed at the memories of his uncle flirting with a few of the female patrons. “He sent
me home early.”

She immediately looked worried. “Is everything okay? Are you not feeling well?”

“Yes, everything's okay, and I feel fine,” he said. “He wants us both to get out for a while.”
He held the flowers out to her. “I got these for you.”

Her eyes lit up, which made his heart beat a little faster.

“Aww...they're beautiful,” she said as she took them. She went to the kitchen where she
pulled out a vase and began filling it with water. “They remind me of fire lilies.” She set the
vase of flowers on the table.
“That's what I thought too.”

She fixed her eyes on his golden ones. “Thank you.”

He smiled at her and then took her hand. “Come on. He said we should eat somewhere nice.”

They left the apartment and started walking through the town. Zuko kept her hand on his arm
just as he and Iroh had always done when they walked together, and he led her to a restaurant
he had heard the patrons rave about.

------------------------

“I heard there's a new zoo,” he said as they were eating.

“Really?”

“Actually, according to the customers, it's really the old zoo, but it was moved.”

“Where is it?” she asked.

“Near the Agrarian Zone.”

“Can we go?”

“Yes.”

He grinned at her which made her heart flutter as he smiled so rarely; though when he did
smile it was never as bright as she remembered so long ago before she had left the Fire
Nation after Lu Ten's death. She missed that bright-eyed Zuko, and she hoped that one day
she would see his bright smile again.

After eating, they started their walk towards the monorail station. Zuko stopped at a vendor
and purchased a few rolls of bread, and they continued walking until they arrived at the
Firelight Fountain. Whenever he took her out on his days off, they always stopped at the
fountain to feed the turtle ducks and in the evening to enjoy the lights, and this day would be
no different. They sat on the edge together tossing crumbs just as they had done as children
the first day they met and countless times after that. These were the moments he enjoyed the
most since they allowed him to relive the happier experiences of his childhood. He stopped
and watched Chiara as she held out her hand so the turtle ducks nibbled at the crumbs on her
palm. He was reminded of the first day he met her, and he reached out and tenderly moved
some of her locks over her shoulder. The sun reflected off the soft curls that felt like silk
against his hand. She glanced at him, the golden fire of his eyes piercing her heart.

“You're really beautiful,” he said softly.

Both of their hearts were racing.

“You're so sweet,” she smiled.

When they tossed the last of their bread to the turtle ducks, they continued their walk to the
monorail taking it to the other side of the city. Still keeping her hand on his arm, he refused to
let go of her even as they sat on the monorail. She was a constant in his life, one he was
reluctant to let go of after losing so much. Departing the monorail station, they took the long
walk towards the zoo.

“This place is huge,” she said as they entered. “Where did they move it from?”

“I don't know; I hadn't heard.”

They stopped first before an enormous cage housing dragon-like insects.

“Look at all the dragonflies,” she said. “It's amazing their wings can even lift them.”

“Maybe they're part airbender,” said Zuko.

She smiled up at him. “I've seen a few of them buzzing around the rivers when I was
fishing.”

Slowly walking on they stopped at a habitat containing a platypus bear.

“Remember the big one we saw swimming in the river?” she said.

He thought back to their trek through the Earth Kingdom. They had just left the mountains
and were heading towards the Great Divide. As rough as the journey had been, he smiled at
the memory. “Uncle wanted to eat it.”

She giggled. “Until you told him he'd have to fish it out of the river himself.”

They could laugh about it now, but he was thankful it was in the past. Those days of
wandering and wondering when they would eat next had been difficult. And as much as he
hated his current situation, when he considered what they had been through, he was relieved
that they had a roof over their heads and that he and his uncle had jobs that provided regular
meals.

“That would've been a lot of meat,” he said watching the large animal splash around in the
water.

“It would've been a waste. There's no way we could've cooked something that large.”

They took their time as they strolled to the next habitat.

“I've never seen a rabaroo outside of a book,” said Zuko.

“I haven't either,” she said.

He glanced down at her. “You mean you and Uncle never saw one when you guys traveled
across the kingdom?”
She shook her head before pointing excitedly at the rabaroo. “Look at the babies!” He
chuckled at her excitement. “Aww, there are three of them. They are so adorable.”

They stood watching the mother rabaroo hop around with her three babies in her pouch.

“I know that sound,” said Zuko as he turned towards another section.

They walked towards the barking noise to find a turtle seal crawling around the bank of the
water in its habitat.

“I can't believe they have one of these here,” he said remembering the group of turtle seals at
the North Pole.

“It's a long way from home.” There was a hint of sadness in her voice as she recalled the ones
on the snowy beach when they were building their makeshift raft. She had been tempted to
kill one at the time and bring it on the raft with them for food, but she had seen so much
blood that day, she did not have it in her to slaughter one.

“You okay?” he asked noticing her distant look.

She glanced up at him. “Yeah.” She gently smiled, and he placed his hand over hers on his
arm and they continued their tour.

“This is the first one I've seen alive,” he said of the tigerdillo.

“I think I counted over ten carcasses between Chin Village and Gaoling when Father and I
were traveling.”

They watched it eat the meat that had been thrown to it.

“I wonder what they feed it,” she said.

“Baby rabaroo.”

Her jaw dropped and she stared up at him, her eyes wide. He started laughing.

“No, you can't say that,” she said as she moved to pull away from him, though she was
laughing too.

He kept hold of her hand, and he was still softly laughing at her reaction as he pulled her
close. “I'm just kidding.”

“Aww,” she gently giggled. “They were so adorable.”

“And so are you.”

He pulled her along and they visited the rest of the habitats before heading towards the exit.

“I noticed there weren't any goat gorillas,” she said.

“Yeah,” he laughed. “That's probably a good thing. Uncle would probably push me in with it
if there were.”

-------------------------

When they left the zoo, they did not go back inside the wall. Instead, Zuko took her up a path
that led north, and they continued walking until they came to a small grove of trees where
they sat facing west. The sun was low in the sky getting ready to sink behind the western
mountains.

“Where was the camp?” he asked her softly.

She looked at him wondering what he meant.

“When you came to stay with Uncle,” he clarified.

She thought about it as she scanned the view in front of them. “It was somewhere along the
western wall,” she answered pointing at it. “I'm not sure exactly, but I know the mountains
were behind us.”

He thought about his cousin. “Is that where...where Lu Ten was?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know how he died?” he asked softly. He had never heard the story, and though he
had always wanted to know how his cousin lost his life, he had never had the courage to ask
anyone, especially Iroh and Chiara...at least, until now.

She thought back to her visit to the camp. Images of Lu Ten lying in state and the unnatural
look of his body flashed through her mind.

Zuko suspected she was not going to answer his question, and he regretted bringing it up.

“After they broke through the wall, Lu Ten and some other soldiers went on a scouting
mission and they were ambushed by earthbenders,” she answered sadly.

He missed his cousin. He imagined how different his life might have been had Lu Ten
survived. His uncle would be Fire Lord instead of his father. He would not have his scar. He
would not have been banished, but he would still be living in the Fire Nation. Maybe his
mother would still be there with him too. Instead of Chiara visiting him at the palace, he
would be visiting her there, and he might have even been able to marry her since Lu Ten
would have been next in line for the throne.

--------------------------

They sat in silence watching the sun sink behind the mountains, and as it descended lower it
put off a brilliant display of colors against the distant clouds. He looked over at her and
tenderly brushed back a few soft curls from her cheek.

“That sunset is so beautiful,” she said.

He was having trouble taking his eyes off her to look at it. “I see something even more
beautiful,” he said softly.

She looked at him, his fiery eyes capturing her heart and causing the flutter she knew she
should not allow.

“Are-are you feeling okay?” she asked.

“I miss this,” he said, taking her hand in his. “I miss our life in the Caldera.”

“I do too,” she said softly, looking down. “But life goes on. Changes happen, but it still goes
on. How we react to those changes and how we let them affect us determine who we
become.”

“You sound like Uncle.”

She raised her eyes to his. “What a beautiful compliment.”

“It wasn't meant to be,” he said flatly with a straight face.

“I know,” she smirked.

He was unable to hold back his smile, and they started laughing. He put his arm around her
and held her close, and he forced his eyes away from her, and they both watched the sunset.
Despite the beauty of the scenery, his mind was on her words: life goes on; changes happen.
He thought back to everything they had been through. She did not change. To him she was
the same now as she had been when he first met her, but he appreciated her more for who she
was. As Iroh had once told him, she was fiercely protective of those she cared about. He
understood that more clearly now: how many times she had protected him from Azula, even
standing between them risking her own life; ready to jump into the burning remains of his
ship to find him; seeking justice from Zhao for the attempted assassination.

He lightly rubbed his lips and cheek against her soft hair. “I love you, Chiara,” he said softly,
unable to keep the words locked in his mind.

Tears came to her eyes and she looked down.

“I'm glad you're here with me instead of Zhao,” he added.

She was surprised that he brought him up. “I don't think Zhao'd want to be here with you
anyways.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but then hesitated as her words sank in. “...uh...I...that's...”

“I know what you meant,” she said.

He chuckled at her joke.

She leaned back and looked up at him. “Why are you thinking about him?”
“I could've lost you to him,” he said sadly.

“But you didn't.”

“I know, but I've lost so much, sometimes it's hard to believe that you're still here with me.”

She tenderly caressed his hand. “I'd rather be a refugee here with you, than anywhere else in
the world without you.”

His heart melted at her words, and he desperately wanted to kiss her. Remembering his loss
of self-control the last time he kissed her, he restrained himself, and he lifted her hand
pressing his lips against it. He wondered if he could make a life in Ba Sing Se. He could give
up his search for the Avatar, give up the throne of the Fire Nation, give up everything he felt
he was destined for. He imagined living in the Lower Ring working in a tea shop serving
others for the rest of his life as some nobody named Lee. He would never be able to firebend
again. He thought that might be the most difficult part to live with. He could marry Chiara
and they could raise their family in their tiny apartment. He knew she would accept him no
matter who he was, prince or refugee, rich or poor. She was always content wherever they
were whether it was in the palace or sleeping in a cave. In some ways he envied that she
could adapt to whatever situation in which they found themselves. He wondered about their
children. What if they had little firebenders in the Earth Kingdom capital?

“We should head back before it gets too dark,” she said interrupting his thoughts.

He put his thoughts in the back of his mind and stood up helping her to her feet, and they
started walking towards the monorail station. When they arrived back to their side of town,
they stopped at a restaurant where they ate dinner.

It was dark as they headed towards their apartment and the Firelight Fountain was lit up, so
they took their time as they strolled around it.

“I hope Father didn't have to go through too much trouble to make his dinner,” she said as
they approached their apartment building.

“I'm sure he didn't. He pretends to be a bad cook so you'll do it.”

She giggled. “I don't mind making...”

Zuko suddenly felt her yanked from his arm. Looking to his right he saw a stranger holding a
knife to her throat. If he was not so worried about burning Chiara, he might have sent a
stream of fire at the man just for touching her, and it took every ounce of his strength to keep
the fire from emanating from his hands as his anger spiked. The man was pulling her slowly
backwards down the alley.

“You put your hands on the wrong person,” growled Zuko in a deep, threatening voice.

“Just-just give me your-your m-money and I won't...she won't be hurt,” stammered the guy
nervously, clearly intimidated by Zuko's threat.
Chiara quickly elbowed him in the abdomen while pushing his arm away from her neck.
Spinning around, she kicked him away from her. Her counterattack caught him off guard
since he was not expecting her to resist or fight. Zuko immediately took advantage of her
release, jumping in to attack the guy, knocking him to the ground while wrenching the thief's
knife from his hand. The man was now scared and tried to crawl away, but Zuko brought the
knife down through the guy's pant leg embedding the blade in between the stones of the
alleyway.

“Look...,” he said nervously as he turned towards them, his pant leg twisted as it was still
pinned to the alley. “...I...I-I just n-need the money.”

Chiara stepped closer, pulled one of her coins from her pocket, and tossed it towards him.
“Next time ask for it or sing for it,” she said.

Zuko frowned at her. “What'd you give him that for? He just threatened to kill you!”

“I was just paying for his knife,” she said pulling it out of the ground.

“I should kill him for touching you,” growled Zuko as he slowly pulled out his dao.

“I...I wasn't really going to hurt her...h-honest,” said the man now shaking at Zuko's threat,
his eyes on his swords.

“It wouldn't be right to take his life for that,” she argued with Zuko.

“Then I could make sure he can never touch you again,” he said deeply. “I'll cut off his
hands.”

“Wait...wait...,” said the guy still sitting on the ground. Realizing he had his hands up in front
of him, he quickly moved them behind his back.

“He won't be able to rob anyone either,” said Zuko.

Chiara looked thoughtful. “That is an idea.”

Both the man and Zuko were surprised.

“Really?” said Zuko expecting her to argue with his suggestion.

“No,” said the man. “You don't n-need to do that. I-I won't rob anyone anymore.”

“Prove it,” said Chiara. “Sing something.”

The man was puzzled. “W-what?”

“Sing something,” she repeated. “You can earn money singing.”

“L-like what?” he asked.

“I don't care,” she said. “Anything.”

“Uh...uh...” He hesitated.

“Let's just take his hands,” said Zuko impatiently as he raised his swords.

Chiara shrugged. “I guess.”

“Wait! Wait...!” cried the man. “Um...” He started singing, but he was nervous and felt
frightened with Zuko looming over him with his swords.

“You're off key,” said Chiara. She started singing his song with him, and when he heard her
voice, he stopped singing. “I'm not doing a solo,” she said.

“Oh...” He started singing with her, but he was still having trouble keeping in tune.

Chiara pulled out another coin and tossed it to him. “Keep working on it.”

Zuko was annoyed that she gave him more money. He sheathed his swords, grabbed her
hand, and took her out of the alley. They quickly went home. After pulling her into their
apartment, he turned to her intending to scold her for her charity.

“You're bleeding!” he said when he saw a small trail of blood running down her neck.

He pulled her over to the kitchen where he dipped a towel into the water bucket and cleaned
the blood from her skin.

“I hate this city!” he said angrily. “We don't belong here!”

“I had a nice time today,” she said sincerely. “Thank you for taking me out.”

He paused and stared at her. “Are you serious? Even after that...that jerk nearly cut your
throat?”

She shrugged. “He was one guy against us. He wasn't going to win.”

He knew she was right. He sighed and decided not to argue with her.

When he finished cleaning her wound, which was not as deep as he thought, he picked up the
knife and looked at it.

He chuckled softly and shook his head. “I can't believe you bought his knife.”

“Well, I wasn't going to steal it.”

He snorted. “Of course not.”

“Do you want a cup of tea?” she asked him.

He turned away from her. “I work in a tea shop all day. I'm...”

“Sick of tea,” she finished for him. “I know.”

A smirk broke out on his face, and they both started laughing. She began preparing the tea
anyways.

“I wonder where Father is,” she said while she was heating the water.

“Probably playing Pai Sho with some of the customers.”

After making their tea, she worked on having dinner ready for Iroh when he arrived home.
 A Better Life

One afternoon Iroh was busily working in the tea shop serving tea to the customers when a
merchant, followed by his two assistants, approached him. Quon's fine clothes and
adornments made it clear he was not from the Lower Ring.

“So you're the genius behind this incredible brew,” he said to Iroh. “The whole city is
buzzing about you. I hope Pao pays you well.”

“Good tea is its own reward,” said Iroh humbly.

“But it doesn't have to be the only reward,” said Quon smoothly. “How would you like to
have your own tea shop?”

“My own tea shop?” asked Iroh surprised. “This is a dream come true.”

Pao, having heard the conversation, came running out. “What's going on here?” he asked. He
threw his arms out in front of Iroh standing between him and Quon. “Are you trying to poach
my tea maker?”

“Sorry, Pao,” said Quon. “That's business for you. Am I right?”

“Mushi,” said Pao turning to him pleadingly, “If you stay, I'll...make you assistant
manager...wait, senior assistant manager.”

“I'll provide you with a new apartment in the Upper Ring,” offered Quon. “The tea shop is
yours to do whatever you want—complete creative freedom.”

“I even get to name the shop?” asked Iroh.

“Of course,” he said.

“Uh, senior executive assistant manager?” implored Pao.

Iroh handed him the teapot he was holding and bowed to Quon.

“Did you hear, Nephew?” asked Iroh as Zuko walked by carrying a tray of empty cups. “This
man wants to give us our own tea shop in the Upper Ring of the city.”

“That's right, young man,” said Quon. “Your life is about to change for the better.”

“I'll try to contain my joy,” said Zuko with zero enthusiasm.

He set the tray down and walked outside to take a break. As he leaned against the building, a
piece of paper floated down and he reached up and caught it. His eyes grew wide when he
focused on the image of Appa. He stepped out into the street searching the sky. Seeing only
the tops of the buildings surrounding him, he climbed on the roof and looked out over the city
knowing the Avatar was out there somewhere.
 -------------------------

Iroh immediately returned home to the apartment anxious to share the good news with Chiara
and prepare for their move.

“Lin, Lin,” he called as he entered.

“What is it? What's wrong?” she asked.

“We're moving to the Upper Ring of the city,” he said.

“What?” Sometimes he would go out after dinner to play Pai Sho with friends he made at the
tea shop, and she wondered if maybe one of his “connections” hooked them up. “Why?”

“I have been offered my own tea shop to do whatever I wish, even name it,” he said
excitedly.

Again she thought one of his “friends” might be involved, but her eyes lit up. “That's
incredible. I'm so happy for you,” she said as she hugged him. “How did this happen?”

“A merchant from the Upper Ring heard of my tea making skills and visited the shop today.”

“You said Pao was impressed with your tea and that business has increased since you've been
working there,” she said feeling proud of him. “This is great. I know you'll do great.”

“We must pack.” He was anxious to see his new shop. “I want to go as soon as possible.”

“Where's Prince Zuko?” she asked.

“He wandered off somewhere,” he said unconcerned as he pulled out a small chest. “I'm sure
he'll be back soon.”

They began gathering what few belongings they had, and not long after they started, Zuko
walked in the door.

“So I was thinking about names for my new tea shop,” said Iroh as he packed. “How about
the Jasmine Dragon? It's dramatic, poetic, has a nice ring to it.”

Zuko walked up to him and held out the poster. “The Avatar's here in Ba Sing Se,” he said.
“And he's lost his bison.”

Iroh took the poster and glanced at it, but Chiara quickly walked up and took it from him.

“Not Appa,” she said as she read it. “I love that sky bison.”

“We have a chance for a new life here,” said Iroh to Zuko. “If you start stirring up trouble, we
could lose all the good things that are happening for us.”

“Good things that are happening for you,” said Zuko. “Have you ever thought that I'd want
more from life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea?”
“There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it
is that you want from your life and why.”

“I want my destiny.”

“What that means is up to you,” said Iroh.

Zuko walked off.

“The Tea Weevil,” suggested Iroh. “No, that's stupid.”

“I like the Jasmine Dragon,” said Chiara softly as she worried about Zuko.

--------------------------

That night, Zuko was getting ready to sneak out of the apartment.

“You want some company?” Chiara asked him.

He turned to see her at the table watching him. “Uh...no. I...I just want to be alone for a
while.”

After his abrupt departure Iroh appeared at the bedroom door.

“He's never going to let this go,” she said.

Iroh nodded.

-------------------------

The Blue Spirit was running down the street and pushed aside an agent of the Dai Li.

“Out of my way, skinny.”

The agent was about to retaliate, until the Blue Spirit turned down an alley. Pursuing him, the
Dai Li agent turned the same corner where he saw a figure facing him at the other end. He
sent out his rock glove striking the figure in the chest before sending his second glove
knocking off its head.

“Huh?”

Before he could make another move, the Blue Spirit had his sword to the agent's throat.

“If you don't want to end up like him, you'll do what I say,” he threatened.

--------------------------

Beneath Lake Laogai, the Blue Spirit opened the door of Appa's cell. Appa looked up before
getting to his feet.

“Expecting someone else?” he asked the bison. He walked in and drew his sword.
Appa began growling and stomping trying to intimidate him.

“You're mine now,” he said.

The door behind him opened. He turned around holding his swords defensively only to see
Iroh and Chiara who had followed him. He relaxed his stance.

“Uncle? Chiara?” he said.

“So, the Blue Spirit...,” said Iroh.

“Huh, I always thought the Blue Spirit was really a myth,” said Chiara nonchalantly, though
she felt the warmth rising in her cheeks.

“I wonder who it could be behind that mask,” said Iroh.

“Maybe it really is the Avatar,” said Chiara, “you know, since he's with Appa.”

Zuko sighed at their banter before taking off the mask. “What are you doing here?”

“I was just about to ask you the same thing,” said Iroh.

By his scolding tone, Chiara suspected Zuko was about to get a lecture, so she left him to his
parenting and carefully approached Appa.

“What do you plan to do now that you found the Avatar's bison?” Iroh asked Zuko. “Keep it
locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?”

“First, I have to get it out of here,” he said.

“And then what?!” his uncle yelled. “You never think these things through. This is exactly
what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole. You had him and then you
had no where to go!”

“I would've figured something out,” insisted Zuko.

“No! If his friends hadn't found you, you would've frozen to death!”

“Ugh...I know my own destiny, Uncle.”

“Is it your own destiny or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?”

“Stop it, Uncle! I have to do this.”

“I'm begging you, Prince Zuko! It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the
big questions: who are you and what do you want?”

“Aah!!” yelled Zuko throwing down his sword and mask.

Chiara had slowly made her way towards Appa softly talking to him while Iroh had been
admonishing Zuko.
“Appa, you are so beautiful,” she said. “It'll be okay.” She tenderly caressed him. “You must
miss Aang, you poor thing.”

Zuko looked back, surprised to see Chiara so close to the creature's face and caressing it, yet
it did not attack her. He was even more surprised to see that it was nuzzling her. He went
around and began releasing its legs from the shackles.

“He's been looking for you,” Chiara said softly to Appa.

Once it was free, Zuko grabbed Chiara's hand pulling her away from the bison, and then they
watched as Appa waved his tail and ascended above them.

“I just love that sky bison,” she said as they watched it fly off.

They quickly made their way out. Zuko emerged from beneath the lake and turned to help
Chiara and then his uncle.

“You did the right thing, Nephew.”

Zuko looked down at the Blue Spirit mask, and Iroh placed his hand on his shoulder.

“Leave it behind,” he said.

Zuko stepped to the edge and dropped it in the lake. He sadly watched it sink beneath the
water, as did Chiara, sorry to see it gone. She took his arm, and they went home.

--------------------------

Zuko slowly walked through the door of their apartment.

“You did the right thing,” said Iroh as he shut the door, “letting the Avatar's bison go free.”

Chiara looked worriedly at Zuko who looked weak and pale.

“Are you okay?” she asked him.

“I don't feel right,” he said, his vision going out of focus.

He started sinking to his knees.

“Prince Zuko,” said Chiara wrapping her hands around his chest and lowering him to the
floor.

Iroh ran to him. “Zuko!”

As she gently laid his head back she could feel the heat radiating off his body. “He's burning
up.”

Iroh lifted him up and carried him to their room where he carefully placed him on his mat.
Chiara followed with a pail of water. She knelt down at his head, and taking a handful of
water, she held it over his temples. The water glowed, but he was not responding to her
treatment. Not only could she not even find the source of the fever, but she could sense
nothing wrong with him.

“I don't understand why he's so feverish,” she said feeling frustrated. “I don't sense anything.”

“It's not a natural sickness,” said Iroh.

She looked up at him.

“There is a battle going on within him,” he explained. “And letting the Avatar's bison go free
was the first step in letting go of his idea of destiny.”

She straightened her back. “Do you really think he'll let it all go?” she asked returning the
water to the bucket.

Iroh started removing Zuko's shirt and boots. “I believe he can.”

She was not sure he really answered her question, but she did not push him. She never
wanted Zuko to hunt down the Avatar. If he gave it up now, she would find it a relief, but she
never imagined him doing so.

She took a towel and dipped it in the bucket. Wringing out the excess water, she lay the damp
cloth over his body. They stayed by his side trying to keep his fevered body cool with wet
towels, and they were both relieved when he started stirring and finally opened his eyes.

“You're burning up,” Iroh told him. “You have an intense fever.”

Chiara wet the towel again and placed it over his head. “This will help cool you down,” she
said.

“So thirsty,” he said weakly.

He sat up, but Iroh forced him back down.

“Here's some clean water to drink,” said Iroh offering him a ladle.

Zuko drank the water Iroh offered, and then tossing the ladle aside, he drank the water from
the bucket trying to quench his thirst. Leaving the bucket empty, he rolled over on his side
and closed his eyes. Chiara laid a thin blanket over him, and she and Iroh continued their
vigil.

-------------------------

Later, Iroh brought in a pot of tea for himself and Chiara. When Zuko woke up again, Iroh
poured a cup for him.

“You should know,” said his uncle, “this is not a natural sickness. But that shouldn't stop you
from enjoying tea.”

Iroh helped him up, and Chiara held his cup for him to drink.
“Wh-what's happening?” asked Zuko.

“Your critical decision,” said Iroh. “What you did beneath that lake, it was in such conflict
with your image of yourself that you are now at war within your own mind and body.”

“What's that mean?” he asked before he started coughing. He lay back down.

“You are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. It will not be a pleasant experience,
but when you come out of it you will be the beautiful prince you were always meant to be.”

Chiara took a damp cloth and soaked up the sweat on his forehead.

--------------------------

As it grew later, Iroh and Chiara had both fallen asleep near Zuko ready to tend to him if he
woke up. It was early in the morning before sunrise when he did wake with a yell which
woke Chiara who immediately sat up and moved close to him.

“Prince Zuko,” she said tenderly touching his face.

He touched his scar.

“You're still warm,” she said. “Lie down.”

He obeyed, and she pulled the blanket over him and tenderly caressed his head until he fell
asleep again.

They remained in their old apartment until Zuko's fever broke. The day after, they gathered
their few belongings and climbed into an ostrich horse-drawn cart provided by Quon to take
them to the Upper Ring.

“This is so exciting,” said Iroh. “My own tea shop in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se.”

“I'm so proud of you,” said Chiara who was sitting across from Iroh and next to Zuko. She
looked up at him. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired.”

She tenderly touched his cheek and forehead, her soft touch making his stomach flutter.

“You feel a little warm,” she said. “When we get there, you just relax. I'll make you a cup of
tea.”

As the cart was moving through the streets they heard someone singing outside. Chiara
peered out and spotted the man who tried to rob her and Zuko.

She gently nudged him. “Lee, look!”

Zuko looked out and laughed when he saw the man singing.
“Stop the cart,” she said.

Iroh called to the driver to stop, and Chiara pulled out a few coins and held them out the
window. The man walked over and took them from her. His eyes grew wide when he
recognized her and Zuko.

“Thank you for the entertainment,” she said.

He bowed to her, and then they continued on their way.

“A friend of yours?” Iroh asked them.

Zuko and Chiara looked at each other and shrugged.

“Not really,” said Zuko.

---------------------------

Leaving the Lower Ring to enter the Middle Ring was like riding out of a dark storm and into
the sun. They were familiar with the societal structure of the city, but it made it no less
shocking when they saw the differences firsthand. There were no impoverished refugees
crammed in tenement houses or people begging on the street. And the Upper Ring proved to
be even more opulent as they rode by the luxurious houses of the upper echelon of Ba Sing
Se. They found the city to be beautiful and they were all happy for the change, but as they
gazed out at the view, they still found it could not surpass the beauty of Caldera City—a
thought they each kept to themselves.

When they arrived at their new apartment, they stepped out of the cart and waited as their
belongings were unloaded. Chiara picked up her bag and then quickly grabbed Zuko's as he
reached for it.

“I've got it,” she said.

He held out his hand. “I can carry my own bag.”

“Just follow Father,” she ordered, not relinquishing it.

He sighed, but obeyed.

“Look at this kitchen,” said Iroh in awe as they entered their new home. “It's perfect for
making tea.”

The apartment was enormous compared to their tiny Lower Ring flat.

“Three bedrooms,” said Chiara. “Father, you can have your own room.”

It was a luxury Iroh and Zuko, especially Zuko, appreciated.

“Pick a room and go to bed,” she said to Zuko as she set her bag down.
He started towards the room closest to where he was standing. “This can be our room,” he
said.

“I heard that,” said Iroh as he was placing his teapot collection in the kitchen.

Chiara was giggling as she followed him into the room.

“You're going to find yourself in trouble if you keep that up,” she said setting his bag on the
floor.

He grinned. “With who? The Dragon or the Dragon's Daughter?” He sat on the bed and
started taking off his shoes.

“Both,” she smiled. “Now lie down.” She started pulling the blanket back allowing him to lie
underneath.

She laid it over him and then tenderly caressed his head.

“I'm going to make you ginger tea with mint. It might help perk you up.”

He grabbed her hand before she could walk away. She had always been there for him since
the day they met, but ever since she returned from traveling with his uncle, she had taken care
of him—in the Caldera after he became prince, on the ship during his banishment, in the
Earth Kingdom during his exile. She was always there for him and never stopped loving him.
He had always seen it in her, but too often blinded by his own ambitions he did not always
appreciate it the way he did at that moment.

“Thank you, Chiara,” he said softly.

She smiled at him. He kissed her hand and then let her go not knowing how fast her heart was
racing.

After making his tea she brought it to him, and while he sipped on it, she unpacked his bag
for him putting his clothes away.

“We're going to go over to the Jasmine Dragon to see how the decorations are going,” she
said as she finished. “You'll be okay here on your own?”

He nodded. “I'll be fine.”

“I'd like to say we won't be long, but...you know...”

He chuckled understanding his uncle's excitement over his new shop. “Yeah, I know.”

--------------------------

That afternoon, after returning from the tea shop, Chiara made lunch serving Zuko's in his
room. She did the same with dinner. She also kept him company playing cards and Pai Sho
with him while Iroh drew up his menu and pondered various new tea concoctions which he
tested on them like elephant rats.
For the next couple of days, Iroh and Chiara were in and out of the apartment preparing the
tea shop for its grand opening. Chiara continued serving Zuko his meals in his room and
keeping him apprised on everything going on at the Jasmine Dragon.

On the morning of the grand opening Zuko walked out of his room to see Chiara and his
uncle in the kitchen.

“What's that smell?” he asked.

“It's jook,” she answered.

“I'm sure you wouldn't like it,” said Iroh who had been helping her.

Zuko walked over to the stove and smelled the aroma coming from the pot.

“Actually,” he smiled, “it smells delicious.” He picked up a bowl. “I'd love a bowl.”

Iroh and Chiara looked at each other.

“Now that your fever is gone, you seem different somehow,” said Iroh.

Chiara served him the porridge.

“It's a new day,” said Zuko. “We got a new apartment, new furniture, and today's the grand
opening of your new tea shop. Things are looking up, Uncle.” He took a sip of his porridge.

Iroh smiled, delighted by his nephew's upbeat attitude.

--------------------------

After breakfast, they all left their apartment to go to the Jasmine Dragon for its grand
opening.

“It's incredible,” said Zuko when he stepped inside the tea shop for the first time. “This place
is huge.” He walked around admiring the decorations. “It looks great.”

“Thank you, Nephew.”

He followed Iroh and Chiara to the kitchen where they began setting up the teapots and
pulling out the varieties of tea. It was not long before the employees began arriving and Iroh
gave them last minute instructions, and soon the doors were open to the public. Zuko and
Chiara stood on each side of Iroh watching as the people waiting outside filed in and were
seated.

“Who thought when we came to this city as refugees that I'd end up owning my own tea
shop?” said Iroh. “Follow your passion, and life will reward you.”

“Congratulations, Uncle,” smiled Zuko.

“Yes, congratulations, Father,” said Chiara turning to give Iroh a hug.

“I'm very thankful,” he said.

“You deserve it,” said Zuko. “The Jasmine Dragon will be the best tea shop in the city.”

“No,” said Iroh. “I”m thankful because you are both here to share this special day with me. It
means more than you know.”

Zuko grabbed his uncle and pulled him into a hug.

“Now let's make these people some tea,” said Zuko when he released him.

“Yes, let's make some tea!” said Iroh happily.

The weeks following the grand opening were busy ones as the Jasmine Dragon had become
very successful and popular. Iroh had been elated over its success, and Zuko and Chiara were
happy for him. Chiara worked with them during the afternoons when it was busiest, and she
spent the rest of the day at the apartment preparing dinner and doing other chores. In the
evenings after dinner, as well as on the days Iroh gave him downtime, Zuko would take
Chiara out and they would explore the Upper Ring together.

One evening after closing, Iroh set two cups of tea on a table. Zuko walked out of the kitchen
ready to leave when he saw Iroh sitting by himself with the two cups.

“What's that for, Uncle?”

“I wanted to speak with you before we go home,” he answered.

Zuko was puzzled, but he took a seat across from him.

“Zuko, I know you were not happy starting a new life here in Ba Sing Se, but we have come
a long way from being poor refugees.”

“Yes, we did, Uncle.”

Iroh looked down at his teacup. “You've been a great help to me in the tea shop, but now I
think it's time for you to take the next step.”

Zuko tensed up wondering what his uncle meant. “Are-are you firing me?” he asked
worriedly.

Iroh let out a laugh at his nephew's assumption. “No, no. I just think you should get out more.
You're a young man. You have your whole life ahead of you, a new life, and it should be
filled with family. A...a wife and children.” He wanted to point out that were he in the Fire
Nation, he would be already be engaged or possibly even married, but he decided not to
mention their homeland.
Zuko was stunned by his uncle's suggestion. He was not sure what to say. “Are-are you
saying I can marry...Chiara now?”

“What?!” asked Iroh, his eyes shooting up to meet his nephew's. “No, not at all. I was
suggesting you go out, but with other lady friends.”

“Why not Chiara?” he asked, sounding frustrated. “I don't understand. You told me as prince
I couldn't marry her, but I'm not the prince anymore.”

“I've had a few young men ask for her hand...,” said Iroh thoughtfully.

He raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

“Yes.”

Zuko did not like his uncle's serious tone.

“But I did not believe any of them were worthy of such a treasure,” said Iroh. “Well, Shoza
came close...”

“Shoza?!” said Zuko angrily, his fist hitting the table harder than he intended nearly causing
the tea to splash out of their cups. “He asked to marry her?”

“Yes. I was quite impressed with him...,” he started.

Zuko narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean impressed? Impressed how?”

“He...well...he didn't have a problem with her linea...”

“Neither do I! You know I never cared about where she came from.”

Iroh nodded his head. “I know, but under the circumstances, I could not allow you to marry
her. Ozai would never accept her.”

He looked down. “He wouldn't be the one marrying her,” he said deeply in a rare tone of
insolence towards his father.

“But he would never allow it.”

His eyes met his uncle's again. “But that's changed now. I'm never going back home. This is
my life,” he added a bit sadly. “So why can't I choose her now? Do...do you think I'm not
worthy?”

“Certainly not...”

“Is she already promised to someone?”

“No.”

“She's not...,” started Zuko not really wanting to ask, but needing to know the answer.
“...she's not your real daughter from...some Earth Kingdom...you know...concubine?”
Iroh burst out laughing loud and hard.

“Is she?” asked Zuko annoyed that his uncle found it so funny.

“You know,” he started as he was wiping the tears from his eyes, “that is a distinct
possibility...”

“Come on, Uncle! Are you serious?”

“Some of these Earth Kingdom women...they've got quite the build for making babies...”

“No! Stop! I don't want to hear that!”

“If you insist,” said Iroh laughing at his reaction.

“You didn't answer me,” said Zuko.

“I was trying to explain...”

“All you had to say was 'yes' or 'no'. I don't need a graphic description.”

Iroh was still chuckling at Zuko's question.

“No, Nephew, she's not a blood relative,” he finally said.

Zuko felt relieved, very relieved, to hear it.

“She has been a precious gift to me though,” he continued. “I guess I'm not ready to let her
go.”

“But it's not like she'd be going anywhere. We'll still live with you. And Chiara really loves
you. She'll never leave you.”

Iroh gently smiled looking lost in his thoughts. “I have watched you two grow so close over
the years, and it's been...difficult to force you apart. I suppose then it's time to allow her to
express her feelings for you.”

“She...wait...you know how she feels about me?”

“I have known for a while.”

“Since when?” he asked.

“When you confined her to her quarters for allowing the Avatar to escape, she confided to me
her feelings for you knowing she could never tell you.”

“Why...why did she tell you that?”

“Because she would never deliberately do anything to hurt you, but she feared you were
becoming like your father.”
Zuko considered Iroh's words.

“She told me how she felt before I went off on my own,” he said softly. “She told me she
wanted me to know that whenever I felt alone, someone somewhere loved me and was
thinking about me.”

Iroh was impressed by Chiara's devotion to his nephew.

Zuko looked up at him. “So we can get married now?” he asked feeling the excitement
growing in his chest.

“No,” said Iroh. Zuko suddenly felt let down. “There is a test you must pass first.”

He was puzzled. “A test?”

“Yes. You will see, but you must say nothing to Chiara until I give you my blessing...if, of
course, you pass the test.”

Zuko was curious about the “test,” but he was a bit worried as well.
 Secret Revealed
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

That night when they arrived home, Chiara had dinner ready for them, and after eating she
performed her usual routine of cleaning the dishes and kitchen. While she was busy, Zuko
looked at Iroh.

“So, Uncle...,” he said softly. “...um...is there anything I need to do?”

Iroh looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“Test...,” he whispered.

“Oh,” said Iroh. “Right, right.” He stood up, and after adding water to a teapot, he looked at
Zuko. “Follow me.”

Zuko followed him into his bedroom where he knelt at a small table. He looked up at Zuko
and motioned for him to kneel on the other side, and then he placed the teapot on a burner
stand between them.

“What is Chiara's favorite tea?”

Zuko looked lost. He now realized his worry about the test was justified because he did not
know her favorite tea. As far as he could remember she always drank what was placed before
her, but he never recalled her requesting any specific kind. Or maybe she did, and he just
never paid attention. He was sure he was not going to pass this test.

“Uh...she...appreciates...all tea?” he said unsure of what to say.

Iroh stared at him. Zuko started feeling more nervous, but then Iroh cracked the smallest of
smiles.

“Of course she does; she's my daughter. But she does have a preference.”

“She always just made her own or drank what you made,” he said feeling frustrated, but
trying to remain calm. “I don't remember her saying what her favorite is.”

“Chiara,” called Iroh.

Stopping her work, she walked to his room and opened his door.

“What is Zuko's favorite tea?” he asked her.

“He usually drinks ginger if he has a choice,” she answered, though she was puzzled by the
question as he was sitting right there. “Do you need me to bring you some?”
“No. That was all. Thank you.”

She went back to the kitchen. Zuko looked down feeling ashamed that he did not know her
favorite tea, but she knew his.

“She favors chamomile with a touch of mint,” said Iroh. He pulled out two small containers
from a chest and placed them on the table. “I'm going to reveal to you the secret to making
Chiara's favorite tea.”

Zuko sighed to himself as he remembered her reaction to the last time he made tea while Iroh
was recovering from Azula's attack. At this point he thought an easier test might be breaking
into the palace and kidnapping the king of Ba Sing Se.

“Heat the water,” said Iroh.

Zuko looked down at the table. “Where are the spark rocks?”

“Use your own flame.”

He looked at his uncle. “Are you sure?”

Iroh nodded. “You will make her tea with your own fire.”

Zuko produced a flame in his hand and he held it underneath the teapot. Iroh moved his hand
down just a bit adjusting the distance between the flame and the pot.

“It will be more than just tea,” he said. “It will contain a part of you, your warmth. It will be
by your own work, your own power that this tea is made for her.”

Zuko's lip curled just slightly as he realized his uncle had taken something so ordinary as tea
and made it into something so personal.

“How long does it take?” he asked.

“For as long as it takes to make it just right.”

He hated that answer. “How will I know if it's just right?”

“Heat the water just until it boils.”

He patiently showed no sign of his internal impatience as he anxiously wondered how much
longer it would be for the water to start boiling.

“Is it ready?” he asked as soon as he heard some soft bubbling and saw a few small puffs of
steam rise out of the pot.

Iroh nodded, and Zuko pulled his hand away.

“Add one scoop of chamomile.”

He did as instructed.
“Add just a small amount of mint.”

“How much is a small amount?”

“Pick up a pinch of leaves between your fingers,” directed Iroh.

“Is this good?” he asked as he held it up.

Iroh nodded, and Zuko added it to the teapot.

“Now cover it and let it sit.”

“For how long?”

“Oh...long enough to sing Fire Lilies in the Golden Sunlight...”

“I have to sing?”

Iroh raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, okay,” said Zuko trying to remain calm, reminding himself that it was probably all
part of the test.

He started humming the tune to himself trying not to rush through it.

When he finished he looked at Iroh who was also quietly singing to himself.

“So it's ready?”

Iroh nodded as he placed a cup on the table. Zuko poured the tea.

“Chiara likes a little honey in her tea,” said Iroh as he set it before him.

“How much is a little?”

“A small spoonful.”

Zuko did not find that helpful, but he put what he considered to be a small spoonful in the tea
and stirred.

“Is that it?” he asked.

“Well, that depends on Chiara.”

Iroh placed the tea on a small tray and they went to the other room. Zuko had a flashback of
her spitting out the tea he made for Iroh outside of Tu Zin. He wondered what it meant if she
did not like it. Would that mean he failed Uncle's test? Of course it would, he thought. Why
else would Uncle make him do all this if it was not part of the test? Why did the test have to
be tea? Why not swords? That he could do, and it would prove that he could protect her. But
tea?
Chiara had finished her work and was kneeling at the table looking over a paper with local
announcements. She was always hoping to learn what was going on outside Ba Sing Se and
find information on the Fire Nation's movement through the Earth Kingdom, but she had yet
to read or hear anything about the war since they arrived. Despite the number of refugees
flocking to the city, it was as if there were no war in Ba Sing Se.

Iroh and Zuko approached the table and knelt down with her. Iroh placed the tray before her.

“Tea, Chiara?”

She set the paper down and seeing only one cup, she eyed them suspiciously.

“Try it,” he said pointing to the cup.

She wondered if they were using her as some sort of experimental elephant rat to try out a
new concoction. She took a sip. Zuko stiffened and was holding his breath wondering if she
was going to spit it out.

“Tastes like chamomile with mint,” she said.

“How is it?” asked Iroh.

“Perfect.”

Zuko smiled as he relaxed and started breathing again.

“Why?” she asked.

“Zuko made it.”

“Really?” she asked as she looked at him. “This is great. It's just the way I like it.”

“Thanks,” he said softly.

She drank more. He was excited as he was sure he passed the test, but when he looked at
Iroh, his uncle gave no indication that he had passed or failed.

“Chiara,” said Iroh, “now that we have settled into our new lives, I believe it's time to let
Zuko know our secret.”

She started choking a little on her tea.

“Secret?” said Zuko.

She cleared her throat and tried to remain calm. “Which one?” she asked.

Zuko's eyes got bigger. “There's more than one secret?”

Iroh started chuckling as he shook his head.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“I believe he is ready.”

She was hesitant. Zuko, however, was curious, and he could not imagine what the 'secret'
could possibly be since he already learned the secret to making her favorite tea.

“You know he may never forgive me,” she said to Iroh.

“We'll see,” he said.

There was a vase of flowers on the table around which they were sitting. She pulled out the
flowers and laid them aside, and then picking up the vase she tipped it upside down. The
water quickly began running to the edges of the table making Zuko move back a little so as
not to get wet, but then it stopped. He watched as the water was pulled back and formed a
ball hovering in the space before their eyes. He saw Chiara's hands moving and controlling it
as she drew it around the candle flame she had been using to read, and she moved it in such a
way as to cast small rainbows around them. Her creation was beautiful and impressive, and
even Iroh was impressed by its beauty, but Zuko's eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped as he
realized she was a waterbender, so Chiara returned the water to the vase worried that he was
angry.

“I-I don't believe it,” he said shocked, his eyes still focused on the vase containing the now
inanimate water. “You...you've been keeping this from me since...since we were kids.”

“Do not blame Chiara,” said Iroh. “It is I who brought her to the Fire Nation and raised her
there.”

“But I thought she was from the Earth Kingdom,” his troubled gaze now on his uncle.

“She comes from a Water Tribe village in the northwestern Earth Kingdom.”

“There aren't any Water Tribe villages there.”

“No, not anymore,” said Iroh sadly.

Having seen what happened at the North Pole, Zuko suspected what might have happened to
the village, especially without an ocean spirit-enhanced Avatar to protect them.

“Does anyone else know?” he asked.

“No one in the Fire Nation,” said Iroh. “It would have cost Chiara her life if anyone there had
discovered it.”

“And possibly yours,” said Chiara to Iroh.

Zuko stood up still looking troubled. “I...I'm going to get some fresh air.”

He went to the balcony where he stood thinking about Chiara and all that had happened to
them over the years. Back at the table, tears fell down her cheeks, and Iroh tenderly placed
his hand on hers.
“Give him time.”

She nodded. “I will. I just need to say something.”

She got up and stepped out on the balcony. Zuko stood silently staring at the moon lost in his
thoughts.

“I'm sorry,” she said. “Father was afraid if anyone found out it would mean my death. I was
always afraid if you found out, you would hate me. But now you know why I could never be
worthy of you.”

She turned to leave.

“I don't hate you,” he said softly.

She wondered if he meant it, but she left him alone and went to her room where she lay on
the bed. The pain she felt in her heart drew tears from her eyes. She had always accepted that
he could never be hers, that he was destined for greater things of which she could not play a
part, but to lose even his friendship after so many years hurt her deeply. It took only one
moment to change everything—a simple display of who she really was—a moment she could
never take back, and now their lives would never be the same.

Zuko continued staring at the moon—the same moon whose light made her glow on the deck
of his ship. Looking back, he now recognized other small signs—their jokes about having a
waterbender with them, her “resources” in getting into the ice fortress, Zhao calling her
'Water Tribe filth,' her going into the water to catch fish.

-------------------------

When it grew later, Iroh decided to go to the balcony where Zuko was still lost in his
thoughts.

“Do not be upset, Lee.”

“I'm not upset,” he said honestly. “I always thought she might be from the Earth Kingdom.
And I didn't care. I...I just never expected her to be a bender...any bender. All the years we
spent together; we were best friends...and I...I never knew.” His eyes dropped down to the
garden below as he realized he felt hurt that she never shared this secret with him before. He
wondered if she had not trusted him enough. “She hid it so well,” he said softly.

“For her own safety, I forbade her to tell anyone or to waterbend without my permission,”
said Iroh.

The gravity of his tone let Zuko understand that it was an order Chiara would not disobey.

Iroh turned to him, his eyes lingering on the prince's scar lit up in the moonlight. “The first
time she disobeyed me was for you,” he said to Zuko's surprise.

He looked at him. “What?”

“There's a reason you're not blind in your left eye,” he said softly. “Some of the great
waterbenders have healing abilities; Lin is one of them.”

His eyes were wide. “She...she can heal?”

“Yes.”

His hand went to his eye. “She's the reason I'm not blind?” He still remembered that day in
the infirmary when his uncle told him he would not have use of his left eye. He also
remembered how relieved he was when he realized he could see out of it. He now struggled
with the idea that without her he would have been blind in one eye.

Iroh nodded his head. “And the reason your scar is not as large as the original injury or as
prominent as expected.”

“Really?”

Iroh nodded again. “If she had been able to tend to your injury immediately, there would be
no scar. The first thing she did when she stepped on board the ship was go to you.”

Zuko felt touched, but he was also filled with guilt as he remembered yelling at her that day,
even calling her a peasant. He touched his scar as he remembered how the searing pain of the
burn immediately left after she treated him. Suddenly, his mind was flooded with the other
times when she told him to close his eyes, including after the explosion when his whole body
had been in pain, pain which disappeared after her treatment.

“So her 'special salve'...?”

“Was just water. She was special.”

How many times she had healed him and he did not realize it was through her own gift but he
thought it was some special medicine.

“And those times she went in the water, she wasn't in any danger?” he asked recalling the
times he worried about her.

“Oh, she was in danger. Even she cannot fight against a storm. That was part skill and part
luck for which I did admonish her. She did not believe she was as essential on the ship as the
other crewmembers.”

“What?” he asked as he looked at Iroh. “She was essential.”

“I told her so, but she too often places others' safety above her own.” Iroh sighed.

Zuko considered how different life would have been on the ship without her.

“I imagine you have many questions that need answers,” said Iroh.

“Yes,” he said. “But I don't even know where to begin.”

“Let's go to my room,” said Iroh. “I will tell you everything. We have begun a new life, so
with a new start, let us have no secrets among ourselves.”

After filling another teapot, Zuko followed him to his room where they knelt down at the
small table on which Iroh began preparing tea.

“Chiara was the only survivor of a Fire Nation attack against her village,” he started as he set
up a flame underneath the teapot. “A child not much younger than my five year old nephew.”
Zuko was surprised that his uncle had thought of him when he first saw her. “Her parents had
been among those murdered all in the name of the great Fire Nation.”

“Why, Uncle? Why was her village attacked?”

“I sent a company of soldiers from a camp in the western Earth Kingdom to be garrisoned in
the Pohuai Fortress. On their way, they discovered the village. The captain ordered every
person who resisted to be put to death as well as their family. Every villager did resist, and
everything was burned. I arrived too late to call off the attack, and as I was walking through
the remains of the village, I found Chiara with her dead mother.” The image of the little girl
trying to heal her dead mother's cut throat was still clear in his mind. “She must have been
hidden during the raid, otherwise she would have been killed. I felt compassion for her, an
orphan left alone in this world, the only survivor of her village. Trusting no one but myself
with her safety, I sent the soldiers away, and I traveled with her for a few days with the intent
to leave her at the first village I came to. When we reached an Earth village, I walked her up
to one of the homes and prepared to leave her, but then I made a decision I will never regret."
Zuko could see a softness in his uncle's eyes. "I looked at her standing there alone and I could
not resist bringing her home with me.”

Zuko was amazed to hear the story. In all the years they spent together, he had never
questioned where she had come from. He still remembered the first day they met, and their
friendship was so instantaneous, he never gave her history much thought. He felt like they
had always known each other, and he could not imagine his life without her in it. It was his
father who had questioned her lineage which Azula had quickly picked up on and assumed
she was from the Earth Kingdom. Even though Zuko knew it was probably true, it never
mattered to him. The few times he tried to insult her were nothing more than fits of anger for
which he was ashamed, but he truly did not care from where she came.

“Did you know she was a waterbender?”

“As we traveled deeper into the Earth Kingdom, I stopped at a river to clean her up. She was
black from the ash of her burning village. She discovered blood on my arm and she healed
the wound. It would be how Lu Ten discovered her ability years later.”

“So he knew too?”

“He did, but not at first. We were sparring and I accidentally injured his arm. When I returned
from getting bandages, by the look on his face I knew what she had done. Lu Ten was, of
course, shocked and angry. He was shocked that she was a waterbender and angry that I
brought her into our home.”
Zuko was surprised to learn this because all his memories of Lu Ten and Chiara together
were happy ones, and he never recalled any animosity between them.

“I offered him my knife and told him I would not stop him if he took her life,” he said
casually as he added tea to the teapot.

“You what?!” asked Zuko, shocked. “But, Uncle, what if he had done it?”

“I could make the same offer to you right now, Zuko, because I know you couldn't do it. Even
if you hate her for who she is, I don't believe you could take her life. It was the same with Lu
Ten. Chiara had been living with us for two years. She looked up to him, and he adored her. I
knew he wouldn't do it, and he loved her just the same. In fact, there were times when I
would take them to Ember Island, and she would impress us with her skills.”

“You let her waterbend on Ember Island?”

“When it was just the three of us,” he said. There was a sad tone in his voice as his mind
filled with memories of Lu Ten.

“What about the Avatar?” asked Zuko. “She spent days with them. Do they know?”

“She assures me she told no one. Master Jeong Jeong would've been the only one who knew
during that time.”

Zuko looked down as he tried to process everything. He thought about how much he loved
her. He had known her for so long and loved her so much, he was overwhelmed by the news,
but it did not change his feelings for her.

“So this is the real reason why you said I couldn't marry her,” said Zuko sadly, “because she's
a waterbender?”

“That and because she is not of Fire Nation descent.” He presented his nephew with a cup of
tea.

Zuko looked up at him. “But none of that matters now, does it? We started a new life. I can
take her as my wife?”

“If-if that is what you want...,” started Iroh.

“It is,” he said without hesitation. “She's who I've always wanted. I don't care where she
came from.”

“Then you passed the test, Zuko,” Iroh said softly. “You have my blessing.”

“R-really?”

Iroh nodded. Zuko was excited, and he was so anxious to tell Chiara that he immediately
stood up, but then he hesitated.

“Can I tell Chiara now?”

Iroh gently smiled. “Yes. You may tell her now.”

Zuko bowed to his uncle and quickly left him to go to Chiara's room. He wondered what it
might have been like for them had he known all these years, how they could have practiced
together, fire against water. But then he realized they would not have been able to practice
without others discovering her ability.

He stopped at her door and he took a few deep breaths to calm himself, and then he knocked.

“Can I come in?” he asked when she opened the door.

“Of course,” she said softly.

She stepped aside and he walked in.

“I meant what I said earlier,” he said. “I don't hate you, and I'm not upset or angry.
I'm...I'm...I just can't believe I had no idea you were a waterbender. We've been best friends
most of our lives, and I never knew.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Don't apologize. I understand why you didn't say anything. It's best that you didn't,” he
added softly.

“Should I not have said anything tonight?” she asked having already regretted showing him
her ability.

“It's good that you told me—here, now.”

She was surprised by his calm disposition as she expected him to be angry or even distant.

“I don't care where you're from; I never did,” he said. “I love you. You know I've always
loved you.”

Tears fell down her cheeks. It was one thing to come from another Nation, but that she was a
waterbender, she had been sure that he was going to resent her for it. Not only did he not
resent her, but he admitted he still loved her.

“It would be better if you didn't,” she said softly knowing she could never be with him.

“Uncle said I should consider a wife. You're the only one I've ever considered.”

“I...I can't. I don't want to dishonor you...”

“You won't dishonor me, Chiara. I'm no longer Prince of the Fire Nation. Whom I choose to
marry is now my choice.” He took a step closer to her taking her hand. “And I choose you.”

“You're still Fire Nation royalty,” she said slowly pulling her hand from his. “Changing your
identity doesn't change who you truly are, and I refuse to bring dishonor to you.”
“My life in the Fire Nation is over. This is my life now. I've...accepted it.” He found the
words difficult to speak.

“This won't be your life forever. Your heart still lies at home. You may think you've let go of
it, but it will draw you back because it's who you are.”

As much as he wanted to believe he was okay with his new life in Ba Sing Se, down deep he
knew she was right. He still desired his life in the Fire Nation, but he could not see any way
of ever returning or being accepted by his father. He was forced to accept his life in the Earth
Kingdom. He decided that even though he could not have everything he wanted, he would at
least have her.

“Uncle gave me his blessing. He never would have done that if he thought I had a chance to
go back.” He went to the door. “Uncle!” he called.

Iroh entered the room.

“Tell her you give me your blessing,” said Zuko.

“Chiara, I've given Zuko my blessing to marry you if you accept.”

She looked at him. “But...his honor...”

“I've told you before you would not dishonor him or me,” he said. “I have always thought
you two should be together, but under our previous circumstances, it was not meant to be.
Now, however, you are both free to join your future together.”

“Chiara,” said Zuko, “I love you.” He took her hand. “I want you to be my wife.”

More tears fell down her cheeks; she felt it was too good to be true. It would not be an
arranged marriage, but she was completely free to make the choice, and she was free to
choose the one who had held her heart for so long.

But there was a cloud that overshadowed her excitement. She knew how much he loved the
Fire Nation, and she would never want to force him to choose between it and her. She could
not imagine him having as deep a love for her as he did his Nation or his honor, and she
suspected if he was given the choice, she would not be it.

She looked at Iroh again, who smiled at her.

Her eyes moved back to Zuko's, the fire and excitement she saw in them as he anticipated her
answer made her heart skip, and she was reminded of that bright-eyed Zuko she had missed.
The past weeks since he freed Appa had been happy ones. She thought he had been so
content at their apartment and working in the tea shop, and he was truly happy during their
nights together roaming the Upper Ring. He seemed so much more at peace than he had been
when they were living in the Lower Ring, so much more at peace than she had seen him in
years. Maybe he was right. He might not have everything he wanted, but maybe he had truly
accepted his life in Ba Sing Se, and he could be happy with her in their new life together.

She nodded. “I will.”

Zuko took her in his arms and embraced her tightly burying himself in her hair.

Iroh clapped his hands together. “We can have your wedding in the tea shop,” he said
excitedly, his mind turning over ideas for decorations and the ceremony. “It will be
wonderful. When shall we plan the joyful day?”

“It's not an arranged marriage,” said Zuko as he released her, but held onto her hand. “So as
soon as possible.”

“We have much planning,” said Iroh.

“Tomorrow?” asked Zuko.

Iroh furrowed his brow. “Tomorrow is too soon,” he said. “We will need flowers for the tea
shop. You will need wedding bands and wedding clothes. Wait here...”

He disappeared.

Zuko turned to her. “I can't believe this,” he said. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” she said. She tenderly caressed his face. “I never thought...” Tears filled her
eyes. “I never thought you could be mine,” she said as the tears fell.

He reached up and softly brushed them from her cheek before leaning towards her and
pressing his lips tightly against hers, and this time her mind and heart were in unison and she
did not pull away.

“Now, now...,” said Iroh walking back in the room. They pulled apart. “...you're not married
yet.”

Zuko and Chiara started chuckling.

“Close enough, Uncle.”

Iroh held out a bag.

“What's this?” asked Zuko.

“A wedding gift. I have been saving for something special, and I can't think of anything more
special than this. You can use this to take a few weeks off and start working on all those
grandchildren you promised.”

Zuko and Chiara laughed as they hugged him.

“I just hope that goat gorilla injury doesn't prevent that,” said Zuko making Iroh and Chiara
laugh harder.

They continued living their comfortable life in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se, but their
schedule was now filled with wedding plans. Iroh had taken the lead on the arrangements
with the intention of giving them the best wedding possible, and between their busy days at
the tea shop and their meetings with caterers, tailors, florists, and everyone else that would be
involved in their big day, by the evenings they were exhausted. Zuko and Chiara had no
chance of even taking their routine walk through the city. But Iroh was pleased to see Zuko
the happiest he had seen him in years, and even Chiara found that he was more like that
young Zuko she grew up with in the Caldera.

One afternoon at the tea shop, two and a half weeks after their formal engagement, Iroh left
his business in the hands of his employees while he took Zuko and Chiara to his office in the
back. There was a man present who was waiting for them and whom Zuko and Chiara
recognized.

“You both remember Fire Sage Shyu from the Fire Temple on Crescent Island,” said Iroh.

Chiara bowed to him. “I'm honored to meet you again, Sage Shyu,” she said remembering
him when they visited the Fire Temple before sailing to the Western Air Temple.

The Sage bowed in return. “It is good to see you again as well.”

“You helped the Avatar at the Fire Temple,” was all Zuko could manage to say as he felt the
bitterness beginning to well up inside him.

“Yes, I did,” he answered. “My grandfather was Avatar Roku's master.”

Zuko found himself slightly disturbed by the information. “How did you get off the island?”
he asked, trying to overcome his growing resentment.

“Commander Zhao arrested all the Fire Sages for treason. But...I was able to make my way to
the Earth Kingdom,” he said not really giving him an explanation, though his brief eye
contact with Iroh gave Chiara the impression that a certain Pai Sho tile might have been
involved.

“He has been living in Ba Sing Se for some time,” said Iroh. “He will be presiding over your
wedding.”

“I-I thought you were going to do it,” said Zuko.

“I had planned on doing so had Fire Sage Shyu been unable.”

“This is great,” said Chiara. She hugged Iroh. “Thank you, Father.”

“There's more,” he said as she stepped back.

He pulled out a small box and opened it. Chiara gasped when she saw the two wedding rings.
They were gold each embedded with a gem cut in the shape of a flame that looked like fire in
the sunlight.

“Uncle, where did you get these?” he asked, awe in his voice.
 “What does it matter how I obtained my gift to you?” he said with a mysterious smirk,
refusing to divulge his secrets. “But I can tell you that they were made in the likeness of the
rings of the royal family.”

“You've done so much for us already,” said Chiara. “This...this is too much.”

He embraced her. “It's not everyday I can give my only daughter a wedding.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” said Zuko as he wrapped his arms around them.

Meanwhile, in the palace of the Earth King, King Kuei had been entertaining three Kyoshi
Warriors.

Chapter End Notes

As always, thanks for the reviews. I appreciate that you guys take the time to write your
thoughts on it.

I posted at the beginning that I quickly wrote most of this story a long time ago (some
ending closure is still lacking) for my own entertainment which is why there is a lack of
thorough detail and imagery. Lately, I've just been proofreading it for grammatical errors
and typos before posting it pretty much as it had been hastily written. This is why I've
been able to post chapters so quickly, even two at a time.
So, first, I apologize for any repetitive recaps in the story, including this chapter
(between Iroh and Zuko). I wrote those so I could keep up with who knows what info as
the story progresses as well as their reactions to learning it. (This occurs in later chapters
too.)

And now that brings me to a “crossroads of not-so-much-destiny” that will be coming

up in the story, and I'll let the majority rule.
In my current story there are about 5 chapters of, for lack of a better term—fluff—that
start about 3 or 4 chapters from this point. It diverges from canon for a while, and
rejoins later. It doesn't really add anything to the storyline that's absolutely necessary,
but I originally wrote it so Zuko could: 1) learn more about Chiara's history that had
been withheld from him, and 2) redeem himself from a very bad decision. It also serves
as an antithesis to their difficult time of exile in the Earth Kingdom.
I can leave the fluff in, or I can streamline it by deleting those chapters and any
references that come up later in the story...your call....
 Everything You Want
Chapter Notes

I haven't had any negatives pertaining to the fluff chapters, so that's the direction we'll be
headed, but they're still a few chapters away.

The day before the wedding, Chiara was helping in the tea shop since they would be closing
early to prepare it for the ceremony. While she was working in the kitchen making tea, Zuko
stood off to the side watching her. As he stared at her, he realized how lucky he was that by
the following afternoon she would be his wife. He had always expected it to happen one day
despite being told it was impossible, but when did that ever stop him from trying. And now it
was possible, and soon it would be real and forever, and he could not wait. Unfortunately, his
contentment was not without worry. His father's words echoed in his head, you were lucky to
be born. He felt his life had been filled with failures: failure to live up to his father's
standards as a firebender; failure to be strong like Azula; failure to capture the Avatar. Maybe
this happiness was just a dream. Perhaps he never made it out from beneath Lake Laogai, and
he was currently a prisoner of the Dai Li and just hallucinating a better reality where he could
accomplish the impossible. He wondered if he would wake up in a cell the next morning
unable to make it to his own wedding or even return to the dream from which he did not want
to wake.

He walked up to her and took her hand in his. She glanced up at him as he leaned down and
kissed her.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Just trying to figure out if this is real.”

“If it's not, I hope we don't wake up,” she said.

His lip curled, and he kissed her again.

“No fondling my tea maker,” said Iroh as he entered the kitchen.

Chiara started laughing, but Zuko playfully sighed.

“Kissing my fiancee can hardly be considered fondling your tea maker.”

“Go,” said Iroh shooing him out of the kitchen. “Serve the customers.”

He stood at the doorway lost in thought as he watched his nephew.

“I haven't seen him so happy since before his banishment,” he said thoughtfully.
Chiara smiled at him. “I've been thinking the same thing lately.”

On the day of the wedding, Zuko was up early just as the sun was sending its rays towards
the balcony where he sat quietly meditating. It was part of his daily routine, but this day he
found focusing especially difficult. Iroh joined him while Chiara was making his breakfast.
She and Zuko had opted for a lighter breakfast, and she had been up before the sun making
banana bread. They never found it as good as her ash banana bread, but the Fire Nation fruit
was impossible to get in Ba Sing Se, so they settled for regular bananas. When the men were
finished with their morning meditation, they knelt around the table that Chiara had set for
them.

“You two are quite quiet this morning,” said Iroh as they ate. “Are you nervous?”

“We might be less nervous if you hadn't invited so many people,” said Zuko.

“It's a joyous occasion,” he said. “It should be celebrated.”

“But if someone sees the ribbon ceremony, they might get suspicious,” said Chiara.

“No one will see it,” Iroh assured them. “You will be far enough away from the guests that no
one will notice. And I will stand behind you and block their view just in case.”

---------------------

After breakfast as Chiara began cleaning the kitchen, there was a knock at the door that Iroh
answered.

“Welcome, Lady Taya,” greeted Iroh.

Taya was an older widow who had been daily patronizing the tea shop since it opened, and
whom Chiara had secretly suspected might have her eyes on Iroh. She was more than willing
to help when Iroh had asked her to assist Chiara and escort her to the tea shop for the
ceremony.

“Ooh, such a handsome father-of-the-bride,” she said as Chiara quietly giggled.

Iroh blushed as Taya walked into the apartment.

“Why is the bride-to-be working in the kitchen on her wedding day?” she asked, sounding
appalled.

“Hello, Lady Taya,” said Chiara as she bowed. “I can't leave the kitchen a mess.”

“Mushi, you need to hire help. She shouldn't be doing this.”

“Yeah, good luck with trying to stop her,” said Zuko wryly as he walked by going to his
room. He knew too well how difficult it was getting his soon-to-be wife to stop working.

“I appreciate your help with my daughter today, Lady Taya,” said Iroh.
“Well, it's such a joyous occasion. I'm happy to help.”

Iroh turned towards Zuko's room. “Hurry, Lee,” he called. “We must go. There's still much to
do at the shop.”

“I'm coming,” said Zuko.

Iroh kissed Chiara on the cheek. “We will see you soon.”

“Yes, Father.”

Zuko walked out of his room and headed towards the kitchen, but Iroh grabbed his arm and
started pulling him towards the door.

“Wait,” he said trying to pull away from him. “I'd like to kiss my fiancee goodbye.”

“There'll be plenty of time for that later, Lee,” said Taya ready to shut the door as soon as
Iroh dragged him out. “Go, go.”

Chiara ran up to him before they could rush him out the door, and he quickly leaned towards
her and kissed her.

-----------------------

When they arrived at the tea shop, they climbed out of the carriage and started walking
towards the entrance.

“Look, Zuko,” said Iroh pointing to the western sky. “The moon is still visible.”

He looked at the full moon still glowing softly against the light blue sky opposite the sun.

“That is a wonderful sign,” said his uncle. “The guardians of both Nations have blessed the
day of your marriage.”

Zuko smiled as a jolt of joy swept through his body. He had never imagined he could be so
lucky.

When they entered the Jasmine Dragon, Iroh made sure everything was in order, from the
decorations to the food. Wanting to symbolize both the Water Tribe and Fire Nation, he had
the florist decorate the shop in red and blue flowers. The caterers busily worked in the
kitchen preparing a meal for after the ceremony.

“The shop looks incredible, Uncle,” said Zuko when the decorations were finished.

Iroh turned to him. “You're next, Nephew.”

He led him to his office where he picked up the wedding clothes and handed them to Zuko.

“You get dressed, and I will find Sage Shyu so we can go over the ceremony one more time.”

-----------------------
When Iroh returned to his office, he grinned widely. “You look very handsome, Nephew,” he
said straightening the garment for him. “Now we must fix your hair.”

Zuko took a step back. “Wait, what?”

“Your hair is out of control...”

“Chiara doesn't mind it...,” he said running his fingers through it.

“But you can barely see those golden eyes of yours, Nephew.”

His golden eyes narrowed slightly at his uncle. “My hair is fine, Uncle.”

“If you insist,” said Iroh opening the door. “Sage Shyu is waiting for us, and Chiara will be
arriving soon.”

They left the office to meet with Sage Shyu prior to the ceremony. When they finished
meeting with Shyu they went to the kitchen. Iroh remained with Zuko who was feeling
nervous as they waited for Chiara to arrive.

“Would you like some calming tea, Nephew?” he asked as he watched Zuko pacing
anxiously.

“No,” he answered. “I-I don't think I'll be able to keep it down.”

“I have tea for that too,” said his uncle.

The prince shook his head.

“Are you having second thoughts?” Iroh asked him.

He stopped pacing and looked at his uncle. “What? Why would I?”

“Marriage is a big responsibility,” he said. “You are joining your destinies together, and you
will no longer be living for yourself. For every decision from the moment you take your
vows, you will have to take your family into account. You can no longer think 'I' or 'me,' but
'we' and 'us.'”

Zuko reflected upon his uncle's words. “I can do that,” he said confidently. He resumed his
pacing. “She should've been here by now.” He suddenly stopped again and looked at his
uncle. “What if she's changed her mind?”

Iroh started chuckling. “I'm sure you don't have to worry about that, Nephew.”

“I don't understand why she's not here.” His eyes grew wide. “What if she's been
kidnapped?” he asked as the possibility occurred to him.

“Who would kidnap her here in the Upper Ring?” asked Iroh.

Zuko pulled him to a corner where none of the caterers and staff could hear them.
“What if...” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “...what if the Dai Li took her?”

Iroh knew his nephew was just suffering from pre-wedding jitters. “What reason would they
have?” he whispered back.

“If they found out about...about freeing the Avatar's bison, they might have gone after her...”

“She will be here,” assured Iroh no longer whispering. “Women like to make men wait.”

“Lin's never late,” said Zuko, still anxious. “She's always here when she says she'll be here.”

“Relax, Lee.” Iroh placed his hand on his nephew's shoulder. “I'm sure Lady Taya won't let
her leave the apartment without making sure she's perfect.”

“She's already perfect. All she has to do is be here.”

One of the employees entered the kitchen. “Sir, the carriage is out front.”

Zuko's eyes grew wide, and he could not understand why he was feeling even more nervous
now that she had arrived.

“Come on, Nephew,” said Iroh as Zuko was brushing off his clothes and nervously
smoothing the fabric.

They left the kitchen.

“Stand over there by Shyu.”

Zuko stood where he was directed while his uncle went outside to greet the ladies.

“Oh, Lin,” he said as he took her hand to help her out of the carriage, “you are the most
beautiful woman. Lee is very lucky to have such a treasure.” He offered his other hand to
Taya helping her out of the carriage. “Thank you again, Lady Taya, for assisting my
daughter,” he said.

“My pleasure, Mushi,” she said with a coy smile.

Iroh placed Chiara's hand on his arm and led her into the tea shop towards where Zuko stood
waiting for her. He was stunned by her beauty. She wore a beautiful layered anarkali of pale
green which contrasted with the long dark locks that flowed from beneath her sheer veil, and
her diadem crowned her head again instead of being worn around her neck. He was sure he
was about to marry a goddess as she glided towards him. Watching her approach he felt that
being crowned Fire Lord could not surpass that moment. Iroh walked her up to Zuko, took
her left hand, and placed it in his.

“I am placing my most treasured gift in your hand,” Iroh said to him.

Zuko was wearing a similar color of pale green, but Chiara's eyes were drawn to his bright,
golden eyes, a sea of fire that had always captivated her heart, and which now sparkled
through his coal black strands. As he looked down into her own eyes, he felt he could swim
forever in those seas of deep green which had enslaved his heart since the first day. He did
not even care that it was not the elaborate Fire Nation wedding ceremony they would have
had were he still Crown Prince. He would have been completely content just to exchange
their vows without any ceremony, though he was impressed that Iroh managed to provide a
Fire Sage, royal wedding rings, and even the ribbon and candle rituals. Chiara had never
imagined any of this to be possible, and for her it felt like a dream from which she did not
wish to wake.

Fire Sage Shyu stood before the two of them as they faced each other. He took a thin deep red
ribbon and he wrapped it around Zuko's left wrist spiraling it over his hand as it still held
Chiara's and then wound it around her wrist. He looked at Zuko and nodded.

Zuko gazed into her eyes. “Chiara...,” he started so softly that none of the guests heard her
name. “...I take you for my wife,” he spoke in a normal tone. “And I, Zuko...” He spoke his
name softly. “...am your husband, and it will be my duty to protect, cherish, and honor you
until death.”

Shyu gently nodded at Chiara whose eyes never moved from Zuko's.

“Zuko...,” she started softly. “...I take you for my husband. And I, Chiara, am your wife, and
it will be my duty to protect, cherish, and honor you until death.”

After exchanging their vows, Shyu touched the ribbon beneath Zuko's wrist setting it aflame,
and as the spark was passing quickly over it around his wrist and hand, then around hers, it
was turning from its deep red to gold.

Shyu now held their rings. “May those who wear these rings keep faithful unto their spouse,
and may they ever live in mutual love.”

He held his hand out to Zuko who took his ring and placed it on Chiara's ring finger on her
left hand. “With this ring I take you for my wife; this gold I give to you; with my body I
worship you; and with all my worldly goods I endow you.”

Shyu held Chiara's ring out to her, and she took it and placed it on Zuko's finger.

“With this ring I take you for my husband; this gold I give to you; with my body I worship
you; and with all my worldly goods I endow you.”

Shyu removed the gold ribbon from their joined hands, and he turned to the three candles
sitting on a table behind him. Zuko took Chiara's right hand in his left and escorted her to the
table. Prior to the ceremony, Zuko secretly lit his smaller candle with his own fire. If there
had not been any Earth Kingdom witnesses, he would have held his own flame, but instead,
both of them picked up a small candle and joined the two flames together lighting the larger
candle.

“And the two flames shall become one,” said Shyu softly.

---------------------
After the ceremony, they celebrated in the tea shop. It had been the first time Zuko and
Chiara had danced together since they were children in the Fire Nation. As Iroh stood
watching them, he was reminded of Zuko and Chiara's first dance at the royal ball shortly
after he brought her home with him. It brought deep joy to his heart to see the peace and
happiness in their faces after so much pain and struggle.

Late into the celebration, a man entered the shop and handed Iroh a scroll. “A message from
the royal palace.”

Iroh unrolled it and began reading. “I...I can't believe it.”

“What is it, Uncle?” asked Zuko as he and Chiara walked over to him.

“Great news. We've been invited to serve tea to the Earth King!”

Chiara hugged him. “That's great.”

“This may be too much to ask,” he started, “but it's requesting the family, and it would mean
so much to me if you both would be present with me for this great occasion.”

“When is it?” asked Zuko.

“Tomorrow,” he answered. “But I'm-I'm sure the king will understand if you do not wish to
go...”

“Of course we'll go,” said Chiara as she looked up at Zuko.

He nodded. “We can postpone our vacation for a day,” he said.

They continued celebrating late into the night, and after everyone had left, they closed the
shop. Zuko and Chiara remained with Iroh to help clean up.

The next day, their carriage stopped before the Earth King's palace. Iroh stepped out of the
carriage carrying a chest containing his assortment of teas and a tea set. When Zuko stepped
down, he turned and took Chiara's hand to assist her. He placed her hand on his arm as she
walked between them, and they started towards the palace doors.

“Many times I imagined myself here at the threshold of the palace,” said Iroh as they drew
closer. “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. Destiny is a funny thing.”

“It sure is, Uncle.”

Once welcomed inside, they were escorted to the king's tea room where they knelt around a
table. Chiara sat between them assisting Iroh as he began brewing a pot of his best tea. Once
it was brewed they patiently waited in the empty room, but the king never appeared.

“What's taking so long?” Zuko finally asked.

“Maybe the Earth King overslept?” questioned Iroh as he poured the tea into a cup.

As soon as he had spoken, fifteen Dai Li entered the room and surrounded them.

“Something's not right,” whispered Zuko eyeing the earthbenders warily.

“It's tea time.”

The familiar derisive tone drew their attention to his sister as she strolled in and stood before
them.

“Azula!” said Zuko deeply, quickly getting to his feet.

Chiara was standing next to him.

“Have you met the Dai Li?” the princess asked in a casual tone as if they were sitting around
the table drinking tea together. “They're earthbenders, but they have a killer instinct that's
so...firebender. I just love it.”

Iroh calmly got to his feet and picked up a cup of tea. “Did I ever tell you how I got the
nickname 'The Dragon of the West'?” he asked speaking just as coolly as his niece.

“I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle,” she said in a bored tone glancing at her
fingernails.

“It's more of a demonstration really,” he said pleasantly.

He took a sip of tea, and Zuko and Chiara smirked at each other knowing what was coming.
Iroh immediately pulled Chiara behind him as Zuko followed, and they both ducked as Iroh
spit a wide burst of fire at the Dai Li that surrounded them. Zuko quickly blasted a hole
through the wall and pulled Chiara with him as Iroh followed still spitting fire. They ran
down the hall and turned a corner avoiding the rock gloves launched by the Dai Li. Coming
to a dead end, Iroh stood in front of them moving his arms in a circular motion. He sent out a
bolt of lightning blasting a hole through the wall that led outside. Being on an upper level of
the palace, they would either have to jump or be taken prisoner by the princess. Iroh was the
first to jump landing on a topiary below. Zuko and Chiara looked down.

“Come on,” called Iroh. “You'll be fine.”

“Go,” Zuko said to her.

She jumped down next to Iroh and then looked up waiting for Zuko. He stared down at them.

“Zuko, come on,” called Iroh wondering why he was hesitating.

“No,” said Zuko. “I'm tired of running. It's time I faced Azula.”

Iroh smacked his head frustrated by his nephew's obstinacy.

“No!” cried Chiara.

When he disappeared inside, Chiara jumped up to run back into the palace, but Iroh grabbed
her.

“You can't, Chiara.”

She turned to him. “But we can't leave him here.”

“We'll never be able to get to him,” he said. “I have an idea.”

---------------------

Inside, Zuko stood facing Azula and the Dai Li.

“You're so dramatic,” she said. “What? Are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?”

“Yes,” he said deeply. “I challenge you.”

“No thanks,” she said lightly.

Zuko stepped back raising a ball of fire that he sent towards her, but Azula just stood there
unfazed by his attack as the Dai Li raised a section of the floor to deflect it. They sent their
rock gloves towards Zuko restraining him as Azula turned and walked away. Once he was
subdued, the earthbenders took him deep beneath the royal palace where they tossed him into
a hole. Rolling down a steep slope, he landed at the bottom of a cavern illuminated by
glowing crystals.

“Zuko!”

He got to his knees and found himself staring up at an angry waterbender.

---------------------

Iroh and Chiara dragged their Dai Li hostage up the steps of a porch attached to a large Upper
Ring house.

“Why are we here?” she asked Iroh as they set the tied agent off to the side.

She began tightening the knots of their prisoner's bindings while Iroh was knocking on the
door.

“A friend of yours may be able to help us,” he said.

With the importance of keeping Iroh's and Zuko's identities safe, there were very few she
could call friends in Ba Sing Se, and even fewer in the Upper Ring. She was wondering who
it could be when the door opened.

“Glad to see you're okay,” said the little earthbender.

“We need your help,” said Iroh.

Aang and Sokka simultaneously yelled out upon recognizing him while Momo flew off to
take cover. Toph just waved at Iroh flashing him a big smile.

“You guys know each other?” Aang asked wildly, his and Sokka's eyes still wide.

“I met him in the woods once and knocked him down,” explained Toph as Iroh smiled and
rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. “Then he gave me tea and some very good
advice.”

Iroh understood Aang's and Sokka's reactions, but seeing that Toph was the most tolerant
towards his presence, he leaned towards her. “May I come in?” he asked gently.

She nodded. He entered and Chiara followed him.

Aang's eyes went from nervous saucers to happy ones. “Chiara!”

She bowed. She was surprised that Iroh knew where the Avatar lived in the city and that he
came to seek his help, but she was also happy to see Aang. “Avatar Aang, it's good to see you
and Sokka again.”

“Beautiful mystery girl,” said Sokka also happy and surprised to see a familiar ally.

“You are speaking about my daughter,” said Iroh deeply.

Sokka's eyes got wider. “She's...she's your daughter?”

“So you weren't traveling alone,” said Toph.

“This is Lady Chiara,” said Iroh to Toph. “The Daughter of the Dragon of the West,” he
added proudly.

Chiara's name was not unknown to Toph. There were many nights around the campfire that
she heard stories about Chiara the beautiful mystery girl and Prince Angry Jerk.

When Chiara saw Toph, she knelt down on the floor before her and traced an Earth Kingdom
greeting over the stone tile. “The General said he had enjoyed some interesting company
while I was hunting. It's a pleasure to meet you.”

It was not often that Toph Beifong could be caught off guard. But having someone greet her
in a manner she could “see” was definitely a first and definitely caught her off guard. She
made a hand gesture greeting in return. “Toph Beifong.”

“The Beifongs of Gaoling?” asked Chiara, still on her knees.

“Uh...yes,” said Toph further stunned by Chiara's knowledge. “How did you know?”

“I thought everyone knew of the Beifong Family.”

“Okay, I think we're going to get along great,” said Toph.

“Not to rush the pleasantries,” started Iroh as he helped Chiara to her feet, “but Princess
Azula is here in Ba Sing Se.”

“She must have Katara,” said Aang.

“Lady Katara's missing?” asked Chiara.

“Yes,” he answered.

“She has captured my nephew as well,” said Iroh.

“Then we'll work together to fight Azula and save Katara and Zuko,” said Aang.

“Whoa there,” interrupted Sokka walking up to Aang. “You lost me at 'Zuko.'”

“I know how you must feel about my nephew,” said Iroh placing his hands on Sokka's
shoulders. “But believe me when I tell you there is good inside him.”

“Good inside him isn't enough,” said Sokka removing Iroh's hands from his shoulders. “Why
don't you come back when it's outside him too, okay?”

As he was shoving Iroh back Chiara stepped forward ready to intervene.

“Whoa...,” she started.

She would not allow anyone, not even an ally, to mistreat her general. But Iroh, knowing she
was ready to defend him, immediately pulled her back and almost imperceptibly shook his
head at her. She stood down. Toph sensing everything going on could not help smirking.

“Katara's in trouble,” said Aang. “All of Ba Sing Se is in trouble. Working together is our
best chance.”

Sokka did not look happy, but he nodded.

“We brought someone along who might be able to help us,” said Iroh as he walked to the
door and opened it.

The others followed him outside, and Toph immediately drew up two large slabs around the
restrained Dai Li agent who was sweating anxiously.

As soon as Iroh removed his gag, he sang. “Azula and Long Feng are plotting a coup,” he
spoke quickly. “They're going to overthrow the Earth King.”

“My sister!” said Sokka pointing his machete at him threateningly. “Where are they keeping
Katara?”

“In the Crystal Catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se deep beneath the palace,” he answered.

“Let's go,” said Aang.

Leaving the captured agent bound on the porch, they followed the Avatar to Appa whom
Chiara was happy to see reunited with Aang.

---------------------

In the Crystal Catacombs, Zuko turned his back to Katara who glared at him.

“Why did they throw you in here?” she asked him as she paced angrily. “Oh, wait, let me
guess, it's a trap, so that when Aang shows up to help me you can finally have him in your
little Fire Nation clutches.”

Zuko ignored her and wondered what Chiara and his uncle were doing at that moment. He
hoped they got away, but he also knew they would never just escape without working on a
way to reunite with him. He only hoped Azula did not get hold of them.

“You're a terrible person, you know that?” Katara went on. “I don't understand how Chiara
can stand you.”

Her words drew Zuko's attention from his own thoughts.

“She's nothing like anyone else from the Fire Nation,” the waterbender continued.

If it were not for his current circumstances, he might have laughed at her words as she had no
idea just how true they were.

“But you...always following us, hunting the Avatar, trying to capture the world's last hope for
peace. But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son,” she snarled. “Spreading war and
violence and hatred is in your blood. You'd probably betray Chiara if it meant capturing
Aang.”

Her assumption angered him. “You don't know what you're talking about,” he growled.

“I don't?! How dare you? You have no idea what this war has put me through, me
personally.” Tears filled her eyes and began falling. She turned her back to him and squatted
on the ground. “The Fire Nation took my mother away from me,” she said sadly.

He was suddenly filled with guilt. It was a loss and a sadness with which he was all too
familiar. “I'm sorry.” His voice was calm and sincere.

Katara continued crying, and his guilt kept growing. He turned towards her.

“That's something we have in common,” he said sympathetically.

She looked up and wiped the tears from her eyes, and then she stood up.

“Chiara too,” he said softly. “She lost her family because of the war."

-----------------------
Above ground, the others had arrived at Old Ba Sing Se. After jumping down from Appa's
back, Toph began feeling the ground.

“Well, what do you know,” she said. “There is an ancient city down there, but it's deep.”

She threw her arms out wide opening up a tunnel.

“We should split up,” said Sokka. “Aang, you go with Iroh and Chiara to look for Katara and
the angry jerk, no offense...,” he added to Iroh.

“None taken,” he shrugged.

“And I'll go with Toph to the Earth King to warn about Azula's coup,” he continued as Momo
settled on his shoulder.

------------------------

Iroh, Chiara, and Aang went underground. The Avatar continued creating a tunnel with
earthbending as they descended deeper into the hole.

“So...,” said Aang to Iroh rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, “Toph thinks you give
pretty good advice...and great tea,” he finished with a grin.

Chiara giggled to herself.

“The key to both is proper aging,” said Iroh holding a flame in his hand to provide light in the
gradually darkening tunnel. “What's on your mind?”

Aang stomped forward moving more rocks out of their way. “Well, I met with this guru who
was supposed to help me master the Avatar State and control this great power,” he said with a
smile. “But to do it, I had to let go of someone I love, and I just couldn't.” He stopped
walking, and cast his eyes down.

Chiara could hear the pain in his voice, and she suspected he was speaking of Katara.

“Perfection and power are overrated,” said Iroh. “I think you are very wise to choose
happiness and love.”

“Being the Avatar didn't stop Roku from marrying Ta Min,” said Chiara. “He was very
powerful and was able to master the Avatar State.”

Aang thought about it and realized she was right, but he was still worried about his own
ability. He opened the tunnel further and they continued walking.

“But what happens if I can't save everyone and beat Azula?” he asked worriedly. “Without
the Avatar State, what if I'm not powerful enough?”

“I don't know the answer,” said Iroh. “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...” Just then Aang
broke through to a large cavern. “...you will come to a better place.”
The cavern was enormous. It was lit up by the beautiful glowing crystals, and on the other
side they could see a waterfall flowing down from above.

-----------------------

Hearing that the angry prince had suffered a similar loss, Katara felt sympathetic, and she
was ashamed for yelling at him.

“I'm sorry I yelled at you before,” she said sincerely.

“It doesn't matter,” he said.

“It's just that, for so long now whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your
face.”

Her words stung. “My face,” he said, his fingers skimming the rough surface of his scar. “I
see.”

She stepped closer to him regretful that he misunderstood her. “No, no, that's-that's not what I
meant.”

“It's okay,” he said. “I used to think this scar marked me, the mark of the banished prince,
cursed to chase the Avatar forever, but lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own
destiny, even if I'll never free of my mark.”

“Maybe you could be free of it,” she said.

“What?” he asked looking up wondering how that was possible.

“I have healing abilities.”

He immediately thought of Chiara and her attempt to heal it so soon after he received it. “It's
a scar. It can't be healed.”

Katara pulled out a vial from around her neck and held it up. “This is water from the Spirit
Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties, so I've been saving it for something
important.” She stood before him. “I don't know if it would work, but...”

Zuko closed his eyes and tensed up as her hand reached towards his scar. While she gently
touched it studying it closely, he wondered if it was possible to really be free of it. He
wondered what Chiara would think of it. Despite her having referred to it as a mark of his
honor, he was sure she would prefer his unblemished face. Suddenly, the ground trembled. A
crashing sound echoed through the room followed by a cloud of dust.

“Aang!” called Katara when she spotted him.

She ran to the Avatar and hugged him. He smiled as he held her before turning an angry glare
towards Zuko who had just been alone with Katara and far too close to her. The prince stared
back at him until he found himself engulfed in Chiara's arms. He wrapped his arms around
her waist holding her tightly, relieved that she was safe from his sister. Iroh walked up to
them and wrapped his arms around both of them. Zuko was now troubled to find his uncle
siding with the Avatar.

“Aang,” said Katara, “I knew you would come.”

“Uncle,” said Zuko as they released him, “I don't understand. What are you doing with the
Avatar?”

“Saving you, that's what,” snapped Aang.

“Grrr...,” growled Zuko as he tried to leap at Aang, but his uncle and Chiara held him back.

“Zuko,” said Iroh, “it's time we talked.” He looked at Aang. “Go help your other friends.”

Aang bowed to him.

“We'll catch up with you,” said Iroh.

Chiara looked up at Zuko. “Are you okay? Did Azula hurt you?” she asked him.

“No,” he said.

After Aang and Katara left, Iroh turned back to them.

“Why, Uncle?” Zuko asked him softly, looking away.

“You are not the man you used to be, Zuko,” said Iroh. “You are stronger and wiser and freer
than you have ever been. And now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny. It's time
for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good.”

Zuko barely had time to take in his uncle's words when the ground suddenly shook again.
Crystals rose up surrounding Iroh and Chiara rendering them unable to move. Zuko took a
defensive stance as the Dai Li came sliding into the chamber followed by Azula.

“I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle and Chiara,” his sister said smoothly, “but
Zuko, Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor. Are you?”

“Release them immediately!” he demanded.

“It's not too late for you, Zuko,” said Azula ignoring his demand. “You can still redeem
yourself.”

“The kind of redemption she offers is not for you,” said Iroh.

“Why don't you let him decide, Uncle?” said Azula.

“Don't listen to her, Prince Zuko,” begged Chiara trying to pull her arms from her crystal
restraints.

Azula gave her a wicked smirk. “Guess you're not an earthbender after all.” She turned a
softer eye towards her brother. “I need you, Zuko,” she said suavely. “I've plotted every move
of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At
the end of this day you will have your honor back, you will have father's love, you will have
everything you want.”

Her promise swirled around in his mind, everything you want.

“Zuko,” said Iroh, “I am begging you, look into your heart and see what it is that you truly
want.”

The prince closed his eyes. Everything you want.

“You're free to choose,” said Azula.

She motioned the Dai Li to leave before she calmly walked off into the tunnel. Zuko stood
impassive. He had devoted years of his life trying to gain back his honor, and now everything
he had worked for was being promised to him. All of the impossible was becoming possible.
Chiara was already his wife; why could he not have everything else too? Maybe his luck was
changing.

“Prince Zuko, don't trust her,” said Chiara as she struggled to break free from the crystals.
“Azula always lies.”

“But...but what if she's not lying now.” His voice was soft, and it was clear he was
contemplating his sister's promises. He thought about the last time Azula attacked them on
the ship, but now she walked away. “My honor, my father...”

Chiara's heart sank as she realized he was falling for Azula's promises again.

“She's never been on your side,” she said. “You can't trust her.”

“Zuko, think of your new family,” said Iroh in a deep whisper. “If they find out, they will
execute her.”

The prince was going over everything in his head.

“Please, Prince Zuko,” Chiara implored him, “I need you.”

They were already married. There would be no reason he could not be prince and keep his
wife.

“Ozai will never accept her,” said Iroh as if he knew what Zuko was thinking.

“You don't know that,” he said. Chiara had hidden her waterbending for years. No one knew
she was Water Tribe; no one needed to know she was Water Tribe. “My father'll understand.”

“Don't trust Azula,” she said.

He turned to her. “I love you.” He placed his hand on her cheek and tenderly kissed her
before locking his eyes on to hers. “Our destiny lies in the Fire Nation.”
“Please don't go,” she pleaded.

"I'll be back." He caressed her face. “And soon we'll be going home together.”

He took off after Azula.

“Zuko, no!” yelled Iroh.

Iroh and Chiara continued struggling to break free from the crystals. After a great deal of
effort and strength, Iroh was able to break out of his crystal enclosure, and then he freed
Chiara.

As soon as she was free, she went to take off into the tunnel after Zuko, but Iroh grabbed her
arm. She turned to him wondering why he was stopping her.

“I want you to get out of here,” he said. “Go with the Avatar's friends.”

“I need to get to him before Azula hurts him,” she said.

“You must go, Chiara...”

She realized he was going to go after Zuko, and she shook her head. “I don't want to leave
you.”

“There are too many to fight. Stay with the Avatar,” he insisted.

Her eyes were filled with tears as she hugged him.

------------------------

Iroh could hear the battle ahead as he ran through the tunnel. A bright light filled the chamber
beyond the opening. The Avatar, he thought as he ran faster. It was his intention to help Aang
and Katara escape, but he understood how dangerous the Avatar State could be, and he would
not allow his nephew to get hurt either. Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning ahead, and
when he finally reached the cavern he saw Azula and Zuko closing in on Katara who was
holding the Avatar's lifeless body. He sent a wall of flames between them forcing his nephew
and niece back while he jumped down and stood protectively in front of Katara.

“You've got to get out of here,” he said to her. “I'll hold them off as long as I can.”

He quickly fired off several shots at the enemies while Katara escaped with Aang out of the
catacombs. The Dai Li attacked him striking him with stone missiles, but Iroh created an arc
of fire sending it out towards them all before firing more blasts. When he saw that Katara had
left the catacombs, he was about to stand down until a flood of water came from behind the
enemy freezing their feet to the ground. Chiara surfed in on the water passing between Zuko
and Azula, freezing the princess's legs while leaving her husband untouched.

“You savage traitor!” Azula screamed at her.

Zuko was stunned. He was not frozen by ice but by mixed emotions. He wanted to return to
the Fire Nation with his wife by his side, but now everyone would know she was a
waterbender. Azula began sending fire blasts at her, but Chiara drew up a thick ice shield to
protect herself. Chunks of ice flew everywhere as the blue fire missiles struck the shield.
Azula ducked to avoid the bright orange fire her uncle aimed at her.

“Stop them!” the princess screamed until she saw the Dai Li still frozen to the ground.

The ice around her own feet had melted, and she kicked several blasts of fire towards Chiara
before punching more against her uncle. Chiara's ice shield immediately went up in front of
Iroh protecting him from the attack. Azula's blue fire melted the ice around the earthbenders
who once again joined in the fight. Iroh wanted to focus on stopping Azula because he knew
she would go after Chiara, but the Dai Li directed their battle towards the Dragon of the West
forcing him to defend against their missiles. Azula had turned back only to receive a frozen
orb in her abdomen knocking her off her feet.

“Zuko!” she yelled. “Stop her!”

Zuko stood watching the fight, but he refused to move against Chiara. She sent ice over
Azula's hands before she could rise and then over the feet of the nearest Dai Li, but she never
attacked Zuko. With Azula temporarily restrained, she now concentrated on throwing ice
missiles that slowed down the Dai Li attacks and even knocked several of them off their feet.
As she ran towards Iroh, Azula had broken free of her ice restraints and started sending fire
blasts at her despite Zuko being between them now. Chiara sent up an ice shield against her
attack, but she raised it between Azula and Zuko so as to protect him too. He was amazed by
her skill. The small, delicate, and beautiful demonstration of her waterbending she gave him
the day he discovered she was a waterbender was nothing like the fierce attacks and powerful
defenses she was using now to protect Iroh and him.

“Still protecting Zuzu,” Azula scowled at her. “Only now as a Water tramp.”

Chiara drew up a water spout that wrapped around Azula pulling her to the ground.

“Zuko!” his sister yelled, completely soaked and looking deranged. “Do something!”

He drew up a flame, but he had no intention of attacking his wife. He was impressed by her
skill, but part of him was confused, maybe hurt or lost, but he definitely felt confused. He had
known this powerful waterbender since his childhood, and she had been traveling with him
for years, and most of that time on a ship at sea, yet she had kept her skill a secret.

Despite the fire in his hand, Chiara did not raise a defense against him. Azula stood up
drenched, and she started sending blue fire at her again. Chiara continued countering them
before throwing balls of ice towards Azula as she took the offensive. Azula struck them with
fire blasts, but as Chiara threw ice missile after ice missile, Azula could not keep up. She was
struck by a few of the frozen projectiles, but it did not stop her as she continued blocking
with fire causing the cavern to fill up with steam. There were too many for Chiara and Iroh,
and they had both known going in that it would be a losing battle. Chiara had been so busy
fighting Azula, who was a one-woman army, that she was unable to help Iroh against the Dai
Li, and they managed to draw up stone around him leaving him unable to bend fire. Chiara
continued fighting and raising a shield against any attacks by Azula and now the Dai Li. She
sent another wave of water over all of the Dai Li which she froze locking them in ice. She
drew another cage of water over Azula trapping her.

“Zuko!” yelled the princess who began breaking free of her ice. “Stop that traitor!”

“Zuko, don't touch her!” yelled Iroh still trapped in the rock.

Chiara ran towards Iroh, but she did not know how to free him. She forced water between the
rocks and turned it to ice hoping to crack his cage.

“Just throw it!!” Azula ordered Zuko as she was still trying to free herself from the ice. “She
lied to you. She's been lying to you. She's been living in the Fire Nation as a traitorous spy.”

“Run, Chiara,” said Iroh. “You can still escape.”

“Not without you,” she said, desperately trying to free him.

Azula broke free and sent fire towards the ice around the Dai Li to melt it. She turned and
quickly threw a blast towards Iroh and Chiara, but Chiara, refusing to leave him, moved in
front of him to protect him from the flames and was struck in the arm knocking her down.

“Chiara!” yelled Iroh.

She threw a shield up to protect him and then shielded herself from another blast. Quickly
rising, she began bombarding Azula with ice again. Drawing up another water spout, she sent
it towards Azula who avoided it. Chiara raised her arms and a huge wave went crashing
towards all of the them. The wave was powerful enough that it pushed the Dai Li and Azula
towards the back wall of the cavern, but Zuko was amazed that he emerged from the wave
dry and in the same place, though his small flame had gone out. The wave crashed against the
wall, but as soon as the Dai Li and Azula regained their footing, they began attacking her.

“Take her out!” demanded Azula, angry that they could not seem to defeat her.

Zuko could not attack her, but suddenly a fire blast shot past him and struck Chiara knocking
her down again.

“Chiara!!” yelled Iroh as he continued struggling to break free.

She had been weakened by the blast and knew she could not fight them all on her own and
rescue Iroh, but she refused to leave him. She began crawling towards him, but the Dai Li
drew rock over her hands pinning her to the ground. She kept her head down to hide the tears
streaming down her face. Her dark hair was flowing all around her, and her skin and clothing
were singed on her arm and upper chest where she had been struck by Azula's fire blasts.
Zuko looked upon his wife; he loved her, but he felt lost and confused about his destiny.

Azula angrily walked over to Chiara as blue flames danced between her fingers, and she drew
back to strike.

“Azula! No!!” yelled Iroh. “Zuko, don't let her do this!”

Zuko grabbed Azula's arm before she could strike. “I'm not going to let you kill her, Azula.”

She scowled at him yanking her arm from his grip. “Fine,” she said smugly. “It'll be much
more fun taking her home...both of them. I can't wait to see what's in store for Uncle for
harboring a Water Tribe spy right under the Fire Lord's nose.”

Her words felt like lightning striking Zuko's heart as he realized his decision might have been
a mistake.

“Take them away,” ordered Azula.

As the Dai Li approached the two prisoners, Azula pulled Zuko away suspecting he might
have second thoughts on his decision.

“Let's go, Brother.”

She was frustrated at her dripping clothes, and she glared at his seeing that they were dry
except around his feet where they were still walking in water. Zuko was in a daze as he
walked alongside his sister, his mind jumping from thought to thought. He would be
returning to the Fire Nation after years away from home. The Avatar was dead. He allowed
his wife and his uncle to get captured. He suddenly felt a sick feeling in the pit of his
stomach. He thought he could have it all, his life in the Fire Nation and his wife, and it might
have worked if she had not tried to rescue Iroh; no one would have known she was a
waterbender. It appeared his luck was not changing after all.

“So the tramp's a waterbender,” said Azula. She looked at Zuko. “How long have you
known?”

“I just found out recently,” he said softly, his gaze downward.

She studied him for a moment wondering if he was telling the truth.

“How did you find out?” she asked.

“She showed me.”

Azula narrowed her eyes. “Did she show you that?” she asked deeply pointing back at the
cavern.

He just shook his head.

She was rubbing her upper chest where one of the ice missiles struck her. “Where'd Uncle
find the little peasant?”

“Her village had been slaughtered. She was the only survivor.”

Her eyes narrowed. “He dared to bring a waterbender into the Fire Nation,” she hissed.

“He said he forbade her to waterbend.”

Azula let out a laugh. “Forbade her? I don't think so. Those moves back there were not from
some untrained amateur. That savage has had a master.”

Zuko realized Azula was right. It was clear Chiara had been trained and he had had no idea.

“So all these years you really didn't know what she was, and you grew up with her...,” she
said accusingly.

“So did you,” he snapped glaring at her. “Did you know?”

“She was on your ship with you for three years, and you never figured out she could
waterbend?” she asked incredulously.

“No one figured it out, Azula,” said Zuko, his voice still carrying a tone of anger which was a
combination of indignation at his sister's continued accusation and frustration at his own
failure to have figured out she was a waterbender. “Except Uncle,” he added softly.

“It makes perfect sense,” she said. “Uncle raises her in the Fire Nation so he can usurp the
throne with the help of the Water Tribe.”

“That doesn't make any sense,” he argued. “Uncle brought her home before Grandfather died.
Why would he need to usurp the throne?”

“Clearly he's trying to usurp it now,” she said deeply. “Why else would he side with the
Water Tribe at the North Pole? And he used her to fight against us and help the Avatar. He is
a traitor to our Nation.”

Zuko sighed to himself. Yesterday, he had been the happiest he could ever remember being.
Now, he was filled with overwhelming guilt.

As Azula and Zuko were returning to the Earth King's palace, the Dai Li handed Iroh and
Chiara over to Fire Nation soldiers who took them to the brig on a ship that would soon be
heading to the Fire Nation.
 Return to the Fire Nation

With his wrists shackled and chained against his chest, Iroh was led into a cell in the prison
of a Fire Nation ship. After his guard stepped out, another guard led Chiara into the same
cell.

“Since you betrayed your own nation for this filth, you can stay together,” he said. He pushed
Chiara against the wall with his hand on her throat. “Is the Daughter of the Dragon of the
West going to spit fire at me?” he laughed.

Suddenly, Iroh rammed into the guard with his shoulder forcing him away from Chiara and
into the bars. The other soldier tried to enter the cell, but Iroh kicked the door shut before
again ramming the guard inside into the wall this time. The other soldier entered, but Chiara
stood in front of him raising her shackled hands to prevent him from getting to Iroh. The
soldier grabbed hold of her, spun her around, and put a knife to her throat.

“I will kill her now,” he threatened deeply pressing the knife into her skin.

Iroh stopped and turned towards them. The soldier restraining Chiara could nearly feel the
glowing fire in the retired general's eyes burning into his own. His grip on the girl grew
tighter as he used her as a shield, but before Iroh could retaliate, the guard behind him hit him
in the back causing him to fall to his knees. As soon as Chiara was released, she immediately
knelt down by Iroh catching part of the fire whip the other guard brought down to lash him.
Iroh felt angry that the guard struck her too, and he went to stand up to attack the guard
again.

“Let's just leave them here to rot,” said the soldier to the other guard as he quickly exited the
cell before Iroh could get to his feet.

The guard followed him, and they locked the door and left the brig while Chiara helped Iroh
to the cot.

“You should not have defended me,” he said.

“They were too cruel to you.”

He slowly sat down feeling every ache in his joints and bones. It had been a long time since
he had been involved in such an intense battle, and the first against earthbenders and a
firebender at the same time. In his youth he might have boasted about such a battle despite
losing, but now he would give anything to be quietly making tea in his shop.

“You can heal my wounds, but you will not be able to heal your own,” he said.

“Does it even matter now?” she asked despondently.

She sat next to him and looked over his injuries, but she had no water she could use to heal
them.
“I'm sorry,” she said, her voice soft.

“It's not you who should be sorry.” He felt as though he lost another son. “I-I thought he had
changed.”

Zuko had left her to fight his sister and the Dai Li. Her heart felt broken as she looked down
at the ring on her finger. His vows to her meant nothing to him. He had made his choice, and
she was not it. But then, she knew deep down that he could never love her the way he loved
his honor or his Nation. She reminded herself that she knew going in she would not be
enough...but he had seemed so different since they moved to the new apartment. She knew
she could never make him forget the Fire Nation, but she hoped to at least make him content
enough to live happily without it...but she failed.

The pain brought tears to her eyes, but it was a wound she was sure she would not have to
live with for long since she suspected she was going to be executed upon her return to Capital
City. He would soon be free of her, but she refused to go to her death holding any animosity
or anger towards him. After all, she knew...and it was her decision to marry him knowing she
would not be first. He would always be her heart even though she was not his, and she hoped
he would finally find the happiness and peace he had desired for so long.

But her acceptance of his rejection did not ease her pain and her tears fell. She put her face in
her hands and began crying.

“Chiara...,” said Iroh, his own heart broken over her sadness and that he could not give her a
comforting embrace.

She lifted her head. She would not let her tears go to waste, and she began bending the water
on her hands.

“Lean forward,” she said, her voice broken.

He obeyed, and she used her tears to heal the lash mark on his back as well as his bruises and
other wounds he sustained during the battle.

He was moved to see her use her tears for healing. “I wish I could hug you right now,” he
said when she finished.

She knelt on the floor and leaned against his legs resting her head against his knee.

After a long time of contemplating whether he should tell her about Aang, he finally decided
she needed to hear it from him rather than rumors from the guards. “The Avatar is dead,” he
said softly.

“What?” she said looking up at him.

“I was too late in the catacombs; Azula struck him with lightning while he was in the Avatar
State.”

“No,” she cried softly. “Not Aang...”

“I'm sorry,” he whispered.

Iroh felt guilty for breaking the news to her, but he knew she needed to know. Chiara's heart
was broken even more. Not only had she been abandoned by her husband, but she lost a
friend whose death meant there was no hope left to end the war.

-----------------------

Back at the Earth king's palace, Azula was sitting on the king's throne while Zuko stood by
her side.

“We've done it, Zuko,” she said. “It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has
conquered Ba Sing Se.”

“I betrayed Uncle and Chiara,” he said softly.

“No, they betrayed you.” She rose from the throne. “Zuko, when you return home, Father will
welcome you as a war hero.”

“But I don't have the Avatar. What if father doesn't restore my honor?”

“He doesn't need to, Zuko,” she said placing her hand on his shoulder. “Today, you restored
your own honor.”

He did not feel honorable. His heart felt broken as he thought about Chiara. He had hoped to
have his honor and his place as Crown Prince of the Fire Nation with his wife by his side.
Now, however, everyone would know that she was a waterbender, and he knew his father
would only see her as an enemy of the Nation.

---------------------

That night, he returned to their Upper Ring apartment. Standing inside the door, his eyes
scanned the room. Postponing their honeymoon in order to join Iroh for tea with the Earth
King, they rushed around that morning preparing for their visit to the palace. He glanced
around the spacious apartment. It was enormous compared to their little flat in the Lower
Ring, but it was smaller than his room at the palace in the Fire Nation. He had to admit to
himself, though, that he had felt at home in this apartment, more so than anywhere else since
leaving the Fire Nation. Even his cabin on his ship had felt less like home since he had seen it
as temporary until he found the Avatar. But here in their Upper Ring apartment, he had
finally given up hope of going home—at least, until he was presented with a new opportunity.
It was an impulse reaction, one he had not completely thought out. His uncle was right—he
never thought things through.

He turned his attention back to the room. The kitchen which normally had mouth-watering
aromas emanating from it was empty. There were no pots of tea brewing on the counter with
his uncle hovering over them testing new blends. There was a vase of flowers sitting on the
table—the same table where they shared their meals every morning and evening and where
he learned Chiara was a waterbender. He turned to go to his room—the room that was going
to be theirs.
He pulled out a bag. There were few possessions he would take with him, but he gathered
them up and began packing. He had just finished tucking the last item inside when there was
a knock at the door. Picking up his dao swords he carefully opened the door to see Fire Sage
Shyu standing in the hall.

“I've come to speak to Iroh,” he said.

“He's not here,” said Zuko.

The Fire Sage looked puzzled. “He's not in the tea shop, is he? I just came from there, and it's
closed.”

“Look,” Zuko started in a low voice, “you need to get out of Ba Sing Se. It's not safe here
anymore.”

“That's what I wanted to speak to him about.”

“He already knows. Just leave the city.”

“And go where?” asked Shyu.

Zuko did not know how to answer him, but after Shyu left, he walked into Chiara's room. The
sweet fragrance of jasmine flowers filled the air, and his heartbeat began racing as the
familiar scent reminded him of her. He looked around her room. She had few possessions,
and just like her cabin on his ship, it could have been unoccupied. But he knew she had a
treasure that meant more to her than any possession, and there was a tightness in his chest as
he considered it. Her treasure was her family—him and his uncle. He closed his eyes and
clenched his fists. If only his uncle had stayed out of the fight in the catacombs, Chiara would
not have gotten involved in the battle.

He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. Spotting the knife he had given her and her
sword, he grabbed both, but before leaving her room, he sat down on her bed. He felt it was
the closest he could be to her at that moment. She could have been here with him if she had
not tried to defend his uncle. They could have returned to the Fire Nation together as a
family. His eyes caught sight of her ring on his hand. After what happened in the catacombs,
if his father or Azula found out they were married, he was sure they would make Chiara
suffer for it. He stared at the ring, the ring she placed on his finger the day before at their
wedding after they promised to protect, cherish, and honor each other. He had not honored
her wish to not follow his sister; he had not cherished her more than his desire to return to the
Fire Nation; he had not protected her from being taken prisoner. With one decision, he had
broken every vow, failed every promise. He did not think his heart could sink any lower. He
failed her, and he did not deserve to be called her husband. He removed her ring from his
finger.

Crown Prince Zuko and Princess Azula remained in Ba Sing Se for another week establishing
Fire Nation control. Zuko spent most of his time sitting silently in meetings with the military
leaders. It was a big change from serving tea at the Jasmine Dragon. At the tea shop there
was a quiet, peaceful atmosphere with the soft murmuring of patrons' conversations. In the
Earth Palace war room, there was the bickering among generals and his sister's silky, yet
threatening voice above it all. But Zuko's mind could not seem to focus on the new
government issues and politics. He stared at his finger and the empty spot where his wedding
ring used to be. He gently touched his chest where the ring now lay hidden next to his heart,
but it could not fill in the empty space left by his wife's absence.

By the end of the week, Zuko was preparing to leave Ba Sing Se to return to the Fire Nation.
Since the days after his fateful Agni Kai when he sailed away from his homeland, he had
dreamed of returning. But he had never dreamed of returning without Chiara and his uncle.
They had been by his side since the beginning of his banishment. They remained with him
after he lost his ship, they went with him to the North Pole, traveled with him as refugees
across the Earth Kingdom, searched for him in the Crystal Catacombs to rescue him from
Azula. Through it all they had never abandoned them. Even when he left them, they had
never been far behind ready to be there for him if he needed their help. He had their company
for nearly his entire exile, but now he would end that exile alone.

For Iroh and Chiara, the trip to the Fire Nation had been long and slow. When they finally
arrived, there was no crowd to greet the former crown prince and retired general on his return
to the homeland after his long absence. There was no palanquin to take him to his estate
where Ezih, Amiku, and his other servants would be waiting to attend to him. Instead, they
were transferred from the brig to a prison cart that took them both unceremoniously to
Capital City Prison where they were imprisoned in separate cells.

Zuko was finally on his way back to the Fire Nation. In his cabin a royal Fire Nation uniform
and armor were waiting for him. He shed his Earth Kingdom clothes and donned his princely
attire. He was troubled to find himself uncomfortable under the weight, and he felt it was
binding, as if he could barely move or breathe. He was nearly ready to tear it off to free
himself from the burden, but he took a deep breath and told himself it had been a long time
and he just needed to get used to it again.

He spent the first evening on board standing on the deck staring at the moon—the moon that
made Chiara's skin glow and that had blessed the day of their wedding. He remembered his
uncle talking about the princess of the Northern Water Tribe sacrificing her life to restore the
moon that had been destroyed by Zhao. Even Zuko understood the balance the moon
provided. Yet the Fire Nation, his Nation, had killed the moon, and only the Water Tribe
could heal it with a sacrifice of one of their own. Now, his sister had destroyed the Avatar.
Once again, his Nation was responsible for destruction, and not only of the Avatar, but of the
entire race of airbenders. His uncle was accused of being a traitor for defending the moon and
now the Avatar, but down deep Zuko knew better. He was defending balance—balance their
Nation was destroying. Zuko had never been afraid of fire, not even after his father burned
his face and eye. He understood that it could be destructive, that it could hurt or even kill, but
he also understood it could do more. The flames provided warmth and cooked his food; fire
kept him alive...but so did air and water and earth. It was all about balance. But what would
happen now with the Avatar gone? He had never intended on killing the kid, despite his
overzealous threats at times; he only wanted to take him to his father so he could return home
and regain his honor. With the Avatar dead Azula assured him that he did restore his honor
and that their father would welcome him home...but what would become of the balance?

Zuko rubbed his temples. Listening to his thoughts sound more like his uncle made him
realize just how imbalanced everything had become. In one day so much had changed—for
the world and for him personally. His life was so different the week before. He had felt a
sense of peace and contentment. Lee, a tea server at the popular Jasmine Dragon Tea Shop of
Ba Sing Se's Upper Ring, was going to marry Lin, the beautiful daughter of the shop's
proprietor. The mere thought made his lip curl until he realized where that daughter and her
father were at the moment. He felt torn up inside. He was finally on his way home. It was
what he wanted for years. He never truly gave up without a fight. But the price he paid was
far more than he expected. Would he have made the same choice had he known it would cost
him his wife and uncle?

His eyes were still focused on the waning crescent hanging in the sky. But how could he look
at something so pure and beautiful after breaking his vows to one of the moon's own? His
eyes fell in shame to the dark ocean below. Maybe it would come alive again as it did at the
North Pole and drag him beneath the surface in retaliation for failing his family.

Having the luxury of sailing on one of the fastest ships in the navy, Zuko arrived the day after
Iroh and Chiara even though they had left the Earth Kingdom nearly a week earlier. The sun
was rising as the ship approached the statue of Azulon marking the Great Gates of Azulon.
Zuko stood on the upper deck dressed in his royal armor with his hair pulled up into a
topknot bearing a gold flame headpiece. He watched as they sailed closer to the island. It was
his first sight of home in years, but the sense of excitement he had always anticipated was
lacking. Entering the First Lord's Harbor they docked, and he slowly walked down the pier
hesitating before taking his first un-banished step onto Fire Nation soil in three long years.
He was finally back home.

He and his sister were taken by palanquin to the Royal Plaza. After being ushered up the
steps inside the plaza, he could hear Lo and Li going on about the fall of Ba Sing Se and the
Avatar, but his mind was elsewhere. Amid his thoughts, he heard his name announced which
was his cue to step onto the balcony. He walked out to the cheers of his people welcoming
him home. His thoughts, however, were preoccupied with worry over his wife and uncle, and
the enthusiastic welcome below brought him no joy or even relief. Recent mention of
execution had him stressed. He needed to get to the prison to see his family, but he could not
give away how anxious he was to speak to them. He would be in a better position to help
them as the Crown Prince than if he is labeled a traitor sympathizer.

Arriving at the palace that afternoon, he walked into his bedroom for the first time in years;
he looked around remembering the last time he stood there wondering when he would return,
and now he was back. Nothing had changed—nothing but him. He placed the bag he was
carrying on his bed, and opening it he pulled out a small rolled up canvas wrapped with their
gold wedding ribbon. He unraveled the ribbon, and opening the canvas, he stared at the
image of him and Chiara on their wedding day. He delicately ran his fingers over her image
before rolling it up and hiding it away. Out of his pocket he pulled the green crystal she had
given him on her return from the Earth Kingdom years ago. Holding it in his hand, he
realized it was the only thing he managed to keep over the years. He left the Fire Nation with
it, and he returned with it. He had lost everything else during his exile, most of it gone up in
flames aboard his ship, except for the only two people who truly cared for him; those he lost
due to his own inaction. He walked over to the window and held the crystal up in the sunlight
causing it to glow. As he looked at the smooth surface, he could see his scar reflecting in it,
the scar that should have been worse over his eye that should have been blind. He placed the
crystal down on the ledge returning it to the spot where he kept it before his banishment. His
eyes were drawn out the window to the palace pond in the distance. He turned and left his
room. He made a quick trip to the kitchen before heading to the pond where he sat tossing
bread to the turtle ducks. He thought he could focus on a way to help his wife and uncle, but
he found himself lost in his memories of the day he and Chiara first met. He was not sitting
long when he heard his sister approaching him. Her mere shadow over the turtle ducks who
were nibbling at the crumbs sent them scurrying away in a noisy fuss.

“You seem so downcast,” said Azula as if she were concerned. Zuko suspected she was just
prying for information. “Are you still thinking about that Water tramp?”

He felt angry by her insult, but he refused to show it. He did not want her to know what he
was thinking. “I haven't seen Dad yet,” he said flatly. “I haven't seen him in three years, since
I was banished.”

“So what?”

“So, I didn't capture the Avatar,” he said.

“Who cares? The Avatar is dead...unless you think he somehow miraculously survived.”

Suddenly an image of the Crystal Catacombs flashed before Zuko's eyes. Among his worried
thoughts, he had completely forgotten about the waterbender and her spirit water.

“No,” he said staring up at her. “There's no way he could have survived.”

She eyed him suspiciously.

“Well, then I'm sure you have nothing to worry about,” she said before walking away.

He tossed a few pieces of bread in the water drawing back the turtle ducks who were happy
to return with the absence of his sister. The Avatar could still be alive, he thought. He tossed
another piece of bread into the pond towards the smallest turtle duck who missed out on the
other pieces, but a larger sibling wrestled it away. Once again it was left to the Water Tribe to
heal what the Fire Nation destroyed. Zuko knelt down at the edge of the water and held a few
crumbs out to the tiny turtle duck who nibbled them from his palm. Why was there some part
of him, down deep, very very deep, that kind of hoped he survived?

---------------------

Later in the day Zuko was called to meet with the Fire Lord. The last time he had seen his
father, the man's amber eyes were coldly staring into his as he burned him to teach him a
permanent lesson on his face. Zuko shuddered at the memory. But this was what he wanted.
For years he had tried to prove that he was a loyal son, that he was not worthless. It had all
been for his honor, for his father.

He stopped at the entrance to the throne room. This was what he thought he wanted. Right
now he would give anything to be visiting Chiara instead of the Fire Lord. He took a deep
breath before separating the curtains. He could see the silhouette of his father behind the wall
of flames. He entered the room walking towards the throne. He remained silent as he knelt
down before Ozai putting his face to the floor.

“You've been away for a long time,” said the Fire Lord.

His voice, his tone—it was so different than what Zuko remembered. You will learn respect,
and suffering will be your teacher.

“I see the weight of your travels has changed you. You have redeemed yourself, my son.”
Zuko sat up watching his father as he stood and walked through the flames stepping down
from the throne. “Welcome home.”

He could see his father's amber eyes, the same amber eyes that had no mercy on him as a
child, but he did not break eye contact. He watched his father strut across the floor in front of
him like a peacock lion.

“I am proud of you, Prince Zuko.”

He had waited so long to hear those words from his father, yet they did not bring him the joy
or satisfaction which he had expected or for which he had hoped. He could not quite
understand why they seemed like ash pouring from his father's mouth, the remains of words
which should have meant something to him.

“I am proud because you and your sister conquered Ba Sing Se,” Ozai continued. “I am
proud because when your loyalty was tested by your treacherous uncle, you did the right
thing and captured the traitor and his spy.”

Zuko bit his tongue as anger rose inside him from his father's words. The Fire Lord paced
back now standing behind him.

“And I am proudest of all of your most legendary accomplishment: you slay the Avatar.”

Zuko eyes widened in shock. That was news to him. “What did you hear?”

“Azula told me everything. She said she was amazed and impressed at your power and
ferocity at the moment of truth.”

Azula always lies.

----------------------

That night, Zuko entered Azula's bedroom while she was sleeping.

“Why'd you do it?” he asked.

She lay still. “You're going to have to be a little more specific.”

“Why did you tell Father that I was the one who killed the Avatar?”

“Can't this wait until the morning?” she asked, still not moving.

“It can't,” he insisted.

She sighed and opened her eyes. “Fine,” she said before sitting up. “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?”

She started getting out of bed. “Call it a generous gesture. I wanted to thank you for your help
and I was happy to share the glory.”

His sister was never generous. “You're lying,” he said.

“If you say so,” she said casually strolling by him.

“You have another motive for doing this; I just haven't figured out what it is.”

She stretched her arms out before turning towards him. “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 moved close to him. “Unless, somehow, the Avatar was actually alive. All that
glory would suddenly turn to shame and foolishness,” she said returning to her bed. “But you
said it yourself, that was impossible.” Zuko started walking out. “Sleep well, Zuzu.”

He did not sleep well.

Early the next day, Zuko walked into the prison. He was anxious to see Chiara, but he
decided to visit Iroh first. He entered the dark cell where he saw his uncle sitting quietly on
the floor with his head bowed, his long, disheveled hair hanging down his back.

“Uncle,” said Zuko. “It's me.”

Iroh turned his back to him and faced the wall. Zuko immediately took offense to his uncle's
cold shoulder.

“You brought this on yourself, you know,” he said. “We could've returned together. You
could've been a hero. Chiara...Chiara wouldn't have used her bending to help you. No one
would know and neither of you would be locked in this prison.”

Iroh turned away from him even more which further angered him.

“You have no right to judge me, Uncle,” he said. “I did what I had to do in Ba Sing Se, and
you're a fool for not joining me.”
He remained silent.

“You're not going to say anything?” asked Zuko outraged that his uncle refused to speak to
him.

In anger he kicked up a small stool before punching it with a blast of fire.

“You're a crazy old man! You're crazy!” he yelled angrily, completely losing his temper.
“And if you weren't in jail you'd be sleeping in a gutter!”

He stormed out of the cell and stood in the hall steaming. He wanted to leave the prison, but
he could not bring himself to leave without seeing Chiara. He walked to her cell regretting
not visiting her first now that his mood was even worse.

Approaching the bars that separated them, he saw her kneeling on the floor leaning against
the wall. Her head was bowed while her tousled locks flowed all around her. He was
immediately filled with anger upon seeing her shackled in a prison cell, and he was
overwhelmed with the temptation to break down the door and get her out of there.

“Chiara,” he called softly.

There was a flutter in her heartbeat upon hearing his voice, and her sea green eyes glanced up
at him. He stood on the other side of the bars attired in his gold-trimmed princely garments
with a golden flame adorning his topknot. She did not expect the sharp pain she felt in her
heart when her eyes met his golden ones.

“Chiara, I'm sorry.”

She said nothing but she looked back down willing herself not to cry. Zuko wondered if she
was going to ignore him as Iroh did.

“I didn't mean for you to end up here,” he said. “If Uncle hadn't fought against us you
wouldn't be in prison.”

“He told me to leave; it was my decision not to,” she said, refusing to allow anyone to be
blamed for her actions.

He knelt down on the floor to be eye level with her.

“I-I should've...I should've helped you escape,” he said softly. As much as it pained him to
imagine it, he wished she had left Ba Sing Se with the Avatar's friends.

“I had a chance to escape, but I didn't take it, so don't blame yourself,” she said sadly, still
looking down. “I'm here by my own choices.” She mentally reminded herself that she chose
to marry him knowing his honor came first.

Zuko did not think he could feel even worse...until he did upon hearing her take all the
responsibility.

“How's my father?” she asked.

“He's...” He wanted to say 'stubborn.' “...he won't talk to me,” he said, bitterness in his tone.

“Give him time. He loves you, but he's hurt.”

“He's hurt?” he asked trying to keep his voice calm. “If he had joined me he wouldn't be
sitting in a prison cell right now. The whole Fire Nation is calling him a traitor.”

“Not supporting genocide doesn't make him a traitor.”

He agreed with her, but his sister made sure the rumors were spread quickly.

“They're also saying you're a spy for the Water Tribe,” he said.

She looked up at him. “What do you say?”

“I know you're not a spy...”

“Then that's all that matters to me.”

Her soft-spoken words sent a jolt through his heart, but he was frustrated that she did not
understand the gravity of such an accusation. “But there's talk of execution.”

She was not surprised, but she hoped they would spare her father. She had to remind herself
again that it was her own choices that brought her to this point, and her last acts would not be
of ill will. “Don't feel bad for me, Prince Zuko. You have what you've been searching for for
so long. You're where you want to be...you're home.”

“I don't have everything I wanted. I want you by my side,” he added softly.

“You knew that could never be if we returned.”

“But it could've been,” he insisted. “No one had to know you were a waterbender.”

“Did you really expect me to leave my father to defend himself?”

“Yes, I did. They wouldn't be talking about executing either of you if you hadn't tried to help
him.”

Her choices not only led to her own imprisonment and execution, but her father's as well.
Tears filled her eyes and she looked down as they fell down her cheeks.

“Chiara...I-I didn't mean...ugh!” He put his head in his hands feeling guilty for upsetting her.
“It didn't have to be this way!” he yelled frustrated with their situation. “I'm going to find a
way to get you out of here.”

He stood up and left the prison feeling worse. He felt angry with himself for blaming Iroh
and Chiara. Katara's words echoed in his head: You'd probably betray Chiara if it meant
capturing Aang. He realized he had done what he thought he could never do. He regretted not
helping his wife against his sister, but maybe he should have sided with the Avatar too. He
clenched his fists. The mere thought felt treasonous. But he did not consider his uncle a
traitor, and his uncle worked with the Avatar to help find him in the Crystal Catacombs; his
uncle allowed the waterbender to escape with the Avatar's body. What if the Avatar was still
alive? Should he...? No, he would not finish that thought. Right now he would concentrate on
helping his wife and uncle.

He returned to the palace to his room where he began pacing, pondering over how he could
help them starting with legal means and even considering breaking them out—however
impossible—but he kept it in the back of his mind as a last resort option. Frustrated at his
lack of ideas, he sat down on his bed and rubbed his temples. Raising his head, a green glow
on the window ledge caught his eye, and he stood up and walked to the window where he
picked up the crystal. Suddenly, an idea came to him, and he opened a drawer and pulled out
a cylinder.

-----------------------

That afternoon, Zuko attended the meeting where Iroh and Chiara's sentences were being
discussed.

“Prince Zuko, you have testimony to offer at this hearing?” he was asked by the lead member
of the court after the discussion between the court members.

Zuko stood up. “I'm testifying on behalf of Iroh and Chiara.” He rarely referred to his uncle
by name only, but he did not want to give the court the impression that he was defending Iroh
merely because they were related.

“The evidence that Iroh is a traitor is very clear as well as the evidence that the Water Tribe
girl is a spy,” said the leader.

He decided to start with his uncle. “One of your accusations against Iroh is that he betrayed
the Fire Nation and aided the Northern Water Tribe in Zhao's campaign,” he started. “I was a
witness to what happened at the North Pole.”

“We've already received firsthand accounts of the events of the Siege. A few have testified
that Iroh fought against Zhao and his soldiers while they were in Water Tribe territory.”

“Zhao killed the moon spirit,” said Zuko. “The Fire Nation needs the moon just as much as
the Water Tribe. Iroh understood this and tried to prevent Zhao from making a mistake that
would hurt the Fire Nation.”

“Yet we lost a significant number of our people there,” stated another on the court.

“Because Zhao succeeded in destroying the moon,” explained Zuko, “and it angered the
ocean spirit who avenged its death. I saw the corpses of our people floating in the North Sea.
They died because of Zhao's actions,” he said deeply, “not Iroh's.”

“None of the witnesses said anything about an ocean spirit.”

Zuko found that unbelievable. “Not one witness described the ocean coming to life?”
The way the men glanced quickly at each other gave him the impression that there was more
going on than they were saying.

“They stated that it was waterbenders that destroyed the navy,” said the leader of the court.

Zuko wanted to scoff and glare and yell. “No waterbender had the power to do that to our
navy. The moon and the ocean work together. This is understood even in the Fire Nation.
Destroying the moon angered the ocean which came to life and took revenge against our
people.”

“And you saw this?” he was asked.

He would never unsee the living water reaching up over the bridge to engulf Zhao and drag
him to the depths. “Yes,” he said, the darkness of his voice reflecting the darkness of his
memory.

“Then if this moon spirit was destroyed, why is it still visible?” another of the court asked
with skepticism in his voice. “Why has it not had a negative effect on the Fire Nation as you
claimed?”

“The princess of the Water Tribe gave her life to the moon,” he said. “That's when the ocean
calmed. Had she not sacrificed her life, the devastation would have been global.”

For men who never left the island to travel upon the ocean, they struggled with the truth of
the prince's testimony.

“We'll consider this testimony. Do you have anything else to add?”

“You also claim that Iroh is a traitor for allowing the Avatar to escape in Ba Sing Se,” started
Zuko, “but the Avatar died during the battle in the Crystal Catacombs before Iroh arrived.”

“Princess Azula claimed that he fought against her and the Dai Li who were working with
her.”

“He only allowed the waterbender that travels with the Avatar to escape,” the prince argued.
“That doesn't make him a traitor.”

“Fighting against the Princess makes him a traitor,” one of the other members insisted.

“And he also secretly raised a Water Tribe spy within the Fire Nation,” said another.

“Chiara's not a Water Tribe spy,” argued Zuko. “I grew up with her; she's never shown an
interest in the war other than expressing her concern over Iroh and Lu Ten's safety.”

“She is a waterbender who hid her bending while living in the Fire Nation...”

“That doesn't make her a spy,” said Zuko. “She was just a child when she was brought here.
She only hid her ability because she would've been put to death just for being a waterbender.
She's a loyal subject of the Fire Nation.”
“The testimony of Princess Azula says that she attacked her and the Dai Li with...” He looked
down at a scroll. “...with 'great violence' in defense of the Avatar...,” he read.

“The Avatar was gone before she arrived,” interrupted Zuko. “She wasn't protecting him. She
was protecting Iroh...and me,” he added.

“Why was she protecting you?” asked one of the members.

“I was caught in the crossfire of Azula's attacks. Chiara protected me.”

“Why didn't you stop her?”

“Because she was only trying to protect Iroh,” he insisted. “I didn't see that as a threat.”

“Her crimes include aiding the traitor Iroh,” said one of the members. “And this isn't the first
time she assisted the traitor. We have testimony that she attacked Princess Azula on her ship
as well as attacked her again in an abandoned mining town in the Earth Kingdom...”

“She never attacked Azula on her ship,” said Zuko growing frustrated with the accusations.
“Azula attacked me, and Chiara stood between us to protect me.”

“What about the mining town?”

“Azula attacked Iroh, and Chiara remained with him,” he explained. “She never attacked my
sister.”

“Are you saying that the princess is lying?” asked one of the men.

Azula always lies, he thought to himself. “I'm saying I was there and Chiara never attacked
her. She only defended me and Iroh.”

The scribe wrote a few notes.

“It's been brought up that Iroh had planned on using the Water spy to usurp the throne of the
Fire Lord,” said the lead member.

“That's not true,” said Zuko as he placed a cylinder on the table before them. “And I have
proof.”

“What is this?”

“These are letters written to me by Chiara when she left the Fire Nation after Prince Lu Ten's
death.”

“And what is their significance?”

“They show that she was loyal to the Fire Nation and that Iroh had no intentions of usurping
the throne.”

The leader nodded, and Zuko pulled out one of the letters and began to read.
Dear Zuko, I hope this letter finds you well. I made it safely to the camp in the Earth
Kingdom. Please give Aunt Ursa my thanks again for her help in arranging this trip for me.
I'll always be indebted to her. The day after I arrived we held Lu Ten's funeral. I was able to
see him one last time, but it's not how I wish to remember him. As for the General, I'm very
worried about him. I knew my grief over Lu Ten could not be greater than his, but the
General's sad disposition increases the pain in my heart. I've been staying by his side and
tending to his needs, but I know it must bring him so little comfort compared to his loss. I
hope to see you soon. Chiara.

Besides showing their loyalty to the Fire Nation, Zuko was hoping to gain the sympathy of
the court for Iroh by letting them hear Chiara's account after the loss of his son. He looked at
another letter.

Dear Zuko, I'm glad to hear you've been doing well. The General and I will be leaving camp
to return home soon. Though I'm glad to be going home, I fear it will not be the same without
Lu Ten, and I'm worried that it will be even more difficult for the General. He still rarely
leaves the tent, and he refuses to keep much company with the other officers except what's
necessary to speak. I haven't tried to engage him in much conversation, but I've been serving
him in whatever he needs. I bring his meals and make his tea and communicate to the officers
as he directs me. I wish so much that I could relieve the pain he suffers in his heart.

And I hope the next time we communicate it will be face to face. Chiara.

He pulled out another letter.

Dear Prince Zuko, I heard the news of Fire Lord Azulon's death, and I'm deeply saddened by
the loss you suffered. I wish I could've been there for you to share in your grief. Of course,
the news has been another wound to the poor General, and I believe it's for this reason that
we will not be returning to the Fire Nation yet. I had hoped to see you soon, but after
learning of his father's passing, the General is not ready to go home, and I'm joining him on
his journey. I don't know where we'll be traveling, but I'll continue writing you.

Also, I can't adequately express in words my joy for you on your becoming Crown Prince of
the Fire Nation. It's only unfortunate that such status comes with the loss of family. I know,
however, that one day you will make a most honorable Fire Lord. Your humble and loyal
subject, Chiara.

Zuko's heart started beating faster as he was reading her words. He remembered the first time
he read it how he noticed that she addressed him as 'Prince,' a title by which she continued
addressing him since then and even after their marriage. His heart stirred now as it did at his
first reading of her closing as she called herself his 'humble and loyal subject.'

He flipped through other letters, including the one in which Chiara expressed her sadness
over Ursa's disappearance. He pulled out the last one.

Dear Prince Zuko, I apologize for my delay in getting this letter to you. I haven't forgotten
you and you're in my thoughts every day. I'm overjoyed to tell you that we're on our way back
to the Fire Nation. Don't be surprised if you don't recognize your uncle, though; I believe he's
overindulged in the various cuisines of every village we visited, but it'll be good to taste Tai's
food again.

It feels like forever since I've set my eyes on home. After all this time I have yet to see
anything as beautiful and peaceful as the General's garden and I can't wait to walk through it
again. The hardest part will be that Lu Ten will not be there to enjoy it. And now that you're
in the palace, I'll also miss seeing you on the wall.

Since we're already on a ship headed for home, this is the last letter I'll be writing on this
voyage—Raptor is yours.

I can't wait to be in your company again. Your humble and loyal subject, Chiara.

“These letters show Chiara's loyalty to the Fire Nation,” he said. “She expressed her sorrow
over the loss of Prince Lu Ten and sadness over Iroh's grief. She refers to herself as a humble
and loyal subject, and she calls the Fire Nation home. There isn't a single word in them that
shows she was a spy. She was a daughter to Iroh comforting him after the loss of his son.
There's no indication that he was training her as a spy or that he was attempting to usurp the
throne. If you execute them, you'll be killing innocent subjects of the Fire Nation.”

“Thank you, Prince Zuko, we will take your testimony into consideration.”

The next day, Zuko returned to the prison. He decided to visit Chiara first this time. He could
not get used to seeing her confined in a prison cell behind bars, and he was heartbroken to
find her kneeling in the same spot as if she had never moved.

“Chiara, I brought you some komodo chicken,” he said as he slid it into her cell. “I had Tai
make it the way you like.”

As she slowly moved her hair to unveil her eyes, the rattle of the chains sent a painful jolt
through his heart. She saw him kneeling outside the bars and the container of chicken on the
floor inside her cell. She bowed her head again, her eyes falling to the wedding ring on her
finger.

Zuko suspected they left her wrists shackled to prevent her from waterbending. Seeing her
bound and confined like an animal was painful, and he had spent another sleepless night
unable to remove the image from his mind or the guilt from his heart. He had been blaming
his uncle and even her for getting involved in the catacombs, but he had made the decision to
follow his sister. He spent the night thinking about what might have happened if he had made
another choice that day. There had only been two other options. The three of them could have
left the catacombs together leaving the Avatar to deal with Azula. But the Fire Nation had
taken over the city, and there would have been nowhere to which they could have escaped.
He was sure if they had tried, his sister, the Fire Nation army, and the Dai Li would have
stopped them and they might all be in prison.

The more disturbing, treasonous option would have been to side with the Avatar against
Azula. Working together with the enemy, they might have prevented the Fire Nation takeover
of Ba Sing Se, and he, Chiara, and his uncle could have resumed their lives in the Upper
Ring. He might have been a traitor, but he and his wife could be on their honeymoon before
he would go back to work as a simple tea server.

But he had already made his decision, and no amount of regret could undo it. All he could do
now was bide his time and hope the court would free her. He would wait until their decision
before planning his next step.

They both sat in silence. He did not want to leave her alone, but he did not know what to say
to her. After leaving her to fight in the catacombs on her own, he knew there was nothing
comforting he could say, so he stayed with her just to keep her company and to remain in her
company even if it was in silence.

Chiara continued staring at the ring. She knew she had to let him go. It was less painful when
she believed she could never marry him; he was her heart, but she had kept it more closely
guarded. In accepting his proposal, vowing her life to him—she laid it bare. Now it was
wounded. She stared at the red gem embedded in the gold. She needed to let him go. She
would let him go, and he would be free to move on. Once the court made its decision on her
execution, it would not be long after that she would be free from the pain.

After a long time of sitting quietly with her, Zuko stood up.

“I'm going to visit Uncle. Do you have any messages for him?”

“Tell him I love him.”

He nodded. “I will.”

She glanced up at him as he left the cell. Tears fell down her cheeks. She would have to let
him go.

-----------------------

Zuko went to Iroh's cell where he knelt down outside the bars. His uncle sat facing the wall
refusing to look at him.

“I brought you some komodo chicken,” he said as he slid it into the cell. “I know you don't
care for it, but I figure it beats prison food.”

His uncle said nothing.

“I talked to Chiara. She told me to tell you she loves you.”

Iroh wondered if it was true or if Zuko had just said it to elicit a response from him, but he
did not respond.

“I admit it,” said Zuko. “I have my life back again, but it's not at all how I thought it would
be.”

He was still quiet.

“The truth is I need your advice.”

Iroh found it ironic that his nephew who had scowled, scoffed, and snapped at his advice over
the years was now asking for it. But he had done what he could to help him. For years he
tried to be the loving father the boy desperately needed, but he had failed. For reasons he was
not sure of, Zuko always seemed to idolize Ozai. His nephew could not accept that the man
was a terrible father no matter how much Iroh tried to show him otherwise.

“I think the Avatar is still alive.”

Iroh raised his eyes upon hearing this, but he did not move otherwise.

“I know he's out there,” said Zuko. He wanted to admit his hope that he was still alive and his
doubts about not siding with him and the Avatar, but he was still struggling with such
treasonous thoughts. “I'm losing my mind.”

His uncle did not answer him.

“Please, Uncle, I'm so confused. I need your help.”

Iroh remained silent. He loved his nephew dearly, but he had already done all he could do to
help him. Zuko had chosen the wrong path, and now he would have to find his own way.

Zuko was infuriated at his uncle's silence. “Forget it!” he yelled as he stood up. “I'll solve this
myself! Waste away in here for all I care!” he snapped.

He stormed out not seeing the tears that rolled down his uncle's cheeks.

-----------------------

Zuko lay on his bed staring at the canopy. Once he cooled down from his visit with his uncle,
he began thinking and worrying about Chiara. He grabbed his tsungi horn, left the palace, and
went to a spot in the mountain near the prison. He found the window of her cell, and he
settled into a spot hidden behind some boulders and he began playing.

As Chiara sat quietly in her cell, she suddenly heard the sound of the tsungi horn playing in
the distance. She sat up and attentively listened to make sure it was not in her head. Her heart
beat faster as she recognized the song she and Zuko had composed together. She lay down on
the mat, closed her eyes, and focused on the music, reminded of when she would play the
erhu for him outside his quarters on the ship.

(Yes, tearbending is a thing...thanks, Actor Sokka.)

 Revelations
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

It should have been a dream come true when Zuko had been invited to attend the war
meeting, but upon entering the war room, he did not feel the excitement he had expected.

“Welcome, Prince Zuko,” said Ozai as his son walked towards the throne. “We waited for
you.”

Zuko walked up to his father, and after bowing to him, he sat down next to him.

“General Shinu, your report,” said Ozai.

“Thank you, sir,” said Shinu getting to his feet. “Ba Sing Se is still under our control.
However, earthbender rebellions have prevented us from achieving total victory in the Earth
Kingdom.”

“What is your recommendation?” asked the Fire Lord.

“Our army is spread too thin, but we should wait until after the eclipse is over and after the
invasion is defeated, and then we should transfer more domestic forces into the Earth
Kingdom.”

“Hmm,” said Ozai before looking at the prince. “Prince Zuko, you've been among the Earth
Kingdom commoners. Do you think that adding more troops will stop these rebellions?”

“The people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong,” he said. “They can endure
anything, as long as they have hope.”

“Yes, you're right,” said Ozai thoughtfully. “We need to destroy their hope.”

“Well, that's not exactly what I...”

“I think you should take their precious hope and the rest of their land and burn it all to the
ground,” interrupted Azula.

“Yes,” said Ozai with a wicked smile. “Yes, you're right, Azula.” He stood up and walked to
the map. “Sozin's Comet will be arriving this year, and on that day, it will endow us with the
strength and power of a hundred suns. No bender will stand a chance against us.”

“What are you suggesting, sir?” asked Shinu.

“When the comet last came, my grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin, used it to wipe out the Air
Nomads. Now, I will use its power to end the Earth Kingdom...permanently. From our
airships we will rain fire over their lands, a fire that will destroy everything, and out of the
ashes, a new world will be born, a world in which all the lands are Fire Nation and I am the
supreme ruler of everything!”

Everyone applauded the genocide except for Zuko who was shocked and appalled. He was
tempted to speak out against the Fire Lord's plan, but the words became stuck on his tongue
when he felt a small prickle of pain over his left eye where his father had taught him a
permanent lesson.

Since the day in the Crystal Catacombs, Zuko had been unable to get a restful night's sleep.
There was the possibility that the Avatar was still alive and that his father might find out. But
he found it more troubling that deep down he hoped the boy really was alive. He could not
understand why such traitorous thoughts had been going through his head. Now, his father's
plan to destroy the Earth Kingdom was added to his list of worries. But what plagued his
mind most was his worry over Iroh and Chiara, and his sleeplessness had only gotten worse
after seeing his wife chained up in the prison.

He had been anxiously waiting for news from the courts regarding his wife and uncle, but no
verdict had been announced yet. One night he lay on his bed staring at the small canvas with
the image of him and Chiara on their wedding day. He remembered thinking about how being
crowned Fire Lord could not possibly surpass the moment he had taken Chiara as his wife.
He tenderly ran his finger over her image before rolling it up and hiding it. He tossed and
turned in bed for hours unable to sleep, and as he found himself rolling over again, he
thought he heard something outside his room. Stepping into the hall he saw a scroll lying on
the floor.

You need to know the story of your great-grandfather's demise. It will reveal your own
destiny.

He stared at the puzzling message. For years he had been sure of his own destiny. He had not
been thrilled with becoming the crown prince after his grandfather's death. His mother's
disappearance was a fresh wound, the death of his cousin had still stung, and he had been
terrified when he heard his grandfather's anger after his father asked for his uncle's birthright.
But he had no choice but to step up and try to be a worthy prince for his Nation. As crown
prince he knew he would one day be Fire Lord, and he accepted it as his purpose. The
message on the scroll made no sense to him and he wondered what his great-grandfather's
demise could possibly tell him about his own destiny.

The next morning on his way to breakfast he walked by the Royal Gallery. Stopping, he
turned back and walked down the hall until he reached the portrait of his great-grandfather
Fire Lord Sozin.

“It's never too early for a sitting with the court painter, Zuko,” said Azula as she walked by
him. “Make sure he gets your good side.”

She continued walking.

“Wait...,” said Zuko. “I need to ask you something.” She stopped. “What do you remember
about our great-grandfather's history?”

“Oh, Zuko, it's so strange how your mind works. Fire Lord Sozin began the war, of course.
He spent his early years preparing for it, but he was as patient as he was clever. He famously
waited for the comet, later renamed Sozin's Comet, and used its power to launch his full-scale
invasion of the world. In the end he died a very old and successful man.” Her recitation
sounded like it had been memorized from a textbook.

“But how did he die?”

“Didn't you pay any attention in school, Zuko? He died peacefully in his sleep. He was
ancient.”

Zuko was no closer to understanding the meaning of the cryptic message.

--------------------

That evening he sat in his room staring at the scroll again. “What does it mean?” he said to
himself. Frustrated, he threw the parchment over his lantern. Heat from the lamp revealed
hidden writing on the page, and he quickly grabbed it up.

The Fire Sages keep the secret history in the Dragon Bone Catacombs.

Zuko quickly left the palace and went to the catacombs. After sneaking inside he found The
Final Testament of Fire Lord Sozin. He sat and read it through, but when he reached the end,
he was surprised that was all there was.

“That can't be it,” he said looking over the scroll. “Where's the rest of it?”

He immediately left to go to the prison.

“You sent this, didn't you?!” he asked Iroh angrily after storming into his cell. “I found the
secret history which, by the way, should be renamed the history most people already know!
The note said that I needed to know about my great-grandfather's death, but he was still alive
in the end.”

“No,” said Iroh, finally breaking his silence. “He wasn't.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked more calmly.

“You have more than one great-grandfather, Prince Zuko. Sozin was your father's
grandfather. Your mother's grandfather was Avatar Roku.”

Zuko's eyes grew wide to learn he was descended from the Avatar. “Why are you telling me
this?!”

“Because understanding the struggle between your two great-grandfathers can help you better
understand the battle within yourself.”
He fell to his knees dropping his head into his hands.

“Evil and good are always at war inside you, Zuko,” continued Iroh. “It is your nature, your
legacy, but there is a bright side.” Zuko looked at him. “What happened generations ago can
be resolved now by you. Because of your legacy you alone can cleanse the sins of our family
and the Fire Nation. Born in you, along with all the strife, is the power to restore balance to
the world.” Iroh removed a brick in the wall and removed something hidden inside. Taking it
to Zuko he unwrapped it and held it out to him. “This is a royal artifact. It's supposed to be
worn by the Crown Prince.”

The prince took it in his hands.

Before leaving Iroh, he wrapped up the headpiece. He slowly left Iroh's cell, his mind going
over everything his uncle just told him. He felt even more lost and confused. Looking up, he
realized his feet were taking the path to Chiara's cell. When he entered her cell, she was
kneeling on the floor leaning against the wall with her head bowed and her hair flowing down
around her like a veil. Her shackled wrists lay on her lap, and though he could not see, her
eyes were on the wedding band around her finger. When Zuko knelt down outside the bars he
carefully set the wrapped artifact on the floor next to him.

“Chiara,” he said softly.

She looked up at him, and when her eyes focused she thought he looked a bit lost. “Are you
okay?” she asked softly.

“I...I just need to be with you,” he said. “Can you sit over here?”

He cringed at the sound of her shackles when she slowly stood up and walked over to him.
As she moved to kneel down across from him, he saw something on her neck.

“Is-is that blood on your neck?” he asked.

“Probably.”

He reached in through the bars and lifted her chin to look at the cut on her throat.

“Your neck is cut! How did that happen?”

“One of the guards,” she answered softly.

“What?! Who?! Which one?!”

She shook her head. “I don't know. It was on the ship.”

The thought that she had been assaulted by a guard angered him.

“It'll heal,” she said calmly, though she did not think it mattered if she was going to be
executed anyways.

He took her hand in his having missed touching her. “I'm so sorry.”
His hands felt so warm. She wanted to feel herself wrapped in them...no...she needed to let
him go. She forced back her tears and raised her eyes to his ready to release him from his
vows to her. She hesitated upon seeing his fiery gold eyes surrounded by dark rings.

“You haven't been sleeping well,” she said softly.

“I can't sleep.”

She looked down allowing the tears she forced back to fall down her cheeks.

It broke his heart to see her crying. “Chiara, please don't cry,” he said.

He reached up to brush her tears away, but she blocked his hand while leaning back. He was
immediately hurt thinking she did not want him to touch her. After wiping the tears from her
eyes and cheeks, she began waterbending them to his surprise. She reached through the bars
and positioned her hands on each side of his head using the tears to perform her relaxing and
healing technique around his temples, something she had not done since Zhao's assassination
attempt. A sudden calm descended upon him, and he could not help closing his eyes as all the
worries in his mind just temporarily dissolved and any tension in his body relaxed save what
he needed to keep from falling over. He could have lived in that single relaxing moment
forever, free from every worry and anxious concern. Complete peace engulfed his body until
he heard a rattle from the shackles breaking through the tranquility. He was quickly reminded
of where he was and that his wife was a prisoner. He opened his eyes and grabbed her wrists,
her tears dropping onto his lap.

“No,” he said, his golden eyes fixed on her soft green ones. “I...I don't deserve this, not after
what I did to you.”

“Please let me help you relax,” she said. “You need to sleep.”

“I can't sleep in a bed while my...while you're sleeping on the floor in a prison cell.”

She took his hand in hers. “You wanted to be home and you wanted to be prince again.
You've waited so long for this and you've struggled so hard. I don't want you to worry about
me,” she said. She closed his hand and released him. “You're free to follow the destiny you
desire.”

She stood up returning to the wall where she had been sitting. Looking down, he opened his
hand to find the wedding ring he had given her. Grabbing the artifact next to him, he stood up
and angrily stormed out of her cell.

He thought he could have it all, but now he had to make a choice. He had to let go. As he was
walking into his room in the palace, it occurred to him just how heavy the headpiece felt in
his hand compared to her wedding ring. After hiding the artifact in his room, he pulled a cord
from around his neck from which hung his wedding band. He added hers to the cord and
placed it back around his neck tucking the rings into his tunic.

--------------------
Later that day, Captain Idem, the captain of the guards, walked up to Iroh's cell. He unrolled a
scroll.

“Iroh, son of Fire Lord Azulon and former Crown Prince, for the crimes of aiding the
Northern Water Tribe during the invasion, harboring a Water Tribe spy in the Fire Nation, and
attempting to usurp the throne of the Fire Lord, by command of Fire Lord Ozai, you have
been condemned to death.”

Iroh was not surprised that Fire Lord Ozai, his own brother, condemned him to die.

He raised his head. “What of my daughter?” he asked.

Idem scoffed. “The Water Tribe spy is to be imprisoned for life.”

He felt relieved that Chiara would live.

Idem said no more to him, but he turned and left. He next walked to Chiara's cell where he
unrolled another scroll.

“Water Tribe spy, for the crime of spying on the Fire Nation, by command of Fire Lord Ozai,
you are condemned to live out your days in prison.”

Chiara looked up at him. “What about General Iroh?”

“The traitor Iroh has been condemned to death.”

“No!” She immediately stood up and walked to the bars standing before the captain. “Please.
They can't execute him.”

“It will be done by the Fire Lord's command,” he sneered.

“For what crime?” she asked.

“For aiding the Northern Water Savages, harboring a Water Tribe spy, and attempting to
usurp the throne of Fire Lord Ozai.”

“But he didn't,” she said. “He never wanted to take the throne from the Fire Lord. And...and
he only took me in out of compassion. Please don't let them execute him. He's innocent.”

“The sentence stands,” he said.

“Can it not be appealed?” she asked.

“There's to be no appeal,” said Idem.

“I will take his sentence,” she offered. “Give him life in prison. I'll take the execution.”

“The Fire Lord's command is final.”

“No,” she cried. “Please take my life instead of his.”

Idem said nothing, but he turned and left her cell while Chiara fell down to her knees crying.

That night Zuko had been pacing in his room struggling with ideas and plans in his head.
Exhausted from a lack of sleep and constant anxiety, he lay down on his bed. He did not want
to sleep until he came up with a solution to his problems, but as soon as he closed his eyes, he
fell into a deep slumber.

When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to find the sun shining through his window. He
could not believe that he had slept so deeply and so well, and he was sure it was because of
what Chiara had done with her tears. He slowly sat up feeling angry at himself for having
slept so long and comfortably knowing she was in chains on the floor of a prison cell.
Breaking through his thoughts, images from a dream flashed in his mind. It was the sudden
vision of the lotus tile that gave him an idea, and getting up, he quickly dressed and left to
arrange a trip to Shu Jing.

---------------------

Meanwhile, Captain Idem approached Iroh's cell surrounded by several other guards.

“Iroh, your execution is scheduled in five days; however, it has been decided that you will
receive a full pardon...”

Though Iroh was suspicious and was wondering what he could mean, he remained impassive
until another guard brought Chiara in and threw her into the cell where she landed on her
hands and knees. Iroh immediately moved next to her placing his hands on her shoulders to
help her. Idem pulled out a knife and tossed it into the cell where it landed on the floor.

“...if you kill the Water Tribe prisoner.”

Iroh stared at the knife. He slowly picked it up as he got to his feet.

“Think about it, General,” Idem snarled. “You'll be free to walk out of here and it'll cost you
nearly nothing.”

Iroh slowly walked to the cell door and stood in front of the captain.

“Is that what she is?” Iroh asked him as he looked at Chiara kneeling quietly on the floor.
“Nearly nothing?”

“She's Water Tribe trash,” said Idem. “I realize we missed one of those little Water village
brats, but now we can rectify that mistake.”

“And what makes her so different from your wife or your daughter?”

Idem looked offended, but before he could say anything, in a quick move, Iroh grabbed him
through the bars and held the knife to his throat.

“Or even from you, Captain Idem?” Iroh asked deeply.

None of the guards had been prepared for it, but they were ready to attack on the captain's
command.

“Release me...,” he growled.

“Tell me how your life is worth more than hers?” demanded Iroh.

“You're giving up your own for a worthless little girl,” he struggled to say.

Iroh pressed the blade deeper into Idem's neck. “You didn't answer me. How is your life
worth more?”

“I am Fire Nation,” growled the captain.

“That little girl is more loyal to the Fire Nation than you will ever be,” said Iroh, “and she
has more value than you will ever know.”

As soon as he released the captain, the other guards burst into the cell and swarmed around
him beating him. Chiara jumped up to help him, but one of the guards pushed her against the
wall while another helped hold her back as she struggled to get to Iroh. The scene in the cell
was chaotic, and she could not tell whose fire was whose.

“No. Please stop hurting him,” she begged.

The men finally managed to restrain Iroh, and as soon as Chiara was released she ran and
knelt down by his side as the guards left the cell, many suffering from burns received in their
struggle with the veteran firebender.

“Enjoy her company while you can,” snarled Idem a bit hoarsely as he was rubbing his neck.
“Your execution stays as scheduled.”

He stormed out as Chiara was helping Iroh to the mat where she began looking over him.

“I will be all right,” he said sounding a little breathless.

“Not going down without a fight, eh?”

He chuckled. “Oh...that hurts. Never.”

Picking up a cup of tea nearby, she used it to heal injuries.

“It's good to see you again,” he said.

Tears were falling down her cheeks.

“Oh, Chiara,” he said sympathetically, “do not cry over me.” His restraints prevented him
from embracing her in comfort.
The next morning when food was brought to the cell, it was only enough for one person.
Since Iroh was still restrained and unable to move much, Chiara picked up the tray, and
taking it to him, she knelt down.

“You should eat,” he said. “I will not be able to anyways.”

She picked up the bowl and proceeded feeding him to his surprise.

When Iroh noticed there was little food left, he refused to eat anymore. “You eat the rest,” he
insisted.

“I'm not very hungry,” she said as she set it down.

She picked up the cup of tea for him.

“It feels cold,” she said.

“Cold tea,” he sighed, shaking his head in disgust. “The cook should be the one in chains.”

She held the cup in one hand and waved her other hand over it causing the tea to bubble.

“Are you sure you're not a firebender?” he asked.

“Things might not be so bad for you if I were,” she said sadly.

“You're perfect as you are,” he said.

She held the cup for him allowing him to drink.

---------------------

Zuko entered the dining room to see the servants bustling around the table serving Azula her
breakfast. He did not have much of an appetite, but he sat down across from his sister.

“Where were you all day yesterday?” she asked him.

“Shu Jing,” he answered as he eyed the food spread out before him searching for the blandest
dish on the table.

She huffed. “Visiting your old sword master no doubt.”

He remained silent.

“So I guess you haven't heard the good news then.”

“What?” he asked almost uninterestedly.

“Uncle Fatso's been condemned to death.”

“What?!” he asked immediately losing what little appetite he had.

“Oh, it gets better,” she snickered. “They offered him a full pardon if he executed another
prisoner. Of course, being a coward, he refused,” she added with an eyeroll.

“What about Chiara?” He tried not to sound too anxious.

“Life in prison for that traitorous spy,” she said blandly. “She got off much too easy if you
ask me.” A devious smile grew across her face as she selected a pastry. “But I think a little
accident can be arranged to take care of her.”

“Leave her alone, Azula!!” he snapped unable to control his anger at her threat.

She glared at him. “You still care about that traitorous Water peasant? She lied to you...for
years. Uncle never should've brought her here.”

“She's suffered enough.”

She let out a condescending laugh. “Suffered? Uncle spoiled that brat. She doesn't know what
suffering is.”

Zuko was ready to lose his temper, but he knew he needed to maintain control. “Just leave
her alone.”

He stood up from the table and stormed off. He immediately left the palace going to the court
where he confronted the lead member.

“What are their sentences?” he asked.

“The Water Tribe girl is to be imprisoned for life, and Iroh has been sentenced to death.”

“Why?” demanded Zuko. “They're not traitors or spies!”

“We were lenient with the girl as she was only a child when she was brought to the Fire
Nation, but Iroh has proven himself a traitor by fighting alongside the Northern Water Tribe,
by bringing a waterbender into the Fire Nation, and by attempting to usurp the throne of the
Fire Lord. We did offer him a pardon, but he rejected the conditions; therefore, his sentence
stands.”

“This is wrong! I demand an appeal!”

“There will be no appeals.”

“Then you need to change their sentences,” he ordered.

“The final decision was the Fire Lord's,” he said.

Zuko stormed out of the court wondering whether or not he should confront his father. He
stopped briefly as he considered it.

Leaving the court he turned away from the palace.

 ----------------------

“Uncle, they offered you a way out...,” Zuko started when he entered the cell. “Chiara? What
are you doing here?” he asked seeing her kneeling in the cell.

“They moved me here yesterday,” she said softly.

“I-I heard about your sentences. Is it true, Uncle?” he asked. “Did you refuse a pardon?”

“I would not do what they required,” he said.

“Why not?” asked Zuko. “It would get you out of here.”

“Would you do what they asked of me for your freedom, Prince Zuko?” Iroh asked him.

“Please,” Chiara pleaded, “I beg you, take the offer.”

“I lost one child,” he said. “I will not lose another.”

Zuko was confused by their words.

“Death will be freedom compared to life in prison,” she said, “and you'll be free too.”

“I won't do it,” he insisted adamantly.

“What are you talking about?” asked Zuko just as it hit him. “Chiara, are-are you the prisoner
he's supposed to execute?”

Zuko was appalled and he understood why his uncle refused, but he was still distressed by his
upcoming execution. Chiara got to her feet, and walking over to the bars, she stood before
Zuko.

“Can't you challenge his sentence?” she asked, looking at him imploringly.

“I testified for both of you, and I've been trying to fight against your imprisonments,” he said.
“They won't listen to me.”

She knelt down before him and bowed her head. “As Crown Prince of the Fire Nation,
convince them to take my life in his place. I'll take his sentence for his freedom.”

He was stunned to see her kneeling at his feet and pleading for his uncle just as she had done
for the Avatar. He knelt down in front of her.

“Do not do as she asks, Zuko,” said Iroh.

He could never do what she was requesting. He reached through the bars and gently lifted her
chin. Her eyes were filled with tears. “I can't do that, Chiara.”

“Can't or won't?” she asked, the tears falling down her cheeks.

He took her left hand in his.

“Tell them I was a spy, and that the General had no idea what I was...”

“No!” said Iroh.

“Don't ask that of me,” said Zuko.

“But he doesn't deserve it...,” she said sadly.

“Neither do you,” he said.

“I don't want to lose my father,” she cried softly.

Zuko's heart was broken over her tears, and he tenderly brushed them away. Even Iroh felt
heartbroken listening to her crying over him.

The prince sighed. “I have to go,” he said having no desire to leave her.

He caressed her head before lifting her hand in both of his and kissing it.

“I'll be back as soon as I can.”

He left. They did not see him the rest of the day.

The next afternoon Zuko returned to the prison. When he approached the cell, he was touched
to see Chiara kneeling next to Iroh feeding him even with shackles on her wrists. He looked
at her long hair as it fell to the floor and her sweet face that concentrated on taking care of his
uncle. When Iroh saw how little of the food was left, he stopped eating.

“You eat the rest,” he said.

“Please finish it,” she said. “I have no appetite.”

“You're looking quite thin.”

“He's right, Chiara,” said Zuko. “You are looking thin. I was able to get roast duck from Tai.”

Iroh's eyes grew wide as he looked at Zuko holding the box of food. Chiara set the bowl
down and walked over to Zuko. When she reached out to take the box from him he would not
let it go.

“Promise me you'll eat some,” he said.

She hesitated, but then she gave him a small nod. She returned to Iroh's side where she knelt
down and picked up the cup of tea.

“It's cold again,” she said.

“And I am the one locked in prison?” said Iroh shaking his head in disgust. “Cold tea is the
real crime.”
 “Are you sure we're in the Fire Nation?” she said.

He chuckled. “You wouldn't think so with the lack of hot tea.”

Zuko was surprised to see his uncle laugh considering his impending execution.

“Do you want to warm it up?” she asked him.

“Put it here,” he said as he held his hand away from his chest.

She placed the cup in his hand and he heated it up, and then she helped him drink it.

“Why do they still have you restrained like that, Uncle?” asked Zuko.

“Apparently, Captain Idem didn't like having a knife to his throat,” he said with a slight
smirk.

“You put a knife to his throat?” He found it hard to believe that his uncle would threaten a
guard. “Why'd you do that?”

“He offered me my pardon.”

Zuko understood, and he could not help but feel proud of his uncle for defending Chiara. He
wished he had done the same back in the Earth Kingdom.

He remained with them in the prison for as long as he could, having no desire to return to the
palace.

Chapter End Notes

Captain Idem, who is now captain of the guard in the prison, was the one who ordered
the slaughter of Chiara's village in the beginning.
 Execution

“Everything's taken care of,” said Yuzo. “When you get back to this tunnel just follow it to
the end. You'll find what you need to get to the shore.”

“This is cutting it kind of close,” said Zuko. “He's to be executed tomorrow.”

“It was the soonest we could arrange the right guards in the prison. Piandao arranged for
Captain Zun to meet you at the tip of the Hot Springs Peninsula.”

Zuko nodded. “I have the map.”

“I wish you would talk to them,” said Chiara kneeling next to Iroh. “I'll plead for them to
trade our sentences.”

“They will require me to be executioner. And I have hope that you may one day make it out
of here alive,” he said believing Zuko might find a way to free her in the future.

“Will the Fire Lord not pardon his own brother?” she asked.

He huffed. “We are talking about the same man who burned and banished his own son.”

“But to murder you...?”

“He is too drunk with power.” He looked at her. “Do not be sad for me, Chiara. I am not
deserving of compassion, especially yours.”

“Why would you say that? You gave me a good life here.”

“But I will never forget that I am responsible for the destruction of your village and even the
death of your parents.”

“It wasn't your fault.”

“If I had just been sooner, I could've prevented the attack,” he said sadly.

“I don't blame you; I've never blamed you, and if there's any part of the responsibility that
you truly bear, I've forgiven you.”

He was moved by her forgiveness, but before he could speak again, the cell door opened and
two guards entered. One of them grabbed Chiara and pulled her up as the other restrained
Iroh who stood up in an attempt to defend her despite being unable to use his arms.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

“You used to be the Dragon of the West, the great General Iroh, Crown Prince of the Fire
Nation. But tomorrow you'll be executed as a traitor because of this Water Tribe whore,” said
the guard holding him. “So tonight you're going to witness her little accident.”

The other guard threw Chiara against the back wall. Iroh tried to go towards them, but was
unable as the guard restraining him forced him to his knees.

“Leave her alone!” he yelled.

The guard standing over Chiara pulled out a knife, but she quickly wrapped the chain joining
her shackles around his wrist and pulled him down to her right. As the knife fell to the floor,
she forced his head against the wall, and then she elbowed him in the back; turning behind
him, she kicked him back into the wall. Iroh was struggling to break free to help her, but the
guard restraining him had chained him to the bars and went to attack Chiara.

“Get off her!” yelled Iroh still struggling against his chain.

The second guard slammed her against the wall and then struck her knocking her against
another wall where she dropped to the floor. Pulling out his knife he stepped towards her, but
then it fell to the floor, and the sound of bone cracking echoed through the cell. The guard
barely had time to register the pain before everything went black. While both guards were
lying unconscious, Zuko quickly knelt down by Chiara.

“Prince Zuko, what are you doing here?” asked Iroh.

“I'm getting you out,” he said as he pulled out a key and started undoing her shackles.

“What if someone sees you?” she asked worriedly.

“You let me worry about that,” he said.

“We'll need to restrain them,” said Iroh, speaking of the guards.

When Chiara was free, Zuko tenderly wiped some of the blood from her face, and then he
wrapped his arms around her. When he released her, she took the key from him.

“I'll get the General,” she said softly.

Zuko began restraining one of the guards while Chiara was freeing Iroh.

“Why were they in here?” asked Zuko.

“They are assassins,” Iroh answered.

Azula, thought Zuko suppressing his ire.

“What happened to him?” he asked, nodding towards the other guard.

“He made the mistake of assaulting the Daughter of the Dragon of the West,” said Iroh as he
began restraining the man with his own restraints, and none too gently.

“What about the other guards?” Chiara asked.

“Don't worry about anything,” said Zuko taking her hand and leading them out of the cell.

They followed him down through the prison, and any guards that they did see seemed not to
notice them. Zuko led them through a series of corridors and took them down a staircase to a
level underground. Lifting what looked like a drain grate on the floor, he descended a ladder
that had been nearly invisible in the dim light of his and Iroh's flames. When he reached the
bottom, Chiara followed him, and Iroh followed her replacing the grate above him. Behind
the ladder, Zuko picked up a bag that he had hidden there earlier, and after placing the strap
over his shoulder, he took Chiara's hand and led them through the tunnel. They had only
walked a short distance before finding Yuzo waiting for them.

“Grand Lotus,” he said addressing Iroh as he bowed respectfully.

“Ah, Yuzo, it's good to see you.”

“I wish you a safe journey,” he said as he walked with them.

Iroh nodded to him. “And thank you for the help.”

“It was an honor to serve you, especially at this time.”

“And just in time too,” chuckled Iroh.

“We've been working on the plans for a while, but your nephew made it much easier.”

“Wait,” said Zuko, “you already planned to help them escape?”

“Of course,” said Yuzo. “We couldn't let the Grand Lotus be executed.”

Thinking about it, Zuko was relieved to learn that someone else had been watching out for
them had he failed to help.

“There are two assassins currently incapacitated in the cell,” said Iroh.

Yuzo raised his eyebrows surprised that the two men got through their own guards. “That
may be of benefit,” he said thoughtfully.

“I agree,” said Iroh. “They can take the blame for our escape.”

Yuzo nodded and smiled. “I'll arrange it.” When he stopped walking, the others turned to
him. “I have to leave you here,” he said. “But just follow the tunnel as I instructed.”

“Thank you, Yuzo,” said Iroh.

Zuko and Chiara bowed to him before the three of them continued their walk.

Arriving at the end of the tunnel, Zuko carefully climbed out first to make sure it was safe,
and then he helped Chiara and Iroh. There were two mongoose lizards waiting for them, and
after Iroh climbed on one, Chiara turned to Zuko and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Thank you for saving my father,” she said.

He was holding her tightly. “It was for both of you.”

After they parted, he helped her onto the saddle, and then he climbed on in front of her.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I'm going with you,” he said.

“You can't,” she said. “You just returned home.”

“I'm not letting you go off on your own.”

“Zuko, if you go back to the palace, no one will be the wiser,” said Iroh. “The assassins will
take the fall for our escape.”

“I'm going with you,” he insisted.

“You served your time in exile,” said Chiara. “The General and I will be fine. Please stay
here.”

“I'm done with this place,” he said coldly.

“Then we should go quickly,” said Iroh.

“Follow me,” he said. “There's a boat on the coast past the southern mountains.”

Chiara wrapped her arms around his waist, and they rode off as quickly as they could.

They traveled through the mountains and kept off the main roads, and then riding along the
coast following Zuko's map, they reached the meeting point. They could see a small ship
anchored out at sea, so Zuko and Iroh dismounted their lizards, and as Zuko was helping
Chiara down, someone approached them.

“General Iroh, it's been a long time.”

They turned to see an older man walking towards them.

“Captain Zun, how have you been?” said Iroh.

“Apparently better than you,” he chuckled.

“Is there anybody you don't know, Uncle?” asked Zuko.

“Captain Zun and I go way back.”

“Your uncle was quite the adventurer,” said Zun. “It was more than once that I thought I'd
lose my head after the Crown Prince's disappearance.”

Iroh was laughing. “It was all good. I always made it back.”
Zun looked at Chiara. “And this is what you nearly lost your head for now? Leave it to you to
get in trouble over a woman.”

Though she knew Zun did not mean anything by it, his words increased the guilt she was
feeling over Iroh's current circumstances.

“This is my daughter Lady Chiara,” said Iroh.

“It's an honor to meet an old friend of the General's,” she said as she bowed.

“The honor is mine, Lady Chiara,” he said. “I'm glad to be of service to you.” He looked at
Zuko. “I was surprised to learn that Prince Zuko would be one of my passengers.”

“It's just Zuko now,” he said.

Zun nodded. “It seems you're as adventurous as the former Crown Prince.”

Iroh started laughing.

“Yeah, I...I guess that's a compliment,” said Zuko.

“This way then,” said Zun.

He walked to a small boat nearby.

Chiara looked up at Zuko before following Zun and Iroh. “Are you sure this is what you want
to do?”

“More than anything.”

“I don't want you to give up your destiny,” she said.

“I'm not. You're my destiny,” he said. “And it took me too long to figure that out.”

He kissed her hand, and after setting the animals free, they left the beach heading for the ship
offshore. Once they were aboard, Zun went to the helm and they left the Fire Nation. His ship
was much smaller than Zuko's vessel and only had four other crew members, but it was
sturdy enough to get them to the Earth Kingdom.

As they were sailing, Zuko walked up to Iroh who was standing alone at the bow.

“Uncle, I know you must have mixed feelings about me being here, but I want you to
know...I am so, so sorry, Uncle. I am so sorry and ashamed of what I did. I should've trusted
you in Ba Sing Se. I don't know how I can ever make it up to you...both of you. But I'll...”
Iroh grabbed him and hugged him. “How can you forgive me so easily? I thought you would
be furious with me.”

“I was never angry with you. I was sad because I was afraid you lost your way.”
“I did lose my way.”

Iroh released him. “But you found it again. And you did it by yourself. I'm so proud of you.”

“General,” called Zun.

Iroh turned as the captain walked up to him.

“Piandao provided supplies for you for your journey,” Zun said.

“Do let him know I'm indebted to him for his assistance.”

Zun nodded. “We also have food below if you're hungry. It may not be great, but I'm quite
sure it's better than the prison food.”

Iroh smiled. “Thank you, but right now I could use some medical supplies.”

“Of course. Osa,” he called.

One of the crewmen appeared before the captain. “Yes, sir.”

“Show General Iroh where the medical supplies are.”

“Yes, sir.” He bowed respectfully to Iroh. “Follow me, General.”

Iroh disappeared with Osa into the hold before returning to the deck where he walked up to
Chiara who had been standing at the stern.

“Chiara.”

She turned to see him holding a jar and clean cloths.

“Turn around,” he said.

She turned her back to him and pulled her hair in front of her, and he began putting the salve
on her back and arm through her burned clothing.

“These wounds needed to be treated sooner,” he said.

“What happened to her?” asked Zuko as he walked up to them and saw the wound on her
back that seemed to continue over the back of her arm.

“Yes, Princess Chiara,” said Iroh, “why don't you tell Prince Zuko how this happened.”

They were both surprised by his address.

“It-it was an accident,” she said.

“What you did was no accident,” said Iroh darkly.

“But what the guard did was,” she said.

“She tried to protect me with her own body as the guard went to strike me.”

“You what?!” asked Zuko shocked. “Chiara...”

“It's okay,” she said. “It'll heal.”

“You healed my wound instantly,” said Iroh. “You didn't need to defend me.”

“I...just reacted without thinking about it.”

“Wait...can't you heal it?” Zuko asked her.

“No,” she answered.

“Turn around,” said Iroh.

She turned to face him, and he began cleaning the blood from her neck before treating the
wound.

“Who did that to her neck?” Zuko asked Iroh.

“One of the guards on the ship tried to assault her...,” said Iroh in a deep tone. He was still
seething with anger at the guards' treatment of her.

Flames grew from Zuko's hands at the thought.

“He didn't,” said Chiara placing her hand on his arm. Her gentle touch caused the flames to
slowly dissipate.

“When I tried to stop him, another guard threatened to kill her,” said Iroh.

Zuko did not think he could feel any worse for not helping her at Ba Sing Se.

“So, I don't understand,” he said trying to calm down. “Why can't you heal these wounds?”

“I was told my gift wasn't for me.”

“Who told you that?”

“My waterbending master.”

He was not sure why he was surprised to hear she had a master. “You had a master? Of
course you did,” he answered himself aloud as he thought about her fighting in Ba Sing Se.
“Have you tried?”

“Yes. It doesn't work.”

“So other waterbenders can't heal themselves?” he asked.

“Actually, all of the ones I met could, even Katara.”

Hearing Katara's name only added to the guilt he was already feeling. “Why can't you?”

“I was told that my gift was only for the benefit of others, that I'm to be like a mother to
everyone.”

He silently contemplated her words. He remembered how she always took care of him, and
he thought back to her compassionately taking care of Iroh in the prison, even begging to
take his punishment, diligently cooking and cleaning for them, working for them when they
were in exile, and healing his injuries. And now she stood before him bruised, cut, and
burned. He was even reminded of his mother's own words to him, Everything I've done, I've
done to protect you. The guilt he had been feeling for weeks over his actions in Ba Sing Se
was overwhelming. He knelt at her feet and bowed his head.

“I'm sorry,” he said. “Forgive me for breaking my vows. I should've stood by you and Uncle
in Ba Sing Se. I thought I could have it all back and you with it. But if I can't have you and
the Fire Nation, I choose you.”

Chiara was stunned by his apology. Leaning towards him, she placed her hand under his chin
and tenderly lifted his head to look in his eyes. “Your heart will always be in the Fire Nation.
I would never expect you to choose me over who you are.”

“Uncle told me I choose my own destiny. You are my destiny. These past weeks have been
empty without you. None of it meant anything without you by my side. I would rather live in
exile with you than as a prince living in the palace without you.”

Her heart stirred at his words. He stood up and wrapped his arms around her holding her
tightly.

“I love you, Chiara.”

She relaxed against him having missed his strong embrace.

Iroh was impressed by his nephew's words to her, but he could not help feeling worried about
their future.

“You should eat,” Zuko said to her as she felt thin to him.

“Yes, Chiara,” agreed Iroh. “You didn't eat much in the prison.”

“Take her below and make sure she eats, Uncle,” said Zuko. “I'll help Zun keep watch.”

Iroh took her below, and they both ate.

Later, Chiara returned to the deck and kept watch for Fire Nation ships, and often when it
seemed as though there might be one in the distance, she would stealthily raise a fog from the
water as cover. After spotting another light at the horizon, she quickly created a fog.

“It's unusually foggy tonight,” said Iroh walking up to her.

“Nature is amazing.”

“Yes,” chuckled Iroh, “it definitely is.”

Zuko, who was at the helm with Zun, looked back at them wondering what they were
laughing about. After disappearing below, he returned to the deck and walked up to her
holding her sword.

“My sword?” she said.

“Yes. Before I left Ba Sing Se, I went back to our apartment and got it, as well as this.” He
held out her knife, the one he had given to her years ago.

“Aww, thank you,” she said.

“You should get some sleep.”

“Are you sure? I can help with cover.”

“What?” he asked wondering what she meant.

“If we spot a ship I can raise a fog to hide us.”

“Is...is that why we've had so much fog? You've been doing that?”

She nodded.

He was impressed. “I'm such an idiot. I just thought we were lucky.”

Iroh started laughing. “We are lucky. We're lucky Chiara's a waterbender.”

Zuko smiled, but he was worried about her. “I'll help Zun avoid the ships tonight. Get some
sleep and you can watch during the day.”

She nodded and then went below deck.

The next morning, Chiara stood on the stern enjoying the sun and the sea, especially after
having been locked up in the prison. Iroh, too, was enjoying the sun that he had been
deprived of in his prison cell.

“I'm surprised you're not sleeping,” she said to Zuko when he walked up to them.

“I'll rest once we're out of Fire Nation waters.”

“Too bad we don't have a waterbender on board,” said Iroh. “We could use a boost in speed.”

“Yeah, that would probably be pretty useful right now,” she said.

“Uh, you know I get that now,” said Zuko smirking at their little joke. “And you're right, it
would be useful.”
“With your permission, General,” she said.

“It's no longer a secret,” he said. “There's no point in hiding it anymore.”

She moved her arms over the water, and they felt the boat pick up speed. Zuko was still
amazed that he never knew she could waterbend.

“You know, the way you fought in the Crystal Catacombs...,” he started, “...you were
amazing. Where did you train?”

“The General and I lived with the Northern Water Tribe for several moon cycles.”

He remembered Iroh telling him he had studied with waterbenders.

“So you lived in that ice fortress?”

“It was most impressive,” said Iroh. “Especially when it was not under attack.”

“How did Zhao know you were a waterbender?” Zuko asked her.

“I froze him to the bridge before he could attack you again,” she said softly.

He was stunned, but impressed by how she was always ready to protect him. He shook his
head as he thought back to it.

“What?” she asked.

“Your reaction,” he answered. “You acted like you had no idea what he was talking about.”

She smiled sheepishly.

“So were you affected by what he did to the moon spirit?” he asked her.

She nodded. “Yes. I lost my bending.”

His jaw dropped. “I-I can't imagine what that would be like.”

“It felt like a part of me died. But I didn't have much time to think about it.”

He could hear the sadness in her voice. It occurred to him that she had set aside her grief to
go after Zhao for him.

He continued watching her as she helped propel the boat.

“You should've done this when we were on the raft,” he said as he thought about the two
miserable weeks they spent drifting across the North Sea.

“I did.”

Iroh started chuckling.

“Really?” asked Zuko. “I didn't see you.”

“I did it when you were sleeping.”

“Our corpses would probably still be on that raft if it wasn't for Chiara,” said Iroh.

Zuko laughed to himself as he thought about Iroh's words.

“This is so much better than the raft,” she said. She stopped bending and placed her hand on
Zuko's arm as she looked up at him. “Thank you. You really did so much for us.”

“Actually, this was all Master Piandao,” he said. He placed his hand over hers as his eyes
locked on her sea green gems. “I just wish I had realized sooner what was most important.”

She gave him a tender smile before returning to her bending.

It would take nearly a week to reach the Earth Kingdom. Zuko and Iroh had looked over the
maps Zuko brought, and they decided to land in an area they believed was not under control
of the Fire Nation.

Late one night, Zuko was standing at the helm looking ahead knowing they would be nearing
land soon, while Iroh and Chiara were standing on the stern, Chiara enjoying the bright full
moon. She looked at Iroh.

“Do...do you think he'll be okay?” she asked softly.

Iroh stood quietly in thought pondering her question before answering.

“I believe he will.”

She could not help but worry about Zuko being a fugitive and refugee again. “But we've been
through this before. It's not going to be easy.”

“He didn't choose to be banished the first time. Now it was his choice. That will make a
difference.”

“I'm still worried about him,” she said.

“Uncle, Chiara, there's land ahead.”

They walked to the bow to see the dark land rising up on the horizon.

Once they anchored the ship offshore, the crew helped load their supplies into the smaller
boat, and then Zun took them to shore.
 Voluntary Exile in the Earth Kingdom
Chapter Notes

The last chapter was not the Day of Black Sun escape. This is where I diverge from
canon for a few chapters. There will be a Day of Black Sun, but I've extended the
timeline to give the characters a chance to connect without worrying about destiny.
These chapters will be an assortment of scenes from their new exile. This will be the
antithesis to their first exile in the Earth Kingdom. They are, however, wanted criminals,
so there won't always be peace.

It was still dark when they reached land, but they gathered their supplies and started their
journey inland.

“We should change clothes,” said Iroh.

“I have gold,” said Zuko. “But it's not like I can just walk into a village dressed like this,” he
said of his Fire Nation attire.

“Princess Chiara and I will go.”

They walked along a path and were relieved when they came upon a farm with several
ostrich horses.

“If it weren't so late, we could offer to buy what we need,” said Iroh. “But I think it will be
okay to leave gold in compensation.”

Chiara cut part of her skirt to make a bag for the gold, and while Zuko took two of the
animals, she hung the bag from the barn door.

After packing most of their supplies onto Iroh's animal, Zuko and Chiara shared the other.

---------------------

They traveled for hours before finally coming to rest near a river just as the sun was
beginning to light up the sky.

“Chiara, why don't you get water,” said Iroh. “I could use a nice cup of hot tea.”

Zuko held a bucket out to her, so she took it and started towards the river. Iroh began setting
up a small campfire, while Zuko unpacked a teapot, dried tea leaves, and three cups.

“I'm glad, Nephew, you know how to pack necessities,” beamed Iroh when he saw the teapot.
“You taught me well, Uncle.”

Zuko stood up and went down to the river where he found Chiara gathering flowers growing
along the bank.

“Chiara.”

She turned to him.

“Jasmine,” he said when he looked at the flowers in her hand. He could smell the sweet scent.
“Uncle'll love that.”

He raised his eyes to look into her soft green ones. Her disheveled hair and bruised skin did
not lessen the beauty he could see in her. He tenderly touched underneath the bruise on her
cheek bone feeling responsible for the condition she was in. Overwhelmed with guilt, he
knelt down before her again just as he had done on the boat with his face to the ground.

“I don't deserve to be called your husband,” he said. “But if you'll have me back, I promise I
will never break my vows to you again.”

She said nothing, and he grew nervous with her continuing silence as he suspected she was
about to reject him, but as much as it hurt him, he knew that she would be justified in doing
so.

She was quietly considering his sincerity. Life had been difficult the last time they traveled
through the Earth Kingdom, and she feared he might come to regret suffering through another
exile. But after all he had gone through to rescue Iroh and her and giving up his life in the
Fire Nation, she was sure his promise was sincere.

“I love you, my Prince,” she said softly.

He looked up at her. “That-that's not my title anymore.”

“You'll always be my prince.”

Her words sent a jolt through his heart, and unable to resist, he stood up and took her in his
arms gently pressing his lips against hers. Despite the lingering worries she was trying to
ignore, her eyes filled with tears of happiness at being reunited with him, and she relaxed in
his embrace, enjoying his affectionate kiss. After indulging his desire to taste her soft lips, he
reluctantly released her. Removing the cord from around his neck he pulled the other end out
of his tunic and held it up showing their wedding rings at the bottom. She placed the flowers
in her pocket and allowed him to return his ring to her finger before she replaced hers on his
hand. He kissed her one more time before picking up the bucket of water and carrying it for
her as they returned to Iroh.

“I found jasmine flowers,” she said pouring them into Iroh's hands.

“Oh, Princess Chiara...,” he said thrilled. “You...you are a treasure. I told you you might one
day make it out of the prison alive. You must have a special destiny ahead of you.”
“Maybe it was all for this moment of providing you with jasmine tea,” she said.

He let out a joyful laugh. “Then I hope there are many more such moments.”

Zuko was smiling to himself as he listened to them while he was laying out their sleeping
mats.

After having been up all night on the boat expecting to reach land, they were exhausted, and
finishing their jasmine tea, they lay down to sleep for a few hours.

It was late in the morning when the sun's rays began shining down on them through the trees
rousing them from their sleep. Chiara started making their tea while Zuko pulled out dried
fruit and salted meat from their supplies, and after their small breakfast, they began traveling
again.

Hours into their journey, they neared a village with a marketplace.

“We can get clothes there,” said Iroh.

They found an isolated spot in the woods nearby where Zuko could wait while Iroh and
Chiara went to the market to purchase clothing.

“I'm going to clean up first,” she said.

“Good idea,” said Iroh.

She went down to the river while Iroh and Zuko sat down next to the ostrich horses and
waited for her. When she returned, her clothes looked cleaner despite a few tears and scorch
marks, and her skin was clean, as was her hair, the loose curls flowing beneath the sparkling
silver of the diadem around her head.

“Chiara, you look like the most beautiful lotus flower among the lily pads,” said Iroh.

“You say that to all the girls,” she said.

Zuko laughed at her response.

“Only to the most beautiful,” said Iroh.

Chiara shook her head at his comment. “I'll need your measurements,” she said to Zuko.

“I-I don't know them.”

She stood in front of him. “Put your arms out.”

He did as she directed. She walked behind him and stood up against his body while stretching
out her arms along his taking note of where they reached on him as well as mentally noting
his shoulder and waist height. Then she wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Hold still; I'm checking your waist size,” she said.

His heart started beating faster with her arms around him.

“Really?”

“Yes. I'll have to do this to the merchant too to make sure I get the right size.”

“What?!”

She softly giggled as she moved in front of him. “I'm just kidding.” She wrapped her arms
around him again and rested her head on him.

“Are you still checking my waist?” he asked.

“Nope.”

He smiled as he put his arms around her and held her. After she let him go, he gave Iroh a
bag of gold.

“Be careful,” he said to them. “Keep her close to you, Uncle.”

“When we return we'll go back to the village together,” said Iroh.

Iroh and Chiara left for the market while Zuko sat quietly and patiently waited for their
return.

----------------------

It was not long before they returned, and they all changed into clean new clothes.

“This fits good,” said Zuko, impressed that Chiara's measuring technique worked so well.

He held a rolled up canvas out to her, and after untying their wedding ribbon, she unrolled it.

“Aww. I'm so glad you got this,” she said gazing down at their wedding portrait.

He leaned down and kissed her, and then taking the canvas, he rolled it up and put it away.

“They have a good selection of food down there,” said Iroh as they started walking towards
the market together leading their ostrich horses.

As they neared the village Zuko stopped and pulled out a cloak with a hood in order to cover
himself to hide his scar.

“I hate having to wear this thing,” he grumbled.

“Would you like to go blind?” Chiara asked him.

He looked at her curiously. “What?”

“You can cover just your eyes and we'll lead you through the market like you're blind, but we
can fix it so you'll still be able to see a little bit.”

“That's a good idea, Zuko,” said Iroh.

He sighed. “Fine.”

Chiara cut off part of her apron from her old clothes, and then she carefully placed the strip
over his left eye and part of his right.

“This is so humiliating,” he moaned.

“Think of it as an adventure relying mostly on sound and touch,” said Iroh optimistically.

She tied the fabric fixing it so it covered most of his scar, and she carefully pulled his hair out
around it to be even more concealing. She waved her hand in front of him.

“You can see a bit?” she asked.

He nodded as he was able to see with his right eye. He gave more money to Iroh to make the
purchases, and then Chiara took his left hand and placed it on her elbow and they headed
towards the market.

“We'll use our old names, Lee and Lin,” said Iroh.

“Fine, Mushy,” said Zuko dryly making Chiara giggle.

-----------------------

After leaving their ostrich horses at an animal enclosure, they strolled through the food sector
of the marketplace.

“Is there any fruit you'd like?” she asked Zuko as they walked among carts of produce.

“Do they have mangos?”

A merchant held out a mango. “For him.”

Chiara took it and placed it in Zuko's hand.

“How does this feel to you?”

He was thinking about the feel of her hands on his as he cradled the fruit.

“Feels good.”

She looked at the merchant. “My husband likes this one.”

Zuko felt chills through his body hearing her call him her husband, and he was surprised by
how she said it so naturally.
“What about this?” asked the merchant holding out another one.

Chiara took it and placed it in his hand, but she was not touching him now as she was holding
the other fruit out to Iroh who was carrying a basket.

“Is that one okay?” she asked Zuko.

“No,” he said as he did not feel her hand on his anymore.

“Really?”

“Oh...yeah,” he said refocusing his thoughts. “It's fine.”

When Iroh was paying for the fruit, the merchant looked at Zuko.

“What happened?” he asked Iroh in a low voice nodding towards him.

“Oh,” said Iroh, “my...son-in-law...uh...lost his eyes...to...to a...a goat gorilla.”

Zuko sighed as he listened to Iroh's explanation while Chiara kept calm, despite wanting to
laugh at Iroh's words.

“It was a large creature,” Iroh went on. “It-it just ripped his eye right out of his head...”

The merchant's eyes grew wide in an expression of horror.

“Now, Father,” started Chiara softly as she placed her hand on Iroh's arm, “you know how
sensitive he is about it.”

Iroh looked at her. “Oh, yes, yes.” He looked at the merchant. “He doesn't like to talk about
it,” he whispered.

Zuko suspected they were enjoying themselves too much, but a part of him was enjoying it
too, though he would never admit it.

They continued walking through the market buying any supplies they thought they might
need that Piandao had not already provided them. When it seemed like they had what they
needed, Iroh turned to Chiara.

“Here, Lin,” he said handing her several coins. “I have some things I need to do while I'm
here. Get whatever else you think we might need. We'll meet at the corral.”

Iroh walked off leaving Chiara and Zuko on their own.

“He's probably going to get a massage or something,” said Zuko sounding annoyed.

“He could use that after the way they had him restrained in the prison,” she said.

He felt ashamed that the discomfort his uncle had suffered in the prison had not occurred to
him, but he was relieved that Chiara had been able to serve him in the cell.
“At least he had you to take care of him,” he said.

“But he was still restrained. A massage will do him good. Is there anything you think we
need?”

“I think we have everything. I just want to go.”

They started walking back towards the enclosure where they left their animals. Turning down
an empty lane, two men approached them.

“There's a toll for using this road,” said one of them.

“Then we'll use another road,” said Zuko dryly.

As they turned back, two more men blocked them.

“By toll, he means give us all your valuables,” said another. He pointed at Chiara's diadem.
“Starting with that pretty jeweled chain.”

Zuko instantly felt heated. “Maybe we should rob them so they can see what it feels like,” he
said deeply.

Chiara shrugged. “Sounds good to me.”

The men started laughing.

“Oh, that's real funny,” said the first guy. “A blind man thinks he's going to rob us.”

Chiara stepped back when Zuko pulled out his swords, and turning to the one who spoke, he
deliberately looked past him as if he could not see exactly where he was.

The man let out a laugh. “Get him!”

Three of them went after Zuko while the fourth attacked Chiara, but she had pulled out her
own sword and immediately and easily disarmed him as he was not expecting her to resist.
Zuko was expertly holding his own against the other three, but Chiara joined in helping him.
Fearing they were not going to win, three of the men escaped leaving only the leader whom
Zuko pinned to a post with his swords against his neck.

“Empty your pockets slowly,” Zuko demanded deeply.

The man nervously reached into his pockets and dropped jewelry, gold, and other coins on
the ground. After Zuko stepped back and slowly withdrew his swords, the man quickly took
off.

“Let's just turn it in and get out of here,” he said as he helped Chiara gather it up.

---------------------
They met up with Iroh at the corral, and after leaving the village, they spent the rest of the
day traveling.

“That was quite adventurous,” said Iroh as they rode along the road.

“You have no idea,” said Zuko.

Chiara started softly giggling and Zuko joined her as they thought about their own adventure.

Iroh was happy to see the two laughing together, and he wondered what might have happened
that made them share a laugh. He did not ask, but he was happy to see them smile.

“And between losing your eyes and...uh...other...things to the goat gorilla, they'll be nothing
left of you,” said Chiara as she caressed his arm around her waist.

Now it was Iroh's turn to laugh while Zuko smiled and shook his head at their teasing.

-----------------------

When the sun began nearing the horizon, they stopped to set up camp for the evening. Chiara
went down to the river to get water while Iroh and Zuko started a fire and prepared their
dinner.

“She looks very much like her mother,” said Iroh softly.

Zuko looked at him. “You-you remember her mother?”

“I will never forget her face,” he said in a sad, serious tone. “Even with her throat cut open
and her body badly burned, her face was very beautiful.”

Zuko was shocked to hear the details of her mother's death.

“Little Chiara was on her knees next to her pouring water over her neck. When I saw later
that she had the power to heal, I realized that she had been trying to heal her mother's wound,
though it had been too late.”

Zuko had never known exactly what Chiara had been through when it came to the loss of her
family, and he wondered if she remembered.

“Thank you, Uncle,” he said softly.

Iroh gave him a puzzling look. “For?”

“For bringing her to the Fire Nation,” he said.

His uncle smiled. “It's a decision I have never regretted.”

When she returned from the river, she began making the tea, and then they relaxed after
eating dinner.

“It's time to treat your wounds,” Iroh said to Chiara as he pulled out the salve.
She turned around and he treated the wounds on her back and arm while Zuko pulled out the
sleeping mats.

After a few days of riding during the day and resting at night, they found a spot where they
decided to set up a campsite where they could stay for several days, even weeks, rather than
hours. Zuko unloaded the tents and began clearing two areas where he could erect them while
Chiara went to the river to collect water and Iroh built a fire.

“Only two tents?” asked Iroh.

“Yeah. One for you and one for Chiara and me.”

“Hmm,” said Iroh thoughtfully while arranging the sticks in the fire pit he set up. “I'm not
sure it would be a good idea for you to share a tent with her.”

“She's my wife. We haven't even spent one night together.”

“I know you were waiting for your vacation, and this is like a vacation, but I believe I made a
mistake in giving you my blessing.”

Zuko stopped working and looked at him. “What do you mean?” he asked deeply as he stood
up.

“I believe your destiny is to become Fire Lord...”

“What?!” he shouted angrily before lowering his voice. “In Ba Sing Se you were content to
have me settle down and work in your tea shop. You said I choose my own destiny, and now
you insist my destiny is to be Fire Lord?!”

“When the Fire Nation took control of Ba Sing Se, I knew then that there would never be
peace until the right person became Fire Lord. As long as your father and sister control the
Fire Nation, there will be no peace. You are the right person to lead the Nation to a victory of
peace rather than war.”

“I don't...I don't want that. Chiara is my destiny. I choose her.”

“By giving my blessing, I have signed her death warrant,” Iroh said sadly, poking a stick into
the growing flames of the campfire.

“What are you talking about?”

“If it becomes known that she is the wife of the Fire Prince, all three Nations will be after her.
She will be a target.”

Zuko had not thought of those consequences, and he stood silent now worrying about the
danger Chiara was in because of him.

“It's not just about rejection of a Water Tribe Fire Lady,” said Iroh, “but it is about her very
existence.”
“I never considered that it could hurt her,” said Zuko softly.

“And imagine if she were to carry your child. It could hurt more than just her.”

That was another concern Zuko had not considered.

He sighed. “We'll stay separate until this is over,” he said. “But I won't give her up.”

“You must consider your destiny leading the Fire Nation...”

“I don't want to be Fire Lord...”

Chiara dropped her bucket of water.

“Chiara...,” said Iroh and Zuko simultaneously as they realized she heard what Zuko said.

“Do I need to go north now?” she asked as her eyes filled with tears.

Zuko walked over to her. “No. You're not going anywhere.” He picked up the bucket which
had landed upright only losing a small amount of water that had splashed out. He took her
hand in his and walked her over to the fire Iroh had been tending.

“I don't want to interfere with your destiny,” she said softly.

“You're not,” he said. “You're my destiny. The Avatar can deal with bringing peace to the
Nations.”

“The Avatar?” asked Iroh. “But the cycle was broken. And even if Avatar Aang weren't killed
while in the Avatar State, it would take years for a new one to learn all four elements, and
Sozin's Comet...”

“I believe he's still alive,” said Zuko.

“Aang's alive?” asked Chiara hopefully.

“You said so in the prison,” said Iroh to Zuko. “But what makes you think he is?”

“When I was in the Crystal Catacombs with the waterbender...the Avatar's waterbender, she
had a vial with water from the Spirit Oasis. She offered to use it to heal my scar.”

“Can it do that?” asked Chiara.

“I don't know. We never got the chance to try it. But I'm sure she would've used it for the
Avatar.”

She was relieved to learn that her young friend might still be alive and that there was still
hope for the world through the Avatar.

“If that's true,” started Iroh, “then we need to find him and warn him of the coming of Sozin's
Comet.”
“I spent years hunting for him,” said Zuko. “I'm tired of searching.”

“I wonder if he needs a firebending teacher,” said Chiara pouring water into a teapot.

“Don't you start,” he said knowing what she was thinking. “If he needs a teacher, then Uncle
can do it.”

“I would be honored to teach the Avatar,” said Iroh pulling out the tea, “but I would need to
find him, and you are the expert in tracking hi...”

“No,” he said sternly. “I'm not getting involved.”

Iroh sighed.

“I only brought two tents,” said Zuko not wanting to talk about the Avatar anymore.

He continued setting them up.

“You will take one of the tents, Chiara,” said Iroh. “Zuko and I will share the other.”

“He's not ready for grandchildren yet,” said Zuko not wanting to worry her with the real
reason.

“I guess now isn't the right time,” she said softly. “If you'd like your own tents, I can sleep
under the stars.”

“You will not sleep outside,” said Iroh.

“We've slept outside every night for the last few days,” said Zuko.

“I don't mind,” she said. “I shouldn't have my own tent if you two are going to be crammed
into one.”

“You will not sleep outside while we sleep in tents,” said Iroh.

--------------------

Later that day, Zuko was practicing with his swords while Iroh relaxed and watched him.
Chiara was quietly doing chores around the campsite relieved to be able to keep busy after
sitting dormant in a prison cell for so long and then riding nearly non-stop for several days.

“You are quite proficient with your swords,” said Iroh.

“Chiara,” called Zuko.

She came out of her tent.

“Practice?” he said.

She nodded and set down her work before walking over to him and taking the sword he
offered.
“Go easy on him,” Iroh smiled.

As she stood in front of him holding his sword, he could not help but focus on her beauty as
her long dark hair fell about her in locks.

“Aw, Prince Zuko, how can you attack something so sweet?” asked Iroh.

“Not helping, Uncle,” he said.

He stepped towards her swinging his sword, but she quickly defended herself. She moved
gracefully as if she were dancing, and her hair flowed around her as she expertly defended
herself against every attack. Just like the last time they were in exile, she had no reason to
hold back, but this time she was fighting him more aggressively. Zuko, having been used to
her concessions, found her expertise challenging, and he found her beauty distracting, so he
tried to fight a little dirty, but no matter what he tried, he realized he could not defeat her.
After an exhausting battle, she disarmed him to his surprise, and he did not know what to say
to her as she held his own sword up to his throat. Even Iroh held his breath as he wondered
what Chiara's next move would be.

“Next time, I'm not holding back,” Zuko said to Iroh.

“If there's a next time,” said Chiara in her sweet voice still holding the sword against his
neck. “Your call, General.”

A big smile grew across Iroh's face. “I say let him live. He may prove useful to us.”

Chiara withdrew the sword, bowed to Zuko, and held them out to him.

“You're incredible,” he said as he took the swords.

“As are you.”

“I wasn't the one holding a sword to my opponent's throat.”

She smirked at him before returning to the tent to continue her chores.

Zuko took a break sitting down next to his uncle. “She's really good.”

“She should be,” said Iroh. “You two practiced enough.”

“But she hasn't been that aggressive since...since we lived in the Fire Nation.”

“She always yielded to you on the ship.”

“What?” asked Zuko. “Really?”

Iroh nodded.

“How do you know?”

“Once, I criticized her for missing an obvious attack after you two had finished sparring...”
“I remember,” said Zuko recalling how he thought Iroh had been harsh with her.

“She told me that she would never try to defeat you in front of the crew, so she sometimes
deliberately accepted defeat.”

Zuko was stunned. “I-I'm not sure how to feel about that,” he said as he thought about it.

“You should feel grateful.”

“But how was I supposed to improve if she didn't fight me with all her skill?”

“She did fight with all her skill. She only allowed you to defeat her towards the end of the
battle if she felt she had the upper hand. She did not want the crew to see your defeat as a
weakness.”

Zuko was impressed and touched by Chiara's concern for him.

---------------------

After dinner Chiara went to the river while Zuko and Iroh remained at the camp. Zuko
watched her long, dark curls bouncing as she walked away, and he started thinking about
their battle earlier, the way her locks flowed around her as she moved. His mind wandered to
his final defeat with her playful threat of decapitating him.

“Does she know that it was you who sent the soldiers that killed her parents?” he asked
softly.

Iroh thought sadly about it. “She does.”

“Does she remember?”

“She knows I was ultimately in charge.”

“Yet she waited for your order to cut my head off.”

Iroh started chuckling as he thought about it.

“Why doesn't she hate you?” asked Zuko. He was sure he would resent the person who was
responsible for his mother's death...if she was dead, and he certainly could never imagine
becoming part of their family as Chiara had done.

Iroh thought back to a conversation with her early in Zuko's banishment. “After we left the
Western Air Temple, I told her what she witnessed wasn't any different than what had been
done to her village and her family. When she asked me if I regret my actions, I answered
'every day.' She said that's why I deserve forgiveness—because I chose to lead a different
life.”

Zuko always found Chiara's ability to forgive extraordinary.

“She has always been such a wise child,” continued Iroh. “And she's a sad reminder of the
sins of our family, yet she is also proof that there is hope of forgiveness and redemption.”

------------------------

Chiara had been sitting down at the river, her mind plagued with worries over Zuko's destiny
and Iroh and the fate of the Nations, and she began to cry. It was not long before Zuko,
worried about her absence, found her. It broke his heart when he saw her in tears. He sat next
to her and put his arm around her.

“Why are you crying?” he asked.

She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “You shouldn't be here.”

“I'm meant to be wherever you are,” he said softly.

“No, you're not. You gave up your future as Fire Lord for me. You spent years trying to return
home, and because of me you'll never be able to return. The General nearly lost his life
because of his kindness to me, and now he, too, is banished from home.”

More tears ran down her face and Zuko pulled her close and held her.

“Chiara, when I was in the palace while you were in prison, I knew I made the wrong
decision at Ba Sing Se, but I also realized something else. I realized that being the prince
didn't bring me the happiness I expected. It was empty and lonely. You always said that
wherever Uncle and I were, that was home. I understand that now. I wasted years trying to go
back home, but home was with me all along.”

She shook her head. “No. The General's right. Your destiny is to be Fire Lord.”

“I'm free to choose my own destiny. I choose you, and I don't...and I will never regret it.”

“You'd be better off back in the Fire Nation.”

He gently lifted her chin and looked in her tear-stained eyes.

“One of these days we're going to find a place to settle down, and we're going to create our
own little Fire Nation.”

Her heart melted at his words. He tenderly kissed her.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you, my Prince.”

 Life in the Earth Kingdom
Chapter Notes

A variety of scenes spanning several weeks.

The next morning when Zuko woke up, Iroh was still asleep. He grabbed one of his old
tunics to work in and headed outside. Looking over at Chiara's tent, he saw that it was empty,
and he did not see her around the campsite. As he went to put his tunic on, he realized that
the tear on the sleeve was gone, and he smiled to himself knowing she had fixed it for him.
He quietly walked down towards the river where he noticed her from a distance at the water's
edge washing clothes. He approached her, and kneeling down beside her, he kissed her cheek.

“You're always busy working,” he said.

“There's always work to be done.”

After washing everything, she stood up and laid one of the pieces of clothing over a branch
and just as she was about to pull the water from it by waterbending, she hesitated. She had
become so accustomed to hiding her ability from Zuko, she had to remind herself that he was
now aware of it. She proceeded to dry the clothes as he watched her.

“I guess that would've been useful when we were stranded on the raft,” he said as he
remembered her coming out of the water freezing.

“I was so tempted.”

He thought about how difficult it must have been for her knowing she could have dried
herself off quickly, but refused to do so in his presence. When she finished drying the clothes,
he carried them for her on their return to camp. As they walked, Chiara collected firewood,
and after putting the clothes away at the camp, she returned to the river with a bucket. Zuko
stayed with her. He watched her bend the water while looking for a fish. Seeing her depend
on her waterbending, his mind flooded with so many questions, questions he had not thought
to ask when they were living their quiet, but busy lives in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se.

“When we were on the raft, how were able to stay under the water so long?” he asked.

“I bent the water around me so I had an air bubble.”

“Did you do that during the storm too?”

“I did, but it was more difficult with the waves moving so strongly. It was harder to control.
Mostly I tried to keep Tedo and myself above water.”
He remembered his uncle telling him that even she could not fight a storm.

“I can't believe I never knew,” he said. “You hid it so well.”

She stopped what she was doing and looked at him. “What do you think you would've done if
you had known?”

He thought about it. “I...I don't know,” he answered. He wondered if he would have thought
less of her or even exploited her ability during the three years on the ship. “You and Uncle
were right, though. Having a waterbender around would've been useful.”

She smiled and continued working.

“It's good that you kept it secret,” he said. “If anyone had found out while you were living in
the Fire Nation, they would've put you in prison a long time ago...or worse,” he added softly.

She pulled up a fish placing it in the bucket which he carried for her back to camp as she
collected more firewood. When she started arranging the wood in the fire pit, Zuko took over
for her.

“Having firebenders around is really useful too,” she said, delicately moving strands of hair
from his eyes.

He smiled at her, and his golden eyes sparkled making her heart beat a little faster. She began
preparing their breakfast, and soon Iroh was drawn to the smell of the cooking fish.

“Something smells delicious,” he said stepping out of his tent and stretching his arms in the
morning sunlight.

She handed him a plate with a large piece of fish, and after serving him, she served a portion
to Zuko.

“This is wonderful, Chiara,” said Iroh as he ate.

“I know you're probably still sick of seafood, but I thought it would save on some of our
supplies,” she said.

She was now pouring their tea and handed each of them a cup. Zuko slowly ate as he watched
her.

“Chiara, sit and eat,” he said.

“I will as soon as I feed my men.”

Eventually, she sat down with the smallest bit of remains from the fish and started eating.

“Did you feed the animals, Zuko?” asked Iroh.

“Not yet,” he answered.

“I did it this morning,” said Chiara to their surprise.

“You were very busy, Chiara,” said Iroh.

They continued eating.

“What shall we do for lunch?” he asked.

“Breakfast isn't even finished and already you think of lunch,” she smiled.

“Zuko, you should go hunting and bring back something big for dinner,” said Iroh.

Zuko stood up and held out his plate to Chiara with some fish still on it. “Here, eat this.”

She looked up at him. “But you need to eat.”

“So do you.”

“I have some here,” she said of her remaining portion.

“And now you have more,” he insisted.

“But...”

“You don't eat enough, Chiara.”

“I'll take it,” started Iroh.

“You've had enough,” said Zuko. “She can eat this. You're still looking thin from the prison.”
He dumped the rest of his on her plate and then walked off into the woods.

“He's feeling guilty,” said Iroh.

“I know,” she said softly. She continued eating what was in front of her.

“You worked hard the last time we lived like this.”

“And I have no problem doing so again,” she admitted sincerely. “It feels good to be useful.
And anything beats sitting in a prison cell.”

Iroh chuckled. “I agree.”

Zuko walked through the woods thinking about Chiara worried that she was going to
overwork herself taking care of them. The first time they were in exile in the Earth Kingdom,
she had done most of the work providing for them while he had stubbornly refused to learn
what she offered to teach him. He was determined to make sure that did not happen this time.

-------------------------

After completing her chores around the camp, Chiara disappeared into the woods after lunch.
When several hours had gone by and she was still gone, Zuko walked down to the river to
check on her, but not finding her, he returned to camp.

“Have you seen Chiara?” he asked.

“Not since earlier this afternoon,” answered Iroh. “She wasn't at the river?”

“No. You don't think she...she...left, do you?” asked Zuko worriedly as he thought about their
talk the day before.

Iroh looked at him. “Why would she leave?” he asked, wondering why his nephew would
consider such an extreme conclusion.

“I found her crying yesterday because she's worried that I chose her over being Fire Lord,” he
answered. “She also feels like it's her fault that you were almost executed.”

“But it's only been a few hours. I don't think she would just go...” His mind drifted to the
Siege at the North Pole. “...at least without...without leaving a note.”

“Maybe she didn't want us to follow her.” Zuko was pacing back and forth. “If she left it's
your fault, Uncle, for bringing up my destiny.”

Now Iroh felt really worried about her, but he remained calm so as not to upset Zuko
anymore than he already was.

“She doesn't need to be out on her own,” said Zuko, still pacing.

“Prince Zuko, Chiara is capable of surviving on her own, better than us even...”

“That's not the point! Somebody could attack her,” he said as images of the men in the
marketplace village, the pirates, and the Rough Rhinos flashed through his mind.

Just as the sun was disappearing, Chiara still had not returned, and Zuko was getting ready to
go look for her again. But before he had a chance to do so, she entered the camp carrying a
bow and arrows.

“Where have you been?” he demanded.

Before she could answer, he had wrapped himself around her making it difficult for her to
breathe.

“You've been gone all day.”

“I was upstream carving wood,” she exhaled.

He released her. “Why were you so far away from camp?”

“I was looking for the right wood.”

“You can't travel alone that far. It's too dangerous. We don't know who's out there looking for
us.”
“It really wasn't that far, and I found berry bushes,” she said opening the bag she had been
carrying.

Iroh immediately walked over to her to look in the bag. His eyes grew wide when he saw the
plump red fruit, and he reached in and took a handful.

“These are quite sweet. It's a perfect dessert.”

“I also found spices and lavender,” she said.

“Oh, that will make a good, calming tea.”

“I'll get water...,” she started as she picked up a bucket.

“I'll get it,” said Zuko taking the bucket from her.

He walked off towards the river while Chiara knelt down near Iroh and pulled out the
lavender.

“He was worried about you,” said Iroh softly after Zuko disappeared. “We both were.”

“I guess I lost track of time,” she said.

“I understand. But he was worried that you left us.”

“Really?”

“Very worried. He said you blame yourself for...for everything.”

“You should've left me in my village,” she said softly.

He was stunned by her words.

“Don't blame yourself for others' decisions, Chiara. I chose to do what I thought was right. I
will never regret that decision. And do not think you're to blame for Zuko's predicament. The
Fire Lord believes that he killed the Avatar...”

“What?” she interrupted. “But it wasn't Prince Zuko, was it?”

“No. It was Azula, but she told Ozai it was Zuko who dealt the killing blow. And if the
Avatar is truly alive, imagine Ozai's reaction when he finds out. It's best that Prince Zuko is
not in the Fire Nation when that happens.”

“But what about his destiny?”

“The Avatar will need to defeat the Fire Lord, and it will be Prince Zuko's responsibility to
take the throne and rule the Fire Nation.”

“He can never be Fire Lord as long as I'm his wife.” She looked down.

“That is something we will have to leave to the future,” he said.

He placed his arm around her and held her close.

When Zuko returned with the water, Chiara made lavender tea, and long after Iroh went to
bed, she and Zuko sat in the clearing looking up at the stars.

“I'm sorry I worried you earlier,” she said.

“I don't want anything to happen to you, Chiara,” he said. “You're my destiny. The only
future I want is one with you in it.”

She was touched by his words, so she placed her hand on his, but he pulled his hand away
and wrapped his arms around her.

“We've been together for so long, I can't imagine my life without you.”

She relaxed against his warm body never wanting to leave his embrace. It was not until they
were nearly falling asleep that they reluctantly parted to go to their own tents with Zuko
grumbling how much he hated the war.

The next morning after Chiara woke up, she strolled down to the river to get water for the
animals before starting other chores. When she arrived back at the camp, Zuko was already
feeding them.

“I'll get this,” he said taking the bucket from her. “You can catch breakfast.”

She turned to go back to the river.

“Catch something big,” he called to her.

It took her a little longer to find a larger fish, but she managed to catch one twice as big as the
day before. After gutting and filleting it at the river, she returned to find Iroh working on the
campfire.

“Would you mind sharpening this?” she asked Zuko handing her knife to him.

He took it from her, and after disappearing in the tent, he returned with a whetstone and his
swords, and he went to work. Chiara was gently boiling water, and her sweet humming drew
his attention when she began steeping the tea. Soon she started frying the fish over the fire.
He kept looking over at her as she concentrated on her work, and distracted by her, he cut his
hand.

“Ow.”

She immediately stood up when she saw blood.

“Keep an eye on this,” she said to Iroh of the frying fish.

She picked up the bucket of water and kneeling down by Zuko she took his hand.

“Do you want to close your eyes?” she asked him.

His lip curled. “No.”

She drew up a small orb of water and began healing his wound. He was mesmerized by the
glowing water as it surrounded the small opening in his skin, and the pain was immediately
replaced with a tingling feeling. A minute later he was astonished to see that the cut was
gone.

“That's incredible,” he said in awe of her skill.

“This is why we are meant to be united and not constantly at war with one another,” said Iroh
flipping the fish. “We all have gifts and abilities to share with each other.”

“You could've healed this before it scarred?” he asked her softly as he touched his scar.

She tenderly caressed his face. “Does it matter now?”

“No,” he said sadly, “I guess it doesn't.”

She stood up and then bent over him, and after lifting his chin, she lovingly kissed him on the
lips. “No, it doesn't,” she said. She softly ran her fingers over the scar. “I told you before that
this is a symbol of your honor, and it represents the love you have for your people.” She ran
her fingers through his hair.

Iroh looked over at them, and he was impressed by Chiara's words as well as the effect she
had on Zuko whose heart melted at what she had spoken. As she straightened up, he gently
grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him and kissed her. Iroh softly laughed, and though
he worried about Zuko's future, it warmed his heart to see them together.

-------------------------

After finishing their morning chores, Zuko and Chiara sparred with swords. It was a lengthy
battle that seemed to go on forever as neither could defeat the other. Both were beginning to
feel exhausted and were starting to breathe a bit heavier, but Zuko was determined to beat her
this time, and neither would give up.

As it neared lunchtime, Iroh's stomach started growling.

“You know, I think you both performed quite skillfully,” he said. “You should take a break,
eat some lunch.”

“I've almost defeated her, Uncle,” said Zuko. “She's getting tired.”

“As are you,” she said to him blocking a particularly aggressive move.

“Good,” said Iroh. “Since you are both tired, it's time to call a draw and eat.”
They continued battling.

“Now,” demanded Iroh.

Zuko blocked her swing and forced her sword against the tree.

“You know he's just trying to keep me from beating you this time,” he said.

“Yeah, it can't possibly be that he's hungry.”

He smirked at her before releasing her sword which she held out to him.

“Do you mind sharpening this?”

He took it from her, and she went to prepare lunch.

When they finished eating, she cleaned up before picking up her bow.

“I'm going out for a bit,” she said. “But I promise I'll be back early,” she added so as not to
worry Iroh or upset Zuko.

---------------------------

When Chiara returned to the camp, she was carrying their future dinner having gutted and
skinned it down by the river.

Iroh's eyes grew wide. “Oh, Chiara, that looks...delicious.”

She pulled her knife out and began cutting small pieces which she set aside to make jerky,
and the rest she prepared over the fire. When she finished, she stood up.

“Where are you going?” asked Zuko.

“To the river to clean up.”

She left the camp.

“She has become quite proficient living out in the wild,” said Iroh. “We could be on the run
indefinitely. What would we do without her?”

Zuko wondered the same thing.

--------------------------

That evening after dinner, Chiara gathered all the bones and placed them in a pot over the fire
to make broth, and then collecting the dishes, she stood up to carry them down to the river to
clean them, but Zuko took them from her.

“You can stay here and relax,” she said.

“I thought we could go swimming.”

“Sounds like fun,” she smiled.

At the river, she began cleaning the dishes while Zuko watched her.

“I want to learn how to skin animals,” he said.

“Okay. Next time I catch something...”

“I'm going hunting next.”

“Practice with that bow first before going out,” she said. “I had some trouble making it, so it
feels a little awkward.”

She placed their clean dishes on the grass.

“Race you to the other side,” he said before running into the water ahead of her.

She was laughing as she followed him in. Half way across, she created a current that pulled
him back.

“That's cheating,” he said.

She was casually swimming by him as he was stuck in the middle of the river. “And getting a
head start isn't?”

“Not when you always beat me at swimming.”

“You always beat me at running.”

“So...are you just going to leave me here?” he asked.

“Just until I make it to the other side,” she smiled.

As soon as she could stand on the riverbed, she stopped waterbending and he was free to
move, so he swam towards her where she was now sitting on the riverbank. Walking out of
the water, he dropped down next to her and leaned towards her.

“One of these days, I'm going to make you pay for that when we're sparring,” he threatened
before kissing her.

She softly giggled at his playful threat.

A week later, Chiara was down by the river washing clothes. As she was hanging them on a
low branch to dry them out, Zuko stealthily came up behind her, grabbed her, and put a knife
to her throat.

“You aren't paying attention to your surroundings,” he said. “And I just killed you.”

He released her.
“Then next time I should attack as soon as I hear you?” she asked.

He playfully glared at her before pulling out a sword and offering it to her. She dried the last
garment before taking the sword from him. During their sparring session, he attacked her
with fire. She was not expecting it, but she skillfully parried it. She smirked at him as she
figured it was his revenge for her water stunt the previous week. As he continued throwing in
fire attacks, she continued defending herself only with the sword.

“Why aren't you waterbending?” he asked. “That's why I chose this place.”

She felt uncomfortable with the idea. “I don't think I should.”

“Why not?” he asked as they continued sparring.

“What if someone sees us?”

“No one's around.”

He attacked her again with fire; she avoided it, but she did not retaliate.

“You won't even practice against me?”

She hesitated.

“You need to fight back,” he demanded.

He threw another fire blast in her direction, and using the river, she pulled up a wall of ice to
block it. She continued fighting only defensively by throwing up more ice walls to protect
herself or using water to block various attacks. He was impressed with her ability, and though
he did not push her to do so, he hoped she would fight offensively. After a long, tiring battle,
they again ended in a draw.

They walked back to camp together where she put away the clean clothes and then proceeded
to fix tea for Iroh while Zuko went out hunting.

The next afternoon after finishing her morning chores, Chiara returned to the river. Zuko
decided to go down to the river to see what she was doing, but he immediately became
worried when he did not see her. Looking around, he finally noticed her on the other side.

“What are you doing?” he called.

She turned around. “Picking berries. Do you want to help?”

He walked into the water and then started swimming across. When he reached the shore, he
stepped out and she pulled the water from his clothes so he was dry.

“That's really convenient,” he said as he joined her at the berry bush. “It's definitely good
having a waterbender around.”
She smiled as she continued picking berries, and he started helping her.

“Oh, look,” she said. “Mint.” She knelt down and began pulling the mint plants. “It smells so
good.” She handed him a few leaves and he breathed in their strong scent. “The General will
love this.”

He laughed to himself loving how thoughtful she was of his uncle and relieved that her
discovery of various herbs kept him from experimenting with potentially poisonous plants.

After foraging, they swam back to the other shore, and when they walked out of the river she
pulled the water from their clothes before they returned to camp.

After lunch they went to the shore to practice sparring. As he attacked her with fire, she
would defend herself with water, and after another long, exhausting battle, she finally raised a
tidal wave of water that she brought down on him. As he stood before her looking a bit
stunned, his hand empty of the flame he had been holding, she could not help laughing as he
was drenched. Finding himself enjoying her smile and her laughter, he started laughing too.

“Okay, you win this one,” he said.

She waved her hand and pulled the water off him.

As the days went by, they continued their daily chores. Zuko regularly did the hunting as he
had already been proficient in archery, and Chiara had shown him how to dress his kill, a skill
which he refused to learn during their first exile but now desired to do himself. Afterwards,
she and Iroh would often cook it. Zuko would help Chiara by doing her more strenuous
chores with her or for her. They enjoyed sparring whenever they could, and in the afternoons
after working they would sometimes swim together.

One evening as Iroh was singing, Chiara joined in singing with him. As Zuko listened to
them, he was thinking about how much more he enjoyed this time with his uncle and Chiara
over the responsibilities of being Crown Prince. Despite being a fugitive, exiled again from
the Fire Nation, he could not remember feeling so at home anywhere since he was a child.

One day Chiara was down at the river drying clothes after washing them. Zuko would often
sneak up on her at different times in order to keep her prepared for an attack as well as to
entertain himself. As she was working, he stealthily approached her from behind. He went to
take a step closer to her, but he found himself stuck to the ground. Chiara still had her back to
him diligently drying the clothes, but when he looked down, he found that his feet were
covered in ice freezing him in place. He went to send a stream of fire in her direction, but she
immediately turned around and drew the ice up higher.

“I thought I was a bit stealthier,” he said.

She smiled as she thawed the ice, and then they sparred for a while before returning to camp.
After a few weeks at the camp, Chiara was walking through the woods heading towards the
river when five men approached her.

“Look at you,” said one of the men. “Do you live around here?”

She did not answer him.

“Can't you speak?” asked another.

“I'm passing through,” she said softly.

“A pretty thing like you on your own?” one of them asked. “I find that hard to believe.”

“So you haven't seen a couple of men from the Fire Nation traveling with a young woman,
probably about your age?” asked one.

She shook her head.

“You do know there's a price on your heads,” said the first. “Maybe if you tell us where they
are, we can hide you and split their bounties.”

She shook her head again. “I can't help you.”

She turned to leave, but one of them blocked her.

“I think it's her.”

“If it is, she's a waterbender.”

“You'll be coming with us,” said one as he grabbed her arm.

She tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong, so she kicked him forcing him to release
her. But another grabbed hold of her and smacked her. She began fighting off all five of them,
and one of them hit her so hard she fell to the ground. Jumping up, she tried to run off, but
she felt a hand grab her wrist and pull her back, and then another hand grabbed her other
wrist.

“We know you're with them! Where are they?!” yelled one standing in front of her.

She refused to speak, so he backhanded her and took the diadem from her head. She kicked
him away from her as hard as she could before bringing her heel down on the ankle of one of
the men restraining her arm. When she felt her free hand, she reached down to the forest floor
to grab a small branch which she swung at one of the men coming towards her again. She
continued swinging it hitting the one still holding her other wrist. As another lunged at her,
she ducked down as she pulled out her knife and stabbed him in the leg. The man cried out.

“Don't let her get away!” one of them called.

Suddenly, Zuko, in a rage, was flying towards them with his swords drawn. Frightened by the
look in his eyes, the one Chiara stabbed limped away as quick as he could following another
who also looked terrified. Two others that remained suffered sword injuries that left a blood
trail as they escaped, and the only one remaining was the one with the diadem whom Zuko
detained pinning him to a tree with his swords to his throat.

“One of two things is going to hit the ground first,” he said deeply. “That chain or your
head.”

The guy was shaking and immediately dropped the diadem. As soon as Zuko stepped back,
the man took off, and Zuko bent down and picked it up before running over to Chiara.

“Chiara...” He tenderly touched her face.

“I'll be okay,” she said softly.

He put his arm around her back and they quickly went back to the camp.

“What happened?” asked Iroh seeing the blood on her face.

“She was attacked by five thugs.”

He walked her over to Iroh who wiped away some of the blood. Zuko disappeared, returning
with some ointment which Iroh took to tend to her injuries.

“They were after us,” said Zuko having overheard what they asked her.

“We need to move on,” said Iroh.

“You stay with her; I'll start packing.”

Zuko went to bring the animals closer so he could start loading their equipment. When Iroh
finished treating her wounds, she stood up to help them.

“No,” said Zuko. “You stay there.”

“We'll take care of everything,” said Iroh.

Zuko finished packing everything with his uncle's help. Iroh stood looking around the camp.

“Too bad we don't have an earthbender to help cover our tracks.”

Zuko walked over to Chiara where she had been sitting, and he knelt down in front of her. He
placed his hand under her chin and gently lifted her head. Taking the damp cloth Iroh had
used to clean her blood, he tenderly wiped more away as the wound was still bleeding. He
caressed her face under the bruise feeling bad about the attack but also feeling angry at the
men responsible. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him.

“Oh, Chiara,” he said tenderly as he held her.

“I'm so glad you're safe,” she said softly.

He caressed her head. When she released him, he pulled out her diadem and tenderly placed
it around her neck.

“Thank you,” she said.

He helped her to her feet and then onto the ostrich horse before climbing on behind her.

“Are you okay?” he asked her.

“I'll be fine,” she said softly.

“Here, lean back against me,” he said as he pulled her back and wrapped his arm around her
waist. “Rest your head on my shoulder and sleep. I've got you.”

She leaned back against him and closed her eyes as they rode off.

------------------------

They rode on into the night, and it was early in the morning when they stopped to water the
animals at a river. Chiara felt recharged as she sat in the water under the bright moonlit sky.

“Are you hungry?” Zuko asked when he sat down next to her and held out a piece of jerky.

“No thank you.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Better.”

“I wish you could heal your injuries.”

“They'll heal in time. Faster in the full moon.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “I'm actually feeling stronger already.”

“I know what you mean. I feel stronger in the sunlight.”

They were silently lost in their own thoughts for a minute.

“I think those men saw us bending,” she said.

“Why do you think that?”

“One of them said I was a waterbender, but I wasn't bending this morning.”

“Maybe they saw you another time.”

“Maybe.”
“We'll be more careful,” he said. “And next time, take your sword wherever you go.”

They continued talking for a while until Iroh decided it was time to go. As they stood up,
Chiara waved her hand and the water fell from their clothes. Zuko helped her onto the ostrich
horse, and then he climbed on behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist holding her
close causing her heart to beat faster at his warm touch. She tenderly placed her hand on his
arm as he held her not knowing that her tender touch caused his own heart to beat faster as
well.
 Those Who Do Can Always Find a Friend

The trio continued riding on for nearly a week, stopping only to sleep for the night. Finding a
place not far from a river that seemed isolated enough, they decided to make another camp as
they had done before. Towards the end of the day after setting up the tents, they had time to
relax.

“I'm going to the river,” said Chiara.

“I'll go with you,” said Zuko still worried about what happened to her at their last campsite.

When they reached the river, she walked into the water while Zuko followed her, and they
both started swimming. After enjoying their swim, they sat in the water near the shore and
talked.

“I want to practice your waterbending moves with you,” he said to her surprise.

“Really?”

He nodded. “You always practiced firebending; I think I should learn waterbending. Uncle
said he learned lightning redirection from waterbenders. There's probably so much more that
I could do as a firebender if I practiced with you.”

“I would love that,” she said.

He splashed her. “So does that count as waterbending?”

She softly giggled. “As much as throwing rocks counts as earthbending.”

He laughed at her reply.

“Remember when you waterbended at Azula?” she asked him.

“No,” he said, with a puzzled expression. “I was waterbending?”

“It was after she threw rocks at us.”

“Oh, I remember,” he grinned. “I did waterbend.” He thought about it. “What...what were
you thinking when I said that?”

“I thought you executed your form perfectly.”

He was laughing.

He had rarely wondered about her past when they were growing up together, but since
learning she was a waterbender he had been more curious but was often hesitant to ask.
“Do you remember the village where you came from?” he finally worked up to courage to
ask her.

She thought about it for a few seconds.

“No.”

“Really?”

“The only thing I remember is my mother, but the only image I have of her, her throat had
been cut and she was burned.”

He was shocked, and he thought back to what Iroh had told him about her mother. “I-I'm so
sorry. I didn't mean to make you think about that,” he said regretting his question.

“It's not something you really forget. It seems to be the oldest memory I have. I remember the
General's first words to me. 'This is something you should not see,'” she said imitating his
voice.

Zuko found her imitation of his uncle adorable.

“He took the diadem off her head and placed it around my neck,” she continued. “Then he
picked me up and carried me away from the village telling me not to make a sound. I thought
I was going to end up like my mother after he stuck me in a bag. I remember hearing other
men talking, and then I felt something stab me in the arm.” She lifted up her sleeve and
showed the faint scar. “But I didn't make a noise. I just kept my hands over my mouth and
held as still as I could. I expected another more painful one.”

“I-I remember that,” he started. “I mean, I remember you having a bandage on your arm
when I met you.”

She nodded.

“You must've been terrified.”

“I was, but looking back I guess I was kind of...resigned to my fate. Even at that age I knew
if I screamed there would be no one to help, and I certainly couldn't fight the General, so I
just waited to die.”

Zuko was stunned to hear her story.

“It felt like I was in that bag forever. Eventually, he let me out and gave me some food and
water. We traveled for days it seemed. We stopped near a river and he was cleaning the soot
off my skin; it was still black from the attack. He brushed my hair. He would talk to me, but I
don't remember anything else he said. I remember sailing on the sea being surrounded by the
water. I remember the first time I met Lu Ten...and you,” she said raising her eyes to meet
his.

“I remember that day too,” he said as he thought about it. “Your first words to me were, Yours
are fire.”
She smiled at him. “I'm surprised you remember.”

“I'll never forget. That was the second best day of my life.”

“Really? What's the first?” she asked.

“Our wedding day.”

He leaned towards her and kissed her, and then he took her hand in his and held it under the
water.

“Do...do you ever miss being with the Water Tribe?” he asked her.

“I'd miss you and the General more,” she said. “Before we left the Northern Water Tribe, he
told me he wouldn't force me to return to the Fire Nation. When I chose to go with him, he
worried that I would be denying my nature, but I told him I would be practicing self-control.”

“So that's why he called you a self-control bender.”

She giggled.

“That must've been hard for you,” he said. “You finally got a chance to bend your element
freely, and then you gave it all up.”

“I loved my life in the Fire Nation. It was home to me, and more than that, you and the
General make it home wherever we are.”

He gazed down at the water where he could see their joined hands beneath the surface. “I
understand that now. I thought being Crown Prince was home, but...it's not. You make it home
wherever we are.” He lifted her hand out of the water and kissed it. “Uncle said you're a
treasure. He's right.”

He leaned towards her and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Staring at the current he wondered
about her and Iroh's time in the north.

“Did they know who Uncle was at the North Pole?” he asked. “That he was the Prince of the
Fire Nation?”

“He was very honest with them when he spoke to Chief Arnook. He even offered to be kept
as a prisoner in exchange for my training.”

He was shocked to learn what his uncle had been willing to do. “Really?”

“Yes. I told him it wasn't worth his imprisonment, but luckily it didn't come to that. They just
assigned some warriors to follow him around for a few weeks. I told him it was like having
his Imperial Firebenders with him, so he called them his Imperial Waterbenders.”

He laughed.

“I'm surprised they let you go back to the Fire Nation,” he said.
“They didn't want me to. The General told them that the request for my training was only on
the condition that I was free to choose whether or not to go back to the Fire Nation. My
father's cousin tried to talk me out of leaving when the time came.”

“You have family there?” he asked, stunned to hear her speak of a relative.

“Yes.”

He heard the sadness in her simple answer, and he saw the tears that filled her eyes as she
thought about Surak.

“What's wrong?” he asked.

“I tried to save Surak during the Siege, but I...I couldn't.” Her tears flowed down her cheeks.
“There was so much blood.”

“Was he the one you spoke of at the resort?”

She nodded.

“Oh, Chiara,” he said. He released her hand and wrapped his arms around her and held her.
“I'm so sorry. I had no idea you lost family...more family.” He thought about how depressed
she had been at the resort, and he now understood just how difficult the Siege had been for
her as he realized it had been on a more personal level. She had not just been grieving over
the death of some stranger but of her own kin.

He continued holding her caressing her head, and they sat lost in their thoughts for a long
time.

While he was thinking about her family and the losses she had suffered, his thoughts drifted
to his own family.

“Did Uncle ever tell you about my great-grandfather?” he asked her.

“Fire Lord Sozin?”

“No. My great-grandfather on my mother's side.”

“I don't believe so.”

“He was Avatar Roku.”

“What?” she asked sitting up and looking at him. “Really?”

“Yes. He told me when he was in prison.”

“So he was Aunt Ursa's grandfather,” she said thoughtfully. “And you're a descendant of an
Avatar.”
“Uncle says it's why there's a struggle within me, because of the struggle between Avatar
Roku and Fire Lord Sozin.”

“I think Avatar Roku's winning,” she said softly.

He smiled.

“That-that's incredible,” she said still in awe. “I told you you had his eyes.”

He laughed as he remembered her teasing him at the Southern Air Temple. “I guess you were
right.”

Often Zuko and Chiara went swimming while their dinner was roasting since it was a nice
break after working all morning and afternoon, and one day, they were holding onto a log and
talking as they floated in the current. As they were conversing they did not realize that they
had traveled quite far down the river. Continuing downstream, they floated towards a long
bridge spanning the river, and drawing closer to it, they heard voices from a group of soldiers
crossing it.

“We need to get out of here,” he whispered to her.

She looked at him. “Go under.”

He wondered what she intended to do, but he let go of the log and went under the water. She
took his hand and pulled him down deeper. He gasped when his head was no longer
submerged...but it was. He realized he was inside part of a bubble which allowed them to
breathe while she was waterbending around them forcing their way upstream.

“Are you okay?” she asked while still concentrating on her bending.

He looked at her. “This is incredible. This is what you did when we were on the raft?”

“Sort of. It wasn't as much work because it wasn't like the river's current.”

“If I had known back then that you were safe, I would've let you go in again.”

She softly giggled.

“I was really mad at Uncle for letting you do that. I couldn't understand why he didn't seem to
be worried about you. It was like he didn't care. And then you nearly froze to death.”

“You did a good job keeping me warm.” She got chills at the memory of being wrapped in
his arms and held against his warm body, and suddenly the river current jerked them back
downstream as she nearly lost her concentration.

“Are you okay?” he asked when he felt the river push them back.

“Sorry. I was distracted,” she smiled relieved that it was too dim for him to see her blushing.
“I was just thinking about how warm my firebender was.”
He smiled, but now he was blushing too as he remembered holding her. “And my
waterbender is amazing,” he said looking around their bubble.

When they suspected they were out of sight of the bridge, they surfaced, and as they walked
onto the shore, Chiara removed the water from their clothes as usual.

They had been at their new camp for a few weeks living quietly in the forest enjoying their
daily routine.

“Where are you going?” Zuko asked her after breakfast one morning

“I'm going to forage for a while. I saw some berries down by the river.”

No sooner had she reached the bush she had seen earlier than Zuko was by her side helping
her.

“Some of these are huge,” he said as he pulled off an enormous berry.

“I wish we could find some fruit trees around here.”

“Have you looked?” he asked.

“Not since we camped here.”

“Do you want to take a walk then?”

She looked up and smiled. “Yes.”

He placed her hand on his arm and they strolled into the woods not far from the river bank
looking around for fruit trees.

“When the Rough Rhinos caught Aang and me, we had just discovered a grove of apple and
pear trees,” she said.

Zuko's lip curled as he thought about that night. It was something they had never discussed. It
seemed to him that she had been just as intent on keeping his secret as he was.

“I...I remember the Rough Rhinos...when we were with Uncle.”

“Yep, same guys," she smirked.

“It's good you were able to get away from them,” he said.

She could feel the blush rising to her cheeks. “Well, if it wasn't for the spirit of the forest I
would've been Zhao's prisoner.”

“There was no way that was going to happen,” he said deeply.

They continued their stroll through the forest in search of fruit.

“What you said to Zhao about the rumors,” he started, “you were never with any girls at the
port.”

She softly giggled. “Rumors have to start somewhere.”

He smiled. “I like how you tried to convince him it was the Avatar.”

“That really upset him.”

He found it funny that she had deliberately tried to mislead Zhao, but then he thought about
her offer to him, and he became more serious.

“He wouldn't have kept his promise to you,” he said softly.

She understood what he meant. “I suspected as much, but I had to try for the Water Tribe.”

It just occurred to him that she had been willing to sacrifice herself for her own people.
Before he knew she was Water Tribe, he had trouble understanding how she could offer
herself to Zhao for strangers, but now it made sense to him—she was willing to do it for her
own. But despite her sacrifice, he was sure that Zhao would not have honored the agreement.

“He would've waited until you had four or five kids and one on the way so you couldn't stop
him.”

She shook her head sadly.

“I think our alliance between the Water Tribe and Fire Nation is better,” he said. He leaned
close to her. “And one day it'll be more productive.”

She giggled as she placed her other hand on his upper arm.

“Of course, the Blue Spirit would've rescued you on your wedding day with Zhao,” he said.

“That would've been quite the surprise to him since you were dead.”

“He might've believed it was the Avatar then.”

She let out a soft laugh trying to imagine the rescue.

“So did you know back then the identity of the Blue Spirit?” he asked her.

“You disappearing off the ship at the same time the Avatar was rescued from Zhao, the mask
of the great Water Spirit...” She shrugged.

He was chuckling as he remembered them changing the end of Love Amongst the Dragons
when they were younger.

“I only wish I had thought to do it,” she said.

“In the end, Zhao thought you had. Why did you make him believe it was you?”
“If he escaped, I didn't want him to expose you.”

He was always amazed by her love and concern for him, and the lengths to which she went to
protect him. He stopped walking again. Turning towards her, he took her face in his hands
and pressed his lips against hers.

“I love you so much.” He embraced her and held her appreciating everything she had done
for him.

When he released her, he held her hand on his arm again and they continued walking now
forgetting all about the fruit trees as they wandered into a small clearing.

“So was it really hundreds of Yuyan archers and twice as many firebenders?” she asked him.

He started laughing. “I hate to admit it, but the Avatar did most of the work with his
airbending. And twice he could've left me. In the fortress I was surrounded and he had a
chance to escape on his own, but he came back for me, and after we escaped, an archer
knocked me out. He knew who I was then. He could've left me there for Zhao, but he didn't.”

“That's not Aang's nature,” she said.

“He rescued me for you.”

“What?” she asked curiously. “What did I have to do with it?”

“I was so angry when I came to. I was angry that I failed to capture him and that he rescued
me and I would feel indebted to him. I shot a fire blast at him and he jumped away, but before
he left, he said, 'this was for Chiara.'”

She felt touched that Aang rescued Zuko.

“I-I don't think it was just for me,” she said softly. “He could've left you at the North Pole
too, but he didn't.”

He realized she was right. “I don't know why he didn't leave me there.”

“Because he's an airbender and all life is precious.”

He gently laughed as he stopped and turned towards her again, and he leaned down tenderly
kissing her lips.

“You know,” he started as he released her, “since you know the identity of the Blue Spirit, I'm
going to have to kill you now.” He pulled out a sword as he stepped back.

She pulled out hers. “I think I like my first encounter with the spirit better.”

They both blushed at the memory of their forbidden kiss, and Zuko slowly lowered his
sword.

“You're right. Let's just reenact that,” he said as he took a step towards her.
She immediately took a step back and brought her sword up between them. “Oh, no. I won't
let you steal from my lips again.”

He had a mischievous grin. “I might just steal more than that,” he playfully threatened before
swinging his sword down on hers.

They began sparring. Zuko was anxious to defeat her, but Chiara kept up with every
aggressive move he made.

“Come on, hundreds of Yuyan archers, and I'm just one girl,” she taunted him.

He laughed at her provocation and then moved to trip her up, but she jumped back and
brought her sword down only for him to raise his and block her attack.

Their playful fight continued.

“The longer this goes on, the more I plan on stealing,” he threatened, though he feared he
would be unable to beat her.

She giggled. “You keep threatening me, I may just apprehend you and turn you in.”

He swung his sword at her, and when she blocked it, he reached out to grab her, but she
quickly jumped back to avoid him.

“Take the traitor prince dead or alive!”

The order quickly wiped the grins from their faces, and they immediately turned to see a
squad of soldiers coming from all directions and surrounding them.

Two of them focused on Chiara, while the other eight attacked Zuko. Disarming one of his
opponents, he blocked another, and kicked a third all while defending himself against those
that were firebenders. Chiara was quick to disarm one of her opponents, and slicing his leg,
she disabled him and quickly kicked him away before blocking another attack from the
second. Once she dropped him she brought the hilt of her sword down on his head, and then
she immediately attacked one of the eight as she was determined to protect Zuko. Disabling
another soldier, she turned to see one of the men take aim to impale her prince from behind
while he was fighting the firebenders in front of him. She immediately threw herself in
between them just as the enemy lunged. Zuko turned around to see the sword stuck in her
upper chest beneath her right collarbone and blood flowing down her clothes. He felt the heat
rising in his body. The soldier stepped back pulling the bloody tip of his sword from her
chest, and fear seemed to fill his whole being when he saw the fire in the prince's eyes. Zuko
wrapped his left arm around Chiara, and with a movement of his sword a ring of fire
surrounded them. In a flash the men who were still conscious ran off screaming covered in
flames.

“Chiara! Chiara!” He gently touched her face.

You have to go,” she said softly. “You and the General must get away from here.”

“Not without you.”

He laid her on the ground and cut off part of his tunic which he placed beneath her clothes
and pressed over the wound to slow the bleeding. He quickly sheathed their swords and
picked her up carrying her back to camp as fast as he could.

“Hang on, Chiara. I'm going to get you to Uncle.”

As he approached camp, he called out. “Uncle! Uncle!”

Iroh stood up when he saw Chiara in Zuko's arms and covered in blood.

“What happened to her?”

“We were ambushed by Fire Nation soldiers.”

Iroh pulled a mat out and laid it on the ground. Zuko laid her on it and then opened her top
over her shoulder to see the wound. Iroh knelt next to her with a bucket of water and a cloth.
He was dismayed to see the size of the wound.

“It is quite deep,” he said as he wiped some blood away.

“You've got to help her, Uncle,” said Zuko desperately, worried about her being unconscious.

“Start packing,” said Iroh, not taking his eyes off the wound. “I will take care of this.”

“Will she be okay?”

Iroh hesitated. “I don't know. I wish we knew of another healer.”

Zuko thought about Katara, but he had no idea where she would be, and he doubted she
would ever help him after Ba Sing Se.

“Or if only there was a full moon tonight,” said Iroh. “Even that might help.”

Zuko quickly packed their camp while Iroh dressed Chiara's wound. After dealing with her,
he went to help Zuko and find out more details about their attack.

“How is she?” asked Zuko anxiously.

“I dressed her wound, but she's still unconscious. What happened to her?”

“We were sparring and the soldiers recognized me,” said Zuko. “We weren't even bending.”

“How many?”

“Maybe ten.”

“Only ten against you two? How did she get hurt?”

Zuko hesitated as he thought about her sacrifice. “One of them attacked from behind; it was
meant for me, and she took it,” he said, feeling ashamed. “She was fighting to my right, and
then she was...she was behind me.”
Iroh paused in thought.

“It's clear that we will not be able to run forever, Zuko. We may need to find a place that will
take Chiara and keep her safe for a while, and we will go and search for the Avatar.”

Zuko clenched his fists and growled at the thought of another search for the Avatar.

“And where will it be safe for her?” he asked. “The Fire Nation is attacking every village and
city. She'll never be safe.”

“It's more dangerous for her to be with us,” said Iroh. “She will blend in with the Earth
Kingdom. She's done it before, so she will adapt. It is her nature.”

Zuko hated the thought of parting from her even temporarily. He went and knelt by her side.
Iroh had bandaged her shoulder and made a makeshift sling to stabilize her right arm against
her chest so she would not move it.

“Chiara,” he said as he tenderly caressed her face.

She opened her eyes. “You have to go before they find you,” she said weakly.

“We're going right now.”

As he picked her up, tears leaked out of her eyes.

“I'm so sorry,” he said. He carried her over to his ostrich horse and helped her on, and he got
on behind her. “Just put your head back and rest,” he said.

She felt weak from the blood loss, and she closed her eyes and tried not to think about the
pain in her chest.

“We'll try to stay as close as possible to the river,” said Iroh.

----------------------

During their journey Zuko offered her water to drink often, but after the third hour of riding
he could not wake her up.

“Chiara,” he said, but she was still unresponsive. He looked down and saw blood leaking
through her bandages. “Uncle! She's bleeding.”

They rode off into the woods and stopped at the river. Zuko brought her down and laid her on
the ground so they could look at the wound again. Iroh carefully removed the bandages.

“This is not good,” he said to Zuko's dismay. “We may need to cauterize the wound, but it
would have to be done internally.” He poured water over it.

Chiara regained consciousness, but she was weak.

“I will go see if I can find a doctor,” said Iroh.

“No,” said Chiara. “Please leave me here. You both must go.”

“We won't leave you here,” said Zuko. “I won't leave you here.” He looked up at Iroh. “Go,
Uncle, see if you can find someone who can help her. I'll stay here.”

Iroh nodded, and then he stood up.

“I'll head north. If I am not back in two hours, assume the worst.”

When he was gone, Zuko carefully picked her up and carried her down to the river. He
walked in and sat down with her on his lap so she was mostly immersed. The moon was up,
but it was not full, so the light from it was not strong. As Zuko held onto her, he looked at
her. He had been through a lot in the past year which caused him to rethink his destiny, and
having spent most of his life with Chiara, he knew he could never choose the Fire Nation
over her again just as she had given up living with the Water Tribe for him and Iroh. He
pondered what Iroh had suggested about leaving her in the Earth Kingdom. He knew his
uncle was right and that it would probably be the safest option for her especially in her
current condition. But he hated the idea of another search for the Avatar. He felt that however
long it would take this time to find him and help him defeat his father was too long a time to
be away from his wife. He preferred instead finding some place they could escape to where
they would never be bothered by the Fire Nation. His mind drifted to the Northern Water
Tribe where the Fire Nation was unable to conquer the ice fortress. His uncle had stayed there
once, so they might be willing to allow them to stay there again. But then he wondered how
long it would be before another siege was made against it and their lives disrupted again.

“Prince Zuko,” said Chiara softly.

“I'm here,” he said, relieved that she was conscious. Lifting his hand from the water, he
tenderly caressed her face.

“Please don't stay here for me,” she said weakly. “I beg you to go. You have a destiny beyond
me.”

He took her left hand in his. “You address me as Prince. If I can't stay here and take care of
my own wife, how can I take care of a whole nation?”

A tear fell from her eye at his compassion. “What kind of servant would I be if I let my
prince die?”

“You are not my servant,” he said.

“I am your humble and loyal subject,” she said.

As usual his heart melted at her words, and he wondered if she knew the effect they had on
him. He tenderly kissed her lips.

“You are my equal, and even more than I am. I've made too many mistakes in my life, and
even now I'm in exile again and being hunted like an animal.”
“You chose exile to save the General; that was not a mistake. Without you he would've been
executed.”

He took solace in her words.

“And without you we would've starved,” he said.

She gave him a weak smile. “You would've managed.”

“Why did you do it, Chiara?” he asked, his heart broken as he worried that she was going to
die. “You could've healed me instead.”

“There are some injuries I can't heal. If he had struck you in the heart, I would've lost you. I
already lost one family and my Lu Ten. And I thought I lost you in the explosion. You and
the General are my family, and I can't let anything happen to you. You've been two of the
greatest gifts in my life,” she said to his surprise. “I wouldn't trade our time together for
anything on this earth. And now you need to go. You can't be caught because of me.”

“We won't be caught.”

He tenderly kissed her hand, and then she slowly reached up with her left hand and tenderly
caressed his cheek under his eye.

“I have always loved your eyes. The color of fire,” she said weakly.

His heart was beating faster as he remembered the first words she spoke to him when they
were children. Suddenly, he was filled with worry when her eyes closed.

“Chiara?”

“Please go,” she said so softly he could barely hear her.

“I won't leave you,” he said holding her tighter.

------------------------

As the moon crossed the sky, Zuko worried that Iroh's two hours were almost up.

“Lee! Lee!” Iroh called.

“Here,” he replied as he stood up in the water still holding onto Chiara.

As he walked out of the river, the water fell from their clothes.

“Conserve your strength,” he said to her.

When he approached his uncle, he saw there was someone else with him. Iroh rolled a mat
out on the ground underneath a tree, and Zuko tenderly placed her down on it before taking
her left hand in his. Iroh held a lantern for the doctor who removed the dressings covering her
injury.
“This looks like a sword wound,” said the doctor studying the injury. “It reminds me of the
wounds of soldiers who have been injured or killed in battle.”

Iroh and Zuko looked at each other.

“What happened to her?”

“She was attacked by Fire Nation soldiers,” Iroh answered honestly.

The doctor shook his head in disgust. “They have been a scourge on our kingdom attacking
even small villages of women and children. What else did they do to her?”

“This is all,” said Zuko.

“Then she is very lucky to still be alive.”

“Will she be okay then?” he asked hopefully.

“Only time will tell. She has no fever, which is a good sign.”

Zuko tenderly caressed Chiara's head.

“What is your name?” the doctor asked her.

“Lin,” she answered softly.

“Lin, I'm going to place some herbs in the wound,” said the doctor. “They will keep it clean,
help it heal, and they should help with the pain.” He pulled a small bag out of a larger one.

“I'm from the Water Tribe,” she said.

“You are? I'm so glad you told me before I did it. This treatment would not have been as
effective for you.”

Chiara nodded having known her treatment would be different.

“Can you still help her?” asked Zuko.

“Do you have any water?” asked the doctor pulling a different pouch from his bag.

“Here,” said Zuko pulling out a canteen.

The doctor pulled two small cups from his bag, poured some herbs into one of them, and then
added water. He stirred it and then strained the herb infused water into another cup.

He looked at Chiara. “This is going to hurt at first. It will take a few hours before it helps
with the pain.”

Chiara nodded. “I understand,” she said softly.

“Are you ready?” he asked her.

“Yes.”

She held her breath as the doctor poured the water into the wound. The pain was
excruciating. She never cried out, but tears rolled down her temples. When her grip tightened
on Zuko's hand he felt the greatest sympathy for her as he realized she was going through this
for him. Iroh was reminded of how silent she remained as a child, even when her arm had
been cut. When the doctor finished, he covered the wound and wrapped the bandages around
her again, and as he worked their wedding bands caught his eye.

“It would probably be best not to travel too far with her yet.” More tears fell down her
temples which Zuko wiped away. “Keep these herbs and do what I did twice a day,” he said
handing the pouch to Zuko. “It'll be much more effective if you allow the herbs to stew in
heated water for a few hours. Just make sure the water isn't too hot before applying. And
cover the wound with a clean cloth before wrapping.”

He began packing his things into his bag.

“Thank you, doctor,” said Chiara softly.

“Yes, thank you,” said Zuko.

“You're most welcome,” said the doctor.

He stood up and Iroh walked him to his ride.

“Please don't stay here for me,” she softly begged Zuko. “Those soldiers were after you and
the General. I'm not worth you getting killed or captured.”

“You're worth it to me,” he said. “I'm not leaving you here by yourself. I won't leave you.”

She felt disheartened by his refusal, and she worried about his safety.

---------------------

Meanwhile, the doctor was talking with Iroh.

“I understand you want to get as far away from the Fire Nation as possible,” started the
doctor, “especially after what happened to her. There aren't too many places left that are safe,
but if you need somewhere to stay for a while, there's an old, empty cabin a short distance
from here. It sits in the woods and is very isolated and private.”

“Thank you. That sounds perfect.”

“Follow the road until you come to the sharp curve. Instead of following the curve, continue
going forward into the forest. You'll eventually come to the cabin in the clearing, and
continuing forward will take you to the river.”

“I appreciate all your help, especially at this late hour,” said Iroh.

“You may be able to earn some money by selling fish in the town.”
“We may do that,” said Iroh.

“If I may ask, how is it that she's living in the Earth Kingdom and not with a Water Tribe?”

“Her family was murdered by the Fire Nation, and she was orphaned as a young child.”

“I see. Is she your nephew's wife?”

“She is,” answered Iroh before realizing he had never mentioned his and “Lee's” relationship,
and he suddenly tensed up.

“To see the Prince of the Fire Nation show such love and compassion for a child of the Water
Tribe, it's very promising,” said the doctor softly.

Iroh looked at him feeling worried, but the doctor handed him a tile. Iroh's eyes scanned the
flower embedded in it.

“The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets,” said the doctor. “Welcome,
Grand Lotus.”

Iroh breathed a silent sigh of relief.

“The prince's compassion makes for a good Fire Lord,” said the doctor.

“He will make an excellent leader,” said Iroh. “But for now, his marriage to her is unknown
to the Fire Nation, and I fear it will not be accepted.”

“I don't know,” said the doctor thoughtfully, “I believe it's a sign of a better future for all of
us.”

“There are still too many prejudices.”

“He has shown that there is hope that prejudice can be overcome.”

------------------

When the doctor left, Iroh returned to Zuko and Chiara.

“The doctor was kind enough to direct us to a private cabin in the woods,” he said to them.
“We should go there.”

“Can we transport her?” asked Zuko.

“Yes. He said it's not far.”

Zuko looked down at his wife. “Are you going to be okay?”

She nodded. He picked her up as delicately as he could, and after they climbed on the ostrich
horses, they proceeded to leave for the cabin.
 Paradise

Following the doctors directions, they found cabin, and Iroh cautiously went inside to make
sure it was empty.

“It's safe,” he said when he returned outside.

He helped Chiara down, and then Zuko picked her up and followed Iroh inside.

“There are two small rooms in the back with beds.” He led them to the smaller room with one
bed upon which he laid a mat over the wooden frame.

Zuko carefully laid her down and then knelt down by her side. “Is there anything you need?
Are you hungry?”

“No,” she said softly.

“Then you rest now,” said Iroh as he laid a blanket over her.

He and Zuko returned outside where they unpacked the animals. When they finished, they sat
on the little porch where Iroh made tea and they ate a light meal by the light of their lanterns.

Iroh looked around. “This is much more roomier than the tent.”

Zuko was silent.

“She will be okay, Nephew.”

“It should be me suffering in that room,” he said softly.

“Chiara puts others before herself. It's who she is. It's who she's always been.”

“And what makes my life more important than hers?” he asked.

“You are the future of the Fire Nation,” said Iroh.

“So that makes her worth nothing to you because she isn't?” he snapped.

His sharp words hurt Iroh. “She is worth everything to me, Zuko. But if she had not acted as
she did, you could have been killed, and then who would lead our Nation to peace?”

“I don't care,” said Zuko listlessly.

“You have to care. Our people are responsible for what happened to her. And how many other
women like Chiara have been needlessly killed? Her own mother even. You will have the
power to prevent this kind of injustice in the future.”
Zuko sat in silence. He dwelt on the peace and contentment he finally found outside of the
Fire Nation palace that he was now being forced to consider giving up.

“Prince Zuko, Chiara was willing to give her life for you. She has lost all her family, and she
understands that you can prevent others from losing theirs. Do not let her suffering be in
vain.”

“So you just want me to abandon her and run back to the Fire Nation again?”

“No. We can take her somewhere she can recover and will be safe, and we will find the
Avatar and help him defeat Ozai.”

“And then what?”

“We bring her home.”

“But you said no one would accept her as my wife.”

“There may be...some who will object,” said Iroh. “We will deal with it.”

Zuko remained silent as he thought over Iroh's words. Leaving his wife with strangers and
embarking on another search for the Avatar were the last things he wanted to do.

When Iroh finished his tea, he stood up. “I'm going to bed. You should get some rest too,
Nephew.”

Iroh picked up one of their lanterns and entered the cabin, but before going to his room, he
walked into Chiara's room where he found her sitting up.

“What are you doing up?” he whispered to her worriedly as he glanced back to make sure
Zuko did not see or hear.

“The sling's uncomfortable,” she answered in a soft, dazed voice looking like she was about
to pass out. “I-I was just trying to adjust it.”

Iroh set down the lantern before sitting on her left. She looked unsteady and pale, and her
eyes were dark. The right side of her clothing underneath the sling was covered in dried
blood that trailed from her chest down to the skirt of her kurta. Even to the hardened general
it was a gruesome sight to see such a young woman, especially one he considered his
daughter, the victim of such violence. He reached behind her and fixed the sling for her.

“Is that better?”

“Yes.”

He wrapped his arms around her and held her, his eyes watering at the thought that he could
have lost her and might still. He knew he had to be strong in front of Zuko for fear of
increasing his nephew's anxiety over her condition, but now alone with her, he could not help
breaking down a bit.
“It'll be okay, Father,” she whispered, her head resting on his shoulder.

The tears slid down Iroh's cheeks when he realized she was trying to comfort him amid her
own distress.

“I love you, my daughter.”

He continued holding her while gently rubbing her back.

“You need to rest,” he finally said.

He stood up, and after helping her down on the bed, he pulled the blanket over her. “I'll leave
the lantern on low in case you wake up.” He turned down the flame. “I'll see you in the
morning,” he said as he caressed her head.

She slowly nodded.

----------------------

Not long after Iroh had gone to bed, Zuko went in to check on her. When he walked into the
room, he saw her lying quiet and still under the blanket. Hearing someone enter, she opened
her eyes.

“I didn't mean to wake you,” he said as he sat down at her side.

“You didn't,” she said softly.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“Is the pain still bad?”

“It's tolerable.”

He suspected she was downplaying the pain.

“Do you want me to stay with you tonight?”

She shook her head slowly. “You've been traveling all evening. You need to sleep,” she said,
her voice soft and somewhat weak.

“I don't want to leave you alone.”

“I'll be okay. I'll still be here in the morning.”

He moved a few strands of hair as he tenderly caressed her face.

“Do you want me to do that relaxing technique for you?” she asked him.
He was reminded of what she did for him in the prison as well as the times she had done it on
the ship. He was tempted.

“No,” he said not sure she could even do it in her condition. But he did not want her to move
or exert herself. He also felt he did not deserve it, and he did not want to feel relaxed while
she was suffering. “You shouldn't be moving around.”

“It'll help you sleep.”

“I'll get some sleep.” He leaned towards her and tenderly kissed her. “I love you.”

“I love you, my Prince.”

He reluctantly parted from her to go to the other bedroom where he lay down on the empty
bed opposite Iroh's. He was tired, but he had trouble falling asleep as he continued worrying
about Chiara.

----------------------

Unable to stay asleep, it was only a couple hours later when Zuko returned to her room to
check on her. He quietly walked in half-expecting to see her awake, but she was curled up
with her back to the door and her long braid flowing behind her over the bed and down to the
floor. Not wanting to wake her, he knelt down next to the bed and watched and listened for
her breathing. She was still, dead still, he thought, and the sounds of the croaking badgerfrogs
and chirping nocturnal insects outside drowned out any soft breathing. He needed to know
she was alive, so he reached out and lightly placed his fingers on her neck. He could feel
nothing, so he pressed harder hoping he would not wake her, or maybe he was hoping he
would wake her to be assured she was still alive. Then he found it: the slow, steady beating of
her pulse. He had not realized he had been holding his breath until he breathed a sigh of
relief. She remained still, and he withdrew his hand, but he stayed in the room unable to leave
her side for the rest of the night.

Early in the morning, Zuko left her room before sunrise to stew the herbs in water for her
treatment.

As the sun made its appearance, Iroh walked out of his room and quietly looked in on Chiara,
relieved to find her sleeping. Outside he found Zuko tending a fire.

“You made tea?” Iroh asked him.

“No. The doctor said to stew the herbs in hot water.”

Iroh was looking longingly at the cup, so Zuko picked it up and set it on his other side
farthest away from his uncle's tea-thirsty eyes.

“I'm going to meditate for a while,” said Iroh as he stretched. “Don't forget to feed the
animals.”

“I'll take care of it.”

Iroh walked off to find a spot for meditation while Zuko continued stewing Chiara's
medicine.

About an hour later he strained the liquid and took it to her room along with some clean
dressings. When he walked in, he was surprised to find her still asleep. Usually, she was the
first one up and busy doing chores; and though he did not expect her to be doing any work,
he did expect her to be awake. He set the herb water on the little table with her lantern, and
he sat on the bed at her side. She was now lying on her back, but he was worried about her
pale complexion.

“Chiara,” he said softly, leaning over her and caressing her head.

She opened her eyes.

“Hey, how are you feeling?”

“Weak,” she answered.

“Are you in a lot of pain?”

“Some,” she said softly.

“Some as in a lot?” he asked.

She softly laughed, and he could not help smiling as he enjoyed her smile, but he also felt bad
since he knew she was in a great deal of pain.

“I have your medicine,” he said, though feeling guilty again that it was going to mean even
more pain for her.

She slowly moved to unwrap her right arm, but Zuko stopped her.

“Don't move; I'll do it.”

He unwrapped the sling and then carefully began unwrapping her bandages.

“It doesn't feel right having you do this for me,” she said, uncomfortable with being a patient.

“It's the least I can do after you saved my life. Besides, how many times did you use your
'special medicine' to heal me?”

She smiled. “What good is my gift if I can't share it? It's my destiny.”

“And you're my destiny.” He finished removing the bandages. “It doesn't look like it's been
bleeding,” he said, relieved. He picked up the cup. “I heated the water like the doctor
suggested.”

“I'm surprised the General didn't drink it thinking it was tea,” she said.

“Yeah, I made sure he didn't. He kept eyeing it.”

Though her voice sounded weak when she spoke, her soft laughter made him smile.

“All we need is another white jade incident,” she said.

“Don't remind me,” he said grimly. He looked down at the cup in his hand. “It shouldn't be
too hot now.” He was hesitating. “I don't want to do this.”

“I'll do it,” she said reaching for the cup.

He lifted it out of her reach. “No. I know this is going to hurt you, and I don't want to do
that.”

“It's okay. The worst part's only temporary.”

Her words did not make him feel better. He sighed. “Are you ready?”

“Do it,” she said as she tensed up.

He poured the liquid in her wound, and again, the pain was excruciating. Tears fell from her
eyes making Zuko feel bad.

“I'm sorry,” he said.

She shook her head. “Don't be.”

He finished pouring it and placed a clean cloth over the wound as the doctor directed, and
then he began bandaging it.

“Prince Zuko, there you are,” said Iroh standing in the doorway.

“I haven't fed the animals yet.”

“You are taking care of something far more important,” he said. “How are you feeling,
Princess Chiara?”

“A bit weak.”

“Breakfast and a nice cup of tea should help that.”

She started to sit up.

“What are you doing?” asked Zuko.

“I should be helping.”

“No...,” he started.

“You will stay there and relax,” said Iroh. “I will make breakfast.”

He walked out.
“Lie down,” said Zuko as he helped her.

“Thank you for doing this,” said Chiara when he stood up.

“I'll be back later.”

Zuko left to do his chores.

When he walked out of the cabin he stood by Iroh who was making breakfast.

“She's in a lot of pain but won't admit it.”

“She is a strong, young woman.”

“I hope she's strong enough to survive this,” said Zuko sadly.

“When I rescued her from the Water village, one of my soldiers saw the bag I had hid her in.
He thought I collected valuables from the village. He did not realize just how valuable its
content was. Out of curiosity he went to cut open the bag in an attempt to see what was in it. I
prevented him from doing so, but my heart nearly stopped as I thought he might have stuck
her. There was no sound, no crying or screaming, so I assumed he missed her.”

Zuko thought about Chiara's scar, and he remembered her telling him the same story from her
point of view.

“After I separated from my men,” continued Iroh, “I stopped to let her out of the bag, and
when I opened it, her arm was covered in blood.” Iroh could still see the scene in his head. “I
had told her earlier not to make a sound, and she never did, not even yesterday with that
sword wound in her chest,” he said softly. “She is a strong woman.”

His uncle's optimistic view did nothing to alleviate Zuko's worry. He walked off to feed and
water the ostrich horses, and by the time he returned, Iroh had finished making breakfast.
Zuko fixed a plate to take to Chiara.

“Are you going to eat too?” asked Iroh.

“After Chiara eats.”

He carried her plate to her room.

“I have your breakfast,” he said.

“Aww. You didn't have to do this,” she said as she slowly sat up.

“You need to eat to keep up your strength.”

“You sound like your uncle,” she smirked.

He gave her a wry smile. “Don't tell him that.”

She chuckled weakly. When she was sitting as comfortably as she could, she took the plate he
offered her. “I don't feel right having the Prince of the Fire Nation serve me.”

“I worked in a tea shop serving tea to strangers; I think I can serve my wife breakfast in bed,
especially after she nearly died for me.”

“But I'm your Imperial non-Firebender,” she said. “I have to protect you.”

It seemed like so long ago that she had teased him about that on his ship, and it made him
smile.

“No, you're not. You're my wife. It's my duty to protect you.”

“I took the same vows,” she said.

Just then Iroh walked in carrying two plates, one which he handed to Zuko.

“I thought we could eat together,” he said while kneeling on the floor.

Chiara smiled.

“There's a market in the nearest town where the doctor is from,” he said. “I was thinking
about visiting it and stocking up on tea.”

“Today?” she asked.

“Yes. After breakfast.” He looked at Zuko. “I'll also get extra food so you won't have to leave
the cabin to hunt this week.”

“Thanks, Uncle,” he said softly, relieved that he could remain near Chiara.

--------------------

After they ate breakfast, Iroh left for the market. While Chiara was lying in bed, Zuko walked
in carrying a tray holding two more lanterns and a cup of tea. He closed the lid of a chest near
the door.

“Going to meditate?” she asked watching him set the lanterns up on top of it.

“Yes. While you're sleeping.”

“I don't feel like sleeping,” she said.

“I brought you some lavender tea.” He picked up the cup and walked it over to her. “Uncle
said it'll help you sleep better.”

She sat up and took it from him. “I hate sitting still.”

“Then next time don't get between me and an opponent.”

“But I wouldn't have been able to carry you back to the camp, so it...you know...worked out
better this way.”

He playfully glared at her making her smirk.

He knelt on the floor and began meditating. Chiara sipped her tea and watched the flames of
the lanterns sync with his breathing, and she was reminded of their time on his ship. By the
time he finished with his meditation, he was relieved to find her sleeping, so he left her room
to stretch outside in the sunlight for a while.

---------------------

It was several hours later when Zuko was quietly sitting in her room that he heard a noise
outside approaching the cabin. He quickly jumped up and grabbed his dao before carefully
peering out the cabin door relieved to see that it was Iroh on the ostrich horse.

“How is she doing?” Iroh asked him when he stepped out of the cabin.

“She's been sleeping most of the day.”

Zuko helped him unload the supplies, and then he took care of the ostrich horse before
walking into the cabin to see what his uncle had purchased.

“You got chamomile?” he asked, seeing the tea on the table.

Iroh smiled at him.

“She'll love this,” said Zuko.

“And mint,” added Iroh setting it down next to the chamomile before reaching back in the
box. “And honey.” He placed it on the table.

Zuko was softly laughing. “You know she's going to be upset you got all this for her.”

“We've been living frugally for a long time. I think she's earned it. Besides, the doctor said
we can sell fish at the market once she's recovered.”

Zuko went outside to make her tea while Iroh went to her room to check on her. He noted that
her complexion was still pale and her eyes still dark, but he knew it would take time for her
to recover from the loss of blood.

“How was your trip?” she asked opening her eyes.

“I didn't mean to wake you.”

“It's fine. I've slept most of the day.”

“The market was quite exciting,” he said as he sat down. “They had so much there. As soon
as you're better, we'll go together.”
She nodded.

“How's the pain?” he asked her.

“It's painful,” she said in a casual tone. “But I find it more painful sitting here doing nothing.”

Iroh chuckled. “Yes, you've always kept busy. I imagine this must be very difficult for you.”

“So tell me about the market,” she said wanting to take her mind off her pain and inactivity.

Iroh had been describing all the different wares to her when Zuko walked in with her cup of
tea.

“I made you tea,” he said to her as she started sitting up with Iroh's help. “Are you hungry?”

“Not much. The tea's fine.”

“Have you eaten lunch?” Iroh asked her.

“No. I'm not really hungry.”

“You should eat anyways, even if it's a little food.”

“Did you just get this?” she asked him after sipping her tea.

He grinned. “I believe that is your favorite.”

“You shouldn't have done this,” she said.

“I told you she'd be upset, Uncle,” smiled Zuko.

“You even got honey.”

Iroh was chuckling. “You earned this, Chiara.”

“But there are more important things we might need,” she gently argued.

“Nothing's more important than you,” he said. “And we've lived with less.”

“Thank you,” she said softly.

----------------------

Later that afternoon Zuko began stewing the herbs for her wound, and after they all ate dinner
in her room, he brought her medicine to her. He delicately removed her bandages before
picking up the cup and holding it hating the idea that it was going to hurt her.

She placed her hand on his as he held the cup. “You add heat to the water to warm it up. Can
you also remove the heat to make it cold?” She moved her hand over it and the liquid in the
cup froze.
He considered her question. “No, I don't think so. I can generate fire and manipulate it, but
when it's just warmth or heat, I can increase or decrease it, but not enough to freeze
something.” He warmed the cup and caused the frozen liquid to melt. “How do you freeze
it?” he asked.

“I pull the heat from it or add it back when I thaw it out. My teacher from the Water Tribe
said thawing ice is similar to firebenders when they generate heat.”

“Like redirecting lightning,” he said. She smiled and nodded. “Uncle always said all the
Nations complement each other. I never really appreciated it before,” he added softly.

He sighed, reluctant to cause her pain.

“It's okay,” she said. “It really has been helping the pain.”

After applying her medicine, he began bandaging the wound. Her eyes were focused on his as
they concentrated on their task. She thought he looked tired, and she was worried about him
overworking on little sleep.

“Please let me help you sleep tonight,” she said.

“I'll get some sleep.”

“You look exhausted.”

“I've hardly done anything today that was exhausting,” he said.

“You took care of me.”

He paused with the bandaging and his eyes met hers. “Taking care of you is a pleasure.” Her
heart started beating faster at his sweet words spoken under his golden gaze. “I just wish it
wasn't because you were injured.”

He finished with her bandages and worked on putting the sling around her arm.

“Worry can be draining,” she said. “And it would be my pleasure helping you with that.”

“I don't want you moving around,” he insisted.

She decided to try another route. “It'll make me feel better.”

He shook his head though his lip curled at her persistence. “I said no.”

She sighed. “Fine. But if I find you in here again tonight, I'll do it when you're not expecting
it,” she threatened.

He gave her a smile before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. “I'll get sleep.”
Zuko continued applying her medicine twice a day, and after a few days they allowed her to
walk around though not too far since she still looked pale. They now ate their meals together
in the little kitchen in the cabin, and Chiara enjoyed sitting outside on the porch during the
day, but it bothered her to watch the men work knowing she could not help.

Towards the end of their first week there, she had been sitting on the porch after dinner when
Zuko walked up to her.

“Would you like to go down to the river?” he asked.

Her eyes lit up. “I would love to.”

He helped her up and they walked down to the river.

“It'll be a full moon soon,” he said.

“I can feel it getting stronger.”

They stepped into the water together, and sat where the water came up to her chest. She
loosened the sling so she could free her right arm.

“You're not going to try to waterbend, are you?” he asked, worried about her injury.

“No, not yet. I just want to feel the current.”

As her long hair drifted in the current, it flowed around Zuko's back, arm, and chest. He
grinned as it floated around him, and he began playing with it.

“Are you okay?” she asked him as he had gotten so quiet.

He leaned towards her and kissed her.

“I was just thinking about how much I love you,” he said.

She tenderly caressed his face. “Awww. I love you too.”

The days went by, and Zuko continued taking care of Chiara, pouring the medicine in her
wound and taking her to the river as often as he could. After the full moon, Iroh and Zuko
were both impressed by the improvement in her injury. Zuko was relieved that she was out of
danger, but he was still uncomfortable allowing her to do chores, though she insisted she was
capable. She was happy to be able to waterbend again, and Zuko often practiced with her
learning the moves of the waterbenders and then applying those techniques to his own
firebending.

As the doctor had suggested, Iroh went to the market weekly to sell fish that Chiara caught.
He used the money to purchase various supplies and a variety of food. During his visit to the
market, he often spoke to the doctor giving him updates on Chiara's recovery and receiving
updates on the war.
When her wound had completely healed leaving only a scar, Zuko finally relented and
allowed her to work around the campsite as long as it was nothing he considered too
strenuous for her.

One afternoon, Chiara returned to camp from the river hauling a bucket. When Zuko saw her,
he jumped up and ran to her.

“Chiara, what are you carrying?” he asked taking the bucket from her. “You shouldn't be
lifting anything heavy.”

She did not think the bucket was that heavy, but appreciating his concern, she held back a
tempting eyeroll at his overly protective behavior that had him fussing over her for weeks.

“I found scallops.”

“We can sell them at the market,” he said setting the bucket down next to his uncle.

“Sell them?” said Iroh, his eyes wide as he stared hungrily at the mollusks. “We can eat
them.”

“Yes,” said Chiara. “It's been a while since we've had them.”

They sat around the bucket and shucked the scallops together, and then Chiara seared them
over the fire.

One day after breakfast, they took a trip to the market together. Zuko, to hide his identity,
wore an eye patch which covered most of his scar, and his hair, which had grown out
significantly, did a good job hiding the rest. After selling their fish and buying a few supplies,
Iroh took Zuko and Chiara to see the doctor.

“Come in,” he greeted them when they arrived. “Please sit.” He called on his wife to make
tea before turning to Chiara. “How are you feeling, Lin?” he asked.

“I've been feeling great. Thank you so much,” she said.

“Any problems with your wound?”

“None. All that's left is a scar.”

“Good.” He looked at Zuko. “How are you doing, Lee?”

“I'm doing okay.”

Chiara went to help the doctor's wife with the tea while the others knelt around the table.

“I want to thank you for what you did for Lin,” said Zuko. “I don't know what we would've
done without your help.”
“I'm glad I could help. Though Mushi told me you took good care of her during her
recovery.”

“I just followed your directions.”

The doctor chuckled, impressed by his modesty. His wife and Chiara served the tea.

“Lin, sit here,” said Zuko patting the spot next to him. “You work too much,” he said softly to
her as she knelt next to him.

The doctor smiled to himself as he took notice of Zuko's tender concern for her.

“Any news on the war front?” asked Iroh.

They discussed the ongoing attacks from the Fire Nation and the movement of the army until
they finished their tea. Sometimes the doctor would speak in code, which Iroh understood, as
he knew their identities. Zuko, though, found it a bit suspicious.

“With them getting so close it would be best if you come to the market using the north road,”
said the doctor. “You should probably return that way as well, especially as troops have been
known to scout ahead.”

“Thank you for the information,” said Iroh. “We will take the north route home then.”

“It was good to see you again, Lin,” said the doctor as they stood up. “Especially in your
current condition.”

She smiled. “It's a pleasure to be able to thank you for your help.”

“I heard that Lee did a good job of that too,” he said.

“He did. His care for me was...is admirable.”

The doctor smiled, but Zuko's heart melted at her words.

“I hope you will all come by again for tea,” he said.

“Of course,” said Iroh. “We'll be back next week. Your suggestion of selling seafood has
proven quite lucrative, and who knew scallops would be a gold mine.”

“Only when you don't eat most of the inventory,” said Zuko.

Iroh and Chiara chuckled guiltily.

------------------

They started their trip back to the cabin taking the longer north route as the doctor had
suggested. As they traveled, Zuko thought about the conversation with the doctor.

“I don't trust him,” he said to Iroh as they rode along.

“He's an honest man.”

“Something doesn't seem right about him.”

“How can you say that?” asked Iroh. “Look what he did for Chiara.”

“And I appreciate that,” said Zuko. “But...the way he was talking about the war...something's
not right.” He could not shake his suspicious feelings. “Do you think he knows who we are?”

“Would it be a bad thing if he did?”

“He might turn us over to the Fire Nation.”

“I don't believe he would.”

“I hope not,” said Zuko softly.

“Besides, he's a good Pai Sho player,” said Iroh.

Zuko rolled his eyes, but Chiara was laughing.

“The white lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets,” she said.

“It sure does,” chuckled Iroh.

Now Zuko understood.

For a month they had been living happily in the cabin. Zuko was so content, he had no desire
to get involved with the Fire Nation again, but the war was getting closer to them everyday as
was Sozin's Comet, and Iroh knew that it would only be a matter of time before their
involvement was inevitable.

One evening before dark, Chiara was cleaning up after dinner.

“Are you going swimming this evening?” Iroh asked them.

“Yes,” said Zuko who enjoyed his evening swim with Chiara.

“Would you like to go?” she asked Iroh.

“That sounds relaxing. Maybe I will join you.”

They headed down to the river, and walked into the water. After swimming for a while, they
sat and relaxed in the shallow water.

“So this is what you two do,” said Iroh. “It is quite enjoyable. It's so relaxing to the muscles.”

“Ooh...would you like a water massage?” Chiara asked him.

He perked up. “It's been a long time since I enjoyed one of your water massages.”

She smiled as she moved behind him.

“Lean forward a bit.”

He did as she directed and she began using the water to massage his back and arms.

“Oh...this is the most incredible massage I ever had,” he moaned. “It feels better than I
remember. Prince Zuko, have you ever tried this?”

“No.”

“You should. It feels wonderful.” He groaned with contentment as each ache disappeared. “I
never did fire those palace masseurs like I wanted.”

Zuko and Chiara started laughing.

With Chiara's recovery they were happy to get back into their sparring routine. While dinner
was roasting over the fire, they finished the rest of their chores, and then took their swords to
the river. It was a long exhausting battle before Zuko finally disarmed her and took her to the
ground. As he sat on top of her her dark hair flowed everywhere, and he slowly moved it
relishing the silky tresses.

“You win,” she said.

His golden gaze moved from her ebon locks to her sea green eyes. “So you surrender?”

“I could fight my way out.”

He chuckled. “I'd rather you not.” His hand slid over her soft curls and down her arm. “I
claim this territory in the name of the Fire Nation.”

She let out a little giggle at his 'claim.' “I think they've taken enough territory.”

He smirked, and his fingers tenderly caressed her face as he drew closer to her unable to fight
his desire. “But this is the only Water Tribe territory I want to conquer.”

He could not help giving in to his heart's desire, and he tenderly pressed his lips against hers.
She did not resist. She loved the feel of his warm lips against hers, and she ran her fingers
through his hair as their hearts were racing.

“I love you, Chiara,” he whispered.

“I love you, my Prince,” she breathed in return.

He kissed her again, and he did not want to stop as he moved down to her neck. Chills ran
through her body at his passionate touch. Zuko found himself a slave to his passion until a
sudden wave of water rolled over them. Chiara was now sitting on top of him, and they were
both drenched. She bent over him and quickly kissed his lips before jumping up and running
off as the water fell from her clothes, hair, and skin. Zuko laughed to himself, but he jumped
up, still soaked, and ran after her. She had nearly made it back to camp, but he was too fast
for her, and grabbing hold of her wrist he pulled her back to him and kissed her, and as he did
the water dropped from his skin and clothes.

“Lee, Lin!” they heard Iroh call. “Dinner's ready!”

Zuko reluctantly pulled his lips from hers and looked in her eyes. “I know what I'd rather
have for dinner,” he said softly as he kissed her again.

He took her hand and they walked to the camp.

Despite the growing threat of the Fire Nation in distant towns and villages, life went on at the
little cabin in the forest. Every day, they performed their daily chores, and much of Zuko and
Chiara's free time was devoted to sparring with their swords and even more so to practicing
their bending abilities together in their secluded paradise. The biggest regret he had about not
knowing she had been a waterbender was that she never had much practical experience in
defending herself against firebenders with her waterbending. Now they trained more intently
as he wanted her to be ready for any fight with Fire Nation soldiers who might target her, and
he wanted her to use any means of defense to protect herself. Even Iroh would practice with
them fighting against them or teaming with Zuko against Chiara. Both men had always been
amazed by her ability, but the harder they fought, the more impressed they became as they
forced her to push her skill. When Iroh challenged Zuko and Chiara, he was amazed by
Zuko's use of waterbending moves to control and even enhance his own firebending. He was
also fascinated by their synchronous movements as they each controlled their own elements
blending them together to defend themselves and each other from his attacks.

“I do not believe I have ever witnessed a more beautiful display of bending,” said Iroh after a
lengthy practice session. “And blowing up her ice missiles in front of the enemy could be
quite damaging and take out several opponents instead of just one at a time.”

Zuko grinned. “Exactly.”

“I certainly worked up an appetite,” said Iroh.

“We should probably check on dinner anyways,” said Chiara.

They started walking back to the camp, and after dinner they returned to the river for their
evening swim.
 Paradise Lost
Chapter Notes

Thanks for the reviews! I appreciate you taking the time to add your comments.

Taking their weekly trip to the market, they sold their fish and extra scallops that Chiara had
gathered.

“I'm going to speak to the doctor to catch up on the latest news,” said Iroh. “When you guys
are finished meet me there.”

He left them and started on the path to the doctor's home.

“Welcome, Mushi,” said the doctor when he answered the door. “Lee and Lin aren't with you
this week?”

“They're still at the market.”

“Come in. I have some updates.”

Iroh stepped inside.

“The Fire Nation has just taken Lopao,” said the doctor gravely as they sat down at the table.

“Then it won't be long before they move here,” said Iroh worriedly.

“More and more scouts have been appearing on the roads.”

Iroh nodded thoughtfully. “We'll have to move on soon.” He sighed. “It's a shame. I have
never seen Lee so happy. He has no interest in anything outside our life at the cabin.”

“The war's getting closer. He'll have no choice but to take an interest.”

Iroh looked at the doctor. “Any news on the Avatar?”

“None. If he's still alive, then he's been lying low.”

“Hopefully he's receiving the training he needs. He will need to defeat not only Ozai, but
Azula. If she succeeds her father on the throne, she'll be just as ruthless and she'll keep this
war going.”

“And Lee doesn't want the throne?”

“I cannot expect him to give up Lin,” said Iroh resignedly.

“He shouldn't have to give her up.”

“But many will not accept her...or their children as the rightful heirs.”

“It'll be difficult for some, but it may be just what this world needs. I think it'll be a good
thing.”

“Mixed blood is unheard of in the royal family,” said Iroh.

“This war has taken its toll on many even in the Fire Nation. This change will be welcome to
many.”

Iroh looked doubtful. “In my experience in the Capital, there were deep prejudices against the
other Nations.”

“In the nobility, maybe, but what about the commoners and the families in the outer colonies?
There must be many others who would not oppose such a union.”

“I hope you're right,” said Iroh.

The doctor's wife placed tea before each of them.

“Thank you, Lara,” said Iroh.

“You're welcome, Mushi.”

After their stroll around the market, Zuko and Chiara arrived at the doctor's home.

“Are you coming to the festival next week?” he asked them as they were sipping their tea.

Iroh raised his eyebrows. “Why are you looking at me?” he asked when Zuko and Chiara's
eyes turned to him.

“We just figured that was something you'd decide,” said Zuko.

He chuckled. “I think it would be nice for you two to take a break and enjoy some
entertainment.”

“There'll be music and lots of food,” said the doctor.

Iroh's eyes lit up. “Two of my favorite things.”

“I guess that means we'll be there,” said Chiara.

-------------------------

The trip back to the cabin was uneventful, and since they ate at the market, they had fewer
chores around the camp when they returned. After swimming in the river, they sat on the
porch listening to the chorus of badger frogs and insects in the forest.
“The doctor told me that Lopao has been taken by the Fire Nation,” said Iroh softly, not
wanting to break the news to them, but knowing it needed to be said.

“That's just south of here,” said Chiara.

Iroh nodded.

Zuko sighed. “We're going to have to leave here, aren't we?” he asked, despite knowing the
answer.

“I'm afraid so,” said Iroh.

“When?” asked Chiara.

“We should start preparing after the festival. We'll keep heading north.”

“Have you heard anything about Aang?” she asked.

Iroh slowly shook his head. “Nothing. But that's not a bad thing. If we've heard no news on
his recovery, then Ozai hasn't heard any either.”

“If we do hear anything, should we help him?” she asked a bit timidly not wanting to upset
Zuko.

Iroh considered her question. “It depends on what news we hear,” he finally answered.

----------------------

Later, after Iroh went inside, Zuko and Chiara remained on the porch.

“What do you think I should do?” Zuko quietly asked her.

“That's a question you need to ask yourself,” she replied softly.

“Every time I think I know the answer, it's wrong.”

She looked up at him and gently brushed a few stray strands from his eyes. “What do you
want to do?”

“Stay here,” he answered.

“Unfortunately that's not an option.”

He stared thoughtfully into the dark forest that had become his small kingdom.

“I'm tired of running.”

“That only leaves one other option,” she said.

“Helping the Avatar.” He sighed.

She placed her hand on his back and leaned against his arm. “When I was with Aang, I told
him that your destinies were connected.”

He looked at her. “What? What do you mean?”

“Of all your ancestors that searched for the Avatar, you were the one to find him. I don't
believe that's coincidence. And knowing that your great-grandfather is Avatar Roku, I'm even
more convinced your destiny is being Aang's ally.”

He quietly contemplated her words.

She looked up at him. “But you have to make that decision. No one can make it for you. Just
know this: whichever path you decide to take, I'm on your side—not the Fire Nation's, not the
Avatar's. I am your humble and loyal subject.”

Her words sent a pleasant jolt through his body and brought a smile to his countenance, and
they made the prospect of leaving their little paradise even more difficult. He leaned down
and tenderly pressed his lips against hers before putting his arms around her and holding her
close. “I still think you're my destiny.”

When the day of the festival arrived, all three headed to the town. There were crowds of
people enjoying the different entertainment and variety of food. After leaving their ostrich
horses in the corral, Zuko held Chiara's hand on his arm, and they followed Iroh as he made
his way towards the food booths.

“It smells wonderful,” he said. “What shall we eat first?”

“Anything that's been alive at one time,” said Zuko as Chiara giggled.

“We haven't had pig chicken in a while,” said Iroh. “Or roast duck.”

They found a booth that offered skewered pig chicken, and as soon as they received their
skewers and turned to walk away, Iroh's eyes grew wide.

“A tea booth!” he said excitedly before quickly making his way towards it.

Zuko and Chiara followed.

“Three ginsengs, please,” he said.

They took their pig chicken skewers and tea and found a quiet place in the grass where they
could listen to the music.

“Somebody just discovered how to burn water,” said Iroh, grimacing after taking a sip of his
tea.

Chiara was giggling until she tried hers. “Ew...you're right. I didn't think that was possible.”
Zuko playfully rolled his eyes. “Seriously, you two are the pickiest people when it comes to
hot leaf juice. How bad can it be?” he asked before taking a sip and frowning.
“Ugh...that...that is pretty bad. I'm sure the owner of the Jasmine Dragon could teach him
how to make tea properly.”

Iroh started laughing.

After eating, they walked around the festival watching a variety of shows, including
earthbending performances. Walking by a group of people dancing, Zuko looked down at
Chiara and smiled.

“Do you want to dance?”

Returning the smile, she nodded, and he led her among the other couples who were dancing.
He regally bowed to her and she returned it with a graceful curtsy. Stepping towards her he
slid his arm around her lower back drawing her close while guiding her to the music as she
kept her body in sync with his. Had anyone besides Iroh been paying closer attention, their
aristocratic upbringing might be betrayed in their refined movements. Even disguised in the
clothes of Earth Kingdom peasants, Zuko looked every bit the Crown Prince he was and
Chiara the noble she had been raised to be.

“They really look like they're enjoying themselves.”

Iroh grinned at the doctor who had just walked up. “They haven't danced since their
wedding...unless you count practicing with their swords.”

The doctor laughed. “Some would call that dancing.”

“I'm sure they would.”

Zuko's golden eye was submersed in Chiara's sea green ones never wanting to surface from
them, and yet he was keenly aware of the feel of her hand on his arm and the other in his
own. Her heart pounded at the sight of his golden orb, like a tiny sun, peering out through his
long dark hair that hung down almost carelessly around his face and swayed about with their
every step and turn. When he smiled at her she saw the bright-eyed young boy she had grown
up with. She had been relieved to see that smile return shortly after their return to the Earth
Kingdom, and she hoped he would never lose it again.

At the end of the song, everyone stopped dancing, and Zuko stood still, holding her in his
arms not ready to emerge from her eyes.

“Very good,” said Iroh who seemed to materialize next to them from out of nowhere.

Zuko reluctantly broke his gaze from hers and looked at his uncle.

“May I have my daughter's next dance?” he asked.

Chiara smiled as she took Iroh's hand and they danced to the more lively tune that played
next. Zuko stood off to the side watching them. Iroh proved himself quite nimble, and he
danced with a little more spirit to match the more festive song, but it did not hide his own
royal blood in his polished steps. Zuko fixed his eyes on Chiara, watching as her skirt flowed
gracefully around her every time Iroh spun her around, and her long braid would sway with
her every elegant move. Her mother's diadem shone brightly against her dark skin and hair
making her look like a princess.

Forcing his eyes away from her, he disappeared into the crowd.

At the end of the song, Iroh and Chiara walked off to the side where Zuko had been.

“I wonder where Lee went,” said Iroh.

“I don't know. I thought he was over here somewhere.”

“Lin, you danced quite beautifully out there,” said the doctor.

“Thank you,” she smiled. “But I'm only as good as my partners.”

He laughed. “And your partners were no less impressive.”

“Have you seen Lee?” Iroh asked him.

“I haven't since he was dancing earlier.”

Iroh was puzzled.

“Huh,” said Chiara scanning the crowds. “I wonder where he went.”

“Dessert?” said Zuko as he came up behind them holding pastries.

Iroh's smile grew wide when he saw the exquisite desserts, and he and Chiara each took one.

“Doctor?” Zuko offered.

“Oh, no thank you,” he said. “I've already partaken of such forbidden sweets.”

“We need to find more of these,” said Iroh.

“Be careful,” warned Chiara. “It was food like this that got you in trouble the first time we
were here.”

Iroh chuckled. “Yes, and it hasn't left me since,” he said patting his belly.

The rest of the afternoon was spent watching the performances, eating, and with more
dancing.

---------------------

Towards the late afternoon they left the festival and started back towards the cabin. Zuko was
sitting behind Chiara with his arms around her as he held the reins, and both were reliving
their dances in their minds.
“It's the royal traitors!”

Breaking from their pleasant memories, they looked around and found themselves ambushed
by Fire Nation soldiers, so Chiara took the reins from Zuko.

“Hang on,” she said.

He quickly ripped off his eye patch and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

“Into the field,” said Iroh veering off the road to their right.

They rode into a field where they were pursued. As a soldier rode up next to them, Zuko
pulled out a sword and fought him while Chiara guided their ostrich horse dodging fire
missiles. Zuko quickly sliced through the saddle strap causing the rhino's rider to tumble off.
Iroh was sending fire missiles behind him taking out a few soldiers who were unable to avoid
them with the komodo rhinos being less nimble than the ostrich horses. They continued
riding through the field, but another soldier caught up to Zuko and Chiara. Jumping off the
ostrich horse, Zuko leaped onto the komodo rhino and threw its rider off. When Chiara
quickly glanced behind to check on Iroh, she saw him knocked off his ostrich horse. She
immediately turned back to help him. Zuko turned back too.

“You keep going,” she said to Zuko who was now riding next to her. “I'll help him.”

“I'm not leaving you guys here.”

“Head through the woods,” she said, pointing west. “The river's on the other side.”

She jumped off her ostrich horse next to Iroh.

“Go, Zuko,” said Iroh.

It was too late, though, as more soldiers caught up. The firefight that ensued spooked all the
animals who started scattering in all directions forcing Zuko to quickly jump off the rhino.
All three fought the soldiers, Iroh with fire, Zuko with fire and swords, and Chiara with her
sword, but as soon as they defeated them, more men were running towards them.

“Have they sent the whole army after us?” growled Zuko.

He quickly grabbed Chiara's hand and started running for the forest.

“Come on, Uncle,” he called.

Once they were deeper in the woods Chiara pulled Zuko in another direction.

“The river's this way,” she said.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”
They continued running, and suddenly Zuko stopped and pulled her close to him wrapping
his arms around her to protect her as fire fell in front of them. They ran around it and kept
running until they made it to the river, but the soldiers were not far behind.

“We need to get across,” said Iroh.

Chiara was already moving to make an ice raft on the water, and then she turned and began
sending ice spikes towards the soldiers, some which she trapped against trees or the ground.
While Zuko and Iroh were busy shooting fire blasts towards their enemies, Chiara started
making an ice wall to their left and right along the riverbank. Both Iroh and Zuko were
extremely impressed by her quick defensive and offensive work; she had grown more
powerful than they had imagined.

“Which direction are we going on the other side?” she asked as she worked.

“We go north,” said Iroh.

“Go across,” she said.

Zuko grabbed her hand to pull her along with him as she was setting up ice spikes as a
blockade. They stepped on the raft, and Chiara turned to Zuko and kissed him. He was
stunned by her kiss in the middle of a battle.

“I love you,” she said before quickly jumping back on shore and forcing the raft away.

“No!” said Zuko reaching for her when he realized what she was doing.

“Trust me,” she said.

He tried to go after her, but he was frozen to the raft.

“Uncle, help her!”

“I can't,” he said as he was also frozen to the raft.

By the time they freed themselves, they were halfway across the river, and the fog cover she
produced to protect them blocked their view so they could not see what was happening. The
fire attacks from the soldiers were lighting up the fog and it was hard to make out where the
blast had hit, but it sounded like the fight was moving south on the shore. As they landed on
the other side, Iroh pulled Zuko into the woods.

“No. I won't let her do this,” he said struggling to get back to the shore.

“Zuko, trust her. She's a powerful waterbender.”

“I can't let her sacrifice herself for me again. We need to find her.”

“She's leading them away from us.”

“I can't leave her,” he insisted.

“We won't leave her,” Iroh tried to assure him. “Just give her time...”

“What if she's captured?” argued Zuko.

“Then we'll find where they're holding her and rescue her.”

“But they'll kill her,” the younger prince argued.

“Not before interrogating her.”

Zuko did not find that to be consoling. “Even more reason for us to go after her now.”

“I thought you were going north?” asked Chiara from behind them.

Both men turned around, shocked to see her.

“We were going after you,” said Zuko.

“No,” she said. “I told you to trust me. I tried to make them think we went south, and then I
doubled back under the water.”

“Then why did you tell me you love me before forcing us across the river?” he demanded.

“Because I do...and just in case...”

He grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her. “We don't separate again,” he said sternly.
He released her, except for her hand. “And that was incredible,” he said in awe at what she
had done at the river.

Iroh laughed as he, too, was impressed by her work.

They started going northwest, eventually arriving at a village that they realized too late had
been taken over by the Fire Nation. When the soldiers saw them, they immediately started
after them. Running in a different direction, they came to another river.

“There is never a bridge when you need one,” said Iroh, yet as he was speaking, Chiara had
raised part of one up out of ice. “I-I spoke too soon.”

“Go,” she said as she was pulling water from the river to build more defenses along the
shore.

Zuko grabbed her hand and pulled her along, and they began running across the bridge. As
they approached the edge of the unfinished bridge, Iroh and Zuko started slowing down, but
Chiara kept pulling Zuko with her while completing the bridge as they went. While they were
running across, several of the soldiers had gone around her riverbank defenses and were
following them across the ice bridge, but before Chiara even stepped off the bridge onto the
other shore, she started melting the ice behind her causing some of the men to drop into the
water.
Running through the woods, Zuko stopped again and pulled Chiara to himself wrapping his
arms around her as a fiery arrow landed in front of them. He turned to run in a different
direction, but another arrow landed before them. Several archers soon appeared, and Zuko
stood protectively in front of Chiara, but it was clear that they were surrounded, and more
soldiers had arrived as well. Zuko took a defensive stance, fire surrounding his hands.

“Dead or alive,” said General Ikong smoothly as he walked up to them. “It makes no
difference to me. You may take out a few, but you can't get all the archers.”

Zuko was angry, but he let the fire die out, and he took Chiara's hand keeping in front of her.

“It looks like we finally caught a great prize for the Fire Lord,” said Ikong. “The once great
General-turned-traitor and the traitor Prince.” He stood in front of Zuko. “Your father will be
very pleased to see you.” He let out a sarcastic snort. “Or not.”

“Let them go,” demanded Zuko.

“You're in no position to make demands, traitor. Restrain them.”

As the archers kept their arrows aimed, several soldiers grabbed hold of each of them. They
pulled Chiara away from Zuko, her hand slipping from his.

“Get your hands off her,” growled Zuko as he struggled against the soldiers.

They forced Iroh and Zuko into firebender restraints.

Ikong stood before Iroh. “Traitor General, you will be returned to the Fire Nation where you
will await your execution.”

“It's a shame to see such a wonderful vacation come to an end,” he said, sounding
disappointed.

Ikong struck him.

“No,” said Chiara as she and Zuko both tried to pull away from their captors.

“Pathetic,” spat Ikong glaring down at Iroh.

“What's pathetic is that you needed a whole army to capture him,” snapped Chiara, furious
that he had hit Iroh.

Zuko had rarely ever heard Chiara snap at anyone, but he knew that no one insulted her
General without being rebuked.

“And only a coward hits a restrained man,” she added.

“Chiara...,” said Iroh, who, though impressed and grateful for her defense, was worried about
her. “...self-control.”

Zuko and Chiara were reminded of their conversation at the Western Air Temple.
Ikong walked over to her and gave her a hostile glare before looking back at Iroh. “So this is
the Water Tribe spy the son of Fire Lord Azulon brought into the Fire Nation. This is what
cost you your honor and your life,” he said to Iroh.

He turned and swiftly slapped her.

“Don't touch her!!” yelled Zuko and Iroh at the same time as they struggled so hard more
men were required to hold them back even with their restraints.

Ikong was amused by their anger. “The Water scum is not worth our time,” he said in a
simple tone. “She can be disposed of now.”

“No!” yelled Zuko and Iroh as the soldiers stood Chiara in front of a tree.

Ikong was laughing maliciously at them. “And you made such an effort to protect her.”

They chained her wrists.

“Ikong, do not do this!” demanded Iroh. “She is just a child.”

He scowled at him. “Child? Anyone who fights against the Fire Nation is not a child. This
spy is not a child. Ready weapons,” he commanded the archers.

Zuko and Iroh were struggling so much the soldiers were forced to use more restraints on
them.

“Stop!!” yelled Zuko.

“I love you both,” said Chiara. It broke her heart seeing them so distressed, but she refused to
take her eyes from them. She wanted them to be the last thing her eyes saw of the mortal
world.

“Take aim,” Ikong ordered the archers who followed his command targeting Chiara's heart.

“Don't do this!” yelled Zuko, fire emanating from his restrained hands.

“F...”

“She is royal property, Ikong!” yelled Iroh deeply, interrupting his order for her execution.
“You have no right to execute her!”

General Ikong was puzzled by his words.

He walked over to Iroh. “You taking in a Water Tribe spy does not make her royal property.”

“You may not accept her royal status as my adopted daughter, but you cannot deny it to her as
Prince Zuko's wife,” he said.

The whole forest seemed to freeze at the revelation, even Zuko and Chiara.

“If you execute her, you are executing royal property,” Iroh continued.
Ikong glared at him angrily before tramping over to Chiara and grabbing her hand.

“Check the traitor Prince!” he furiously demanded after seeing the ring.

When they found a matching ring on Zuko, one of the soldiers nodded towards the general.

“Now I understand your effort,” said Ikong sharply, looking at Zuko. “It seems this pretty
face was too much for you. So not only are you a traitor to the Fire Nation, but you are a
traitor to the royal family and to the throne by taking this pathetic Water filth as your wife.”
Zuko tried to jump at him. “This is quite a dilemma,” Ikong continued more calmly.

“You cannot touch her,” snarled Iroh.

“Maybe I can't execute the Water savage, but I am quite sure the Fire Lord will take great
pleasure in eradicating it.”

“Let her go,” demanded Zuko. “She's innocent.”

“Innocent? She resisted arrest, broke out of prison, and assisted two traitors. That makes her
guilty of crimes against the Fire Nation.”

“She is innocent,” said Zuko desperately. “I broke her out of prison, and I-I forced her to help
us.”

Ikong laughed at the obvious lie. “I think I'll recommend public execution for her.”

“No!” yelled Zuko.

Despite his protests, they were all transported back to the Fire Nation where they were
imprisoned.

When General Ikong was given permission to enter the throne room, he marched towards the
Fire Lord who sat still as a statue upon his throne beneath the baldacchino and behind the
golden flames. Azula sat on his right side looking quite bored.

“Fire Lord Ozai,” said the general genuflecting before him, “I have returned with the traitor
Iroh. He is being detained in Capital City Prison.”

The princess perked up at the news.

“And what of Zuko?” asked Ozai.

“He was also taken prisoner and is currently being held in the prison.”

“I want him to be brought to the palace,” ordered Ozai.

Azula's eyes turned to her father, but she said nothing.

Ikong had not expected the Fire Lord's order. “He already freed the traitor Iroh once, my
Lord. Is it wise to bring him here?”

“He won't free the traitor again,” he said with certainty.

General Ikong hesitated.

“Is there something else, General?” asked Ozai.

“I-I have other information about your son, my Lord.”

“What is it?”

“He took a wife...”

The flames before the throne grew higher. Ikong had to force himself not to cower.

“What?!” screeched Azula, unable to control herself. “That Water Tribe whore!”

Ozai raised his hand to silence her.

“Is it true?” asked Ozai. “Was it the Water Tribe girl my traitor brother brought into the Fire
Nation?”

“Yes, Fire Lord.”

“Where is she?”

“She has also been captured and is being detained in the prison. I recommend public
execution to send a warning to all traitors and spies.”

“I will consider your recommendation,” said Ozai. “You are dismissed, General.”

“I'll bet that Water Tribe whore is behind this,” said Azula as soon as Ikong was gone. “She'd
do anything to be part of the royal family. She's been brainwashing Zuko since we were kids
and she finally convinced him to marry her.”

“She will need to be disposed of.”

“Allow me to handle her, Father. I've been wanting to do this for a long time.”

Ozai nodded.

Iroh and Chiara had been detained in a prison cell together, but Zuko, who had been in his
own cell, was moved to the palace.

The day after their arrival, the door to Iroh and Chiara's cell creaked open and the new
warden Poon and a guard entered. Poon unlocked the bars allowing the guard to step into the
cage where he grabbed Chiara's arm and roughly pulled her to her feet. Iroh struggled to
stand up even with his arms and wrists bound against his chest.

“Leave her alone!” he demanded.

Poon slammed the bars shut. “The prince's wife has a date with the executioner.”

“I love you,” she said to Iroh from the other side of the bars as the guard pulled her towards
the door. “Tell Prince Zuko I love him and to remember his true destiny.”

“Wait!” yelled Iroh. “Appeal! I want to appeal her trial...”

She was yanked out into the hall.

“There was no trial, so there will be no appeal,” said the warden.

“How can she be executed without a trial?” asked Iroh.

“The ring on her finger makes her guilty without the need for a trial. She is to be executed
immediately by order of Fire Lord Ozai.”

“No!”

The warden ignored him.

“I want to speak to my brother!” demanded Iroh.

“I doubt the Fire Lord will want to speak to you,” said Poon.

“Take me to him now!” he ordered.

“Hmm...that'll take some time to arrange, and by then the spy's sentence will have been
carried out. Sounds like a waste of my time doing paperwork,” he added with a smirk before
leaving the cell.

“Chiara!” yelled Iroh desperately.

Iroh continued fighting against his restraints to no avail as they led his daughter to a chamber
down the hall. A few minutes later, the door to his cell creaked opened again, but this time a
more sinister figure entered.

“Why, Uncle, look at you.”

He paused his attempt to break free in order to glare at his niece. “Why are you here?” he
asked deeply.

“I just found out my brother was married, and I've come to visit my dear sister-in-law.”

The pleasantry in her voice did not cover her sadistic intent, and Iroh was instantly filled with
worry.
“That little Water tramp finally managed to dig her claws into poor, gullible Zuzu,” she said,
dropping the false geniality. “He always was so naive when it came to his precious Chiara.”

“Let her go,” demanded Iroh.

“Oh, that's quite impossible. She stole and desecrated royal property, so now she's going to
find out what happens when you play with fire.”

Blue flames danced around her fingertips, and Iroh again fought a losing battle against his
restraints.

“Azula, don't do this!”

Her lip curled as she turned away from him to continue down the hall. Approaching Chiara's
chamber she could still hear her uncle's shouts amid his wild struggle to break free of his
chains. She entered the cell where Chiara was being held. The shackles around her wrists
were joined to a chain that was connected to the floor. The chain was so short she could not
stand up straight forcing her to remain on her knees. Azula reached down and grabbed her
left hand, looking at the wedding ring.

“So it's true. You, a little Water Tribe peasant, stole my idiot brother's heart.”

Chiara remained silent as Azula released her hand.

“You were just determined to get into the royal household one way or another, weren't you?”

Chiara said nothing. Azula glared at her before standing tall.

“Well then, first, I bring you a message from Fire Lord Ozai,” she announced. “My father, the
Fire Lord, has just learned that you seduced Zuko into marrying you. His son, the Prince of
the Fire Nation, married to common Water filth—well, you can imagine that doesn't look
good for my father.” A long, blue fire whip grew from the princess's hand. “This is his
message for you.”

She brought the whip down on Chiara's back. The pain caused her to pull the chain taut as
she tensed up, but that she did not scream or yell surprised Azula who expected her to beg for
mercy. She struck the prisoner again trying to get her to scream. Down the hall Iroh could
hear the torture. Every sound of the fire whip against his daughter's skin drove him mad.

Azula paused the punishment. “Not impressed with that message?” she asked. “Well, I also
bring you a message from Zuko,” she said. “Since Zuzu's been home, he's broken free of
whatever witchy spell you put on him to seduce him. He hates you now. He realizes the
mistake he made marrying you so he sent me here to undo it.”

She walked behind Chiara and leaned close to her.

“But before I break up your illicit marriage, by which I mean kill you, I'm going to punish
you again for ever thinking that you're worthy of being part of the royal family. You never
were and you never will be.”
Azula began beating her again. Despite the pain, Chiara refused to cry out which only
frustrated and infuriated the Fire Princess. She stood in front of her scowling down at her.

“I am so done with you,” she hissed.

Chiara closed her eyes as Azula moved her arms in an arc generating lightning and took aim
to shoot her.

The flash could be seen through the small window in the door of Iroh's cell as it reflected off
the corridor walls. He fell to his knees, his heart crushed at the unmistakable sound of the
lightning strike.

A few moments later, Azula stood before him once again. He could not raise his eyes to look
at his niece.

“You and Zuko have something else in common, Uncle. My dear brother is now a widower.”

The pain in his heart deepened.

She held Chiara's diadem up to her forehead. “How do I look?”

Taking the bait, Iroh glanced up at the sacrilege. Rage coursed through him, and jumping to
his feet he lunged at her spitting fire through the bars. Azula nearly missed diverting the
flames while moving out of their path. After composing herself from the unexpected attack of
His Royal Tea-Loving Kookiness, she forced a cruel smile.

“Yes, I thought so too,” she said amiably. “Just a worthless Water scum trinket.”

She turned and left. Iroh said nothing as he sank back to his knees, his heart broken that his
daughter was dead.
 House Arrest
Chapter Notes

The reviews were great...thanks.

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, but I usually skim through the following
chapter before posting the current one. Unfortunately, I found so many issues with the
next chapter, I didn't want to post this one until I had the future chapter resolved because
sometimes changes need to be made to the past to fix the future (Yay! temporal
mechanics). Anyways, I'm still not completely happy with these next two chapters, but,
sadly, time is limited.

Zuko had been kept imprisoned in his own room in the palace after being moved from the
Prison Tower. He was given no information, and no one would answer his questions
whenever he asked about Iroh or Chiara. A few days later, escorted by two guards, he was
brought to the throne room.

Ozai glared darkly at his son as he approached. The flames that usually hid all but the Fire
Lord's silhouette were not burning, but Zuko thought that Ozai's piercing glare burned hotter
than any fire. Azula, sitting at her father's right, merely smirked maliciously.

“I have been informed that my traitor son has been brainwashed by a Water Tribe spy,” said
Ozai in a deep voice.

Zuko felt enraged. “That's not true!”

“But if it is true, Father, then being a traitor might not be his fault,” said Azula cunningly. “I
think Uncle might have made an alliance with the Water Tribe and used her to seduce Zuko in
order to usurp the throne.”

“That's ridiculous,” said Zuko appalled by her accusation. “She's lived here most of her life.”

“And you've always had a soft spot for her,” she hissed.

“She was my best friend, Azula. That doesn't make her a spy. She loves the Fire Nation.”

Her eyes narrowed. “So you marry the little tramp?”

“This is a problem that can be eliminated,” boomed the Fire Lord's voice interrupting his
bickering children.

“No!” yelled Zuko taking a step forward. He shrugged off the hand one of the guards placed
on his shoulder. “Don't hurt her. She's innocent. I was banished from home, so I made a new
home...”
“A banishment that you chose after breaking Iroh out of prison!” shouted Ozai angrily not
knowing that Zuko and Chiara had been married since Ba Sing Se.

“He didn't deserve to be executed,” said Zuko. “He's not a traitor, and he wasn't trying to take
the throne. We were living peacefully in the Earth Kingdom, and I-I just wanted a family.”

“And you take a low-life peasant of the Water Tribe?!” he yelled, his voice full of revulsion.
“The royal blood is wasted on you.”

“Just let her go. I'll do whatever you want...”

“Too late,” said Ozai.

“Please don't hurt her,” he begged.

“General Ikong recommended public execution...”

“You can't,” he pleaded, shaking his head.

“I agree,” said Ozai.

Zuko breathed a little sigh of relief. He would never give up trying to break her out of any
prison his father sentenced her to, and he instantly began making escape plans in his head.

“This was a private affair and it was dealt with privately,” continued the Fire Lord.

The prince's heart stopped. “What do you mean 'was'?” he asked worriedly.

“I mean it's been handled.”

“No.” He tried to take another step forward. This time both guards pulled him back. “Execute
me instead...”

“There's no point in that now, Zuzu,” smirked Azula. “You're free of that disgrace.”

He was shaking his head not believing her words. “No...”

“I'm sure you remember the words 'until death',” she said.

There was a pain in his chest that was throbbing with every heartbeat.

“The little Water whore's already been executed.”

He did not want to believe her. “You're lying,” he growled.

“Am I?”

She tossed the diadem on the floor where it landed at his feet. Zuko's heart stopped when he
focused on the silvery swirling metal and gemstones, and he slowly reached down to pick it
up.
“Lightning and water don't mix,” she said.

Gripping the diadem tightly in his hand, he angrily started towards his sister, but the guards
grabbed onto him holding him back.

“You're lying, Azula! You always lie!” he yelled ignoring the men gripping his arms.

“Remove him!” ordered Ozai.

They struggled to take him out of the throne room before forcing him back to his room where
he was locked up and kept under guard.

------------------

Iroh had been lying in his cell looking and feeling lost when Warden Poon walked in.

“About your petition to see the Fire Lord,” he started. “Request denied.”

Iroh said nothing.

“It looks like your brother doesn't want to see you,” continued Poon. “...not that that matters
now anyways.”

Iroh just lay there silently, ignoring him.

“Ikong told me you were pathetic,” said the warden sneering at him. “Looks like he was
right.”

Poon continued glaring at him as he remained silent.

“All this over some Water Tribe savage,” he continued, trying to get some reaction out of
him.

Iroh lay there not taking the bait, but it did not stop Poon.

“The Crown Prince of the Fire Nation raising some foreign brat, and you really thought you
were going to get away with it? If you ask me, she got what she deserved. And it won't be
long before the Fire Lord condemns you to death too.”

Iroh remained impassive, so Poon shook his head in disgust and walked out. He suspected
that the Order of the White Lotus was planning his rescue, and he wished they had been able
to get Chiara out before her cruel execution. His eyes filled with tears—tears of deep sorrow
he had not felt since losing his Lu Ten....Not knowing how long he would be locked in the
prison, he knew he could not just sit in his cell and mourn. As soon as the warden was gone,
he started doing sit-ups.

-------------------

Zuko spent the day pacing in his room trying to focus on a plan to sneak out in order to go to
the prison to speak to Iroh. He knew if he was going to attempt to rescue his uncle, and
hopefully Chiara, he needed to be able to get in and out of his room without being spotted or
caught. The guards outside his bedroom door left him no choice but to sneak out of his room
another way, and he would not be able to do that until it was dark. Feeling frustrated with his
situation, he paced his room until the glow of the green crystal on the windowsill caught his
eye. He picked it up and gazed at it, turning it over in his hand admiring the beautiful green
hue—green like Chiara's eyes. He remembered the last time she was in prison, how dispirited
and despondent she appeared. But as much as it saddened him to imagine her in that position
again, he felt it would be better than her death—at least there would be a chance to break her
out. He knew his father and Azula would have no issue with killing her, but he wanted to
believe she was still alive. He replaced the crystal on the sill, and looking out his window
down at the pond, he started to reminisce his and Chiara's days playing with the turtle ducks.
While he was quietly staring out the window, he ignored whoever walked into his room
knowing it was no one he was concerned with at the moment since they were both currently
imprisoned...or gone, he was still unsure.

“Living in the past, Zuzu?” said Azula now standing next to him looking out the window.

The mere sound of her voice sent a wave of fury through his body, but he knew he needed to
remain calm and just play along with her game until he could find out the truth.

“Tell me, Brother, what made you leave?”

He remained silent.

She rolled her eyes at his silent treatment. “For over three years you tried to capture the
Avatar and regain your honor, and when you finally come home to all that glory you give it
all up and run away back to the Earth Kingdom.”

“You wouldn't understand if I told you,” he said listlessly.

“Try me.”

He sighed to himself. “You really think Uncle deserved to die?”

“He raised a Water Tribe spy...”

“Stop, Azula!” he demanded, now scowling at her. “You know that's not true!” He was
already losing his temper, and he knew he had to keep control.

“Then why did he hide what she was?”

“Why do you think? Do you really believe he would've been able to raise her in the Fire
Nation in Caldera if everyone had known she was a waterbender?”

“He never should've brought her here.”

“If you and Ozai have such a problem with it, then why did you bring us back here?” he
asked, refusing to call Ozai “father”.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “When Uncle and his spy fought against me in defense of the
Avatar, that made them traitors. You helped them escape, so that makes you a traitor.”

“We were no threat to the Fire Nation. We were living quietly as far away as possible, but
you just couldn't leave us alone.”

“If you're against the Fire Nation, you don't deserve freedom.” She turned her eyes out the
window. “I don't understand you, Zuko. You were born of royal blood. Why would you
possibly want to live like some peasant?” she asked with disgust in her voice.

He sighed deeply. “There's no shame in living a life of simple poverty,” he said calmly,
repeating Iroh's words.

A condescending laugh came out of her mouth as she looked up at him. “Are you serious?”

“We were happy there. I was happy.”

“Happy? I doubt you were happy, Brother,” she said snidely.

“I told you you wouldn't understand,” he said staring blankly at the palace garden in the
distance.

“You really expect me to believe you were happy being a filthy serf? Growing cabbages?
Milking moo-sows? Raising a litter of half-breed brats by that peasant whore? None of that is
you.”

Zuko tensed up at her words causing her lip to curl slightly as she took pleasure in knowing
she was getting to him. He had nearly lost control, but knowing that was what she wanted, he
desperately fought the rage inside him.

“Then you don't know me very well,” he growled deeply.

“If you really believe that's what you were meant to do with your life, then Father was right,”
she said. “The royal blood is wasted on you.”

Zuko said nothing. Azula looked back out the window.

“Do you know why Father brought you here from the prison?” she asked casually.

He did not answer her.

“I'll take your silence as a 'no' then,” she said. “He knows you're too weak to do anything
about it. He can keep you inside the palace walls knowing that you're too impotent to do
more than whine about it. Sure you could escape again and run away like a coward, but he
knows you're no threat to him. If you ask me, it almost sounds like he's daring you to do
something...desperate. I think he might actually have a shred of respect for you if you did,”
she taunted him.

He continued ignoring her.

“But no. Not little Zuzu. You're like a little tigerdillo. You'll growl and threaten to attack, but
in the end you just tuck your tail between your legs and curl up into a ball. And like the
pathetic little animal you are, Father will keep you caged up. He'll throw you some crumbs,
remind you of what a failure you are to him and the whole royal family, and if you escape out
of your cage to mate with some sea slug, he'll just catch you and put you back.”

Zuko was trying to relax his clenched fists as she turned to leave.

“Where is she, Azula?” he asked deeply.

She stopped and turned to him as he walked towards her. “What does it matter?”

“She's my wife. I have a right to know where she is,” he said, his voice still deep.

“Do you really believe she loved you?” she asked. “She was just using you, you know. You
were nothing but a pawn in her and Uncle's little game. You meant nothing to her.”

“That's you, Azula. Everyone around you is just a pawn in your games. Just like Ozai, you
don't care about anyone but yourself, and Chiara is nothing like you.”

He watched her smirk disappear. “How dare you compare me to that Water filth!” she yelled.

Zuko's temper was flaring too high for him to take pleasure in seeing Azula lose her own.

“Tell me where she is,” he demanded.

“I already told you,” she said frowning at him. “She's been executed.”

“I know you're lying.”

She let out a dramatic sigh. “Fine, Zuko,” she said, regaining her composure. “If you really
want to see your little sea slug, just go to the prison.”

He felt some sense of relief, and his mind returned to his plans to get inside the prison. Azula
turned to leave, but then she stopped and looked at him again.

“I should warn you, Brother, they don't do a good job of cleaning the incinerator where they
dispose of the bodies, so her ashes...”

Zuko was on her before she even knew what hit her. His hand was wrapped around her throat
as he shoved her against the wall knocking the air out of her lungs.

“If you're telling the truth, then there's no reason I shouldn't kill you!” he threatened deeply.

Azula was struggling to inhale through his grip, and she grabbed his hand with her own
trying to pull him off. Creating electricity, she tried to shock him off her, but expecting it, and
despite the pain, he refused to let go of her.

“Tell me where she is!!” he demanded.

She sent a steady stream of electricity through him, but he only tightened his grip on her
neck.

“Is everything okay, Princess...?”

The guard, seeing the situation, immediately ran in and grabbed Zuko trying to pull him off
his sister just as another guard ran in to help, but they had trouble getting him to release his
hold on her. A third guard, hearing the commotion, ran in and helped until they were finally
able to break Zuko's grip. When Azula was free, she put her hands to her neck taking deep
breaths and looking completely disheveled and shaken by the attack. She glared disgustedly
at the guards.

“It's about time, you incompetent fools!” she tried yelling, her normally smooth voice coming
out hoarse. She watched the guards struggle to restrain Zuko who was still trying to jump at
her. “You're nothing but a filthy animal!” she yelled at him. “I can't wait until Father puts you
down.”

Angry that he was still fighting against the guards, she kicked him in the head and watched
his body go limp. She stormed out of his room.

---------------------

Iroh was lying despondently on the floor of his cell when Ming entered carrying a tray.

“I have your dinner, General Iroh.”

She knelt down and slid the tray through the bars.

“I brought you chamomile tea,” she said. “I thought it might help you relax.”

The sadness in Iroh's heart deepened at the thought of the chamomile tea, but he appreciated
Ming's kindness.

“Thank you, Ming,” he said sincerely, slowly sitting up.

She looked at him sympathetically. “I'm sorry about the waterbender,” she said softly.

Iroh's eyes were fixed blankly on the teacup. “Chamomile with mint and honey was her
favorite.” His whispering voice was filled with sadness.

“She must have been really special for you to care so much for her.”

“She was a daughter to me.”

Suddenly, the door flew open and the warden entered. Ming glanced back at him with a quick
glare, but Iroh just sat listlessly staring through the bars.

“Feeding the animals, Ming?” asked Poon rudely.

She stood up. “It was time for his dinner.”

“What a pathetic old man,” he said disgustedly, looking at Iroh who was just staring blankly
ahead. “He probably doesn't even know what to do with the food in front of him.”

Ming left the cell aggravated with Poon's attitude towards the general and frustrated that she
could do nothing about it.

“Disgusting,” spat Poon with one last look of repulsion before leaving.

---------------------

Opening his eyes, Zuko found himself on the floor of his room with a pounding headache.
The bright light coming in through his window caused him to squint when he looked up, and
he realized he had not been unconscious long as the sun was still up but was beginning to set.
He lay still for a few minutes hoping the pounding in his skull would stop. When it seemed
like it would not go away, he just rubbed the painful knot on his head and slowly ascended to
his feet. Memories of his conversation with Azula found their way back into his mind, and he
could feel the rage building back up inside him, but he refused to believe that Chiara was
dead, and he was determined to find a way into the prison. If he could safely get off the
palace grounds, then it was just a matter of getting into the tunnels under the city. Having
been observing the guards' routine outside every night, he was sure he could manage a
temporary escape.

Long after the sun had set, Zuko, dressed in black clothing, stepped out onto his balcony and
carefully climbed down the palace wall. It was nothing he had not done before, but now he
was much bigger than when he had done it years ago before his banishment. He wished that
his circumstances were different. He would much rather be climbing down the wall to sneak
a visit to Chiara at Iroh's manor as he had when they were younger. Or better yet, he wished
he were sneaking in to the palace of Fire Lord Iroh to see her and Lu Ten instead of trying to
sneak into a prison to find out if she was still alive. Reaching the ground he stealthily crept
along the wall of the palace staying in the shadows while looking out for any guards. The
most difficult part now would be getting across the open courtyard and over the palace wall
without being seen, but having broken into the Pouhai Stronghold, he was sure he could do
this.

“Prince Zuko,” he heard someone whisper.

He grit his teeth frustrated with himself for being caught so soon. He slowly turned towards
the voice, his hand resting on his knife. It seemed to be one of the kitchen staff standing
before him.

The man bowed to him. “Is there something I can help you with?” he asked Zuko.

Zuko was unsure of what to say. “Uh...no.”

“Perhaps a game of Pai Sho.”

Zuko hesitated, wondering if the man was a member of his uncle's Order. “Pai
Sho...sounds...good...,” he said awkwardly. “Is there someplace private...?”
“Follow me,” he bowed again and turned.

Zuko followed the servant who led him to the kitchen where he stopped at the familiar wall
of shelves behind which lay a hidden passage. Opening the entrance to the passageway, they
both entered. Zuko was frustrated because he was wanting to get out of the palace, but now
he was back inside. The servant stopped at a dead end.

“My name is Ren, Prince Zuko. I was told you might try to find your way out of the palace.”

Now Zuko suspected Azula had the staff watching for him. “Are you supposed to stop me?”
he asked a bit defensively.

“No, sir. I'm supposed to help you any way I can.”

The prince stared suspiciously at the man. “Who told you to help me?”

“Yuzo on the orders of Grand Lotus Iroh.”

He suddenly felt less suspicious, and he could not help feeling a profound appreciation for his
uncle. “I need to speak to my uncle in the prison.”

Ren nodded. “Yuzo will be able to help you with that. If you follow this passage, it will take
you to the Pai Sho room where you'll find him.”

“What passage?” asked Zuko looking at the solid wall.

Ren pushed it and the wall moved revealing another hidden passage. All the times he and
Chiara spent exploring the secret passages of the palace, they never suspected a solid wall to
be a door. He wished he had known about it years ago as it would have made it a lot easier to
get in and out of the palace grounds then.

“I plan on coming back here,” said Zuko.

“I'll wait for you in the kitchen. Just tap twice on the door and give me a few minutes to clear
anyone else who might be present.”

“Won't they hear me tapping?”

Ren smiled. “Most of the other staff won't deal with elephant rats.”

Zuko nodded in understanding, and then he bowed to him. “Thank you, Ren.”

He entered the new passage and continued walking until he reached the Lotus hideout where
he found Yuzo speaking with several other men he assumed to be secret members of the
Order.

“Prince Zuko,” said Yuzo. “I thought I might see you soon.”

Though Zuko thought it would be safe to speak in front of the others, he still glanced
suspiciously at them.
“I need to talk to you,” he said to Yuzo.

Yuzo understood his desire for privacy and nodded at the men who began leaving at their
dismissal.

“I need to speak to Uncle,” said Zuko when he and Yuzo were alone.

“It'll take a day or two to arrange it.”

“I want to speak with Chiara too.”

Yuzo froze. Zuko did not like the man's expression of worry mixed with sympathy.

“Prince Zuko...I...I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this...”

“Don't! Don't say it!” said Zuko. “She can't be...” He closed his eyes trying to keep control.
“They had to have hidden her somewhere.”

Yuzo was hoping the prince was right, but he had his doubts. “Give me a couple days to make
arrangements and you can speak with Iroh. And I'll...I'll ask around about Lady Chiara to
make sure,” he added softly.

Zuko nodded.

“I'll send you a signal when it's time.”

Zuko left to make his way back to the palace which forced him to be alone with his thoughts.
Hearing Yuzo confirm what Azula told him troubled him deeply. If the Order of the White
Lotus thought she was dead, then it was probably true...but he forced the idea out of his mind.
He needed to talk to his uncle. He was sure Iroh would know the truth.

Following Ren's instructions, he knocked twice on the door to the kitchen, and it was only
seconds before Ren opened it inviting him in.

“Prince Zuko,” he greeted him as he bowed. “I have your transport ready to take you back to
your room.”

Zuko's jaw dropped when he saw the laundry cart.

“I just planned on going back the way I came,” he said.

“That's too dangerous, your Highness.”

“And this won't seem suspicious at this time of night?” he asked, hesitant to be transported in
it.

“I've arranged for our own guards at your door.”

This took Zuko by surprise. “You have guards in the palace?”

“Not many, unfortunately.”

The prince stared at the laundry cart and sighed. “I suppose I've been in worse situations,” he
said before climbing in.

“Don't worry, Prince Zuko. These are clean,” said Ren as he dropped an armful of linens on
top of him.

The next day Zuko lay despondently on his bed unable to get motivated to do anything more
than worry and make mental escape plans based on as many different scenarios as he could
think up. Any hypothetical situation that involved Chiara being dead ended up drifting off
into plans of burning the palace down. He wondered how much of it he could burn before
being stopped.

After the first day, he finally forced himself to practice firebending and train with his dao
convincing himself that he needed to be in excellent physical condition in order to break his
uncle and wife out of prison this time, but as each day came to a close he grew more anxious
waiting for Yuzo's signal.

It was a few days later, while Zuko was still imprisoned in his room, that Ren brought his
dinner to him.

The servant bowed. “Prince Zuko, I'll return for your tray later tonight.”

Zuko looked puzzled, but when he lifted the tray cover, he saw a lotus tile which he took as a
sign to meet with Yuzo.

That evening, after a change of guards, Ren returned to Zuko's room and hid him under the
service tray allowing him to be taken down to the kitchen.

“Thanks for this, Ren,” he said.

“It's my pleasure to serve you, Prince Zuko,” he said as he bowed.

Zuko disappeared into the hidden passage behind the shelves, and following the tunnel
beyond the palace grounds that led to the Order's hideout, he found Yuzo talking to another
man.

“Prince Zuko,” he greeted him.

“Have you heard anything about Chiara?” he immediately asked Yuzo.

“I'm sorry, Prince Zuko. No one has seen her since...since shortly after she was brought in
and it was announced that...that she had been executed,” he finished softly.

Zuko was feeling angry, but he really wanted to talk to Iroh. He decided he would believe
nothing until he spoke to his uncle. “I need to talk to Uncle,” he said trying to control his
emotions.

“We've arranged for our guards to be on duty tonight. You'll dress as one and go with Anzo,”
he said indicating the man next to him.
 --------------------

After putting on uniforms they mounted komodo rhinos and rode to the prison where Anzo
walked him to Iroh's cell. Once Zuko entered, he removed his helmet.

“Uncle, I've been wanting to speak to you, but they won't let me leave the palace.”

Iroh was sitting quietly against the wall.

“Azula told me that Chiara's dead,” said Zuko.

Iroh slowly nodded his head as he stared into space.

“It...it can't be true. She has to be lying.”

“They took her away," he said listlessly, "and Azula...finished it.” He would never forget the
flash and sound of the lightning strike.

Zuko fell to his knees with his head in his hands.

“I thought by telling the general, it would give us a chance to escape,” said Iroh sadly. “But it
only delayed her...” He slowly shook his head unable to say “execution.” “It would have been
more merciful to let the archers....” His voice broke as tears streamed down his face.

Zuko looked down at his wedding ring and tenderly touched it. He was sad and angry, and he
felt like destroying everything around him, the whole Fire Nation.

“I'm going to kill Azula,” he said in a low, deep voice.

His threat drew Iroh from his dejected posture, and the older prince moved closer to him on
the other side of the bars. “Zuko, wait.” Zuko lifted his eyes to look at him. “You can't face
Azula...”

“She killed my wife! I won't let her get away with it!”

“It's not the right time,” said Iroh in a near-whisper. “Even if you overpower her, your father
will kill you.”

“I don't care as long as Azula pays.”

“You must allow the Avatar to face Ozai. Then you will face Azula.”

Zuko's eyes dropped back down to his ring.

Iroh's eyes fell too. “Chiara told me to tell you she loves you and to remember your true
destiny.”

“Nothing seems worth it anymore,” he said sadly.

Iroh understood his grief. Having lost his own wife, he could sympathize with his nephew.
“Do not let your grief drag you into despair, Zuko. Do not let her death be in vain. You can
change the path of the Fire Nation for the better.”

Zuko sat lost in thought running his finger over the red gem embedded in the ring.

“I'll do it, Uncle,” he said in a voice so soft it was nearly a whisper. “I'll help the Avatar
defeat Ozai, but then I'm done. I don't want the throne. I don't want anything to do with the
Fire Nation.”

He stood up and left the cell as Iroh watched him walk out. Meeting Anzo in the hall, Zuko
looked at him.

“I need to get into the storage room,” he said.

Anzo nodded.
 Day of Black Sun
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

Zuko and Anzo left the prison and returned to the tunnels. Zuko did not speak since leaving
the prison, and when they arrived in the tunnels near the Order's hideout, he dismounted the
rhino, removed the uniform he was wearing, and started walking towards the palace with a
sword and knife in his hands. He was not ready to speak to anyone. He needed time to
process everything, but there was too much to do, and now he was not sure how he would be
able to focus on his tasks. It was early in the morning, hours before sunrise when he knocked
on the kitchen door from the hidden passage.

“Prince Zuko,” bowed Ren.

Ren could see he was upset, but he knew it was not his place to ask questions, so he took him
back to his room in a laundry cart.

“If there's anything I can do for you, please let me know,” he said after Zuko climbed out of
the cart.

He nodded listlessly, and when the door was shut, he lay on his bed feeling despondent. Now,
lying alone, imprisoned in his room with nothing to do at the moment, the wound in his heart
over the loss of his wife was beginning to ache painfully as the news continued sinking in.
Before speaking to Iroh, there was always a small ray of hope that kept him from completely
caving in to despair. But that hope was gone, and he found the thought of moving on too
difficult. How could he go on without the one person who had always been there for him
even when he found his life most challenging? Even in her absence years before, he could
look forward to a messenger hawk flying to his window with words she had written to him.
Now there would be nothing but emptiness. No words of comfort in her sweet voice, no
letters addressed to him from her. He lifted her sword that was lying next to him and looked
at it. He would never see it in her hands again or spar with her or go swimming with her.
Everything they had done together would just be memories with no opportunity of making
more. The realization that she would not be in his future made him feel like abandoning
everything.

He had always divided his life into two parts: before his banishment from the Fire Nation and
after. Chiara's death made a new division, one that would erase the first. Despite the
hardships they endured, before her death there was light, a light he never appreciated. He
took the light's existence for granted. It was there; it would always be there...until it was
gone. It was only after her death that he noticed its absence; now nothing remained but
darkness. He lay grieving until the sun began to light up the sky, and he watched as the
darkness in his room was slowly overcome by the light, yet the darkness in his heart still
remained.
That morning, Iroh was sitting in his cell appearing disheveled and languid when Warden
Poon entered the room carrying a bowl of rice. The warden dropped the bowl on the floor and
kicked it towards Iroh who, like a starved animal, crawled towards the bowl and began eating
it off the floor.

Poon sneered in disgust. “Look at you,” he growled. “You're just a fat, disgusting old man.
You do nothing, you say nothing, you just eat and roll around in your own filth like a pig.”
Iroh cotinued eating as if he heard none of the insults. “You're a disgrace,” finished Poon
before spitting on the floor.

After the warden left the cell, Iroh moved the hair from his face. He sat up, picked up his
bowl, and began eating in a more dignified manner.

--------------------

It was not long after sunrise when Ren entered Zuko's room with a service cart.

“Your breakfast, Prince Zuko,” he said as he bowed.

Zuko slowly sat up. It just occurred to him that Ren was the same servant who had been
serving his meals since he had been brought back to the palace.

“Yuzo,” Zuko whispered.

Ren nodded and turned to leave.

Zuko had no appetite, but after Ren left he lifted the tray lid and saw a simple breakfast of
gruel, a few figs, and an apple. Knowing he needed to keep up his strength, he picked up the
bowl of cereal and forced himself to eat it, refusing to add any spices worried that he might
not be able to keep it down.

-------------------

Alone in his cell, Iroh started doing push-ups, clapping with every push off the floor. During
his workout, he heard footsteps coming from down the hall, and seconds later, Warden Poon
looked inside the room.

“What's going on in there?” he demanded.

Iroh was sitting on the floor, his hair disheveled and his eyes unfocused as he mindlessly
clapped in the air.

Poon glowered at him through the bars. “Crazy old man,” he huffed before walking off.

When he was gone, Iroh pushed his hair out of his face satisfied that the warden was buying
his act.

--------------------
Late that night, Ren took Zuko down to the kitchen where the prince followed the passage to
the Order's hideout. When Zuko entered the room, he recognized Chiara's tutor talking to
Yuzo.

“Master Akio,” he greeted him. Zuko had not seen Akio in years, not since before his
banishment, and he was surprised to find him in the Order. “You're in the Order of the White
Lotus?”

“Yes, Prince Zuko,” he bowed respectfully.

“Is that why Uncle chose you for...” His heart ached. He could not bring himself to say her
name out loud. “...a tutor?” his voice broke.

Akio nodded sadly. “Prince Iroh and I had been friends for a long time, and we shared similar
views. He wanted her to have a...broader education than other students in the Fire Nation.”

Zuko nodded looking a bit lost before refocusing his thoughts and turning to Yuzo. “I need a
way to get out of the Fire Nation,” he said. “A boat or something that doesn't need a crew,
just me and my uncle.”

“When do you plan on leaving?” asked Yuzo.

“On the day of the eclipse.”

Yuzo was silent as he thought about the possibilities.

“What about a small airship?” suggested Akio.

Zuko's eyes widened at the idea of an airship. “Is...is that possible?”

Yuzo considered it and slowly nodded his head. “It is.”

“How?” asked Zuko.

“The preparations for the invasion are keeping everyone busy. It should be easy to steal a
small war balloon.”

“And we don't need a crew?”

“One firebender is all you need. It's powered by hot air and propellers, and there's a sail that
works like the rudder of a ship.”

Zuko thought it would be perfect for following the Avatar's sky bison. “That's what I need.”

“I'll have it set up just north of the prison for you,” said Yuzo.

“What about supplies?” asked Zuko.

“Whatever you need, I'll make sure it's on board. Come here that day and take a mongoose
lizard to the prison. There won't be many guards on duty because of the invasion.”
Zuko nodded. He was amazed at the Order's network and resources, and it made him
appreciate his uncle all the more.

He turned to leave.

“Prince Zuko...,” said Akio. The prince turned to him. “...I'm sorry about Princess Chiara. I
know there's nothing I can say that could be consoling to you, but if there's anything you
need...”

Zuko was about to turn away, but then hesitated. “Did you know she was a waterbender?” he
asked softly.

“No, but I knew she was from the Water Tribe. And it was a pleasure and an honor to have
been her instructor.”

The prince gave him a simple nod before starting his walk back to the palace.

The next day, Warden Poon walked into Iroh's cell carrying a tray. He glared down at the old
general who sat motionless looking forlorn.

“You used to be the pride of the Fire Nation, our top general, the Dragon of the West. Now
look at you,” he said disgustedly.

He dropped the tray on the floor, and Iroh quickly grabbed a piece of fruit from the fallen tray
holding it as though he feared it would be taken from him.

“Look what you've become,” growled Poon before walking out.

When the warden was gone, Iroh began exercising.

Throughout the week, preparations for the expected invasion had kept everyone busy just as
Yuzo said. It was a huge distraction of which the Order of the White Lotus took advantage,
enabling them to secure a war balloon loaded with supplies from the list Zuko had prepared.

On the Day of Black Sun, Warden Poon was sitting on a stool in Iroh's cell.

“I bet you're tired of being in this cell, old man,” said the warden as he filed his fingernails.
“Well, too bad. You're never stepping outside these walls again.”

Ming entered carrying a tray. “Breakfast,” she said pleasantly.

Poon stood up. “Careful, Ming, don't get too close. His stench will knock you right out.”

Ming just glared at him as he walked out laughing. When he was gone, she carried the tray to
Iroh.

“I snuck in some white jade tea,” she said. “I know you like rare teas.”
Iroh turned towards her as she slid the tray through the bars. “Thank you, Ming. Ever since I
was put in here, you have been very kind to me.”

She gave him a smile.

-------------------

Early that morning, Zuko packed a bag with extra clothes and Chiara's sword and knife. He
placed his hand on his chest where her diadem rested in an inside pocket along with their
wedding portrait. He wished he had her wedding ring, but the thought of it lying covered in
ashes inside an incinerator made him feel sick to his stomach, and he had to force it out of his
mind. Then, something else came to his thoughts, and he stepped over to the headboard of his
bed. Opening a hidden compartment, he reached in and picked up a ring, his mother's ring,
which he had found among the items she left behind and he had hidden away separately from
her theater masks.

He lay on his bed looking at the ring. He was sure that the Avatar was alive and that he and
his friends would be joining the invasion of the Fire Nation that day. He knew the invasion
would fail because the Fire Nation had been ready for it, but he saw the Avatar's attack as an
advantage since he decided to join him and help him defeat his father. Then he, himself,
would deal with Azula. He remembered Chiara's suggestion that he teach the Avatar
firebending, and he was hoping she would be proud of his decision. As he stared at the fire
diamond, he wondered where he would go after the war. He imagined returning to their cabin
in the woods. He knew he could survive there on his own now indefinitely, but he was not
sure he could bear living there with memories that could never be repeated.

--------------------

Ming entered Iroh's cell carrying a tray.

“Lunchtime, General Iroh,” she said pleasantly. She knelt down before him. “And this time, I
brought you an extra bowl of rice,” she whispered.

“Thank you, Ming. Your little gestures of kindness have made my days in prison bearable,”
he said kindly. “I think you should take the rest of the day off.”

“What?” she asked with a look of confusion.

“You don't look well,” he said leaning towards her. “Maybe you should go home and rest.”

“No. I feel fine.”

He fixed his eyes on hers. “Trust me. It is better that you are not here this afternoon,” he said,
his tone grave.

She nodded in understanding, and then stood up to leave.

-------------------
As the Fire Nation was under attack, there were few guards left in the palace as most of the
soldiers were trying to defend the Nation, and the Fire Lord was hidden in an underground
bunker. Walking out of his room with his dao on his back and a bag on his shoulder, Zuko
nodded to the two Order members that had been his guards that day. He made his way
underground to find Ozai. The moon was now eclipsing the sun as he stood before the door
of the Fire Lord's bunker ready to speak to his father.

“I'm ready to face you,” he said quietly.

He slid the door open to see Fire Lord Ozai drinking tea. Ozai lowered his cup and glared at
him.

“Zuko, what are you doing here?” he asked deeply.

Zuko entered the room and stood before his father.

“Why are you here?” asked Ozai.

“I'm here to tell the truth.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Telling the truth during the middle of an eclipse. This should be
interesting.”

Ozai, feeling unthreatened by his son, dismissed the guards who filed out of the room.

“First of all,” started Zuko, “in Ba Sing Se, it was Azula who took down the Avatar, not me.”

Ozai narrowed his eyes at him. “Why would she lie to me about that?”

“Because the Avatar's not dead. He survived.”

“What?!” said Ozai.

“In fact,” started Zuko, “he's probably leading this invasion. He could be on his way here
right now.”

“Get out!” he yelled as he stood up. “Get out of my sight right now if you know what's good
for you!”

“That's another thing,” said Zuko standing his ground. “I'm not taking orders from you
anymore.”

“You will obey me or this defiant breath will be your last!” threatened Ozai as he approached
him.

Zuko pulled out his swords. “Think again. I am going to speak my mind, and you are going to
listen.”

Ozai sat down, but maintained his angry glare upon his son.
“For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me,” started Zuko. “I thought it
was my honor I wanted, but really, I was just trying to please you. You, my father, who
banished me just for talking out of turn. My father,” he said pointing one of his blades at him,
“who challenged me, a thirteen-year-old boy, to an Agni Kai. How could you possibly justify
a duel with a child?”

“It was to teach you respect!” spat Ozai.

“It was cruel! And it was wrong.”

“Then you have learned nothing.”

“No, I've learned everything!” said Zuko swinging the blade down. “And I've had to learn it
on my own! Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in
history. And somehow, the war was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the
world. What an amazing lie that was. The people of the world are terrified by the Fire Nation.
They don't see our greatness. They hate us! And we deserve it. We've created an era of fear in
the world, and if we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of
peace and kindness.”

Ozai just laughed derisively. “Your uncle has gotten to you, hasn't he?”

“Yes, he has.”

The Fire Lord angrily narrowed his eyes at him.

“After I leave here today,” continued Zuko, “I'm going to free Uncle Iroh from his prison.
He's the one who's been a real father to me.”

Ozai let out another derisive laugh. “Oh that's just beautiful. And maybe he can pass down to
you the ways of tea and failure.”

“But I've come to an even more important decision. I'm going to join the Avatar and I'm
going to help him defeat you.”

Ozai slowly leaned forward scowling at him. “Is this because of that Water Tribe spy that was
put to death?”

The sun may have been blacked out, but Zuko could feel fire in his veins, and his grip on his
swords tightened. “You are not worthy to speak of her,” he snarled.

“I should've gotten rid of that brat long ago,” taunted Ozai.

“You're going to pay for having my wife murdered,” he growled deeply.

Ozai smiled devilishly when Zuko made no attempt to attack him despite the boy's
threatening stance. “Really? Since you're a full-blown traitor now and you want me gone,
why wait? I'm powerless. You've got your swords. Why don't you just do it now?” he dared
him.
Zuko took a deep breath and reined in his temper. “Because I know my own destiny,” he said
more calmly. “Taking you down is the Avatar's destiny.” He sheathed his swords. “Goodbye.”

He turned and started walking away.

--------------------

Warden Poon entered Iroh's cell to see the old man with his back against the bars. His head
was bowed down and his uncombed hair hung down in messy strands around his face.

“You know who you remind me of?” asked Poon. Iroh just sat silently. “Some little Water
Tribe brat we had imprisoned,” Poon continued. “She used to sit in her cell looking like the
most pathetic thing I've ever seen...until now. I guess this is what happens when you hang
around savages.” He spotted Iroh's tray on the other side of the cell. “Huh, you must pick up
their bad habits too,” he said as he opened the door to retrieve the tray.

As soon as he entered through the bars, Iroh was on him.

--------------------

“Coward!” yelled Ozai at Zuko's back. “You think you're brave enough to face me, but you'll
only do it during the eclipse.” He stood up. “If you have any real courage, you'll stick around
until the sun comes out. Don't you want to know what happened to your mother?” he asked,
making Zuko stop.

He lost his wife, but maybe he could at least find his mother. He turned towards Ozai who
smirked slyly watching him take the bait.

“What happened that night?” asked Zuko.

“My father, Fire Lord Azulon, had commanded me to do the unthinkable to you, my own son,
and I was going to do it,” he admitted. “Your mother found out and swore she would protect
you at any cost. She knew I wanted the throne and she proposed a plan, a plan in which I
would become Fire Lord and your life would be spared. Your mother did vicious, treasonous
things that night. She knew the consequences and accepted them. For her treason, she was
banished.”

“So she's alive?” he asked hopefully.

“Perhaps.”

Zuko imagined a search for his mother would be a worthwhile distraction for him after the
war.

“Now I realize that banishment is far too merciful a penalty for treason,” sneered Ozai. “Your
penalty will be far steeper.”

The eclipse was ending, and Ozai could feel the power of the sun returning. With a swift
movement of his arms he was instantly surrounded by lightning. He stepped forward
directing it towards Zuko who was pushed back across the room as he drew it into his body
and then redirected the bolt sending it back towards the Fire Lord. The explosion in front of
Ozai sent him flying back into the wall. He fell to his hands and knees, seething. His eyes
glared beyond the flames on the floor in front of him, but Zuko was gone.

--------------------

Warden Poon was lying unconscious when Iroh locked the bars and left his cell. He surprised
a few guards as he made his way through the prison. Those who dared to take him on were
not expecting him to be such a formidable opponent, especially without his bending, but he
easily defeated any who challenged him. Other guards conveniently did not notice the
escaped prisoner. When Iroh finally made it into the hidden passageway, he met up with
Yuzo.

“Grand Lotus,” he said, surprised to see him alone. “Where's Prince Zuko? He was supposed
to get you out of the prison.”

“We will meet up one day,” said Iroh. “But for now our destinies are taking us in two
different directions.”

“But we provided a war balloon and supplies for both of you. He was to go to the prison for
you.”

“He'll discover soon enough that I'm not there,” said Iroh confidently. “He knows his mission
and I trust he won't give up.”

Yuzo nodded. “Then where is it you need to go?”

“I believe it's time to return to Ba Sing Se.”

--------------------

Zuko left the bunker and quickly headed to the tunnels where he mounted a mongoose lizard
which took him to the prison so he could rescue Iroh. Arriving at the prison tower, he saw
only a few guards but was confused to find many of them appearing traumatized, even
cowering as he rushed by them towards Iroh's cell.

“Uncle!” he called when he walked in.

Staring at him from behind the bars was not Iroh but the warden.

“Where's my uncle?” demanded Zuko.

Poon was trembling. “He's gone,” he said, fear still in his eyes. “I-I've never seen anything
like it. He was like a one-man army.”

The prince turned away from him as the man moved to get up.

“Hey, get me out of here!” yelled the warden still locked behind the bars.

Zuko did not even look back as he stormed out of the cell.
Chapter End Notes

Since I rearranged the entire Day of Black Sun, Iroh wasn't in the prison for much more
than a week and a half/two weeks before escaping this time, so he really didn't have time
to get buff like he did in the series. Even though his breakout was a little different in this
version, I still imagine him being a “one-man army” even without the muscle and
firebending. His exercising wasn't necessary to this AU, but because I loved those
scenes from the show, I had decided to keep them. Him clapping in the air like he's
deranged is actually an ongoing joke in our family whenever we have to do something
boring.
 Is This the Dream?

Zuko was standing in the hallway outside Iroh's former prison cell wondering what to do
next. He was about to turn to go back to the tunnels when a guard walked up to him with his
head bowed. Zuko tensed up ready to fight when the man leaned towards him.

“Check the hidden passage at the end of the lowest West Corridor,” he whispered to the
prince before quickly hurrying away down the hall.

Zuko was puzzled, but he wondered if Iroh might be waiting for him there, so he started
heading towards the lower level. Suddenly he stopped as he considered it might be a trap. He
took a deep breath and decided to take the chance. Descending to the lower floor, he carefully
walked down the West Corridor until he reached the end coming to a solid stone wall. He
glanced around in the cells nearby, but they were empty.

“Hidden passage at the end of the corridor,” he repeated softly to himself.

He ran his hand over the wall, and remembering Ren inside the tunnels in the palace, he
pushed on it. He was hoping the wall would move, but it still came as a surprise to him when
it did, and he continued pushing it until it revealed another hallway. There were no windows
to give light to this part of the prison which was deep inside the mountain, and the hall was
only lit by a few torches, so he drew his sword and slowly entered. Holding a flame in his left
hand, he cautiously walked down the dim passageway. There were prison cells on each side,
but they all appeared empty as he shone the light towards each one. When he reached the end
without finding his uncle, he suspected it might definitely be a trap, but he was not sure he
could be any more alert than he already was. He turned to leave, feeling frustrated by the
delay in his plans. Before he took another step, he hesitated when something caught his eye
in the last cell. It appeared to be a small figure lying on the floor. His heart stopped.

“Chiara?” he said.

He sheathed his sword before quickly opening the cell door. In the light he was holding, he
could see scorch marks on her back through her torn and singed clothes. Holding his breath
he approached her; he could feel his heart pounding in his chest and ears. When he knelt
down on the floor, he saw her ring shining on her finger. He leaned over her, his eyes
following her long braid as it flowed over her shoulder and coiled on the floor near her chest.
He tenderly moved some loose strands of hair from her face.

“Chiara?” he said softly, suspecting he might be dreaming.

Her skin was cold and bruised and covered in dried blood. He touched her neck searching for
a pulse. He felt nothing but a broken feeling in his heart. He wondered how the universe
could be so cruel that she would remain dead even in his dreams.

Allowing his flame to dissipate, he scooped her up in his arms and held her to his chest. He
let his tears fall down his cheeks and onto her hair. It could not possibly be a dream—not
when reality was so much more painful. He did not want to move. He wanted to stay there
until he died holding her in his arms.

“I am so done with you,” Azula hissed at her.

Chiara closed her eyes when Azula moved her arms in an arc generating lightning. The fire
princess took aim sending the streak of blinding light across the room. It struck the wall
sending pieces of stone flying in all directions.

“You know what?” she said. “And this is just between us girls...I don't think I'm ready to end
this family relationship.” She stepped up to her sister-in-law and leaned in close. “I am
going to have much more fun breaking you.” As she stood up straight she pulled off Chiara's
diadem before turning to the guards. “Take her to my private cell below. And as far as
everyone knows, she's dead.” She narrowed her eyes. “And if it leaks out otherwise, I will
find the one responsible and that person will be dead.” Azula turned back to her prisoner and
everything went black.

“I love you, Chiara.”

“Prince Zuko?” she whispered.

Zuko's heart leaped at the sound of her soft voice. “Chiara?!” He moved her to look into her
eyes to make sure it was real, but he could barely see them in the dim light.

“Am I dreaming?” she struggled to say.

“No,” he said breathing a sigh of relief upon hearing her speak again. He kissed her forehead.

She slowly reached up and tenderly touched his face, her chains softly rattling with her
movement. “You're alive.”

“Yes,” he said. “And so are you.”

He hugged her tightly.

“I love you.” Her voice was weak.

“I love you too.” He released her and caressed her face. “I can't believe this. They told me
you were dead.”

“Azula told me you were dead,” she said softly as tears of joy fell down her face.

“She's a liar. I'm so sorry she did this to you. I'm going to get you out of here.”

She felt like a little skeleton to him as he stood up with her in his arms. He carried her
through the prison and held her as he rode the mongoose lizard towards the war balloon that
was docked north of the prison as Yuza promised. Zuko carried her inside and laid her down.
He was worried about her loss of consciousness since they left the prison, but he forced
himself to leave her side and fire up the balloon to get them safely in the air. As soon as he
saw the Avatar's bison flying off after the failed invasion, he began following them. Once
they seemed to be on a steady course, he knelt down by Chiara's side to check on her. He
went through the supplies provided by the Order until he found a small knife which he used
to pick the lock of her shackles that had left her wrists red and bruised. He took a clean cloth
and water and began tenderly cleaning the blood from her face which revealed a cut on her
forehead that had bled over her left eye and cheek down to her neck. Her lip had also been
split on the right side, and her right cheekbone was bruised. When he finished treating her
face, he carefully supported her with one arm and cleaned the wounds on her back before
putting salve on them. When he finished, he gently laid her on her side. She looked so lifeless
to him he often paused what he was doing to check for a heartbeat. He was relieved to find it
each time he checked, but it was so weak he nearly missed it making his own heart stop a few
times when he did not find it right away. He was relieved that she was still alive, but he
questioned if she would make it. And though he did not want her to die, he felt some
consolation that if she did, he got one last chance to tell her he loved her and she would not
die alone in the prison. He would also have a chance to bury her, and he considered burying
her near their cabin in the Earth Kingdom, but he knew it was too far and too dangerous to
return there. He decided that he would find a beautiful, idyllic site near a river for her final
resting place.

After periodically checking to make sure he was still on the right course, he would return to
her side.

---------------------

Zuko followed Appa to the Western Air Temple and landed in a wooded area nearby where
he set up camp near a river. He arranged the balloon to be used as shelter, and then he
remained by Chiara's side for the rest of the day. Shortly after the sun had set, he carried her
down to the river and sat in the water while holding her. He really began worrying about her
when she remained unconscious, and his heart felt broken as he suspected it was only a
matter of time before her life would slip away. Often he would whisper I love you in her ear
wanting those to be the last words she heard before she left him to enter the next life—one
where he hoped she would find the rest and peace she deserved. But as much as he desired
that she have a peaceful afterlife, it made his heart ache to think about it, and he wished his
uncle were there, sure he would know how to help her.

After sitting in the river for a while, he carried her back to the tent. They were both soaked,
and it made him miss and appreciate her waterbending abilities. Laying her down on a
blanket, he removed her kurta leaving her in her undershirt and palazzo capris. He also took
off his own shirt and set their clothes outside to dry, and then he treated the wounds on her
back and face. After caring for her injuries, he unraveled her braid and began brushing her
hair. When he finished, he sat facing her, lovingly caressing her face and running his hand
over her long locks.

That night after eating a small bit of food, he lay down by her side to sleep next to his wife
for the first time since they had been married, but he had trouble staying asleep as he kept
worrying she would pass away in the night and he would not be awake for her final breath.
Every time his eyes opened he checked her pulse always holding his breath when he first
touched her neck, and then always breathing a sigh of relief when he finally felt that first
beat.
Zuko decided not to confront the Avatar until Chiara was conscious or until after she passed.
He did not eat much, and twice a day he took her down to the river and sat for hours hoping
she would wake up. After carrying her back to the tent he would put burn salve on her back
and healing salve on the wounds on her face. One afternoon he carried her along the
riverbank to the waterfall that lay east. He had hoped the sound might rouse her awake, but
she still remained lifeless.

On the third afternoon he was sitting in the river holding her, her head resting on his shoulder,
as they sat chest deep in the water.

“Hello, Sister-in-law,” Azula greeted her. “Enjoying your underground suite?”

Chiara was kneeling silently. She did not speak to her nor would she even raise her eyes to
look at her. The force of Azula's blow caused her to fall on her left side.

“Your princess has taken her valuable time to come visit you and keep you company in this
dank cell, and you can't even show enough respect or gratitude by greeting me properly?”

Chiara continued ignoring her only moving to return to her previous kneeling position.

“Well, I was going to bring you news about Uncle, but if you don't care to hear it...”

She still did not say anything knowing Azula was trying to get a reaction out of her.

“Fine,” said Azula impatiently. “I guess you do have a right to know seeing how you were
both in on your little coup together.” She held her head high and spoke in a formal tone,
“Uncle was executed this morning. No mercy was shown to the traitor, nor will it be shown to
anyone else involved with him. His execution will serve as an example to anyone who might
be tempted to overthrow the Fire Lord.”

Chiara's heart broke and the soft cry she let out was heartwrenching even to the two guards.
A small, cruel smile slowly formed on Azula's face at the sight of her tears.

“You really shouldn't waste your tears over that old fool. It's not like he really cared about
you anyways. He just used you to get to my idiot brother.”

Chiara still did not speak, but she just cried over Iroh's death.

Azula rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Let's just take care of other business then.” She looked at
the guards. “Chain her up,” she ordered.

The guards took hold of her arms to pull her up before attaching her shackles to a hook on
the wall above her head.

“Now that Uncle's gone, you can be honest with me,” Azula said to her. “He was after my
father's throne, wasn't he?”

Chiara remained silent as tears still fell down her cheeks.

A blue fire whip extended from Azula's hand as she leaned towards her. “I'm going to hurt
you every time you don't answer me or you deny the truth that he was a traitor,” she hissed.

Chiara refused to speak. Azula threw back her arm and then brought it forward striking her
with the whip. The pain of the blow drew a soft moan from Chiara.

“Admit that he was a traitor and after the throne!” she yelled.

Chiara tensed up waiting for her to strike again, but instead she felt a small jolt of electricity
causing her to jump.

“All you have to do is say he was a traitor,” said Azula.

Her silence was punished with another strike with a fire whip.

“You only have me to be afraid of now,” Azula said in a calm tone. “Uncle's gone; he can't
hurt you so you can be honest with me. Tell me he was a traitor.”

She was again punished with a fire whip.

“Say he was a traitor!” demanded Azula striking her again.

Losing her patience with Chiara's persistent silence, she reached out and shocked her with
small jolts of electricity. Then in anger, she sent a steady stream of electricity through
Chiara's body causing her to gasp from the pain. The edge of the shackles dug into her wrists
as she strained to pull away from Azula.

Neither Chiara nor Azula saw the guards shifting uncomfortably. Neither guard had ever
experienced the excruciating effect of the princess's lightning touch. And though Chiara
never screamed or cried for mercy, it was clear she was suffering from this new form of
torture, and the two men were having trouble watching it. One in particular, an admirer of
General Iroh, was deeply affected by Chiara's tears over the general's supposed death.
Watching her devotion to the former crown prince in her steadfast refusal to call him a traitor
even amid Azula's severe punishment strengthened his resolve to find a way to warn Iroh, or
even the young crown prince, of her whereabouts.

“Tell me what I want to hear and I'll stop,” said Azula.

Chiara was feeling weak and tears continued falling down her cheeks over the loss of Iroh
and the pain she was suffering, but she refused to give in to her.

Realizing she was not getting anywhere, Azula finally stopped. She motioned to the guards
who detached the shackles from the hook and Chiara dropped to the floor, her body trembling
from the torture inflicted upon her. Azula kicked her in the ribs.

“This isn't over, Sister-in-law,” she said as she walked towards the cell door. She stopped and
turned towards her. “You know, I do regret that I never visited you the last time you were in
prison. This has been so entertaining. You're far more fun to be with now than when we were
kids.”
Azula and the guards left the prison as Chiara lay on the floor crying over Iroh.

“Father...,” she whispered.

Zuko's heart leaped upon hearing her soft voice. “Chiara?”

“Where's my Dragon?” Her voice was still a whisper.

“I-I don't know.”

She slowly lifted her head but was still in his arms on his lap. He caressed her face and head,
relieved to see her eyes opened.

“Was he executed?” she asked softly. Her heart was pounding with fear.

“What? No...”

“Azula said they...”

“No,” he interrupted. “I spoke to him in prison days ago, but when I went to get him out, he
was gone. It was the day of the eclipse; the Avatar and his friends were attacking. Uncle
must've taken advantage of it and escaped.”

The tears fell from her eyes as she was relieved that Iroh was still alive. “And Aang is alive
too,” she said, relieved to hear it as well.

He nodded. “He is,” he assured her, happy to give her good news.

“So he attacked the Fire Nation?” she asked, her voice still weak but no longer a whisper.
“What happened?”

“They had a whole invasion force. I didn't really see much of it, but Ozai was ready for it. I
saw the Avatar and his friends escape on his bison.”

She looked around. “Where are we?”

“Near the Western Air Temple.”

“Why are we here?” she asked, remembering the last time they had visited.

“I followed the Avatar here. I'm going to join him and help him defeat Ozai.”

She was impressed with and excited about his decision.

“Have you spoken to him?”

“Not yet.” He caressed her head. “How are you feeling?”

“Weak.”

“You've been unconscious for days. I've been so worried about you.”
She gazed into his golden eyes. “I missed you so much.” Lifting her hand out of the water,
she tenderly caressed his face moving his hair from his eyes.

He relished her touch, and having thought he would never feel it again, he knew he never
wanted to let her go.

“I love you,” she said. “I didn't think I'd ever be able to tell you that again.”

“I felt the same way.” Still feeling a sense of relief that she was awake, he pressed his lips
against her forehead. “Uncle told me what you said. He thinks you're dead. He said Azula did
it.”

“I thought she was going to, but she said she would have more fun breaking me.”

Zuko felt angry with his sister. It was one thing for her to go after him as he had lived with
her abuse most of their lives, but that she attacked his wife angered him more than anything
else.

“The last time I saw her she told me that your father killed you.”

“I'm so sorry,” he said. “Uncle warned me that you'd be a target. I never meant for any of this
to happen to you.” He hugged her and held her tightly. “I love you so much, Chiara.”

When he released her, she looked down as she realized her arms were bare and the thin
material of her undershirt was all that was between them. She blushed, and her first instinct
was to cover herself, but then she reminded herself that he was her husband.

“Your dress was wet,” he said having noticed her reaction. “And it was easier to treat your
back."

She nodded. “I-I'm just not used to wearing so little,” she said softly.

“I'm not used to seeing you in so little.” His cheeks were turning red too. “We should
probably put some salve on your back now,” he said trying to redirect his thoughts.

He stood up with her still in his arms, and as he walked out of the river, the water flowed out
of their clothing which made him smile.

“I really missed my waterbender.”

He carried her back to the shelter where he placed her on the blanket on which they had been
sleeping, and he handed her a skin of water.

When he started putting burn ointment on her back, he was reminded of the time at the cabin
when he had treated her sword injury.

“Just like old times,” he said.

She smiled, and then she tensed up.

“I'm so sorry,” he said. “I know this must hurt.”

“It's okay,” she said knowing it had to be done.

“No, it's not,” he said, feeling angry with himself. “I shouldn't have let this happen to you.”

“You had no control over this,” she tried to assure him. “You're not to blame.”

“But I am. By taking you as my wife, I put you in danger.”

She was sure it saved her life. “If we weren't married, I would've been killed by General
Ikong,” she said softly.

He realized she was right, but it did not alleviate the guilt he felt over what she had suffered.

“Azula might be sadistic, but her cruelty kept me alive,” she said. Despite Chiara's intention
to point out the good in her suffering, the thought of his sister torturing her made his blood
boil. “And it was all worth it to see you again.”

He froze when he took in her words. The rage he was feeling towards his sister was
immediately buried. He was not sure he believed her suffering was worth seeing him again,
but that she felt that way about him made his heart feel as though it melted in his chest. He
moved in front of her and wrapped his arms around her.

He tenderly kissed her head before dabbing salve on the cut above her left eye and regretting
there was nothing he could do for her bruises. When he finished treating her wounds, he put
the ointments away.

“You should eat,” he said handing her a bowl of berries.

While she ate, he sat behind her and brushed her hair for her.

“That feels really good,” she said.

“I'm not sure what's going to happen when I meet the Avatar.” He slowly worked through a
tangle in one of her locks, careful not to pull her hair. “I've made so many mistakes; I'm not
sure they're going to forgive me.”

“It may take time, but once they see you're on their side, I'm sure they'll forgive you.”

“I hope so. Mostly, I hope they do for you.”

She was curious. “Why for me?”

“The Avatar's waterbender. She might be able to help you heal faster.”

She appreciated his concern. “The water helps, and the full moon will help even more.”

He continued brushing her hair.

“When do you plan on approaching him?” she asked.

“Now that you're awake, maybe in a couple days.” He thought back to Ba Sing Se. “I really
betrayed them though,” he said softly.

“I'll go with you,” she said.

“No. I need to do this myself. And if they attack me, I don't want you to get hurt.”

She immediately stopped eating. “You think they'll attack you?”

“I betrayed them for Azula.”

She turned around and hugged him. “It'll be okay.”

Having missed her, he held her tightly careful not to come in contact with the wounds on her
back.

“I don't have any clothes for you,” he said when she released him. “And yours are torn, but
you can wear one of my shirts.”

He pulled one of his tunics out of his bag and placed it around her shoulders while she put
her arms through the sleeves and then pulled her hair out from underneath it. It was big on
her, but it fit like a loose, knee-length dress as he tied it closed for her. She breathed in, and
the soft, smoky scent that always seemed to be present around him filled her senses and made
her feel like he was wrapped around her, and she could feel her heart rate increasing.

“It looks better on you,” he said, snapping her out of her thoughts, though he was now lost in
thoughts of his own. He slid his hand over her left shoulder and down her arm to her hand
which he lifted up and gently kissed near her wedding ring. Suddenly, another ring came to
his mind, and he reached into his pocket. “I have something for you.”

He pulled out her diadem. Her eyes lit up with joy, and it made him break into a grin.

“I thought that was gone forever,” she said.

He tenderly placed it around her head.

“Thank you.” The light weight of the chain around her head brought her a sense of comfort.

He reached in his pocket again, and this time he pulled out Ursa's ring. Taking her right hand
in his he placed it on her ring finger. “This is a fire diamond. It belonged to my mother.”

“Oh, Prince Zuko,” she said softly in awe looking at the red stone. “I-I shouldn't have this.”

“As my wife, it belongs to you now.” He tenderly kissed her hand. “When I thought you were
dead, I had planned on returning to our cabin one day and burying it by the river in your
memory.”

She looked in his eyes and then wrapped her arms around him.

“I love you,” he said holding her tightly. “I'm so happy it's on your finger instead.”
She softly laughed as she released him.

“I also got your knife and your sword,” he said.

“Really?” she said surprised. “How did you get those?”

“After I talked to Uncle, I went to the prison storage room. I thought you were dead, so I
wanted everything they took from you. I thought it was all I had left of you besides your
diadem.”

She caressed his cheek sympathizing with his grief.

----------------------

They spent the rest of the day together at the camp or at the river, and that evening they ate a
light dinner from the supplies that Zuko had brought with them. When they finished eating,
they sat together near the fire pit enjoying the sounds of the crackling fire and chirping
insects.

“I told Ozai I was joining the Avatar,” he said conversationally.

She looked up at him curiously. “Did you? What did he say?”

“He called me a traitor. I also told him I wasn't taking his orders anymore, and what he did to
me was wrong.”

She placed her hand on his.

“He said that my mom could still be alive.”

“Did he say where she is?” she asked hopefully.

“No,” he said sadly. “He said she was banished for treason.”

“There's no way Aunt Ursa's a traitor,” she said with a hint of anger at the accusation. “What
could she have done that he would banish her for treason?”

“I think...I think she might have killed my grandfather.”

Her jaw dropped. “What?! I don't believe it.”

“Ozai told me that Fire Lord Azulon commanded him to kill me.”

She was confused. “Why would your grandfather do that?”

“I remember Azula and me hiding behind a curtain listening to them talk. My d...Ozai,” he
corrected, “asked Grandfather to revoke Uncle's birthright because of...because...Lu Ten was
gone. Grandfather was angry with him, so I left. That night Azula said he was going to kill
me.” He let out a dry laugh. “That's probably the only honest thing she ever told me.”

“So what happened?”

“Ozai said that when Mom found out she would protect me at any cost. She had a plan that
allowed him to become Fire Lord and I'd be spared.”

She now understood Azulon's death was not natural. She thought back to Iroh hearing the
news of his father's death so soon after the loss of Lu Ten. She remembered feeling sorrow
over the loss of the Fire Lord, but now she felt conflicted. To think that Azulon would
command Ozai to kill his own son, his own grandson—the idea disgusted her.

“I'm so sorry,” she said softly.

“For what? That you have evil in-laws?” he asked.

“I'm glad Aunt Ursa did whatever she could to protect you,” she said as she moved some
strands of hair from his eyes. “That doesn't make her evil, it makes her a mother.” Any
tension he might have been feeling at recalling his conversation with Ozai eased at her gentle
touch and comforting words. “And not everything Ozai's done is evil,” she added softly.

She noticed his puzzled expression.

“You were the best thing he ever created,” she explained. “And I'm sorry he's never
understood that.”

He never thought he could feel more in love with her than he already did, but she just proved
him wrong. He grabbed her and held her tightly, and an overwhelming feeling of relief that
she was alive and there with him suddenly hit him.

When he released her, he looked in her eyes. “I redirected lightning,” he blurted out.

Her eyes grew wide. “What? Really?” She was impressed. “Wait...who tried to kill you?!”

“Ozai. But I sent it back towards him.”

Her eyes narrowed in anger at Ozai's murderous attempt, but then softened in her excitement
for Zuko's skill. “What was it like?”

“Exhilarating.”

She gently laughed. “That's what the General said the first time he did it.” She placed her
hand on his cheeks. “Are you okay? Any aftereffects?” she asked with a hint of worry while
running her fingers through his hair as if scanning him for any residual effects.

He shook his head. “I felt a bit...tingly afterwards?” he said unsure of how to describe it. “I
really didn't have time to think about it; I had to get Uncle out of prison. Then I found you.”

“How did you find me?”

“A guard whispered to check a hidden passage. I thought I'd find Uncle...or be attacked, but I
found you.”

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. “Thank you.”
“I wish I had found you sooner, but everyone thought you were...gone.”

The thought that he might have left her there not knowing she was still alive made him sick
to his stomach, and he held her tighter, relieved that he had found her and thankful to the
unknown guard who tipped him off.

As it grew late, they lay down inside their shelter and went to sleep.

“My dear Sister-in-law,” said Azula. “You look well. I see our meetings haven't brought you
down.”

Chiara stayed silent.

“You don't say much, do you? I can't possibly figure out what my brother ever saw in you.”

Chiara still said nothing.

“Although, I must say, I do look forward to our little sisterly visits. I find them so
entertaining.” She looked at the guards. “Chain her up.”

They did as commanded and attached her shackles to the hook on the wall, and then Azula
began whipping Chiara whose back was already covered in wounds from previous beatings.

“I really should thank those bumbling assassins for this,” said Azula, pausing her torture. “If
it wasn't for their incompetence in dispatching you the last time you were in prison, I
wouldn't be able to have such fun.” She continued beating her.

After signaling the guards to unfasten her shackles from the hook, Chiara dropped to the
ground weak from the torture.

“So I heard something,” started Azula casually, “and I was wondering if you can tell me if
it's true.” She paced the cell. “Some months ago, there was a rumor that some soldiers
encountered my brother in the Earth Kingdom, and the girl that was with him prevented him
from being stabbed in the back by stepping between him and the soldier. The soldier, who was
quite burned by the way, was sure he killed the girl.” She stopped pacing and looked down at
her. “Would you know anything about that?”

Chiara remained impassive, so Azula approached her and pulled her tunic down off her right
shoulder revealing the scar from the sword wound.

Azula looked closely at it, and then she began to smile. “So you really would defend him with
your life. How sweet.” She stood up. “But also such a shame because I have one more
message from my father. Because of you Zuko was put to death for treason.”

Chiara's eyes filled up with tears. “No...,” she cried softly.

Azula was surprised to hear Chiara speak, and she realized she hit a nerve.
“Oh, yes,” she said. “You desecrated royal property, so the punishment was death. So, you
see, you should've let him die. It would've been a much easier death. By depriving him of a
more honorable death in battle, you caused him to be painfully executed like a common
criminal.”

Through her tears, Chiara looked at her wedding ring as she cried over the loss of her
husband.

“There, there,” said Azula feigning comfort. “If it makes you feel better, I can tell you his last
words. He said that he hated you and that it's your fault for seducing him, and he hoped you
would die a horrible death.”

“He can't be gone,” she cried not listening to anything else Azula said.

“Just imagine, my father had to kill his only son because of you. I guess you couldn't protect
him this time. In fact, you caused his death.”

Chiara had her face in her hands as she continued crying.

“You selfish, arrogant scum!” yelled Azula. “I just lost my brother and you can't even
comfort me or take responsibility for it!”

Chiara quickly formed a small ice dart with her tears and whipped it at Azula so fast that
none of them saw it coming before it stopped over her heart, still nearly invisible.

“He was my husband!” cried Chiara.

The guards were frozen in defensive positions fearing that any move they made against the
prisoner might result in the death of the fire princess.

Azula, upset that she would have been unable to stop the dart before it pierced her heart, had
a look of horror on her face, and she was stunned by the wild look in Chiara's eyes which
sent an unexpected rush of fear through her body. Suddenly, the dart melted and the tears
dropped to the floor. Azula, ashamed by her own rare feeling of fear, especially in light of
what she saw as Chiara's weakness in refusing to be as ruthless as she herself would have
been, became angry.

“You should've taken my life, not his,” said Chiara, her narrowed eyes wet with newly shed
tears.

“I agree. And trust me, I will take yours,” said Azula deeply. “And it's going to be a long,
slow death.”

She started walking towards the door of the cell.

“But I have to admit,” she started in a more even tone, “when that time comes, I'll miss our
meetings.”

Azula left, and Chiara lay crying, the pain in her heart unbearable.
Her eyes opened to darkness. Wiping away her tears, she allowed her eyes to adjust to her
surroundings. She realized that she was not in her cold, dark cell as the moonbeams poured in
through their shelter, and instead of Azula's voice, she heard the insects chirping outside. She
slowly sat up, the pain in her back increasing as she moved. She glanced outside where she
could see the dim glow of the embers still burning in the fire pit. Next to her, between her and
the entrance Zuko lay sound asleep. More tears fell from her eyes in relief, and her whole
body relaxed upon seeing him alive—or so she hoped he was alive and that she was not
dreaming now. She did not want to wake him, but she needed to hear his heartbeat, so she
carefully placed her head on his chest trying not to put too much pressure on him. She felt his
arm around her back pulling her against him. Relishing his touch, she ignored her pain and
relaxed on his chest taking comfort in the sound of his heart and the warmth of his body. She
was afraid to go to sleep, afraid that she might wake up in the cold cell and never feel his
warmth or hear his heartbeat again, so she forced herself to remain awake until the sun rose.

After they were both awake, they meditated together in the morning sun before eating a light
breakfast, and then they walked down to the river and sat by the water.

“I've been trying to figure out how I'm going to approach the Avatar,” he said. “It looked like
there were a few other people traveling with him.”

“You don't think he already found a firebending teacher, do you?”

He thought about it, and he wondered if maybe he had found someone to train him, possibly
one of the underground Order members from the Fire Nation.

“I-I don't know,” he said thoughtfully. “But even if he did, I still want to help them take down
Ozai. I promised Uncle I would.”

She nodded, but she wondered if he would take the throne after him.

“I think I'm going to go down there tomorrow,” he said.

“I should go with you.”

“I have to do it on my own,” he insisted.

“No, you don't,” she said. “I want to help you.”

“I know you do, but I need the Avatar to trust me.” He sat in thought. “Okay, how's this?” he
asked as he stood up in front of her. “'Hello, Zuko here...” He nervously rubbed his the back
of his head. “...but I guess you probably already know me...sort of.” He dropped his arm.
“Uhh...so the thing is I have a lot of firebending experience, and I'm considered to be pretty
good at it,” he said placing a hand over his chest. “Well, you've seen it, you know, when I
was attacking you.'” His shoulders slumped slightly in shame.

“You probably shouldn't mention that,” she advised.

“Uhh...yeah, I guess I should apologize for that.” He stood up straight and continued. “But
anyway, 'I'm good now. I mean, I thought I was good before, but I realize I was bad...” His
shoulders slumped again. “...but anyway, I think it's time I joined your group and taught the
Avatar firebending,'” he finished more confidently.

Chiara was just about to speak, but a badgerfrog nearby croaked at him and then jumped on
his head before hopping away which set her to giggling. Seeing and hearing her laugh
brought a smile to his face.

He shook his head and started pacing. “How am I supposed to convince these people I'm on
their side?” he asked. “What would Uncle do?” he asked thoughtfully. He stopped pacing and
stood up straight. “Zuko,” he started in imitation of Iroh, “you have to look within yourself to
save yourself from your other self. Only then will your true self reveal itself.”

Chiara could not help laughing at his imitation of his uncle.

“Even when I'm talking for him I can't figure out what he means.”

“That was adorable though,” she said.

“What would Azula do?” he wondered. He began imitating her. “Listen, Avatar, I can join
your group or I can do something unspeakably horrible to you and your friends. Your
choice.”

He sighed as he dropped down next to her.

“I guess I'm just not that good at impersonations.”

“Actually, that sounded like Azula,” she said softly.

“I don't know what I'm going to do,” he sighed.

She put her arm around him. “Just be honest with them. That's how the General approached
the Northern Water Tribe.”

He nodded.

----------------------

They spent the day relaxing by the river or walking through the woods collecting fruit and
nuts, and later that afternoon, when they returned to their camp, Chiara prepared their small
dinner while Zuko started a fire.

“Chiara, you shouldn't be working,” he said when she knelt by him and handed him a plate of
food.

“I love you, my Prince,” she said.

He leaned towards her and kissed her. “I love you too, but I still don't want you working.”
“Putting food on a plate can hardly be considered work,” she said.

“And I can just hear you tomorrow, 'Hunting in the forest can hardly be considered work,'” he
said in a falsetto voice.

She was giggling at his imitation of her. “Okay, that was pretty good.”

He smiled at her and softly chuckled as they began enjoying their quiet dinner.

That night as the moon was rising he took her back to the river where they sat in the water
together. The moon was growing brighter each evening, and though she was still weak, she
could feel it strengthening her a little more every night. When they returned to the camp they
lay down to sleep.

A sharp pain across her back woke Chiara up. She looked up to see Azula.

“Did I interrupt your dreams?” she asked.

“Prince Zuko?” Chiara struggled to say in a quiet, hoarse voice.

“Aw, Zuzu's dead,” said Azula. “Remember? Because of you. Because you somehow
convinced him to marry beneath him, he was executed.”

Chiara started crying. Azula struck her back.

“Water tramp,” said Azula. “This is all your fault. You're the reason he's dead. You killed
him.”

She struck her back again.

Chiara sat up with tears running down her face. Zuko, who had been asleep next to her, woke
up and immediately lit a lamp.

“Chiara?” he said as he turned to her.

Seeing her tears, he tried brushing them away, but more fell. She threw her arms around his
neck holding him tightly and burying her face in his neck as he held onto her.

“What happened?”

“Azula,” she whispered.

It broke his heart to think of what she suffered at his sister's hands. He tenderly caressed her
head. “I'm so sorry.”

“You're alive,” she said as more tears flowed. “Please don't let this be the dream.”

“It's not,” he said now caressing her back in comfort. “We're here together, and you're safe.”
When she let go of him, he wiped her tears away again.

“I'm so sorry,” he said sincerely. “I'm so sorry for what she did to you.”

Zuzu's dead...he was executed. She shuddered. “Believing you were dead was the worst
torture.”

“I'm right here.”

He lay down and pulled her to him. She rested her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat,
but hours passed before she fell asleep again.
 Confronting the Avatar

The next morning, Zuko opened his eyes just as the sun was beginning to light up the sky. He
looked to his right and saw Chiara curled up with her back towards him. He wanted to roll on
his side and put his arm around her and cuddle up next to her, but he knew she needed the
sleep, so he carefully sat up trying not to wake her. Before his morning meditation, he
decided to make her a cup of tea. Quietly going through their supply bag he pulled out the
ginseng tea wishing he had requested chamomile and mint on the supply list he gave to the
Order, but he knew she enjoyed ginseng and he wanted to have it ready for her when she
woke up.

“Are you going to meditate?” she asked him.

“Oh...I was going to make you tea first.”

Her heart stirred. “Aww, you're so precious,” she said, making his own heart stir at her
compliment. She slowly sat up. “I'll get the water.”

“Why don't you sleep in for a while,” he said. “I know you haven't been sleeping well.”

“I don't want to sleep. I'm afraid I'll wake up in the wrong place.” She shuddered at the
memories of her prison cell.

He sat next to her and put his arms around her. “When you wake up I'll be right here,” he
assured her.

“If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up from it,” she said, holding onto him, relishing his
embrace. “If I close my eyes, I might not come back.”

“I promise this isn't a dream,” he said softly.

“But that's what dream-you might say.”

He softly chuckled. “Then what would real-me say?”

“I'm not sure,” she said thoughtfully as her head rested against his shoulder. “Maybe tell me
something you've never told me before.”

He thought about it. “There's not much we haven't talked about.”

“How did you get out of the prison?”

“They locked me in my room after they brought us back.” He was reminded of Azula telling
him how his father kept him in his room because he was weak and was not a threat. “Oh, I
threatened to kill Azula,” he added almost nonchalantly.

“What?!” she said sitting up to look at him.

“I thought she killed you, and she kept insisting you were dead, so I tried to kill her.”

“Wait, you said you 'threatened', and now you said 'tried'...”

“Yeah, it was both,” he said like it was no big deal.

“Did she hurt you?”

“She tried,” he shrugged, “but I hurt her more.”

“What happened that you didn't...you know?”

“Some guards came in and pulled me off her.”

“Okay...I guess this isn't a dream...maybe. I don't think my mind would've made that up,” she
said feeling troubled by their fight. She stood up. “I'm going to get the water.”

“Wait...,” he said standing up. “I'll get it. I don't want you carrying the bucket.”

“A bucket of water isn't that heavy.”

“Do you know what's even less heavy?” he asked. “No bucket of water. You wait here.”

He picked up the bucket and started walking down to the river. Chiara, determined to do
something, pulled out the teapot, the tea, and some of their food supplies. She took them
outside their shelter where she started building a fire.

“So now I'm the waterbender and you're the firebender,” he said when he returned with a full
bucket.

She gently laughed as she was placing the teapot in front of him. “My great Water Spirit
returns.”

He smiled as he filled it. “And here's the offering for my Dragon Empress.”

“Your offering is accepted,” she said as she set it over the fire.

After drinking their tea and eating a small breakfast, they meditated by the river before
heading towards the Western Air Temple.

--------------------

Zuko, not wanting to leave Chiara at the camp while he was confronting the Avatar, took her
with him part way. When they made it just inside the air temple, he walked her over to a
stream of water and turned to her.

“I want you to wait here. I doubt they'll...you know...kill me...well, maybe the waterbender or
her brother might...”

“Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?” she asked feeling anxious for him.
“I'm sure.”

He hugged and kissed her, and then he left to descend into the temple complex.

--------------------

“Aang, can we talk about you learning firebending now?” asked Katara from Appa's back as
they followed Aang who was flying around.

“What?” said Aang. “The wind is too loud in my ears. Check out this loop.”

“Aang, we've been here for days,” said Sokka. “I think we should be making some plans
about our future.”

“Okay. We can do that while I show you the giant Pai Sho table,” said Aang as they landed.
“Oh, you're going to love the all day echo chamber.”

“I think that'll have to wait,” said Toph pointing behind them.

They turned to look where Toph was pointing, and when Appa moved they saw Zuko.

“Hello. Zuko here,” he said.

They all took defensive positions.

“Hey, I heard you guys flying around down there,” he said. “So I just thought I'd wait for you
here.”

Suddenly, Appa growled at him and then licked him as he covered his head. Zuko
straightened up, but then Appa licked his face. He rubbed the bison saliva from his eyes.

“I know you must be surprised to see me here...”

“Not really,” said Sokka, “since you've followed us all over the world.”

“Right,” said Zuko realizing he had a point. “Well...uhhh...anyway, what I wanted to tell you
about is that I've changed, and I...uhhh, I'm good now. And, well, I think I should join your
group...oh, and I can teach firebending...to you,” he said as he looked at Aang.

They all looked stunned, except for Katara who glared harder at him.

“See, I uh...”

“You want to what now?” asked Toph relaxing her stance.

“You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you?” said Katara angrily. “I
mean, how stupid do you think we are?!”

“Yeah,” agreed Sokka. “All you've ever done is hunt us down and try to capture Aang!”
“I've done some good things,” said Zuko. “I mean, I could have stolen your bison in Ba Sing
Se, but I set him free. That's something!”

Appa licked him again.

“Appa does seem to like him,” said Toph.

“He probably just covered himself in honey or something so that Appa would lick him,” said
Sokka. “I'm not buying it.”

“I can understand why you wouldn't trust me,” said Zuko. “And I know I've made some
mistakes in the past...”

“Like when you attacked our village?” asked Sokka.

“Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?” said
Katara.

“Look,” said Zuko, “I admit I've done some awful things. I was wrong to try to capture you,
and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe.”

“What about Chiara?” asked Katara. “Does she know how you betrayed us in Ba Sing Se?”

“Yes,” he said softly and ashamedly, averting his eyes, “she knows.”

“And she's okay with that?” she asked, her voice rising.

“No, she's not,” said Zuko. “But she knows I'm good now. She believes I can do this.” He
looked at Aang. “Why aren't you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be
friends. You know I have good in me.”

Aang glanced at the others to see Sokka shaking his head at him. And he still had not
forgotten how close Zuko was standing to Katara when they were in the Crystal Catacombs.

He glared at Zuko. “There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done,” he
snapped. “We'll never let you join us.”

“You need to get out of here,” said Katara. “Now.”

“I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore!” insisted Zuko.

“Either you leave, or we attack,” Sokka threatened.

“If you won't accept me as a friend, then maybe you'll take me as a prisoner,” he said falling
to his knees. He bowed his head and raised his arms.

“No, we won't!” yelled Katara. She blasted him with water knocking him over. “Get out of
here and don't come back! And if we ever see you again...well, we'd better not see you
again!”
Zuko stood up and walked off feeling disappointed.

“Why would he try to fool us like that?” asked Katara entering the temple.

“Obviously, he wants to lead us into some kind of trap,” said Sokka following her.

“This is just like when we were in prison together in Ba Sing Se,” she said. “He starts talking
about his mother and Chiara and making it seem like he's an actual human being with
feelings.”

“He wants you to trust and feel sorry for him so you let your guard down; then he strikes,”
said her brother.

“The thing is, it worked,” she said. “I did feel sorry for him. I felt like he was really confused
and hurt, but obviously, when the time came, he made his choice, and we paid the price. We
can't trust him,” she finished angrily.

“I kind of have a confession to make,” said Aang solemnly. “Remember when you two were
sick and I got captured by Zhao?”

“And you made us suck on frozen frogs?” asked Sokka. “How could I forget? I had a wart on
the flap that hangs down from the back of my throat for a month!”

“Sokka, I looked at it,” said Katara. “And I told you, there was nothing there.”

“I could feel it,” insisted Sokka. “It's my throatal flap.”

“Anyway,” said Aang, “when Zhao had me chained up, it was Zuko who came in and got me
out. He risked his life to save me.”

“No way,” said Katara suspecting Aang was having second thoughts about Zuko. “I'm sure he
only did it so he could capture you himself.”

“Yeah,” agreed Sokka. “Face it, Aang, you're nothing but a big prize to him.”

“You're probably right,” said Aang.

“And what was all that crazy stuff about setting Appa free?” said Katara. “What a liar.”

“Actually, he wasn't lying,” Toph stepped in.

“Oh, hooray,” said Sokka sarcastically, throwing his arms up. “In a lifetime of evil, at least he
didn't add animal cruelty to the list.”

“I'm just saying that considering his messed-up family and how he was raised, he could've
turned out a lot worse.”

“You're right, Toph,” started Katara just as sarcastic as her brother. “Let's go find him and
give him a medal. The 'not as much of a jerk as you could have been' award!”
“All I know is that while he was talking to us, he was sincere. Maybe you're all just letting
your hurt feelings keep you from thinking clearly.

“Easy for you to say,” said Katara stepping towards her. “You weren't there when he had us
attacked by pirates.”

“Or when he burned down Kyoshi Island,” said Sokka.

“Or when he tried to capture me at the Fire Temple,” added Aang.

“Why would you even try to defend him?” Katara stomped angrily.

“Because, Katara,” started Toph taking steps towards them, “you're all ignoring one crucial
fact: Aang needs a firebending teacher,” she said jabbing him in the chest. “We can't think of
a single person in the world to do the job. Now one shows up on a silver platter, and you
won't even think about it?” She stomped angrily causing the ground to shake.

“I'm not having Zuko as my teacher,” said Aang firmly, walking over to stand next to Katara.

“You're darn right you're not, buddy,” said Sokka.

“Well, I guess that settles that,” said Katara stubbornly with her arms crossed.

“Ugh!” groaned a frustrated Toph turning her back to them. “I'm beginning to wonder who's
really the blind one around here.” She walked off.

--------------------

Zuko ascended the steps and arrived at the spot where Chiara was waiting for him.

“Are you okay?” she asked worriedly when she saw the dejected look on his face.

“They hate me.”

“I take it Katara was upset,” she said as she pulled the water from his clothes.

“You could say that,” he said dryly. “I even offered myself as a prisoner, but they wouldn't do
it.”

“They'll come around,” she said. “Just give them time.”

“We don't have much time. He needs to learn firebending soon in order to defeat Ozai.”

“I think this was meant to be,” she said. “I'm sure it'll work out. Just relax today and let what
you told them sink in, and then try again tomorrow.”

They returned to camp and spent the rest of the day swimming and relaxing in the water, and
at the end of the day he treated her wounds.

“How are they looking?” she asked him while he was putting the salve on her back.
He hesitated. He did not want to tell her how they covered most of her back, though he was
sure she must have known from the pain. “They...look...better?”

“You're not a very good liar,” she laughed softly.

“But I'm not lying. They do look better than they did when I first found you.”

It broke his heart to look at them everyday knowing her entire back would be covered in
scars, especially since he felt he should have been able to prevent it somehow. When he
finished, he pulled her torn undershirt down over the wounds.

“We need to get you clothes,” he said as he placed his tunic over her shoulders. “Not that you
don't look fantastic in mine.” He pulled her hair back over her shoulder and let all the curls
cascade behind her. He moved in front of her as she was tying the tunic closed. “Your shirt is
shredded in the back.”

“I might be able to mend it.”

“I think it's beyond mending. I'll get you a new one.” He ran his hand down her arm to her
hand. “I just don't want to leave this area yet until I can convince the Avatar that he can trust
me.”

Hearing the worry in his voice, she caressed his hand. “Thank you for taking care of my
back,” she said. “Now it's my turn to take care of you. Lie down.”

“O...okay.”

When he was lying flat on his back, she began massaging his head with her healing and
relaxing technique.

“This feels really good,” he said. “Is-is this what you did on the ship?”

“Yes.”

“So you were waterbending?”

“Yes.”

“It really was useful having a waterbender on board,” he said.

She let out a soft laugh.

“I wish I could do it for you in return,” he said.

She was concentrating on her technique. “You relaxing is relaxing to me,” she said softly.

Deeply touched by her words, he sat up moving out of range of the soothing tranquility of the
glowing blue water.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

He leaned close to her and pressed his lips against hers. “I love you, Chiara.”

The water she was balancing fell between them which drew their attention.

“It looks like I made my waterbender lose her concentration,” he said, his lip curling.

She softly giggled. “It's not the first time you've done that.”

She pulled it up from the ground.

“I'm not finished with you,” she said.

He lay back down and she continued her massage.

That night Zuko and Chiara lay asleep inside their shelter while the campfire softly crackled
in the fire pit nearby. A rustling noise coming from the woods drew Zuko from his slumber,
and he tiredly opened his eyes trying to pinpoint the direction of the noise and identify who
or what it might be.

“Who's there?” he called worried that it might be a large, dangerous creature.

Chiara sat up when she heard him. “What is it?” she whispered.

“Stay back!” yelled Zuko as he sat up and threw a blast of fire.

“It's me!” called Toph throwing up a wall of rock to block the flames.

She stepped back onto Zuko's fire blast and then fell to the ground. Zuko rubbed his eyes and
strained to see the edge of their camp beyond the campfire.

“You burned my feet!” cried Toph.

Zuko and Chiara immediately stood up.

“Stay here,” he said to her before going after the young earthbender. “I'm sorry,” he called
out. “It was a mistake!”

“Get away from me!” she yelled as she crawled away completely blind while hurling rocks
behind her.

He continued pursuing her while dodging her missiles.

“Let me help you!” he said trying to avoid getting hit. “I'm sorry!”

He grabbed her shoulder.

“Get off me! Get off me!” she cried as she turned around.

She raised the ground knocking him back away from her. Seeing him thrown backwards,
Chiara ran towards him.
“Prince Zuko!”

“I didn't know it was you!” he called out to Toph while holding his aching side. “Come
back!”

Toph had crawled off into the woods.

“Ugh! Why am I so bad at being good?!” he yelled as he lay back on the ground.

“Where are you hurt?” asked Chiara falling to her knees by his side.

“I'll be okay,” he said.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” he groaned, frustrated by his impulsive attack on the girl.

“May I get her then?” she asked.

He sat up. “I don't want her to hurt you.”

“She won't. I met her before.”

He sighed. “Okay, but be careful.”

Chiara ran off into the woods where she stopped and listened for Toph before running in the
direction of her crawling.

“Lady Beifong, wait, please,” she begged as she caught up to her.

Toph stopped crawling at the familiar voice. “Chiara?”

“Yes. Please let me help you.”

“I don't need your help,” she said stubbornly.

“Your feet. I can help your feet. Please come back to our camp. Prince Zuko didn't mean it.
We were asleep, and you startled us,” she explained. “He was just being defensive.”

Toph considered it. “Fine.”

“May I carry you back?” she asked. “I can't see how bad the burns are, and I don't want you
to have to crawl.”

Her voice was so sweet and innocent, Toph almost could not resist, but her pride got the
better of her.

“I'd rather crawl than be carried like I'm helpless.”

“As a Beifong you've never traveled by palanquin before?” asked Chiara.

“That's...that's different,” Toph argued.

“Then do you really want to crawl on your hands and knees before the Prince of the Fire
Nation?”

Toph hesitated. “Oh, you're really good.” She sighed. “You make a persuasive argument.”

Chiara smiled. She knelt down near her and took Toph's right hand in her own and gently
wrapped it around her neck. After putting her left arm around Toph's back and right arm
underneath her knees, she carefully picked her up. Chiara was amazed by how solid the
young girl's body was reminding her of a rock, and though Toph was not too heavy, Chiara
was still feeling weak from her torture and the weight was a bit strenuous, but she was
determined to get her back to the camp safely.

“Is Iroh with you?” Toph asked her.

“No. We were imprisoned in the Fire Nation, and when Prince Zuko went to help him escape,
he was gone. We don't know where he went.”

Zuko had been anxiously waiting. He was worried about Chiara, hoping that Toph would not
attack her, but he was also hoping that Chiara could convince the Avatar's friend to return. As
soon as he saw them emerging from the woods he ran up to them.

“Chiara, you shouldn't be carrying her,” he said, even more worried about her condition. He
reached out. “Let me take her...”

“No,” said Toph as she tightened her grip around Chiara's neck. “Don't touch me.”

“I'm sorry,” Zuko said to her. “It was an accident.”

“Chiara already said that.”

Chiara carried her to their campsite.

“Your hair is really soft,” said Toph running her fingers through the silky locks.

Chiara giggled. “Thank you.” She carefully placed her down.

“You're right,” said Toph. “I definitely didn't want to crawl back to the Prince of the Fire
Nation.”

Zuko was puzzled by her comment and briefly wondered what she meant, but his concern for
his wife was priority.

“Are you okay, Chiara?” he softly asked her as he caressed her arm.

Toph found Zuko's concern for Chiara touching but puzzling.

“I'll be fine,” she said as she knelt at Toph's feet.

“Yeah, I'm the one with the burned feet, Prince Shoot First, Ask Questions Later,” said Toph
sharply.

Zuko wanted to snap that he had asked questions first and apologized, but he held back.

“I'm going to take care of that,” said Chiara as she opened a skin of water.

“And how heavy do you think I am?” Toph asked Zuko in an offended tone.

“Hold still, Lady Beifong,” she said as she began healing the burns on her feet.

Toph's resentment towards the prince's implication about her weight disappeared as soon as
she felt the soothing water relieve the burning pain on the soles of her feet. “That-that feels
really good. How are you doing that?”

“I...have a special medicine,” she said making Zuko chuckle.

“What's so funny?” asked Toph.

“Her special medicine is her waterbending healing ability,” he said.

Despite being sightless, Toph's eyes grew wide. “You're a waterbender?”

“Yes,” answered Chiara.

“But...I thought you were Iroh's daughter.”

“I am. I'm his adopted daughter.”

“He adopted a waterbender?” she asked, her expression still one of surprise.

Chiara chuckled at her reaction. “He did.”

“Did he know it?”

“Yes. But no one else did.”

“Aang and the others don't know either?” she asked.

“No,” she answered.

“I didn't even know it until we were in Ba Sing Se,” said Zuko.

“Right,” said Toph with less amusement in her voice. “Where you betrayed everyone.”

Zuko felt ashamed. “I'm sorry. I was wrong to betray everyone,” he said sincerely.

Chiara tenderly caressed his back.

“So you grew up in the Fire Nation?” Toph asked Chiara, still astounded to learn the
unexpected news.
“Yes.”

“Wow.”

Chiara finished with Toph's healing and carefully placed her feet flat on the ground.

“Can you see now?” she asked her patient.

Toph was amazed that the pain was gone, and she was relieved to be able to “see” again.
“Good as new,” she said.

Chiara traced a greeting on the ground. “I'm honored to meet you again.”

The earthbender was impressed by her greeting, and she made the gesture in return.

“You must be incredibly in tune with the earth,” said Chiara sounding awed. “You must see
everything.”

“How do you know that?” asked Toph astonished that a non-earthbender could understand
her “sight.”

“The General and I studied earthbenders. Their tactile senses are very powerful. I imagine
your blindness strengthens your sense of touch.”

“Yep, we're definitely going to get along great.”

Zuko laughed to himself at Chiara's effect on Toph.

“You must be really powerful,” said Chiara.

“Yeah. I have to say that I am,” Toph agreed proudly.

“May I get you anything?” she offered. “Are you hungry or thirsty?”

“No. I just wanted to talk to Zuko because I thought he was sincere. I think the others are
letting their hurt feelings get in the way.”

“That's understandable,” said Chiara. “They've been hurt so many times; it's going to be hard
for them to trust us.”

“Not us,” said Zuko dourly. “Me.”

“Wait...,” said Toph. “They like Chiara. Why don't you let her talk to them...”

“No,” interrupted Zuko. “I want them to trust me, but not because of Chiara. I feel like if they
do it for her, they'll never really trust me.”

“If that's the way you want to do it,” said Toph, “but it'll be a lot easier if Chiara's there.
Sokka calls you the beautiful mystery girl,” she said to her.

Chiara wished she had not said that.

Zuko immediately felt heated. He had not forgotten the Water Tribe boy's invitation to Chiara
to “join the good guys,” nor did he forget the boy running off with her in his arms after the
pirate incident. He crossed his arms glaring. “I'm not sure we should help...”

“Prince Zuko, please,” begged Chiara.

“But he thinks you're beautiful,” he growled, still scowling.

Toph's lip curled. “Wait 'til he finds out your Water Tribe just like hi...”

“You're not helping, Lady Beifong,” interrupted Chiara.

“This was a bad idea,” said Zuko looking away angrily.

Chiara placed her hand under his chin gently coaxing him to look at her. “If the Avatar
doesn't defeat the Fire Lord, we'll never be able to stop running.” She tenderly moved the hair
from his eyes, and he melted at her touch. “Aang needs a firebending teacher, and you're
more than capable.”

He sighed. “Fine,” he conceded, unable to resist her plea. “But I don't want that Water Tribe
peas...” He hesitated as he stared into her eyes. He was surprised to see her remain impassive,
but she was used to his derogatory names for the Water Tribe. “...uh...warrior...near you.”

“Wow, you're really the jealous type,” said Toph. “It's not like you two are married or
anything.”

Zuko and Chiara glanced at each other but remained silent. Toph, however, sensed it in their
silence and the change in their heartbeats.

“You are?” she asked.

“In Ba Sing Se,” he said softly. “Before I betrayed everyone.”

“Oh, this is great,” she laughed loudly. “The Prince of the Fire Nation and a Water
Tribe...peasant were you going to say?”

“Chiara's not a peasant. She's always been Fire Nation royalty,” said Zuko with a hint of
anger, more at himself for his near-slur. “But even if she was a peasant, it wouldn't matter,”
he added more calmly.

“Well, I don't think anybody saw that coming,” said Toph unfazed by his offended tone.
“Congratulations.”

“You'll stay here with us tonight, Lady Beifong?” asked Chiara.

“Sure. Maybe I can think of some other things to tell you that'll get him in a twist.”

Chiara stood up. “I'll set up a place for you...”

“Don't trouble yourself,” said Toph. “I can make my own.”

She stood up and stepped away from the campfire before stomping on the ground and
earthbending her own shelter.

“That's really convenient,” said Chiara.

Toph turned towards them.

“So what made you decide to join the good guys, Sparky?” Toph asked Zuko.

Zuko was caught off guard by her nickname for him, and it took him a few seconds to
consider her question. “Uh...I...I finally realized the side I was on wasn't the good guys,” he
said softly.

She nodded and then went inside her earth shelter and drew up a door.

-------------------

Zuko and Chiara went inside their own shelter where they lay on the mat.

“You look pale,” he said softly to her, still worried about her. “I think it was too much for you
to carry her and heal her.”

“I'll be fine,” she said. “I can feel the moon getting fuller.”

Toph could overhear them even inside her shelter, and she wondered what was going on with
Chiara.

“I'm sorry about calling you a peasant,” he whispered.

“You didn't.”

“But I imagine all those years you heard me call the Water Tribesmen peasants or savages...it
must've hurt you.”

“Not really,” she said.

“Not even when I called you a peasant?”

“I told you it didn't bother me. Honestly, the only time I was hurt was when you told me I
wasn't part of the Fire Nation.”

He remembered his words to her at the resort, and he felt guilty for the way he spoke to her,
especially since he now recognized how foolish his desire for “home” had been.

“I didn't really mean it,” he said. “I was so anxious to go home, I couldn't understand why
you weren't as excited.”

“I understand that I'm not part of the Fire Nation, but it really is where my heart lies,” she
said as she caressed his face gazing into his golden eyes.

He leaned towards her and kissed her.

“You are just as much Fire Nation as any of its citizens who were born there and more so
than the highest nobles,” he said softly.

Toph smiled to herself.

 Confronting the Avatar, Take Two
Chapter Notes

You guys' reviews were great, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to live up to your
expectations....although there is a particularly silly Sokka scene in Chapter 55.

This chapter and the next are a bit repetitive, especially Chapter 54. I wanted to keep
track of who knows what info, and Chapter 54 is “Girls' Night Out,” so the girls will be
learning more about Chiara. I considered cutting out a bunch of it and consolidating the
chapters, but I was too lazy.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

The next morning Zuko and Chiara were up early with the sun, and they decided to quietly
meditate by the river while allowing their guest to sleep in.

“I think we should have fish for breakfast,” she said after their meditation. “She might enjoy
that better than our supplies.”

“Don't overdo it,” he said as he watched her walk into the river.

It was not long before she froze a section of water and set it on the riverbank, where, after she
melted it, Zuko began gutting the fish that had been frozen inside. When he finished, Chiara
drew a bucket of water to take back to the campsite.

“I'll get that,” he said as he took it from her.

“I need to get used to doing work again,” she said.

“No, you don't,” he insisted. “I can handle it.”

She sighed softly.

“May I at least pick some of these moon peaches?” she asked when they walked by the ripe
fruit.

He stopped and waited while she pulled a few from the tree. She missed having her skirt in
which to gather food as Zuko's tunic, despite being long on her, was still too short to carry
much.

When they arrived back at the camp, Zuko built a fire and started heating the water for tea
while Chiara prepared to cook the fish.

Soon the aroma of the cooked fish drew Toph out of her shelter.
“Something smells really good,” she said giving her limbs a stretch before stomping and
dissolving her makeshift rock tent.

“Breakfast, Lady Beifong?”

Toph knelt down on the ground not far from the campfire. “Thank you, Princess Chiara.”

She was a bit thrown by Toph's title for her having only ever heard Iroh address her as
“princess.” She set her own plate aside, and she put a piece of fish on another plate. After
cutting up one of the moon peaches, she placed the pieces on the plate with the fish. Zuko
had poured a cup of tea for her, and Chiara took it all to Toph.

“There's fish and a fresh moon peach,” she said as she lay the plate in her hands. “And this is
ginseng tea.” She set the cup on the ground near her.

“I'm not totally helpless, you know,” said Toph with a tone of defensiveness. “I could've
helped myself.”

“I know you could,” said Chiara calmly. “But what would that say of our hospitality if we
allow a guest in our camp to serve herself?”

Zuko was quietly laughing to himself as he listened to Chiara counter Toph's argument.

“You sound a lot like Iroh,” said Toph.

“Thank you,” smiled Chiara as she sat down with her own plate. “That's a great compliment.”

“You guys must've been up early.”

“Firebenders rise with the sun,” said Zuko still eating his breakfast.

“But what about Princess Chiara?” asked Toph. “Because the waterbender I know does not
get up with the sun,” she said speaking of Katara.

“I grew up with firebenders,” said Chiara. “So I rise early too.”

“So this is what the others were talking about,” said Toph as she ate. “They said you had
breakfast ready for them every morning.” She stopped eating. “Hey, you were a guest in their
camp. Why weren't they serving you?”

“They saved me from a cruel fate,” she answered. “The least I could do was make breakfast
for them.”

“I guess,” said Toph as she started eating again.

“And they reminded me of children in need of a mother,” she added softly.

“Aang said he liked having you take care of them.”

“Aww,” she smiled.

“You're awfully quiet, Sparky,” Toph said to Zuko.

“I'm eating,” he said dryly.

“You know, I can feel your heartbeat. It sounds pretty annoyed to me.” Zuko and Chiara were
both amazed to learn that her earthbending ability was sensitive enough to detect their
heartbeats. “Does it bother you that much that Aang likes your wife?”

He was instantly irked, hating the way she worded her question, and Toph, feeling it, took a
little sadistic pleasure in messing with him.

“She was gone for days when she was with them,” he said trying to keep his temper under
control. “It was a very difficult time.”

“I guess it was if you didn't have Princess Chiara serving you your meals every day.”

“It wasn't like that...,” he started defensively while memories of her serving his meals went
through his mind.

“You might want to rephrase that more truthfully,” said Toph.

“Well...okay...she did, but that's not why...that's not why it was difficult." She could hear the
frustration in his voice. "I was worried about her. I missed her,” he said softly.

“So did Aang,” she said with an impish smile. “And Sokka. The way they went on about her,
they didn't want her to leave. Between those two it was 'Chiara this' and 'beautiful mystery
girl that...'”

Zuko was feeling heated as Toph went on.

“...and with Sokka's stomach being bigger than the Great Divide, he couldn't sing her praises
enough around the campfire.”

“It was an honor to serve them during our time together,” said Chiara who had giggled at the
Great Divide jab towards Sokka, but she was quite sure Toph was embellishing the truth
about 'her praises.'

Zuko, however, was getting more frustrated. He was trying not to let the little earthbender get
to him, but it seemed the harder he tried, the more her extra-sensitive senses picked up on it.

“Once they find out you're here they won't have a problem letting you join the group,”
continued Toph, “especially if it means this every morning.” She held up her empty plate. “Is
there more?”

“Of course,” said Chiara taking it from her.

Zuko was scowling. “I don't like the idea that they'll only let us join so my wife can be their
slave.”
“Mother, Prince Zuko,” Chiara corrected him while cutting up another moon peach. “Not
slave. There's a difference.”

“They're never going to accept me for myself,” he said, sounding disappointed.

“Hey, you're the one that screwed up in Ba Sing Se and ticked everyone off, especially
Katara,” said Toph. “So if you really want to teach the Avatar, then Chiara's your best chance
to join the Gaang.”

Zuko sighed.

Chiara handed Toph her refilled plate before sitting down next to Zuko again and gently
rubbing his back. “Don't worry. It'll all work out," she said.

--------------------

After eating breakfast, they got ready to approach the Avatar again. They started walking
towards the temple, stopping at the river as they did the day before.

“You stay here,” Zuko said to Chiara.

“I still think you should bring her,” recommended Toph.

“I need to do this on my own,” he insisted.

“No offense, but they like Chiara a lot better, and if you want to teach Aang, you really
should take advantage of that.”

He crossed his arms. “I'm not using my wife as leverage or selling her services to win the
Avatar's trust.”

“Your funeral, Sparky, but she'll make it a lot easier.”

He sighed, but they started descending the steps while Chiara sat by the water and waited.

“Toph! Where have you been?!” yelled Katara when she saw her coming down the stairs.

They suddenly noticed Zuko behind her.

“You didn't...,” started Sokka glaring at the Fire Prince.

“I really think he can help,” said Toph.

“No!” said Katara. “We already decided yesterday. He's not joining us. Aang doesn't want
him for a teacher.”

“Look,” said Zuko, “I'm sorry for hurting you, all of you. I know I don't deserve another
chance...”

“That's the first honest thing you've said!” said Katara. “You don't deserve another chance!”
“And you're not getting it,” said Sokka.

“You need to hear him out,” said Toph.

“No!” yelled Katara. “We're not letting him teach firebending to Aang. That's the perfect
excuse for Zuko to attack him.”

“You guys'll really want to hear what he has to say,” said Toph.

“I don't care what he has to say!” Katara looked at Zuko. “You need to leave! We don't want
you here!”

In anger, she drew up water from the fountain and threw it at Zuko knocking him down. He
refused to defend himself in an attempt to show his sincerity.

“You...you can keep me tied up...or...or put me in a cell, but you need me,” he said, still on
the ground, his hair and clothes dripping with water. “I can help you defeat the Fire Lord.”

“Go!” yelled Katara. “Leave!”

When he remained where he was, she attacked him with water again. He only covered his
face, but he made no move to defend himself otherwise or retaliate against her.

Chiara was sitting quietly by the river creating fish shapes out of water when she heard
Katara yelling. She slowly descended the steps to the temple complex and peeked around the
corner where she saw Zuko being attacked. Katara continued blasting him with water until he
was dangerously near the ledge, and he still refused to defend himself against her. Just as she
was throwing another blast of water towards him, Chiara had sprinted down the steps and
towards Zuko quickly diverting the water from him. She pulled the water from his clothes
and then blocked another of Katara's attacks. Katara was stunned to see Chiara come to his
rescue as she stood protectively in front of him. But they were all even more astonished to
see her waterbend.

“You're a waterbender?” asked Katara. “Why are you helping him? He betrayed us.”

“He can help the Avatar,” said Chiara.

“What is this?!” Katara yelled. She looked at Zuko who got to his feet and stood next to
Chiara. “You convinced her to help you so we'll think we can trust you now?”

“It's not like that,” he said.

Katara drew up more water and furiously launched it towards him again, but Chiara skillfully
bent it so it gracefully moved around him without a single drop touching him.

“How can you defend him?!” cried Katara.

“Please give him a chance,” she said.

“I gave him a chance and it nearly killed Aang!” yelled Katara angrily.
Aang and Sokka just silently watched the two girls.

The physical exertion was beginning to take its toll on Chiara and she was fighting to remain
conscious. Toph, sensing the strain on her heart, started slowly walking towards her.

“I know he's hurt you guys,” said Chiara, “but I promise he's changed.”

“How can we trust you? You lied to us.”

“I'm sorry I couldn't tell you everything, but nothing I said was a lie.”

“But we still can't trust you,” insisted Katara. “We don't even know who you are.”

Chiara stumbled, feeling weaker.

“Please don't attack him,” she said before she began falling.

“Chiara!” Zuko caught her in his arms keeping her from hitting the ground. He looked up at
Katara. “Please, you've got to help her.”

“I don't have to do anything for you!” she snarled.

“It's not just for me; it's for her.”

Katara's heart started softening at the Fire Prince's plea for a waterbender, but she still felt it
was a trap.

“You need to help her, Katara,” said Toph.

“What happened to her?” she asked Zuko deeply. “What did you do to her?”

“I got her out of the prison where my sister tortured her.”

Toph perked up, stunned to learn this. “She was tortured?”

“So that's it,” said Katara sure she identified the trap. “You convinced her you'd let her go if
she helped you get the Avatar.”

“She would never do something like that,” argued Zuko.

“But you would.”

“Please help her,” he begged. “And then if you want us to leave we will.”

“She's not even Fire Nation,” she glared at him. “Why do you even care what happens to
her?”

“She's my wife,” he said softly.

Everybody was stunned into silence except Toph.

“I told you guys you'd want to hear what he had to say,” she said, sounding smug.

“You-you're lying,” said Katara deeply. “She wouldn't marry you. And you would never
marry someone from the Water Tribe.”

“It's a long story,” he said.

“Wait...,” said Sokka with a puzzled expression, “you married your cousin? So is that like a
normal thing in the Fire Nation? Because that would explain a lot about your crazy family.”

Zuko sighed deeply at Sokka's disturbing assumption. “She's not my cousin...”

“Your uncle said she's his daughter. I mean, I guess that's better than being married to her if
she were your sister, but still, that's pretty close...”

“We're not blood related,” said Zuko dryly. He found himself getting really annoyed with
Sokka's rambling. “My uncle adopted her.”

“Katara,” said Aang, “maybe you should help her.”

“I don't trust them, Aang. It could be a trick and they're in on it together.”

“It's not a trick,” said Toph. “Princess Chiara's really honest.”

Everyone caught Toph's title for Chiara.

“Maybe he just convinced her that he wants to help so she really believes it,” suggested
Sokka following his sister's lead on it being a trap.

“Look, while you guys are arguing, she's not getting any better,” said Zuko. “Are you going
to help her or not?”

Katara hesitated still glaring at him. “Fine,” she gave in. “I'll help her, and then you leave us
alone.”

Zuko nodded. He was not happy about the Avatar turning down his offer to train him, but he
was relieved that they were willing to help Chiara. He stood up lifting her in his arms and
then followed Katara into one of the temple buildings. They entered one of the rooms where
Zuko laid Chiara on the floor, but he continued holding her left hand in his not wanting to
break contact with her. Katara knelt down next to her across from Zuko and looked over her
facial wounds. Pulling water out of her water skin, she began healing the deep cut above her
left eye. Zuko watched as the water glowed over the wound that got smaller and smaller until
it was no longer visible. Katara then healed the smaller cut on her lip and the bruise over her
cheekbone.

“Prince Zuko...,” she said weakly.

“I'm here,” he said as he caressed her hand and then kissed it.

She looked up at him. “Are you okay?”

“Better now that you're awake,” he answered to Katara's surprise.

“I have so many questions for you,” said Katara softly to Chiara.

“I know you do,” said Zuko. “But before you interrogate her, can you heal her other
injuries?”

Katara gave him a slight glare before nodding curtly. Zuko helped Chiara sit up, and then he
helped take off his tunic she was wearing so Katara could have access to the wounds on her
back. She gasped when she saw them, and Chiara could not help a soft laugh.

“What's so funny?” asked Katara.

“Prince Zuko has tried to spare my feelings. Thank you for letting me know just how bad it
really is.”

He averted his eyes, but she tenderly touched his cheek drawing his gaze back to her, and she
gave him a smile that warmed his heart.

“W-what happened to you?” asked Katara.

Zuko knew that she was hoping to hear he did it to her.

“Azula,” answered Chiara.

“They look like they're healing.”

“I've been putting a burn salve on them,” said Zuko, “but it's not healing them fast enough.”

Katara began working, and soon the wounds were closed and her skin looked much better,
except for scar tissue that was too old to heal. Zuko was relieved to see the difference.

“How does it feel?” he asked her.

“So much better. I still feel weak, but the pain is gone. Thank you,” she said to Katara.

“Yes, thank you,” said Zuko with his arms wrapped around Chiara.

“She should get some rest,” said Katara in a surprisingly gentle voice.

Zuko nodded and helped Chiara with his tunic.

“I want to talk to you,” Katara said to Zuko, reverting to a more stern tone.

He tenderly caressed Chiara's cheek. “Will you be okay here?”

She nodded. He kissed her hand and then helped her lie down before following Katara
outside where they met with the others.

“How's she doing?” asked Aang.

“She said she feels weak, but the pain's gone,” said Katara. “Her back was covered in scourge
wounds. She said Azula did it.”

“Knowing Azula,” started Sokka, “I probably don't have to ask why, but why?”

“She found out Chiara's my wife,” answered Zuko.

“Yeah,” said Sokka, “and about that...”

Zuko hesitated trying to sort his thoughts.

“When we were living in Ba Sing Se, my uncle had opened a tea shop. He said it was a new
beginning for us, and he convinced me to settle down and find a wife. Chiara's the only one I
ever considered marrying, and Uncle finally gave me his blessing, so we got married.”

“But...but you're just teenagers,” said Aang.

“As Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, I would've had a marriage arranged for me at sixteen,
and I would've been married at seventeen.”

“But she's a waterbender,” said Katara. “How did that happen?”

“Yeah, I thought she was from the Fire Nation,” said Sokka. “Your uncle said she was his
daughter.”

“Is the Fire Nation taking slaves from other Nations now?” asked Katara, her eyes narrowed.

“She's not a slave,” he said with a hint of defensiveness in his tone. He remembered Chiara's
suggestion to be honest, and since none of the information was secret anymore, he decided to
be open about it. “Years ago, a Fire Nation company attacked a Water Tribe village in the
northwestern Earth Kingdom...”

“There are no Water Tribe villages in the northwestern Earth Kingdom,” said Katara, trying
to find holes in his story.

“No, there aren't...,” said Zuko. “...anymore. Chiara was the only survivor, and my uncle,
having pity on her, brought her home and adopted her...”

Her mouth dropped open. “Your uncle slaughtered a Water Tribe?” she asked sounding
appalled.

“No. He arrived too late to stop the attack. He said it never should've happened.”

“How did he get away with adopting her?” asked Sokka.

“He was the only one who knew she was from the village and that she was a waterbender. To
everyone else she was just a war orphan that the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation took into
his home. But he was like a father to her and she was raised as part of the Royal Family. We
were best friends, and I had no idea she was a waterbender. She always took care of me, even
going into exile with me when I was banished because she didn't want me to be alone.” He
looked down. “She always insisted I never lost my honor. Having her with me was like
having a part of home wherever I was. I always wanted her to be my wife, but my uncle said
we could never marry because as Crown Prince I had to marry someone whose lineage could
be traced; he never told me it was because she was from the Water Tribe. In Ba Sing Se, it
seemed there was no hope that I would ever return to the Fire Nation, so when Uncle
suggested I settle down, I asked for his blessing to take Chiara as my wife, but he would only
give his permission if I passed a test first...”

“You had to take a test to get married?” asked Sokka. “I didn't even know that was a thing.
Was it written? Did you have to study for...?”

“His test was telling me their secret,” Zuko interrupted what he considered to be inane
questions. “She began bending water around a candle flame reflecting beautiful colors. I was
shocked. Azula always said she was probably a peasant from the Earth Kingdom, but I never
cared. All I knew was that she was my best friend, and I didn't care where she came from,
whether it was the Earth Kingdom, Water Tribe, or Fire Nation, but I never would've guessed
she was a waterbender. Although it did clear some things up,” he added somewhat softly
mostly to himself.

“What things?” asked Katara.

He looked at her. “She would secretly use her healing abilities; she told me she had a special
medicine. Whenever she would heal any injuries she would always tell me to close my eyes,
so I never knew it was her...”

Toph started laughing. “Oh, now I get it.”

“Get what?” asked Katara.

“Zuko attacked me last night and burned my feet...,” she started.

“He what?!” asked Katara and Aang at the same time.

“It was an accident,” said Zuko.

“Chiara healed them with her special medicine,” said Toph.

“But if she has healing abilities, why didn't she heal her own wounds?” asked Katara.

“She can't heal herself,” said Zuko.

“I can heal myself.”

“She said that it's rare, but she was told that her gift was for others.”

“Who told her that?”

“I assume her waterbending teacher.”

“From her village?” asked Katara.

“No. The Northern Water Tribe.” Katara looked surprised by his answer. “After my cousin
died, my uncle and Chiara traveled around. He took her to the North Pole to train. They lived
there for months.”

“But Master Pakku never trained female students,” she said recognizing that Chiara's
waterbending was more defensive than she would have learned from Yagoda.

“I don't know who her master was,” said Zuko. “I just know she trained there.”

Katara was now even more anxious to talk to Chiara.

“She never said anything about being Water Tribe or a waterbender when she was with us,”
said Aang.

“She couldn't,” said Zuko. “If that information got back to the Fire Nation, it would've cost
her her life as well as my uncle's. It nearly did after Ba Sing Se.”

“We thought she was a firebender,” said Sokka.

Zuko had a small smile. “My uncle said she's a firebender at heart.”

As Katara pondered over everything, more questions came to her mind.

“I don't understand how she could marry you in Ba Sing Se,” she said. “That's where you
betrayed us.”

“We were married the day before we found out Azula had taken over the city. We had our
wedding in my uncle's tea shop and we postponed our vacation because Uncle had been
invited to serve tea at the palace and he wanted us to join him. We didn't realize it was a trap
set up by Azula.”

“Um...that might've been my fault,” said Katara guiltily. “I saw you in the tea shop, and when
I went to report it to the Kyoshi warriors, it turned out to be Azula.”

Everyone was stunned. Zuko wanted to be angry, but the more he thought about it, he knew
they could not have remained there.

“It doesn't matter,” he said. “Azula had taken over the city; she would've found us eventually.
And I didn't just betray you,” he said sadly. “I betrayed Chiara and my uncle as well. When
you left the catacombs, Chiara came in to help Uncle. She was incredible. She fought against
the Dai Li and Azula while defending Uncle, and even me,” he added softly.

“You?!” asked Katara now glaring at him. “You were fighting on Azula's side.”

“When I saw Chiara fighting I was so impressed, I couldn't move to fight her, but as she
battled Azula she protected me from crossfire. She and Uncle were outnumbered though.
They were taken to the Fire Nation as prisoners and I did nothing to stop it. My uncle was
condemned to execution as a traitor for raising a spy in the Fire Nation, and Chiara was to be
imprisoned for life.”
“Your uncle was executed?” asked Aang, his eyes wide with worry.

“No. The night before his execution, I broke them out of prison, and we escaped to the Earth
Kingdom. We lived there for months camping out in tents and living in a cabin.” His heart
stirred at the memories of their life in the cabin. “For so long I thought my destiny was to
capture the Avatar,” he said softly. “But I never felt so free until I made Chiara my destiny.”
Having spent a majority of their encounters in battle against each other, the Gaang was not
used to seeing such a dreamy expression on the young prince. “We were so happy in the
cabin; I could've lived there forever with her.”

“So why didn't you?” asked Sokka.

“We were discovered by Fire Nation soldiers,” he said, his dreamy expression becoming
solemn. “When the general threatened to execute Chiara right there, my uncle told him that
he had no authority to execute royal property because she was my wife. He had hoped it
would prevent her execution and give us time to escape again, but unfortunately, we were
taken back to the Fire Nation as prisoners, and it was now known that I had married someone
from outside the Fire Nation. The wounds on her back were punishment for it by Azula. My
sister told me she was dead, and when I finally found Uncle, he confirmed that Azula killed
her. He told me not to let her death be in vain. That's when I made plans to get him out of
prison and find the Avatar and join your side. The day of the eclipse when you guys were
attacking the Fire Nation I went to the prison but Uncle had already escaped. On my way out,
one of the guards told me to check the hidden cells. I thought I might find my uncle there, but
instead I found Chiara. I took her out of there and we've been camping by the river the last
few days. I've been nursing her back to health, but she's been so fragile lately.” He was
anxious to return to the room and stay by her side.

Toph now understood why Zuko had been so concerned about her the night before.

“I know that I betrayed all of you, and I understand if you don't trust me. I've been through a
lot in the last few years, and it's been hard. But I'm realizing I had to go through all those
things to learn the truth. I thought I had lost my honor, and that somehow my father could
return it to me. But I know now that no one can give you your honor. It's something you earn
for yourself by choosing to do what's right. All I want to do now is play my part in ending
this war and help you restore balance to the world so Chiara and I can find a little quiet piece
of land where we can grow old together.” All of their mouths dropped open slightly at the
prince's romantic revelation, but he took no notice of their reaction. He faced Toph. “I'm
sorry for burning your feet.” He bowed to her. “Fire can be dangerous and wild, so as a
firebender I need to be more careful and control my bending so I don't hurt people
unintentionally, but I'm willing to teach you everything I know about firebending,” he said
turning to Aang.

Aang was silent for a moment. He was relieved to learn that Zuko and Chiara were a couple
and that moment he saw the prince standing so close to (his) Katara in the catacombs was just
a misunderstanding on his part. He also realized it was no coincidence that just when he
needed a firebending instructor, one appeared. “I think you are supposed to be my
firebending teacher,” he said. “Chiara said that I'd find the right teacher when the time was
right. When I first tried to learn firebending, I burned Katara, and after that, I never wanted to
firebend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love. I'd
like you to teach me.”

He bowed to Zuko Fire Nation style, and the prince returned the bow.

“Thank you,” said Zuko, feeling relieved the Gaang finally agreed to allow him to join them.
“I'm so happy you've accepted me into your group.”

“Not so fast,” said Aang. “I still have to ask my friends if it's okay with them.” He turned to
Toph. “Toph, you're the one that Zuko burned. What do you think?”

“Go ahead and let him join,” she said as she pounded her fist into her palm. “It'll give me
plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet.”

“Sokka?” asked Aang.

He looked down and sighed. “Hey, all I want is to defeat the Fire Lord,” he shrugged. “If you
think this is the way to do it, then I'm all for it.”

“Katara?” asked Aang.

She glared at Zuko who looked nervous. “I'll go along with whatever you think is right,” she
said to Aang with little fervor.

Aang smiled.

“I won't let you down!” said Zuko excitedly. “I promise! Now if you don't mind, I'm going to
go sit with Chiara.”

When Zuko was gone the others looked at each other.

“I'm not taking my guard down,” said Katara still not completely content with the situation.

“I wouldn't want you to,” said Aang.

“I'm also going to talk to Chiara,” she said. “I want to hear her story...alone.”

When Zuko entered the room, Chiara was lying quietly.

“How'd it go?” she asked when he knelt down next to her.

“I'm officially the Avatar's firebending teacher.” He took her hand in his.

“Who would've ever thought of that?” she smirked.

He smiled as he remembered her teasing him about teaching the Avatar. “Uncle always said
you were wise.”

“Avatar Roku must be so proud of his great grandson,” she said. “Imagine, the great grandson
of the Fire Nation Avatar teaching the Avatar firebending.”
He chuckled as he shook his head. “Yeah, I never saw that coming.” He gently moved a curl
from her cheek. “How're you feeling?”

“So much better.”

“I wish I could've helped you sooner.”

“You took such good care of me.” She gave him a gentle smile. “Thank you.”

He shook his head. “I couldn't heal you though.”

“Without you, I would've died in that cell. You saved my life.”

“I love you, Chiara.”

He leaned over her to tenderly kiss her lips.

“I love you, my Prince.” She caressed his face noticing a sudden darkness in his demeanor.
“You seem sad. Are you okay?”

“I...I've just been thinking about the future: the Avatar's battle with my father. I wish Uncle
were here to help us.”

“Me too,” she said. “I miss him.”

“I'm also worried about you,” he said as he held her hand in both of his. “I know you're really
good, and you'd be a strong ally in this fight, but I don't want to risk losing you again.”

She was touched by his concern.

“And what if my father wins?” he continued. “The whole world will be in danger. There'll be
nowhere for us to go.”

“You can't worry about the future,” she said. “We have to put our trust in the Avatar, and if
you teach him, he can't fail in his firebending.”

He kissed her hand appreciating her faith in him.

Katara knocked on the open door before entering without invitation. She walked over to
them.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Much better. Thank you so much, Lady Katara.”

Katara looked at Zuko. “I'd like to talk to her alone. You know, a little girl talk?” Her tone
was less than friendly.

“If Chiara doesn't mind,” he said.

Chiara shook her head. “I don't mind.”

She started sitting up as Zuko helped her. Then he kissed her hand before standing up to
leave. Katara watched him go, and after he left, she sat down next to Chiara.

“Are you from the Northern Water Tribe?” Katara asked her.

“My family lived in a small village in the northwestern part of the Earth Kingdom. They
trace their lineage to the Northern Tribe.”

Though Zuko explained Chiara's origin, Katara wanted to hear it from her. “Why were you
living in the Fire Nation?”

“My tribe was murdered in a Fire Nation raid. General Iroh found me alive and took me
home where he raised me.”

Katara's mouth fell open. “You lost your whole family?”

Chiara nodded.

“I'm sorry. How old were you?”

“About four or five.”

“Do you remember any of them?”

“Only my mother,” she said sadly. “This is all I have left of her.” She touched the diadem.

“You got it back,” said Katara remembering she had lost it to the pirates.

“Prince Zuko got it back for me.”

Katara's eyes darkened. “Your family was murdered by the Fire Nation, yet you married the
Prince of the Fire Nation?”

“I don't blame him for his family's deeds. He's my best friend. I've always loved him.”

“But he's tried to kill the Avatar,” she said trying to keep her voice calm. “He betrayed us at
Ba Sing Se, including you.”

“I know he's hurt you all,” said Chiara sympathetically. “He regrets his past, and he's willing
to make up for it. He understands that the course of the Fire Nation needs to change.”

“For all our sakes, I hope you're right,” said Katara. She was trying to sort through the
questions in her head. “I'm really curious about you being a waterbender. If you were living
in the Fire Nation, how did you learn to waterbend?”

“The General and I traveled the world for about a year. He knew I was a waterbender, so he
took me to the Northern Water Tribe to train. We stayed there for months before returning
home.”
“You call the Fire Nation home?” she said, not really intending to speak the thought in her
head.

“I know that must sound wrong to you,” said Chiara, “but it was home to me.”

It did sound wrong to her, but Katara decided not to argue. “They didn't teach you how to
heal injuries at Agna Qel'a?”

“Actually, I could heal somewhat before I trained with them.”

“Really? Why didn't you heal your own then?”

“My gift isn't for me.”

Katara was puzzled. “I don't understand that.”

“I can heal others, but my healing ability has no effect on my own wounds. I was told that
there are a few healers like that. Their gift is only for others, but not themselves.”

Katara was stunned to learn that information. “That seems unfair.”

She shrugged. “I don't mind. I enjoy taking care of others. But I do heal faster in the water
and in the moonlight, especially the full moon.”

“I suppose that's something,” said Katara softly. She was gazing down at her own hands. “I
guess you being a waterbender...that's how you knew I could heal.”

Chiara nodded.

“Who was your waterbending teacher?” Katara asked her.

“Master Yagoda and Master Pakku.”

“Really? Because when I went to the Northern Water Tribe, Master Pakku refused to train
females.”

“He did refuse at first, but the General spoke to him. I don't know what was said between
them, but Master Pakku took me as a student.”

“Why didn't you just stay with the Northern Tribe?”

“I wanted to stay with the General.”

“You wanted to or had to?” asked Katara.

“He gave me a choice. I could stay with the Northern Tribe and be free to waterbend, or I
could return to the Fire Nation with him and be forced to hide my ability. I chose to remain
with him. Wherever he was was home to me.”

Katara could not imagine choosing to live in the Fire Nation. She stood up having learned the
information she was looking for. “Would you like to go to the river with me tonight?”
 “If Prince Zuko doesn't mind.”

Katara felt annoyed that she needed his permission, but she did not say anything. “I'll come
get you later.”

Chiara nodded and Katara left. On her way to leave the temple, she met Zuko who was
waiting to return to the room. She glared at him as she approached him.

“You might have everyone else here buying your...transformation,” she started in a deep,
threatening voice, “but you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the
past. So let me tell you something right now. You make one step backward, one slip-up, give
me one reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny
anymore because I'll make sure your destiny ends...right then and there. Permanently.”

He remained silent. Nothing she said to him could ruin the joy and relief he was feeling over
Chiara being alive and being healed of her injuries. As soon as Katara turned and left the
temple, Zuko rushed back to the room.

“Did you enjoy your girl talk?” he asked Chiara as he walked in.

She softly laughed, which Zuko loved hearing. “It wasn't bad.” He sat down next to her.
“Would it be okay if I go to the river with her tonight?”

He hesitated as he worried about her. “Um...can I go with you?”

“I don't mind,” she shrugged, “but she may be expecting more girl talk.”

“I know she won't hurt you or anything, but I'm just worried that if someone sees you, you
might be targeted.”

“It's up to you. I won't go if you don't want me to.”

“You need to go,” he said as he gently pulled on one of her long locks and released it smiling
as it re-coiled.

Chapter End Notes

So no combustion man. I had considered having Azula send him after Aang ('cause
“they would have believed that!”), but I never got around to writing it...sorry.
 Girls' Night Out

After resting a short time, Chiara began feeling restless, so she and Zuko left the room. As
they walked through the temple, their memories of being there before when he was searching
for the Avatar were still vivid.

“It's hard to believe this is where you started your journey looking for the Avatar as an
enemy,” she said as she held onto his arm. “And now you're starting your journey here as his
ally.”

He smiled as he thought about her words. “You're right. Destiny is a funny thing.”

She was giggling at his imitation of his uncle.

When they arrived in the courtyard, they saw more than just Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Toph,
and Chiara was surprised to see another familiar face among them.

“Teo!”

“Chiara?” he said when he saw her. “It's good to see you again.”

Still in his wheelchair he approached them.

“I can't believe you're here,” she said, amazed at how much older he looked now that he was
a young teenager. “Remember Teo?” she asked Zuko.

“How can I forget,” he said unenthusiastically.

“You all know each other?” asked Aang.

“Yes,” said Chiara.

“They came to the Northern Air Temple,” said Teo.

“Teo was going to help me fly,” she said. “I thought it would be the closest thing to being an
airbender.”

Aang laughed.

“It's amazing, isn't it?” asked Katara.

“I never got the chance,” said Chiara.

“I wouldn't let her jump off the air temple,” said Zuko seriously.

He was confused by their laughter unsure of why the others found it so funny that he
prevented her from leaping to her death.
“So what are you doing here?” Chiara asked Teo.

They all sat down in the courtyard while he told them his story of meeting the Avatar and
how he and his father joined in the invasion on the Day of Black Sun. After listening to Teo,
Zuko and Chiara learned The Duke's history with Jet and the Freedom Fighters and Haru's
escape from the prison rig and how they all came to be part of the invasion team.

Later, after lunch, Chiara looked up at Zuko.

“Is it okay if I walk around the temple?” she asked.

He was reminded of their first visit there.

“I'll go with y...”

“No,” she interrupted placing her hand on his arm. “You stay and socialize. It's been years
since we've been here, and I just want to look around.”

He nodded. “Okay. Do not stray too far,” he said imitating Iroh and making her laugh.

“You're adorable,” she whispered in his ear as she stood up.

As soon as she disappeared, Zuko suddenly felt out of place sitting there by himself with his
long-time enemies-turned-allies. Chiara's presence had been like a cushion between him and
the others providing a sense of comfort from the awkwardness. Her absence made the
uncomfortable situation more painful as he watched them talking among themselves while
avoiding eye contact with him. He wondered if Chiara left with the intention of encouraging
him to bond with them on his own. He felt like a baby bird pushed out of its nest too soon.
He could not imagine how he was supposed to bond with the same people he had angrily
chased all over the world or with those whose families had been broken up because of his
own family's blood lust. He sat there quietly lost in his own thoughts as the others continued
their conversations not paying him any mind.

Chiara slowly strolled around the large garden area admiring the images on the stone walls
just as she had done years before, and as she walked she gathered flowers in her arms. She
inhaled the scent of each one she picked, and when her arm was full of the colorful blossoms,
she took them to the stone pile that was still present. The stick with her hair ribbon which
was now ragged and faded still stood in the center of the mound. She reverently placed the
flowers around the stones just as she had done years before, and when her arms were empty,
she knelt down in the same spot and softly chanted a Fire Nation requiem.

The others were still carrying on their various conversations until Toph interrupted them.

“I hear singing,” she said.

“Really?” asked Sokka. “I don't.”

“Shut up and listen.”

They all got quiet, but they could barely make out Chiara's soft voice singing. Zuko
recognized the song, and he knew exactly where she was and what she was doing.

“It's Chiara,” he said softly, though not intending his words to be audible. Suddenly, the eyes
that had been avoiding him most of the afternoon were all looking at him, except for Toph's
which were looking just to his left. He now saw an audience expecting an explanation. “She's
singing a Fire Nation song for the dead.”

“Uhh...is that some sort of warning that we're about to be attacked?” asked Sokka.

“No,” said Zuko. “Years ago, right after I was banished, we came here first to look for the
Avatar. Chiara found the bones of...” He hesitated when his eyes came to rest upon Aang who
was staring at him wide-eyed. Zuko looked down, feeling guilty. “She found bones, and she
was upset. She sang a song for the dead to honor them.” He could still picture her crying over
the skull of an infant who had been murdered. “She built a monument covering the bones and
placed flowers around it and put her hair ribbon in the center...”

“Wait,” said Aang looking at Sokka and Katara whose eyes were now wide with recognition,
“we saw similar monuments at the other air temples.”

“Chiara built them wherever she found the dead.” Though it had often been a group effort
with him and his crew for the larger monuments, Zuko gave sole credit to Chiara since they
might not have been built otherwise.

Aang, Sokka, and Katara were stunned to learn that the monuments they had seen had been
built by her.

“She sang at each one to honor them,” said Zuko. Images of her encountering the remains
from the different temples flashed through his mind. “My uncle said the burials were hard on
her, that she was too young for the violence,” he said sadly.

“I always knew there was something different about her,” said Katara.

“She was always so compassionate and caring,” he said.

“Will she be okay?” she asked. “Should I check on her?”

“No,” he answered. “She probably wants to be alone.”

Everyone remained silent until they could no longer hear the haunting song.

--------------------

When the conversations began again Zuko once again felt isolated, and he desired to go and
find Chiara, but he forced himself to remain in the company of the others. It was not until
Teo, The Duke, and Haru broke off from the group to continue their exploration of the temple
that he went to look for her. After checking the garden and finding it empty, he walked
through the rooms of the temple finally finding her in the room with the giant Pai Sho table
where she was reminiscing her and Iroh's game years before.
He stood at the entrance watching her run her finger along one of their tile drawings they had
traced on the table long ago.

“I miss him too,” he said as he approached her. He stopped next to where she was sitting on
the large stone table and he took her hand in his. “I'm going back to the camp to grab our
supplies so we can share them with the others.”

She nodded. He helped her as she went to jump down, and keeping hold of her hand he led
her out of the temple complex, and they started their walk back to their campsite.

“The Order provided a Pai Sho set,” he said.

She gave him a curious look. Though he had played the game with her often when they were
on the ship, it was not a pastime he would pursue on his own unless coaxed into it.

“It was for Uncle, I'm sure,” he said, noticing her puzzled expression. “But maybe we can use
them on that giant table later.”

She smiled. “I look forward to it.”

When they arrived at their campsite, they took down the tarp that had served as their shelter
and packed it into the balloon's basket. They gathered their supplies together. The Order had
provided them with a lot of useful items, including money, which all fit into a large bag that
could be carried by one person. After packing it all up, Zuko lifted the bag over his shoulder
not allowing Chiara to carry anything.

On their way back to the temple, she was eyeing the different tree saplings. Spotting what she
was looking for, she pulled out the small axe hanging from a ring on Zuko's bag.

“Hold on,” she said. “I want to get this tree.”

He turned around and seeing the axe in her hand, he intended to cut the sapling for her, but by
the time he set the bag down, she had cut it herself.

“Let me get that for you,” he said picking it up.

She stepped over to another sapling and started chopping at its base.

“Chiara,” said Zuko, frustrated that she was swinging the axe again, “I'll get it.”

“You won't let me carry anything, and they were just two small trees,” she said. “It's not
going to kill me.”

He took the axe from her. “Can you please just take it easy?” he asked. “You were nearly
dead a few days ago.”

“And Katara's healing really made a difference.” She picked up the felled sapling. “I feel so
much better.”

“I just don't want you to overexert yourself.” He took it from her hands.
“You thought putting food on a plate was overexerting.”

He raised his eyebrows. “And your point?”

“My point is...”

She was staring at him. He stared back unyielding.

“You're not going to let me win this, are you?” she said in a defeated tone.

“No.”

She was softly laughing as she shook her head. After placing the axe back in its ring, he
picked up the bag again and then the two saplings, and they continued walking back to the
temple.

In their room, Chiara pulled out the teapot, spices, dried noodles, and a spool of cord, placing
them all inside their cooking pot. Before she could pick it up, Zuko took it for her, so she
grabbed her saplings, which he took from her, and they walked out to the courtyard. He
started building a fire for her in the Gaang's firepit while she began putting a stew together.
Once the pot was hanging over the fire cooking, she took one of the saplings and started
carving it into a bow while Zuko carved the arrows.

As he was shaping an arrow with his knife, he reminisced the last time they were at the
temple years earlier. He paused carving as he stared out at the distant mountains, his uncle's
voice echoing in his head: You know, Prince Zuko, destiny is a funny thing. You never know
how things are going to work out. But if you keep an open mind and an open heart, I promise
you will find your own destiny someday.

His eyes left the mountains and fell on Chiara diligently working on her bow. His uncle had
been right—he found his own destiny.

She glanced up at him catching him staring at her. “Is something wrong?”

A small smile formed on his face. “Everything's perfect.” He went back to shaping the arrow.

--------------------

Late that night after dinner and a challenging game on the giant Pai Sho table, Zuko and
Chiara were in their room meditating before a few candles.

“Are you okay?” she asked him, eventually breaking the long silence of their meditation.
“You've been really quiet this evening. Do you still think I let you win the game?”

He chuckled. “Maybe,” he admitted.

“I didn't,” she smiled.

He shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I feel out of place.”

“I know it must be hard for you,” she said sympathetically.

“You guys are all friends. I...I don't really belong. I'm the only one from the Fire Nation, and
it's my people—my family—who are responsible for their suffering.”

Chiara turned to face him. “It's understandable that you feel out of place, but you're not,” she
said. “You're right where you need to be. All four Nations are represented here as allies.
You're here to make this world a better place for all of us. Regardless of what your people
have done, you will be the one to help fix it.”

His heart stirred at her comforting words, and he felt himself drawn towards her unable to
resist placing a gentle kiss upon her lips.

“You would make the most beautiful Fire Lady. If only my people could understand what a
treasure you could be to them.”

She reached up to tenderly caress his face. He was about to kiss her again, but there was a
knock at the door before it opened.

“I'm taking Chiara to the river,” said Katara as she entered without invitation.

Her demanding tone did not go unnoticed by Zuko, but he held his temper for the sake of
peace.

“Maybe I should go with you,” he said as he stood up and helped Chiara to her feet.

Katara felt offended. “Like we need to be protected by a man?”

“It doesn't hurt to have a bigger group,” he said, desperately trying to control his anger.

“Toph's going with us,” she said. “Does that make you feel better?”

“It would make me feel better if I was going with her.”

“Well, this is for girls only,” she insisted.

Zuko knew he was not going to win this argument.

“Look, I know you guys are really good waterbenders, and I trust you to watch out for her,
but please be careful.”

Katara was unexpectedly impressed with his concern, but she reminded herself that it was
Zuko, and she refused to trust him. She was just about to snap at him until Toph stomped into
the room.

“What's taking so long?” she demanded.

Katara huffed. “Zuko's worried we girls can't handle ourselves.”

He was not going to let her get to him. “I'm worried that my wife is a target for bounty
hunters,” he said with a forced calm.

“You should've thought of that before you married her,” snapped Katara.

Chiara placed her hand on Zuko's arm before he snapped back.

“We'll be okay,” she assured him softly.

He gazed into her beautiful eyes and melted.

“You should get some rest,” she said to him. “You've been working so hard lately taking care
of me and worrying about the Avatar.”

He knew he would not be able to sleep unless she was with him, but he did not want to
discourage her from going.

“Okay,” he gave in unable to resist her. “Be careful.”

She nodded and turned towards the girls going down on one knee before Toph while making
a gesture on the floor.

Toph laughed and bowed to her. “Wow, I have the Princess of the Fire Nation kneeling before
me,” she said. “I'm honored.”

When Chiara went to stand, Zuko took her hand helping her to her feet. As he held her hand
in his he pressed his lips against it before reluctantly letting her go. She gave him smile as
she followed the girls out the door.

“I can see why the Prince of the Fire Nation married you,” said Toph when they were outside
the room.

Zuko, having heard her comment, chuckled to himself before turning back to the empty
room. Going to the mat, he lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. He could not stop
worrying about Chiara being away from him. It was the first time they had been so far apart
since she was in prison.

--------------------

The girls ascended the steps leaving the temple complex.

“How did you meet the Avatar, Lady Beifong?” asked Chiara while they walked upstream.

“Oh...well...,” started Toph, “he was a fan.”

Katara giggled. “Aang beat her...”

“Whoa, whoa, hold it right there, Sugar Queen,” interrupted Toph. “Aang didn't beat me. He
cheated.”
“He didn't cheat. He knocked you out of the ring.”

“But he did it with airbending during an earthbending tournament,” argued Toph. “That's
cheating.”

“You were in an earthbending tournament with the Avatar?” asked Chiara.

“It was after Earth Rumble VI,” said Toph, “of which I, of course, was champion.”

“You were the champion of Earth Rumble VI?” Chiara asked excitedly. “I saw Earth Rumble
I.”

“How did you see that?” asked Toph. “I thought you lived in the Fire Nation.”

“The General and I traveled through the Earth Kingdom years ago. We visited Gaoling to see
the tournament.”

“That's why you recognized the Beifong name.”

“Yes,” confirmed Chiara. “I wish I could've seen it when you competed. The Boulder was the
champion when I saw it.”

“You mean The Pebble,” said Toph.

Chiara started laughing at her nickname for him.

“I totally beat him.”

“What name did you go by?” she asked.

“The Blind Bandit.”

“Oh, that's great,” said Chiara softly giggling.

“Yeah, it was pretty great.”

“So you met Aang when he challenged the champion.”

“Yeah,” said Toph, “but like I said, he cheated.”

Katara scoffed which Toph ignored.

“When we were fugitives in the Earth Kingdom before we went to Ba Sing Se, I recognized
one of the competitors' voices,” said Chiara. “He tried to take the General, Prince Zuko, and I
to collect the bounties.”

“I bet that was Xin Fu,” said Toph. “Was he alone?”

“No. He was with another older earthbender.”

“Those two losers trapped me in a metal box,” she said bitterly. “But joke's on them—that's
how I learned to metalbend.”

“You can metalbend?” Chiara's voice was filled with awe. “That's incredible.”

“Yep. I'm definitely incredible,” said Toph proudly.

“Yes, you are,” giggled Chiara. “We encountered them in a cantina in the Misty Palms
Oasis.”

“Wait...,” interrupted Katara. “...the Misty Palms Oasis?”

“Yes.”

“We were there,” she said. “It wasn't long after we battled Azula in that ghost town. I thought
an oasis sounded refreshing.”

“It wasn't my idea of refreshing,” said Chiara.

“Mine neither. But we did get to visit Wan Shi Tong's Library in the Si Wong Desert. That's
how we learned about the solar eclipse.”

“I heard of the library. It must be incredible.”

“It probably was before it sank in the sand,” said Toph.

“It's gone?”

“Toph tried to keep it from sinking,” said Katara. “That's when the sandbenders stole Appa.”

“So that's how Appa disappeared. I saw Aang's posters in Ba Sing Se. Prince Zuko found him
under Lake Laogai.”

“So...so Zuko really did set Appa free?” asked Katara.

“I told you he wasn't lying,” said Toph.

“Why did he do that?” Katara asked Chiara.

“He had intended to use him to get Aang, but I guess the General talked him out of it. I was
busy talking to Appa. He looked so sad chained up.”

They stopped at a spot where the river was narrow and the moon was visible.

“This looks like a good spot to relax,” said Katara. She looked around. “Toph can you send
some of these rocks out in the water.”

“No problem.”

With a few effortless earthbending moves, three large rocks rolled into the middle of the
stream. Katara led the way into the warm water where they sat down on them, Chiara in the
middle. They faced downstream allowing the current of the water to massage their lower
backs. The moon was shining brightly down upon them, and Chiara was immediately
beginning to feel recharged.

“This feels really good,” she said.

“So...growing up in the Fire Nation,” started Toph. “That must've been...interesting for a
waterbender.”

Chiara let out a soft chuckle. “I had to keep my bending secret. Only the General and Prince
Lu Ten knew about it.”

“Prince Lu Ten?” asked Katara. “There's another Fire Nation prince?” She could not help the
worry in her voice, especially at the thought that there could be another Prince Zuko or
Princess Azula after them.

“The General's son. He died in battle,” she said sadly.

“And you grew up with Zuko?” asked Toph.

“Yes.”

“The Fire Nation destroyed your family,” said Katara. “How can you forgive them? I'll never
forgive them for taking my mother from me.”

Chiara could hear the bitterness in her voice.

“I don't blame the Fire Nation for what happened to my family,” she said. “It's a great nation,
but they're being led in the wrong direction. They need a Fire Lord who will lead them on a
path of peace.” She moved her hand over the surface of the water. “Besides, two of my
favorite people are Fire Nation. I love Prince Zuko and General Iroh.”

“And that's another thing, I know Iroh helped us before, but wasn't he the Dragon of the
West? How many villages did he destroy?”

“General Iroh is not the same man he was years ago. Whatever he's done in his past, he's
redeemed himself in my eyes.”

“But your own family was slaughtered by the Fire Nation, Chiara!” Katara's voice rose. “By
men like him! How can you even look at him after that?”

Chiara understood Katara's anger, but having grown up with the moody, angry Fire Prince,
she found the best way to deal with it was to remain calm. “Imagine being raised by the Fire
Lord and being told that it was your duty to conquer the other nations. General Iroh is one of
the bravest men I know. He managed to break free from a lifetime of war and violence
against other nations and reject that ideology. He's considered a traitor by some of his people
when he's actually a true son of the Fire Nation. He may have destroyed lives in the past, but
he's recognized the error and has changed his life, and it's cost him nearly everything. I
admire his courage in sacrificing everything to do what's right.”
Though Katara still wanted to be angry, both she and Toph saw the wisdom in her words.

“I guess you feel the same way about Zuko,” said Katara, the bitterness sounding in her voice
again.

“I do. He's another who's one of the truest children of the Fire Nation. His honor was
everything to him, but he has more honor than he'll ever know.”

“It wasn't very honorable of him to betray us in Ba Sing Se,” she said deeply.

“To realize his error and correct his mistake takes a great deal of humility, courage, and
honor. He spent years diligently searching for the Avatar, and he tried so hard to capture him
so he could return home, and when he finally had it all back, he gave it all up to rescue the
General and me from prison.”

Chiara felt the flutter in heart as she spoke of her husband.

Katara was unsure if she could ever reach that level of forgiveness and acceptance, but she
decided not to argue with her.

“So what's it like being married to Zuko?” asked Toph, her tone more friendly and curious.

Chiara chuckled at her question. “Like I'm married to my best friend, which I am. Like I
always feel complete when he's with me, and like there's something missing when he's not.
I've always loved his fiery eyes,” she added, her voice a bit dreamy as she pictured them in
her mind.

“He seems self-conscious about his scar,” said Katara.

“He's got a scar?” asked Toph.

“Over the left side of his face,” answered Katara.

“How bad is it?”

“It's pretty large,” she said.

“How did he get it?” asked Toph.

Katara looked at Chiara.

“He didn't tell you guys?” asked Chiara.

She shook her head. “No.”

“I...I don't think I should be the one to tell that story. Besides, I wasn't present when it
happened...which might have been a good thing. I'm not sure I would've been able to keep
control, and I probably would've made things a lot worse.”
It was not the first time Chiara tried to imagine how Ozai might have reacted had she run out
into the arena during the Agni Kai with the intention of protecting Zuko.

“Too bad you couldn't have healed it,” said Katara drawing up a small stream of water and
guiding it around.

“By the time I saw him, it was too late to heal completely.”

Katara's stream dropped into the river as she turned her attention to Chiara. “You tried?”

“Yes. It would've been much worse. And he was told he would be blind, but I was able to fix
his eye.”

“Is it that bad?” asked Toph.

“It's...noticeable,” said Katara.

“It's a symbol of how honorable my prince is,” said Chiara.

The girls were now even more curious as to how Zuko got his scar.

“And it gives him character,” she added.

Toph laughed. “You really see good in everything and everyone.”

“Even his sister?” asked Katara rhetorically.

“Hmm...,” said Chiara thoughtfully. “She didn't kill me like she threatened. I guess that's
something good.”

Katara let out a laugh not expecting her to find anything good in Azula. “Probably so she
could keep torturing you,” she said darkly.

“It was worth it to see my husband again.”

“Wow, Azula is your sister-in-law,” said Toph as she considered their relationship. “That is a
horrible thought.”

“And Fire Lord Ozai is your father-in-law,” said Katara.

“Imagine those family reunions,” said Toph laughing with Katara joining in.

“They weren't so bad in the beginning,” said Chiara, “especially before Prince Ozai became
Fire Lord. Our families used to vacation together on Ember Island.”

“What was he like?” asked Katara curiously.

“He was so different from the General. The General would often play with us at the beach
and even dance with us at the beach parties.” She smiled as she fondly remembered their days
on Ember Island. “But Prince Ozai never joined in with the kids.”
“I didn't think anyone danced in the Fire Nation,” said Katara.

“We danced at royal balls years ago when Fire Lord Azulon was still alive.”

“You met Fire Lord Azulon?” she asked.

“Several times at royal dinners and royal balls. The first time I met him was at a formal royal
ball shortly after I arrived in the Fire Nation. The General had me by his side when he greeted
his father.”

“What did he do?” asked Toph.

“He just smiled at me and said Prince Iroh made me quite a princess.” She hesitated as she
had not thought about Azulon's words since he spoke them to her, and then thoughts of him
ordering Ozai to kill Zuko went through her mind.

“I guess he was right,” said Toph, snapping her out of her thoughts. “You really are a
princess.”

“That was the first time I danced with Prince Zuko,” she said softly as she enjoyed the more
pleasant memories in her head.

“Zuko dances?” asked Katara.

“Everyone in the royal family learns to dance.”

Katara had a hard time imagining Chiara being part of the Fire Nation royal family, or the
royal family being so...human.

“It's so hard to believe a waterbender grew up with the royal family of the Fire Nation,” she
said. “Did Azulon know you were from a Water Tribe?”

“I doubt it.”

“What did Iroh say when he brought you there? What did he tell people about where he found
you?”

“He just said I was an orphan that he discovered.”

“And nobody ever questioned it?” asked Toph.

“He said it was his choice to take me into his household.”

“So did you grow up with Azula too?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Was she always...evil?”

“No. She didn't seem so bad when she was really young.” She sounded pensive. “I used to
watch over her at the beach on Ember Island. There were a few times I secretly waterbended
to keep her and Zuko safe in the water.”

“That must've been awful being tortured by her,” said Katara. “Especially after growing up
with her.”

“In prison she said she wanted to break me,” said Chiara sadly. “She nearly did in the end.”

“How?” asked Toph.

“She told me Prince Zuko had been executed because of me. I had lost my Water tribe family,
and I thought I had lost the last family I had, General Iroh and Prince Zuko. She had already
told me that the General had been executed, but when she told me my husband was dead
too...I...I had nothing left.”

“I'm so sorry, Chiara,” said Katara sympathetically.

“When Prince Zuko found me in the cell, I thought I was hallucinating. Sometimes it still
feels like that. Every night I dream I'm still in that cell.” She shuddered. “At least, I hope
they're the dreams and this is real.”

“This is real, Chiara,” said Katara placing her hand on her arm in comfort. “You're safe now.”

Chiara gently smiled at her.

They continued enjoying the water as it flowed around their bodies like mini-massages.

“So you spent nearly three years on a ship with Zuko when he was trying to find the Avatar?”
asked Katara. “What was that like?”

“It was like being home on a ship. Wherever the General and Prince Zuko were was home to
me.”

Though Katara missed her home in the South Pole, she thought about her travels with Aang
and Sokka and realized that, in a way, she felt similar to Chiara.

“What did you do all that time?”

“I helped the cook, I did laundry, I sewed...”

Katara huffed. “He had you working like one of the crew?”

“Isn't that what you do, Katara?” asked Toph.

“Well...yes...but it's different...”

“How is it different?”

“Zuko was making her work for his whole crew,” said Katara.

“Actually, Prince Zuko often complained when I worked,” Chiara corrected her. “He insisted
I was royalty and the work I did was beneath me, but I enjoyed it. I liked keeping busy. And
it wasn't all work. I also played Pai Sho, and we enjoyed music night.”

“Zuko had music night?” she asked.

“No, but the General did. I played the erhu or pipa or sang. We also practiced sword fighting,
and I trained with the firebenders.”

“Really?” asked Toph. “But you're not a firebender.”

“True, but I use some of their techniques in my waterbending.”

“Like the ones you showed me?” asked Katara.

“Exactly.”

“Three years on a ship,” said Toph shaking her head. “I couldn't handle that.”

“The hardest part was being surrounded by water and not being able to really practice
waterbending,” said Chiara.

“That would be too hard,” said Katara. “I don't think I could do it.”

“It was difficult, but not impossible. I hid it for so long in the Caldera; it wasn't much
different.”

“Whatever happened to his ship?” asked Katara. “Was it destroyed during the attack on the
Northern Water Tribe?” she asked hopefully.

“No. Admiral Zhao attempted to assassinate Prince Zuko by blowing it up.”

“Really?!” asked Katara looking at her. “Were you on the ship?”

“No. Just Prince Zuko.” She could still feel the pain in her heart at the thought of his death. “I
was heartbroken when I saw the explosion. I thought...I thought he was gone,” she said sadly.

“How did he survive?” asked Toph.

“He said he was on the bridge and the blast blew him into the water. He was bruised and had
some broken ribs which I healed.”

“With your special medicine?” asked Toph smiling.

Chiara smiled. “Yes.”

“Zhao,” said Katara disgustedly. “He was the one who killed the moon spirit.”

“Yes. I despised him,” said Chiara in a similar tone. “I hated listening to him talk about his
plans for destroying the Water Tribe. He was awful. I had planned on stopping him from
destroying the moon spirit, but I was too late.”
“You were there?” asked Katara sitting up straight. “Wait...were you the one in the Spirit
Oasis behind him?”

“Yes. If I had gotten there sooner I might've been able to prevent him from destroying it, or I
would've died trying.”

“Whatever happened to him?”

“Justice prevailed,” she answered coldly. “Prince Zuko and I confronted him after he left the
oasis, but the ocean spirit dragged him to the depths. There was nothing we could do to help
him.”

“I guess justice did prevail,” said Katara as she relaxed again.

“The General told me of Princess Yue's sacrifice,” she said sadly.

“Did you know her?” asked Katara.

“Yes. We were friends. I never got a chance to say goodbye.”

Through the soft sound of the running water, Toph heard footsteps in the woods nearby.
“Somebody's coming,” she whispered.

They looked at the river bank, Katara and Chiara both tensed up ready to attack any
unwanted visitors.

“Hey,” said Chiara as she relaxed and perked up when she recognized Zuko stepping through
the trees. “Are you okay?”

He shrugged. “It's getting late, and I was getting worried.”

“Sounds like you're being overprotective,” said Katara as she glared at him.

“Aw,” said Chiara. “You should've gone to sleep. You need the rest.”

“I couldn't sleep,” he said.

“Do you want to come relax in the water?” she asked.

He walked in the river, passing in front of Toph, and stood near Chiara.

“Here,” she said as she held her hand out to him. “Sit here.” She moved slightly to her right
to make room on her rock.

He took her hand and he sat down on her left side between her and Toph.

“We'll leave you two lovebirds alone then,” said Katara as she stood up.

“But I'm enjoying this,” said Toph. “I like this Fire Princess a lot better than the other one.”

Zuko laughed, but then realized he felt the same way.

“Come on, Toph,” insisted Katara as she walked in front of them towards the river bank.

“Okay,” said Toph a little reluctantly. “I miss having my feet on dry ground anyways.”

The girls walked out of the river and disappeared into the woods, but as soon as they were
out of sight, Katara convinced Toph to stay nearby to eavesdrop on them.

“You really should've gotten some rest,” said Chiara to Zuko.

“I can't sleep when you're gone.”

She put her hand on his back. “Sit in front of me.”

“What?”

“Sit in front of me, on the riverbed.”

Moving off the rock, he sat in front of her deeper in the water. The ends of her hair flowed
downstream gently rolling against his back and surrounding him sending chills through his
body.

“Lean forward,” she said as she ran her hands over his shoulders.

He did as she commanded, and after rubbing his back, she began massaging him with water.

“This...this feels incredible,” he said.

She continued her massage on his shoulders, slowly working her way down his back.

“Now I know what Uncle meant.” His muscles were melting at her touch. “Why didn't I let
you do this before?”

She giggled.

“Oh, Prince Zuko,” started Chiara imitating Iroh, “you are so tense; you should let Chiara
give you a water massage.”

He started laughing. “I love you so much.”

Toph's hand flew to her mouth as she quietly laughed at Chiara's imitation of Iroh. It earned
her an elbow from Katara trying to shush her.

“You really are tense,” Chiara said as she continued the massage.

“I've been worried about you,” he said.

“I know. I'll be fine now.”

“Not if Azula gets hold of you again,” he said darkly.

“Don't worry.”
“I wish we could go back to the cabin and just quietly live there forever.”

“Aw,” she smiled.

“I've never been so happy as when we lived there with Uncle, except when we lived next
door to each other,” he added.

“I miss those days,” she said as she moved to the middle of his back.

“This feels great,” he groaned.

When she finished working the tension out of his entire back, she placed her hands on his
shoulders.

“Sit up and lean your head back.”

He did as she directed and laid his head back so it rested against her chest. She took water
and massaged his head while using her healing technique.

“This feels so good,” he spoke in a whisper. “Can we just stay like this forever?”

“I wish we could,” she said as she thought about the difficulties they were to face.

She continued massaging his head until he was so relaxed he was nearly asleep.

“I love you, Chiara,” he said sleepily.

In the meantime, Katara and Toph left to go back to the temple.

“They sound really cute together,” said Toph.

“I don't know,” said Katara. “I still don't trust him.”

“Oh, c'mon. They sounded sincere to me.”

When Chiara felt like she had done all she could to relieve his tension, she stopped
massaging him, put her arms around him, and held him.

“How do you feel?” she asked him.

“I feel great,” he said still sounding like he was half-asleep.

“Should we go back?”

“No. I want to stay like this forever,” he said dreamily.

She tenderly caressed his head, and they remained there for a while as the moon continued
crossing the sky over them.

When Zuko realized he was falling asleep, he reluctantly sat up.

“I guess we should go,” he said not really wanting to leave that moment.

“Whenever you're ready.”

“After what you just did, I'll never be ready to leave.”

She felt content that she could do something for him after he had so tirelessly taken care of
her.

He stood up, took her hand, and led her to the shore where the water dropped off their skin
and clothes. They walked back to the temple where they went to their room and went to
sleep.
 Firebending Training, Take Two

It was another nightmare that woke Chiara before the sun had risen. She slowly sat up, and in
the dim light she could see Zuko who, to her relief, was still asleep next to her. She took a
deep breath reminding herself that she was not dreaming—she was in the Western Air
Temple, Zuko was safely beside her, and Iroh was at least free from the prison. Lying back
down she quietly listened to Zuko's soft, steady breathing and waited until the sun started
brightening their room. When it was light enough, she carefully got up, and seeing that Zuko
was still sound asleep, she quietly gathered a few items and left the room leaving him to his
rest knowing he needed it. Walking out into the courtyard, she placed the bag down near the
fire pit where they ate their meals before strolling through the trees gathering fruit for the
others for their breakfast.

When she returned to the courtyard, she saw Aang coming out of the temple.

“Greetings, Avatar Aang,” she greeted him as she bowed with an armful of fruit.

“Flamey-O, Hotwoman,” he said returning the bow. She could not help a soft giggle at his
greeting. “How are you feeling?” he asked her.

“Much better thanks to Lady Katara and Prince Zuko. Are you hungry? I picked fruit for
everyone.” She threw a moon peach up in the air for Momo who flew up and caught it. He
landed on Aang's shoulder before he began eating it.

“Thanks,” said Aang taking one she held out to him. “Where's Zuko? We're supposed to start
my firebending lessons today.” There was a slight tone of uneasiness in his voice.

“He's getting some much needed sleep,” she answered as she knelt down.

“Isn't he usually up with the sun?” asked Aang.

She was placing the fruit down in a pile not far from the extinguished campfire. “Usually, but
I know a little waterbending technique that helps him sleep longer if he needs it.”

Aang was laughing. “I think it's great you're a waterbender. We really had no idea.”

“I'm sorry I had to hide it from you,” she said as she was pulling a few things out of her bag
and setting them near the fruit pile.

“I understand. Zuko said it would've been dangerous for you.”

“I was more worried about the General,” she said. “He was nearly executed because of it.”

“Zuko said that's when he broke you out of prison. I guess he really is a good guy.”

“My prince is very honorable.” She looked at him. “I'm surprised to see you up so early this
morning.”
“I was just going to feed Appa.”

Her eyes lit up. “I love Appa.”

“Would you like to help me feed him?”

“I would love to,” she said quickly standing up.

Leaving her work, she followed Aang. She helped him gather hay which they carried to Appa
who perked up knowing he was about to eat.

“He's so beautiful,” she said when she saw him.

Aang was laughing at her excitement. They laid the hay before him, and as he ate, Chiara
enjoyed running her fingers through his thick fur.

“You are so beautiful,” she said as she was petting him. “I've missed your soft fur.”

“I can't believe how different Zuko is,” said Aang who was leaning against Appa. “He's
really changed.”

“He had to learn that true honor comes from making the right choices. There's no honor in
hurting the innocent. I think the hardest part was accepting that Ozai is not a good
person...and especially not a good father,” she added in an audible undertone.

Aang enjoyed her wisdom.

“He really cares about you,” he said.

“He's so precious,” she smiled. She continued petting Appa who paused eating and rolled
over. “Aww.” She laughed. “So are you,” she said to the content bison.

“Appa really likes you,” he said.

“He's such a beautiful boy. You must be so happy to be out of that cell,” she said to Appa.

Aang was puzzled by her words. “Cell?”

“Under Lake Laogai.”

“You knew he was there?” His wide gray eyes were staring at her.

“We saw your fliers in Ba Sing Se,” she said. “Prince Zuko released him.”

Aang thought about what Zuko had said the day before about freeing his bison.

“How-how did he find him?”

“Dai Li agent.”
Aang suspected he knew the answer, but he decided to ask anyways. “Why would Zuko look
for him?”

“To get to you,” she said honestly. “But he made the decision to set this beautiful boy free.”

“Were you with him?”

“Yes.”

He wondered if she had influenced Zuko to set Appa free.

“I can't believe Zuko followed me to Ba Sing Se,” he said in a low voice.

“He didn't,” said Chiara. “We were wanted by the Fire Nation, so we went there as refugees.”

He looked at her. “Why were you wanted by the Fire Nation?”

“After the General fought against Zhao and tried to save the moon spirit at the North Pole,
word got back to the Fire nation, and we were considered traitors. Azula came after us, but
we escaped into the Earth Kingdom with nearly nothing.”

Aang was stunned as he never knew what they went through.

“We ended up hiding in Ba Sing Se after she attacked the General in Tu Zin,” she continued.
“It was an adjustment, but we planned on settling down. The General had opened a tea shop
in the Upper Ring, we had just gotten married...and then Azula showed up with the promise
of honor and his father's love,” she said sadly.

“Zuko told us what happened—how he betrayed you and his uncle.”

“It was a turning point for him.” She stopped rubbing Appa and looked at Aang. “Your
destinies are connected. It was no coincidence that he was the first of the Fire Nation to
discover the Avatar was alive. This was where he started his quest looking for you here in the
Western Air Temple in order to capture you, and now he finally finds you here, but he comes
to you as an ally and a teacher. It was a long journey, but he made it back here...on your side,
on the right path.”

“You were right about finding the right teacher when it was time,” he said. “You're really
wise, Chiara.”

She smiled, reminded of Iroh's words. “The General used to say that,” she said softly, her
mind drifting to concerned thoughts about Iroh, hoping he was safe.

--------------------

After enjoying time with Appa, they went back to the courtyard where Aang watched Chiara
build a fire.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked.

“Do you want to cut up the fruit?”

“Sure.” He picked up an apple. “Do you have a knife?”

She pulled hers out of its sheath and handed it to him.

“This is nice,” he said looking at it.

“It was a gift from Prince Zuko.” She started heating water for tea. “It was the most useful
gift I've ever received.”

When the water started boiling she replaced the teapot over the fire with a frying pan, and
then she began preparing the tea. While it was steeping, she lined up a few spices she pulled
out of her bag, and once the frying pan was sufficiently heated, she dropped in a few pieces
of apple that Aang had sliced. Holding a piece out to a happy, hungry Momo, he jumped onto
her shoulder and ate it before begging for more food. She added spices to the pan and then
turned the fruit to fry it evenly.

“I don't think I've ever eaten fruit fried before,” said Aang when he finished cutting another
apple.

“It's a little difficult to get them perfect without the right ingredients, but they should still be
good to eat.” She flipped the apple pieces in the pan and added more spices. “Back home or
on board the ship, we could make them where they would melt in your mouth.”

“This is what we really missed about you, Chiara,” came Sokka's voice as he and Katara
walked up to them and sat down.

“Sokka!” said Katara appalled by her brother.

Chiara softly laughed. “I'm glad to be of service,” she said as she bowed to them while
Momo balanced himself to keep from falling off her shoulder.

“How are you feeling?” Katara asked her.

“I feel really good. Thank you, Lady Katara.” She shook the pan. “Would you like some fried
fruit?”

“I don't refuse any food that sounds good,” said Sokka.

She placed a few cooked pieces on a plate and handed it to Katara who shared it with Aang
and Sokka, and then she poured tea for them.

“I thought we might have fried fish this morning,” said Sokka.

She smiled. “If Prince Zuko allows me to go to the river, I could catch something to fry.”

Katara felt annoyed by the thought of Zuko having to allow her to do anything, but she just
quietly ate the fruit.
“This is really good,” said Aang as Katara nodded in agreement.

“Thank you,” she smiled adding more pieces to the pan.

“It'd be better with meat wrapped around it,” said Sokka.

“If you don't like it, then Aang and I will finish them,” said Katara as she moved the plate
between her and Aang.

“I didn't say I didn't like it,” he said reaching for another piece. “I just think meat
would...enhance the flavor.”

Chiara was softly laughing at them as she was adding spices to the pan.

“So...,” said Sokka, “...Zuko's wife. What's that like?”

“It's been adventurous,” she answered.

“And speaking of Zuko,” he started as he looked around wondering if he missed him, “Where
is he?”

“He's still sleeping.”

“Aren't firebenders supposed to rise with the sun?”

“Chiara said she knows a technique to help him sleep longer,” said Aang to Sokka. “Do you
think you can teach it to me?” he asked her.

“Aang!” said Sokka, looking appalled. “You can't ask her that?”

“Why not?”

“That...that's...private...”

“What's the big deal...?” asked Aang innocently, wondering why Sokka sounded so offended.

“I don't think Zuko would appreciate you and his wife...you know...”

Katara was wondering what they were going on about as Chiara just watched them going
back and forth wanting to laugh as she realized what Sokka was implying.

“But Zuko's going to be my firebending teacher,” argued Aang. “Why would he mind if
Chiara teaches me a few things...”

“She's another man's wife, Aang.” He lowered his voice. “And not just any man's
wife...Zuko's...you know, angry jerk...the same angry jerk who chased you all over the world
for his honor. What do you think he's going to do to you if you hit his wife up
for...techniques?”

Chiara was still holding back laughter while quietly eating a piece of fruit hoping Zuko
would not walk out during this conversation.
“She gave Katara tips on waterbending,” countered Aang. “If she knows something helpful
for sleeping, I think it would be great to have her teach me.”

“That is a terrible idea!” Sokka was looking around worried that Zuko might hear.

Smoke coming from the frying pan suddenly distracted Chiara from the conversation that had
distracted her from her cooking. She started pulling out blackened pieces of apple and tossed
them across the courtyard. Momo immediately went after them and tried picking up the
burning apple remains.

“And you need to keep your voice down,” said Sokka in a loud whisper. “You shouldn't be
asking her for that...that kind of information.”

“All she has to do is show me what she does for Zuko,” said Aang.

Sokka glared at Katara. “Why are you not the one yelling at him for this?”

Chiara decided to hold off cooking at the moment. She considered cutting up another apple,
but, worried that she might lose a finger this time, she just joined the conversation instead.

“I can teach it to Katara too,” she said innocently as Sokka's jaw dropped. “She and Aang
could both benefit from it together.”

“No! That's...no...technique...no...,” stuttered Sokka unable to express anything coherent at

that moment.

Chiara thought Sokka's brain was about to explode.

“Sokka, what is wrong with you? What are you talking about?” Katara finally asked him.

He looked at her. “Come on, Katara,” he said, finally managing intelligible words. “How can
you think it's appropriate for her to talk about her techniques to help her husband sleep or for
Aang to ask her to teach him...or you?!”

“It's a really useful waterbending technique,” said Chiara coolly to Katara as if that's what the
entire conversation had been about all along.

Sokka gaped at her. “Waterbending technique?” he asked in a small voice.

Suddenly he jumped as Katara hit him. “You need to get your mind out of the gutter!” she
yelled at her brother.

“Well...what...what was I supposed to think?” he asked defensively. “Aang just said she knew
a technique for sleeping.”

“And that automatically means something...inappropriate?”

“So you thought I was asking Chiara to...?” started Aang whose eyes widened as it dawned
on him what Sokka had been talking about. “Sokka!” Aang turned as red as the apple Chiara
was now cutting up. Even the arrow on his head looked like a light shade of purple.
“Honestly, Chiara, I-I wasn't thinking that,” he said, though he could not bring himself to
look at her.

“Considering we were talking about a waterbending technique, it never crossed my mind that
you were,” she said calmly, despite the laughter inside her mind.

“Leave it to my stupid brother to assume that,” said Katara also feeling embarrassed.

At the sound of their arguing and the smell of the food, Teo, The Duke, and Haru came out.

“What are you guys talking about?” asked Teo.

“Nothing!” yelled Aang, Sokka, and Katara at the same time.

Chiara just giggled while placing more fruit in the pan.

“Everyone's up early today,” said Haru.

“And whatever you're cooking smells good,” said The Duke.

“Give me a few minutes, and you can try it,” said Chiara.

Momo, finally giving up when he realized the burnt apples were not edible, jumped back on
Chiara's shoulder and she handed him a piece of a freshly cut moon peach.

Soon, Zuko woke up after one of the most restful nights of sleep he had had in a long time.
He thought about the night before and the wonderful water massage Chiara had given him,
and he rolled over to put his arm around her only to find the spot next to him empty. He sat
up and glanced around the room feeling more worried as he found himself alone, and he
immediately got up to go look for her. When he walked outside, he found her serving
breakfast to Haru.

“Chiara, you shouldn't be working so hard,” he said when he walked up to her.

“I'm not. I just fried some fruit for breakfast, and I've been enjoying the interesting
conversation.”

Aang suddenly turned red as did Sokka, but Zuko took no notice.

Momo wrapped himself around her neck causing her to giggle, and she scratched behind his
ear.

“Remember Momo at the Southern Air Temple?” she asked Zuko.

“Is this the same creature that was following us?” He was staring into the lemur's large, round
eyes while reaching up to pet him.

“I think so.”
She handed Momo a piece of fruit, and he broke his eye contact with Zuko to eagerly nibble
at it.

“He definitely remembers you,” he said.

She placed her hand on Zuko's back and tenderly rubbed it. “Come sit, relax. Let me get you
something to eat.”

“You really shouldn't be doing this,” he insisted as she led him to the spot near where she had
been cooking. “You just got out of prison.”

“I feel really great this morning.” She knelt down and added moon peaches and apples to the
pan. “This is the best I've felt in a long time.”

When Zuko knelt down next to her, she handed him a cup of tea. “You'll need to warm it up.”

“Yep, now I see why you guys missed her,” said Toph as she knelt down next to Sokka.

“Give me a few minutes, and I'll have your breakfast for you,” said Chiara.

“It smells good,” she said.

After handing a plate of fruit to Zuko, she began cooking for Toph. When it was done, she
stood up and walked it over to her.

“Lady Beifong.” She set the plate in Toph's hands. “And this is your tea.” She set it next to
her.

“Now, that's how you know Princess Chiara is royalty,” said Toph. “She knows how to
address her equals, unlike the rest of you peasants.”

Zuko turned a bit red suspecting her stress on the word was a jab at his own condescending
use of it.

“Hey,” said Sokka sounding offended. “We're not peasants, Toph.”

“Since all the peasants address me so casually,” started Toph to Chiara, “it seems only right
that the Princess of the Fire Nation should too.”

“As you wish, Lady Toph,” said Chiara.

Toph laughed.

“Did you eat?” Zuko asked Chiara as she walked behind him towards her spot.

“I had a little.”

“Then you need to eat more.”

“Wow, you two really are married,” said Toph.

The others started laughing.

“I just don't want her overworking herself,” he said.

“Yes, Prince Zuko,” said Chiara kneeling down next to him since she now finished serving
everyone.

Seeing her give in to Zuko's nagging, Katara was about to snap at him, but she held back as
she watched him put a portion of his own breakfast in front of her.

“Eat more,” he said to her.

“You need to eat,” she said. “You'll need your energy today.”

“I'm fine.”

The others started talking about their plans for the day while they ate, and while they were
carrying on their own conversations, Chiara looked at Zuko.

“Would it be okay if I go to the forest while you're training with Aang?” she asked him softly.

“Why?” he asked.

“To hunt.”

“I don't want you outside the temple.”

“But I imagine you want meat for dinner.”

“Yes,” said Sokka perking up when he heard the word 'meat.' “Meat sounds good.”

“I'll go without before I let you go off in the woods by yourself,” Zuko said to her.

“I'll go with her,” offered Sokka.

Zuko looked at him trying not to scowl. “I'm not comfortable with that.”

“That might be inappropriate,” said Chiara dragging out her last word.

She laughed to herself as she caught Aang blushing and averting his eyes, and Sokka quickly
stuffed food into his mouth.

“I agree,” said Zuko totally oblivious to their reactions, which made Chiara want to laugh
even more.

“I'll go too,” said Toph.

“I would be more comfortable if I was with her,” said Zuko.

“I don't say this much, but Katara's right,” said Toph. “You really are overprotective of her.”
“You do realize she was in prison because an army of soldiers captured us in the Earth
Kingdom?” he said. “After what she's been through, I need to be overprotective.”

“If you were both captured, then it looks to me like it doesn't matter whether or not you're
with her,” said Toph. “Now if I was there...” She cracked her knuckles. “...I would've been
able to protect her.”

Zuko just softly sighed.

“Well, I still want meat,” said Sokka. “I'll go hunting.”

“Would you like to borrow my bow?” asked Chiara.

“Nope. I have my trusty boomerang.”

--------------------

After breakfast Chiara started cleaning up while Katara helped her. Zuko got to his feet and
turned towards Aang.

“Okay, Avatar, are you ready to learn firebending?”

Aang reluctantly stood up. “I suppose, Sifu Hotman.” He sounded unsure.

Chiara giggled to herself at Aang's address, but she noticed his reluctance. “Don't worry,
Aang,” she said. “Now's the right time. And I think Prince Zuko will be a good teacher for
you.”

Zuko chuckled. “She suggested I teach you firebending when she returned to my ship after
she spent time with you.”

Aang, Sokka, and Katara were all staring at him.

“What?” asked Aang.

“You suggested it back then?” Katara asked her.

Chiara nodded. “We were talking about Master Jeong Jeong, so I told Prince Zuko that he
was so good at firebending he should teach the Avatar, and being closer to Aang's age, he
might be able to connect with him.”

“And he didn't throw you in the brig?” asked Sokka.

“That's what the General said,” giggled Chiara.

The others started laughing, but Zuko just shrugged.

“I thought about it,” he deadpanned.

Everyone stopped laughing as their jaws dropped making Chiara giggle at their reaction.
“I was just joking,” said Zuko, surprised they took him seriously.

They all relaxed and chuckled at his joke, except for Katara.

“Yeah, right,” she hissed under her breath.

“My Prince was very tolerant with me,” said Chiara.

Zuko's heart melted at her words.

“What did you say when she told you that?” Aang asked Zuko.

“I told her it was treasonous.”

“Figures,” said Katara.

“The General thought it was a good idea,” said Chiara. “He knew just how connected your
destinies are.”

Zuko was reminded of Iroh telling him of his connection to Avatar Roku.

“Where should we practice?” asked Aang timidly.

“I know where we can go that will give us enough room,” said Zuko.

He took Chiara's hand and gently tugged it.

“But I'm not finished cleaning,” she said slowly standing up.

“I'll do it later,” he offered.

Katara was frowning at him. “She can stay here with us.”

“I need her help,” said Zuko evenly, trying to remain patient.

“She's not even a firebender,” argued Katara.

“She knows more about firebending than a lot of firebenders,” he argued back.

Chiara knew it was just an excuse, but she went with him leaving Katara to huff and glare at
them as they walked away.

Zuko led them to a large, open, secluded balcony. He crossed his arms and turned to face
Aang.

“I know you're nervous,” he said. “But remember, firebending in and of itself is not
something to fear.”

Aang sighed deeply. “Okay. Not something to fear,” he repeated, looking deeply worried.

“But if you don't respect it, it'll chew you up and spit you out like an angry komodo rhino!”
“Aah!” cried Aang nervously cowering.

“Now show me what you've got,” ordered Zuko. “Any amount of fire you can make.”

Aang attempted to firebend, and produced a small puff of smoke.

“Maybe I need a little more instruction,” he said, sounding defeated. “Perhaps a

demonstration?”

“Good idea,” said Zuko. “You might want to take a couple steps back.”

Aang and Chiara moved back to give Zuko space. The prince took a deep breath before
stepping forward and punching out a small flame. Aang started clapping, but Chiara was
curious about the small display and wondered if he did it on purpose.

“What was that?” said Zuko, surprised by such a weak flame. “That was the worst
firebending I've ever seen!”

“I thought it was...nice,” said Aang.

Zuko tried several more firebending moves, but was unable to produce any large flames and
he was quickly growing frustrated.

“Ughh!! Why is this happening?”

Chiara was puzzled since she had never seen him have this kind of trouble with firebending.

“Maybe it's the altitude,” suggested Aang.

Zuko was worried. “Yeah, could be.”

He tried again, punching, kicking, and even the most basic of moves, but he was unable to
produce anything greater than a small flame. As the day went on, Aang sat down and Chiara
stood nearby while Zuko continued trying to firebend.

“Remember what the General said,” she started as she went through the motions. “Power in
firebending comes from the breath, not the muscles. The breath becomes energy in the body.
The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire.”

Zuko could not help laughing at her perfect imitation of Iroh, but he went through the
movements with her.

“Just breathe, and...” He tried to shoot another flame, but it was still small.

“That one kind of felt hot,” said Aang.

“Don't patronize me!” yelled Zuko impatiently. “You know what it's supposed to look like!”

“Sorry, Sifu Hotman.”

Chiara stifled a giggle at Aang's address.

“And stop calling me that!” Zuko yelled.

“Hey, jerks, and Chiara.”

They turned towards Sokka who sat down nearby.

“Mind if I watch you jerks do your jerkbending?” He took a bite out of his apple.

“Get out of here!” yelled Zuko.

“Okay, take it easy. I was just kidding around.” He stood up to leave. “Jerkbending,” he
laughed to himself. “I still got it.”

“Do you want to try shooting fire at me?” Chiara asked Zuko as she pulled out her sword.
“Maybe if we practice like we used to it'll help.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

She took a defensive stance.

“Wait,” said Aang worriedly, “you're going to shoot fire at her?” He would never forget
burning Katara with his amateur firebending, and despite the trouble Zuko seemed to be
having, he still did not want to imagine what the Fire Prince could do to Chiara with his
advanced firebending.

“Don't worry,” Zuko assured him. “She's been trained to fight firebenders.”

Chiara was touched by Aang's concern for her, and she smiled at him. “I'll be okay, Aang.
We've practiced a lot.”

Zuko faced her and then he stepped forward to punch fire towards her, but the flame was
weak and small and barely reached her. He tried again with the same result. He took a deep
breath and released it while attempting another move, but he was still unable to produce a
flame that required her to defend herself. His shoulders sagged in frustration and defeat as he
was trying to figure out what was wrong with him. Hearing the swish of Chiara's sword
cutting through the air his eyes grew wide when he saw her lunging towards him raising it to
attack. Unnerved by her unexpected aggressive action, he took one uneasy step backwards
before trying to firebend at her defensively, but she easily cut through the small flames and
put her sword to his throat. Aang was on the edge of his seat anxiously watching with wide
gray eyes, stunned by her assault as he never suspected she was so well-trained with the
sword, and he held his breath when he saw her hold the sword against the prince's neck.

“Umm...you win?” said Zuko, sounding slightly nervous.

She withdrew her sword and both Zuko and Aang breathed a sigh of relief. Chiara, though,
was still worried about his bending—or lack of.

--------------------
As the day went on, Zuko grew more and more troubled over his inability to fully firebend.
Aang had gone off to join the others leaving Zuko and Chiara alone together on the balcony
where they sat gazing into the distance.

“I don't know what I'm going to do, Chiara,” he said worriedly. “I don't know what's wrong
with me.”

“So much has been going on lately,” she said with her hand on his upper arm as she leaned
against him. “Maybe you're just too tense.”

“I don't know.” His eyes stared blankly at the distant mountains. “I feel freer than I've felt
since...since we were at the cabin.”

She stood up. “C'mon,” she said holding her hand out to him.

He reached up to take it. “Where are we going?”

She pulled him along. “Back to the room. We need a mat. I'm going to help you relax.”

“Uh...what about what Uncle said...,” he started.

She stopped walking and turned back to him. “What?”

“...you know...about us waiting...until after...everything...”

She started laughing when she realized what he was implying, and she wondered if there was
something in the air affecting the male minds. “Not that kind of relax.”

“Oh.” He sounded a bit disappointed.

They went to their room.

“Sit on the mat and take your shirt off,” she directed him.

He raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure it's not that kind of relax?” he said as he sat down.

She smiled. “I said shirt, not pants.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “Now clear your
mind.” She knelt facing him, and after he removed his tunic, she took his hands cradling
them in her own with his palms up. “Give me a flame in each hand.”

He produced two small flames for her.

“Keep holding them and keep breathing in and out.”

She moved behind him. While he kept his breathing steady she began massaging his
shoulders and back. As she moved her fingers down his back parallel to his spine and
outward from it, his flames would grow and shrink. He was amazed at the effect it was
having on his fire.

“Okay, lie down on your stomach,” she said moving to his side.
He allowed the flames to extinguish, and after doing as she directed, she began massaging his
back again. She worked the tension out of his muscles, and then she began using water in her
massage.

When she finished, he felt completely relaxed.

“Try firebending again,” she said.

“I don't think I want to move,” he moaned.

She softly giggled.

He reluctantly moved to stand up. Taking a firebending stance, he stepped forward while
punching. There was an improvement in his flame, but he was still unable to create anything
more than a small stream of fire.

“Ugh...,” he said with frustration. “It's still not working.” He looked at her as if he had an
epiphany. “About that other way of relaxing...”

“It's not physical,” she said.

“What?”

“Whatever's wrong with your firebending, it's not physical.”

“So it's in my head?”

“Remember in Ba Sing Se after you released Appa and you got sick?” He nodded. “I couldn't
heal you. The General said it was because it wasn't a natural sickness. Just like then, there's
something going on inside of you, and you need to figure it out.”

“Great,” he said dejectedly. He flopped down next to her and lay back on the floor. “It'd be so
much easier if it was physical. Nothing ever seems to work out for me. I finally feel like I'm
doing the right thing, and then...this.”

She leaned towards him. “It'll work out,” she said softly as she gently caressed his head. “It
has to.”

--------------------

As the sun began going down, they returned to the courtyard where Chiara started helping
Katara with dinner while Zuko stood off to the side by himself worrying about the situation.
When the others were gathered around eating, Zuko approached them.

“Listen, everybody, I've got some pretty bad news,” he said. All eyes turned towards him.
“I've lost my stuff.”

“Don't look at me,” said Toph raising her hands defensively. “I didn't touch your stuff.”
“I'm talking about my firebending. It's gone.” He looked down ashamed and feeling like a
failure.

Chiara immediately walked over to him and stood by his side.

It was Katara's laugh that now drew everyone's attention.

“I'm sorry,” she said, clearly not sorry. “I'm just laughing at the irony. You know, how it
would've been nice for us if you lost your firebending a long time ago.”

Chiara tenderly caressed his arm.

“Well, it's not lost,” he said calmly. “It's just...weaker for some reason.”

Katara's eyes narrowed. “Maybe you're just not as good as you think you are.”

“Ouch,” said Toph.

“I bet it's because I changed sides,” said Zuko thoughtfully. He looked down at Chiara
remembering her words earlier about it being in his head.

“That's ridiculous,” said Katara.

“I don't know,” said Aang. “Maybe it isn't. Maybe your firebending comes from rage and you
just don't have enough anger to fuel it the way you used to.”

Sokka took advantage of the possibility. “So...all we need to do is make Zuko angry,” he
suggested. “Easy enough.”

He started poking him with his spear.

“Okay! Cut it out!” Zuko yelled at Sokka as Chiara held onto his arm. He sighed as he
pinched the bridge of his nose. “Look, even if you're right, I don't want to rely on hate and
anger anymore. There has to be another way.”

“You're going to need to learn to draw your firebending from a different source,” said Toph.
“I recommend the original source.”

“How's he supposed to do that?” asked Sokka. “By jumping into a volcano?”

“No,” she answered. “Zuko needs to go back to whatever the original source of firebending
is.”

“So...is it jumping into a volcano?” Sokka repeated.

“I don't know,” said Toph. “For earthbending, the original benders were badgermoles. One
day, when I was little, I ran away and hid in a cave. That's where I met them. They were
blind, just like me, so we understood each other. I was able to learn earthbending, not just as
a martial art, but as an extension of my senses. For them, the original earthbenders, it wasn't
just about fighting; it was their way of interacting with the world.”
“That's amazing, Toph,” said Aang. “I learned from the monks, but the original airbenders
were the sky bison.” He turned to Appa. “Maybe you can give me a lesson sometime,
buddy.”

Appa just growled.

Chiara looked up at Zuko. “The dragons,” she said.

He nodded, but he was disheartened. “Well this doesn't help me. The original firebenders
were the dragons, and they're extinct.”

“What do you mean?” asked Aang. “Roku had a dragon, and there were plenty of dragons
when I was a kid.”

“Well, they aren't around anymore, okay?!” snapped Zuko angrily.

Chiara placed her hand on his arm again. He calmed down at her gentle touch.

“Okay, okay,” said Aang. “I'm sorry.”

“But maybe there's another way,” said Zuko more composed. “The first people to learn from
the dragons were the ancient Sun Warriors.”

“Sun Warriors?” said Aang. “Well, I know they weren't around when I was a kid.”

“No,” said Zuko. “They died off thousands of years ago. But their civilization wasn't too far
from where we are now. Maybe we can learn something by poking around their ruins.”

“It's like the monks used to tell me. Sometimes the shadows of the past can be felt by the
present.”

“So what?” asked Sokka. “Maybe you'll pick up some super old Sun Warrior energy just by
standing where they stood a thousand years ago?”

“More or less,” said Zuko. “Either I find a new way to firebend, or the Avatar has to find a
new teacher.”
 The Sun Warriors

Not long after the sun had risen, Aang, Zuko, and Chiara began packing for their journey to
search for the Sun Warrior ruins.

“Chiara can stay here,” said Katara to Zuko as he was putting their bag in Appa's saddle.

He jumped down. “I want her with me.”

Her eyes narrowed at him. “She's not your slave that has to be serving you every second.”

Her glare was piercing, but he refused to back down. “No, but she's my wife, and I don't want
anything to happen to her again.”

Sokka immediately did a u-turn when he spotted his sister with her hand on her hip. He
recognized that posture and he knew enough to keep his distance.

“You have no idea what's going to happen to you where you're going,” Katara argued with
Zuko. “You may be taking her into a dangerous situation.”

“But we'll be together.” He was determined to win the argument.

Chiara walked up carrying the food they would be bringing.

“Chiara, you can stay here,” said Katara. “You don't have to go with them.”

“Yes, she does,” insisted Zuko as he took the supplies from her and carried them up into the
saddle.

“It's okay, Lady Katara,” she assured her. “I've always wanted to see the ruins of the Sun
Warriors. And apparently, a young Prince Iroh had quite an adventure on the island,” she
smiled. “Maybe we can make it a new family tradition.”

Zuko was grinning at her idea. He jumped down from the saddle and took her hand to help
her up on Appa.

“We'll be back as soon as we can, guys,” called Aang from Appa's head.

Katara did not look happy. “Watch your back, Aang.”

Her implication was clear, but Aang nodded.

“Yip! Yip!”

--------------------

Zuko had been staring out at nothing but water for hours. Anxiety over finding some way to
fix his firebending left him feeling bored as there was no land in sight.
“We've been riding for hours,” he groaned. “I don't know why, but I thought this thing would
be a lot faster.”

Appa growled.

“Appa's right, Zuko,” started Aang, “in our group typically we start our missions with a more
upbeat attitude.”

“I can't believe this,” said Zuko softly.

He lay back and closed his eyes finding Aang's cheerfulness more frustrating.

“Don't worry,” said Aang. “You'll get the hang of it.”

Chiara had been spending the hours gazing out at the water reminiscing her days on Zuko's
ship.

“I think it's relaxing,” she said.

He opened his eyes and stared at her incredulously. “You can barely sit still when you're
injured. How can you not be bored now?”

She giggled at his observation as she moved to sit next to him. She tenderly ran her fingers
through his hair, and he closed his eyes enjoying her soft touch.

“It feels good,” she said. “It's like being on the ship again.”

He should have known she would find something comforting in this.

“This is nothing like the ship.”

She lightly caressed his forehead and cheek. “With your eyes closed, the gentle movement of
Appa's flying and the wind blowing through your hair doesn't feel like we're standing on the
deck sailing the ocean?”

He was struggling to find an argument. “The ship was bigger,” he said, finding that
counteracting her positive attitude was relieving some of his boredom.

“But you have to admit, this is a lot better than being stranded on a raft for two weeks.”

He sighed pretending to be annoyed by her optimism. “Okay, I admit that. But it's still not
better than the ship.”

“At least we're together now,” she added. “I missed you the last time I was on Appa.”

He opened his eyes and smiled at her. “You win.” He put his arm around her and pulled her
close until she lay against him resting her head on his shoulder.

With his cheek against her soft hair, he was no longer bored as he held her close lightly
running his fingers over her forearm as it lay on his chest.
“Hey, guys, I see land ahead,” called Aang.

“So soon?” asked Zuko, now sounding annoyed. “We just left the air temple.”

Chiara gently giggled.

“But you were just complaining about...,” started Aang as he looked back at him with a
puzzled expression. “Oh.”

Reluctantly sitting up, they peered over the front of the saddle and watched the island in the
distance growing larger. As they approached it, Aang guided Appa inland where they flew
over a massive forest that covered most of the land. Soon they could see large stone buildings
breaking through the sea of green vegetation, and as more buildings appeared they all
surrounded a large pyramid in the center.

“Whoa...,” they said simultaneously, in awe over the sight of the ruins of the ancient city of
the Sun Warriors.

Landing Appa in a clearing, they left him to graze as they chose a path and started their
journey through the ruins towards the large pyramid in the center of the city.

“Even though these buildings are ancient, there's something eerily familiar about them,” said
Zuko.

“They remind me of the Fire Sages' temples,” said Chiara.

“Yeah. You can tell they're somehow descended from these.”

“Okay,” said Aang. “We've learned something about architecture. Hopefully, we'll learn
something about firebending too. The past can be a great teacher...aahh!”

Aang suddenly lurched forward, his foot catching a tripwire causing the ground in front of
them to drop revealing spikes underneath. Zuko pulled Chiara back while Aang blew a gust
of air propelling him up enabling him to flip to the other side.

“Zuko, I think the past is trying to kill me,” he said.

Zuko knelt down. “I can't believe it.” He lifted the tripwire to study it more closely. “This
booby trap must be centuries old and it still works.”

“There's probably a lot more,” said Aang. “Maybe this means we shouldn't be here.”

Zuko and Chiara looked at each other. They stepped back, and they ran towards opposite
walls, running along the walls until they arrived on the other side.

“Where's that upbeat attitude you were talking about?” Zuko asked Aang, brushing dust off
his clothes. “Besides, people don't make traps unless they've got something worth
protecting.”
They continued on the path towards the central pyramid. Ascending steps that led to a terrace,
they approached an enormous carving of a warrior surrounded by two dragons breathing a
ring of fire around him with the sun in the background.

“Look. This seems promising,” said Aang as they reached the top of the stairs.

They studied the carving.

“Though I'm not sure what this tells us about the original source of firebending,” he said,
puzzled by the image.

“They look pretty angry to me,” said Zuko.

“I thought the dragons were friends with the Sun Warriors,” said Aang.

“Well, they had a funny way of showing it.”

“They don't look angry to me,” said Chiara. “The fire connects them all.” She traced her
fingers in the air following the fire of the dragons as it encircled the warrior. “The sun, the
warrior, the dragons. The dragons are the original source of firebending. Maybe the image
represents them teaching it to the warrior.”

Zuko was amazed by her interpretation, but he looked down and turned away.

“Zuko,” said Aang, “something happened to the dragons in the last hundred years—
something you're not telling me.”

“My great-grandfather Sozin happened.” They left the carving and resumed their journey
through the ruins. “He started the tradition of hunting dragons for glory,” he continued as
they were crossing a bridge. “They were the ultimate firebenders, and if you could conquer
one, your firebending talents would become legendary, and you'd earn the honorary title,
Dragon.”

“Sozin himself had a dragon,” said Chiara. “I don't understand why he would've started such
a stupid tradition.”

“Who knows why he started a lot of things,” Zuko grumbled in an undertone.

They stopped before two large stone dragons flanking stairs that led to another terrace at the
base of the large step pyramid. The head of one of the statues lay broken on the ground.

“The last great dragon was conquered long before I was born...,” said Zuko touching the eye
of the broken statue. “...by my uncle.”

“But I thought your uncle was...I don't know...good?” asked Aang.

“He had a complicated past,” said Zuko. “Family tradition, I guess.” Chiara tenderly placed
her hand on his arm. “Let's just move on,” he said.
They ascended the steps reaching a pillar with a sunstone near the top, and beyond that was a
large round door. Aang ran up to it and struggled to open it, but it would not move.

“It's locked up,” said Aang.

Zuko and Chiara looked around.

“Look,” said Chiara pointing to the ground. “A celestial calendar.”

“You're right,” said Zuko. “Just like the Fire Sages have in their temples.” He studied the
markings and then looked up at the pillar behind them. “I bet that sunstone opens the door,
but only when sunlight hits at just the right angle on the solstice.”

“Monkeyfeathers!” said Aang, feeling frustrated. “The solstice again? We can't wait here that
long.”

“No, we can't,” said Zuko as he unsheathed a sword. “But we might be able to speed time
up.” Using his sword, he caught the light shining through the sunstone and guided it to the
stone above the door. “Let's see if we can outsmart the sunstone.”

“Nothing's happening,” said Aang.

“Come on,” said Zuko holding the reflection on the stone.

Chiara was holding her breath as she watched the stone above the door glowing. Suddenly,
the ground rumbled beneath them and the doors slid open.

“You know, Zuko,” started Aang as he picked up his staff, “I don't care what everyone else
says about you. You're pretty smart.”

Zuko smiled, but then he realized what Aang had said. Chiara smiled at him and rubbed his
arm. As Aang walked through the doors, he gasped when he saw an angry looking face.

“Relax,” said Zuko following him inside. “They're just statues.”

Aang examined one of the giant stone figures. “It says this is something called the Dancing
Dragon.”

He leaned his staff against the statue and stood behind it. When he imitated its stance, he
depressed a stone on the floor. He studied the stone for a second before scanning the different
statues. Running over to Zuko he grabbed his arm pulling on him.

“Zuko, get over here. I want you to dance with me.”

“What?” asked Zuko pulling back.

“Just do it.”

They both stood behind the statues, and Chiara stood behind Aang.
“Let's follow the steps of the statues,” said Aang.

All three began imitating the large figures above them, and each move by Zuko and Aang
triggered the stones on the floor.

“Don't you see?” said Aang. “These aren't dance moves. These statues are giving us a lesson.
I think this is some kind of Sun Warrior firebending form.”

“This better teach us some really good firebending” said Zuko.

As they moved around the room, the final move left them with their arms bent towards each
other and caused the floor in the center of the room to open. They turned to see a column rise
from the ground with a glowing egg shaped gem atop it.

“Hurray!” said Aang excitedly. “Wait, what exactly is that?”

Zuko and Chiara approached the golden egg.

“It's some kind of mystical gemstone,” he said in awe.

“Well, don't touch it,” said Aang watching Zuko reach for it.

“Why not?” asked Zuko.

“Remember what happened out there with those spikes?” said Aang. “I'm just very suspicious
of giant glowing gems sitting on pedestals.”

“I'm with the Avatar on this one,” said Chiara looking up at Zuko. “I don't think we should
touch it.”

Zuko gazed at it, and unable to resist, he picked it up. Chiara was standing against him with
her hand on his arm as she looked closely at the stone. It was not what he was expecting as he
held the gem in his hands.

“It feels...almost alive.”

Chiara was tempted to reach out and touch it to see what he meant, but she held back. He
moved to set it back on the pedestal, but before he even set it down a viscous slime gushed
forth and pushed the two of them towards the ceiling where they were stuck to a grate.

“Oh no, it's another trap!” yelled Aang as he watched the doors close.

He bounced around the room trying to avoid the slime.

“Ugh, I can't pull free,” said Zuko. “It's like some kind of glue.”

“I'm stuck too,” said Chiara.

Aang ran towards his glider and continued jumping around trying to avoid it. When the slime
engulfed his glider, he leaped up to the grate and was stuck next to Chiara.
“I can't move,” he said as he struggled. “Zuko, do something!”

“Me? I can't move either.”

They could feel the slime pushing them against the grate as it filled the room.

“It stopped,” said Aang.

“At least we have air,” said Zuko optimistically. “Maybe if we stay calm we can figure a way
out of this.”

--------------------

Time went on and the sun went down.

“You had to pick up the glowing egg, didn't you?” said Aang.

“At least I made something happen,” snapped Zuko. “If it were up to you, we'd never have
made it past the courtyard.”

“Help!!” yelled Aang.

“Who are you yelling to?” asked Zuko. “Nobody's lived here for centuries.”

“Well, what do you think we should do?”

Zuko hesitated as he thought about an answer. “Think about our place in the universe?” he
said calmly.

Aang just sighed.

“Katara was right,” said Zuko softly. “I should've left you there with them.”

“I'd rather be here with you no matter what happens,” said Chiara. “Where you are is home to
me.”

“Even if...if this is...where it ends?” he asked her darkly.

“Especially if this is where it ends,” she said to his surprise.

He was sure he would be kissing her if they were not stuck. “I love you,” he said.

“I love you, my Prince.”

Aang was amazed at their love for each other, and he began thinking about Katara, though he
was not sure if he wanted her to be stuck next to him at that moment. He preferred to be with
her safe at the air temple instead.

“Who is down there?!” came a voice startling the three of them.

Any feeling of relief they might have felt at being rescued immediately turned to worry when
they gaped at the fierce warrior looking down on them.

“Get them out,” he ordered.

With the aid of aardvark sloths, the Sun Warriors detached the three from the grate and slime.
Setting them before the doors they entered earlier the warriors guarded them as the aardvark
sloths continued licking the slime from their skin, clothes, and hair. Chiara enjoyed running
her now-unsticky fingers through her aardvark sloth's fur while it cleaned her skin and
clothes. It was doing such a good job of cleaning, she lifted her braid allowing it to run its
long tongue over it to remove the sticky substance.

When they were mostly cleaned off, the Sun Warrior chief approached them. “For trying to
take our sunstone, you must be severely punished,” he announced.

“We didn't come here to take your sunstone,” said Zuko calmly. “We came here to find the
ancient origin of all firebending.”

Another warrior stepped towards them. “Yeah, right,” spat Ham Ghao. “They are obviously
thieves here to steal Sun Warrior treasures.”

“Please, I don't normally play this card,” started Aang, “but...I'm the Avatar.” Ham Ghao
looked at the Sun Warrior chief and then back at Aang as he stood up. “Just hear us out.”

Zuko stood up too helping Chiara to her feet.

“My name is Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation...or at least, I used to be. This is my
wife, Lady Chiara. I know my people have distorted the ways of firebending to be fueled by
anger and rage. But now I want to learn the true way, the original way. When we came here, I
never imagined the Sun Warrior's civilization was secretly alive. I am truly humbled to be in
your presence.” All three bowed their heads. “Please teach the Avatar and me.”

“If you wish to learn the ways of the Sun, you must learn them from the masters, Ran and
Shaw,” said the Sun Warrior chief.

“Ran and Shaw?” asked Aang. “There are two of them?”

The chief stepped up to Aang and looked down on him. “When you present yourself to them,
they will examine you,” he said. He turned his eyes to Zuko. “They'll read your hearts, your
souls, and your ancestry.” The young prince felt intimidated by his words, and even more so
as the chief took a step towards him, towering over him. “If they deem you worthy, they'll
teach you. If they don't, you'll be destroyed on the spot.”

Chiara held on to Zuko's arm knowing he was worried. The chief looked at one of his
warriors and nodded. The warrior walked over to them.

“This way,” he said.

He led them to a small stone hut.

“You will remain here for the night,” said the warrior as he walked inside.

He instantly lit a fire in the fire pit in the center of the room.

“You will meet the masters in the morning.”

He turned and left while two guards were stationed outside. Zuko started pacing while Aang
sat down on one of the mats near the fire. Chiara stood watching Zuko with worry.

A short time later a warrior entered the hut with food and tea and set it down before leaving.
Chiara knelt down and poured tea into the cups handing one to Aang.

“Thanks, Chiara,” he said softly.

She stood up to take a cup to Zuko.

“Here,” she said stopping him from pacing. “Please sit.”

He took the cup from her and sat down on a mat while she knelt next to him and fixed a plate
of food for him.

“I-I don't really feel hungry,” he said as he took it from her and stared blankly at it.

“You can't face the masters on an empty stomach,” she said.

“I may not have a choice in that,” he said worriedly, gently rubbing a hand over his abdomen.

She fixed a vegetarian plate for Aang before handing it to him.

“What about you?” Zuko asked her. “You need to eat.”

“I will.” She fixed a small plate for herself.

After eating, Chiara poured Zuko another cup of tea.

“Aang, more tea?” she asked him.

“Yes, please.”

She poured it for him.

“I don't know what's going to happen to me, Chiara,” said Zuko softly as he stared down at
his tea.

“You'll do fine,” she assured him.

“I've made so many mistakes,” he said.

“And you learned from them and chose the right path.”
He was touched by her faith in him and wished he felt the same way. “But if something
happens...if they...” The chief's words echoed in his head: you'll be destroyed on the spot.
“...if they destroy me...I want you to find a way to the Northern Water Tribe...”

“Prince Zuko, your heart is worthy.”

“But my ancestry?”

“Think hard about your family,” she said, her eyes fixed on his. “Not everyone chose the path
of war.”

He knew she was referring specifically to Avatar Roku, and he appreciated her words and did
not continue his arguments. Even Aang was amazed by her words of support and it made him
miss Katara.

“Are you doing okay, Aang?” she asked. “You've been kind of quiet.”

“I...I'm feeling a little nervous.”

“You'll do fine too,” she said. “I know I haven't known you long, but you're doing your duty
as the Avatar. I'd say that makes you worthy.”

He now felt comforted by her words as if it were Katara speaking them.

--------------------

Before going to bed, Chiara suspected that Zuko would have trouble sleeping. She ran her
fingers through his hair.

“Lie down,” she said.

“I'm not really tired.”

“You will be.” She held up her water skin.

He smiled at her and did as she directed. With an orb of water in her hand she started her
relaxing healing technique. Zuko's mind started clearing as his body relaxed, but a part of
him did not want to stop worrying. He felt guilty for some of the choices he had made in his
past and for the sins of his ancestors. He did not believe he deserved the relaxing feeling
Chiara was providing, and his mind started resisting her treatment.

“Stop fighting me,” she said when she felt him tense up.

He opened his eyes to see hers closed in concentration. “Y-you can tell?”

“Yes. Whatever's bothering you, let it go for now.”

He forced himself to clear his mind and allow the sense of calm to take over his body until he
fell asleep. Aang watched Chiara as she worked over Zuko, and he was curious about it.
“Is that the technique...uh, waterbending technique you were talking about?” he asked her.

“Yes,” she said softly. “Would you like to experience it?”

“Zuko won't get mad?” he whispered.

She smiled and shook her head. “No, he won't get mad.”

He nodded. “Thanks, Chiara.”

When she finished with Zuko who was now sound asleep to Aang's surprise, she moved next
to Aang.

“Lie down,” she directed.

After he was lying on the mat, she knelt down above his head and started the technique. Aang
was amazed by the relaxing feeling that took over his body, and soon he was sound asleep
too. After they were taken care of, Chiara settled down next to Zuko and closed her eyes.

The next morning, Chiara was up early, and she made sure Zuko and Aang were awake
before they were called to meet the masters. The warrior who brought them to their hut the
previous night was the same one who led them up the steps of the large step pyramid. At the
top they entered a shrine where the Sun Warrior chief stood facing a large fire burning before
him.

“If you're going to see the masters,” he said, “you must bring them a piece of the Eternal
Flame. This fire is the very first one.” He turned towards them. “It was given to man by the
dragons. We have kept it going for thousands of years.”

“I don't believe it,” said Zuko surprised.

Chiara was thrilled to learn this and her eyes were wide as she gazed at the fire. “That's
incredible,” she said.

“You will each take a piece of it to the masters to show your commitment to the sacred art of
firebending.”

“Umm, Mister Sun Chief, Sir...,” started Aang nervously his hand on the back of his neck,
“yeah, I'm not a firebender yet. Couldn't my friend here carry my fire for me?” he asked,
referring to Zuko.

“No,” said the chief. He turned his back to them and drew out a flame from the larger fire.
“This ritual illustrates the essence of Sun Warrior philosophy.” Spinning around, he split the
flame into two. “You must maintain a constant heat. The flame will go out if you make it too
small. Make it too big, and you might lose control.” He held them out to Zuko and Aang.

Zuko reached out to take his flame and looked at Aang who hesitated.

“I'm sorry,” said Aang. “I'm just a little nervous.”

He reached out reluctantly taking the flame, but he relaxed as it rested in his hands.

“It's like a little heartbeat,” he smiled gently.

“Fire is life,” said the chief, “not just destruction. You will take your flames up there.” He
pointed to the mountain on their left. “The cave of the masters is beneath that rock.”

They left the pyramid and began their journey towards the cave. As they ascended the
mountain, Aang started trailing behind them since he was more worried about his flame
going out rather than keeping up with Zuko's long strides.

“You should slow down,” Chiara whispered to Zuko. “Aang's falling behind.”

They stopped walking and turned back to him.

“Hurry up,” said Zuko.

“I can't. If I walk too fast, my flame will go out.”

“Your flame's going to go out because it's too small. You're too timid; give it more juice.”

“But what if I can't control it?”

“You can do it,” said Zuko. “I know you can. You're a talented kid.”

Aang smiled at the compliment feeling especially proud hearing it come from his former
enemy who chased him all over the world. He continued climbing towards them.

“May I feel the flame?” Chiara asked Zuko.

He stared at her curiously. “Why would you want to?”

“A piece of the Eternal Flame?” she asked as if it were obvious.

He smiled at her answer and held it out to her. “Don't burn yourself.”

She moved her hand close to it to feel the heat, and then she slowly moved her hand over it
allowing the flame to touch her hand.

“I wish I could feel it the way you can,” she said softly.

Holding the flame with one hand, he used his other hand to gently lift her chin and he placed
a tender kiss upon her lips.

“How did that make you feel?” he asked her.

“Like my heart skipped several beats,” she said dreamily.

He grinned at her. “Nothing beats that feeling. Not even this,” he said holding the flame
between them.
“You know, if Sokka were here he'd tell you guys to get a room,” said Aang having caught up
to them.

Chiara laughed.

“We would if we could,” mumbled Zuko.

They continued their long trek up the mountain.

--------------------

Making their way to the summit, they found the Sun Warriors waiting for them, and behind
the warriors was a large staircase leading to a bridge that joined the two peaks. The chief and
two other warriors approached them.

“Facing the judgment of the firebending masters will be very dangerous for you,” warned the
chief. His dark eyes bore into Zuko's. “Your ancestors are directly responsible for the
dragons' disappearance. The masters might not be so happy to see you.”

Chiara placed a comforting hand on Zuko's arm.

“I know I wouldn't be,” said Ham Ghao.

“But once they find out I'm the Avatar...,” started Aang.

The chief turned his eyes to him. “Have you forgotten that you vanished, allowing the Fire
Nation to wreak havoc on the world?” he said. “The decline of the dragons is your burden
too.”

Suddenly, the tranquil feeling of Chiara's relaxing technique was forgotten, and her
reassuring words from the night before no longer provided comfort as they both felt nervous
again.

The chief stuck his staff into the ground, and stepping forward he took a part of each of their
flames, passing them to the warriors on each side of him. The warriors continued passing the
flames around as they stood in a large circle around the courtyard. The chief looked at
Chiara.

“You come with me,” he said.

She looked up at Zuko and tenderly caressed his arm before letting him go and following the
chief towards the staircase. Aang turned to Zuko.

“We could turn back now,” he said in a low voice. “We've already learned more about fire
than we'd hoped.”

“No,” said Zuko never giving up without a fight. “We're seeing this through to the end. We're
going to meet these masters and find out what's so great about them.”

“What if they judge us and attack us?”

“Well, we're the Fire Prince and the Avatar,” he said touching his sword. “I think we could
take these guys in a fight, whoever they are.”

Aang nodded. Chiara was now standing to the left side of the steps behind the chief who
stood facing Aang and Zuko.

Zuko turned towards him. “Bring 'em out.”

“Chanters!” called the chief.

The warriors began beating their drums and chanting as Zuko and Aang approached the steps
where the chief stepped aside to allow them to ascend. Zuko glanced at Chiara who gently
nodded at him, and then he looked at Aang. They each took a deep breath before climbing the
steps.

Reaching the bridge at the top they looked around at the two caves on each side of them.

“Those who wish to meet the masters, Ran and Shaw, will now present their fire,” announced
one of the warriors.

Aang and Zuko turned towards the caves and they each bowed while presenting their flames
before them.

“Sound the call!” commanded the Sun Warrior chief.

As soon as one of the warriors blew through a large horn, the caves suddenly rumbled.
Chiara, still standing at the base of the steps, watched anxiously. Aang grew more nervous as
the ground shook beneath him, and he dropped his hands which extinguished his flame. He
looked back at Zuko who was still bowed down holding out his flame.

“What's happening?” asked Aang.

When he turned back towards the cave, he realized his flame went out, so he turned towards
Zuko again.

“Zuko, my fire went out,” he whispered.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Give me some of yours,” he said trying to grab Zuko's flame.

“No,” said Zuko pushing him back. “Just make your own.”

“I can't.”

“Get some from those warriors. Hurry.” Aang continued reaching for Zuko's flame, and Zuko
continued trying to push him away. “Stop cheating off me!”

“Quit being stingy,” said Aang.

They kept arguing until Aang pushed Zuko's arms down causing the prince's flame to go out.
They looked wide-eyed at each other. The ground shook harder. Chiara felt tense as she
strained to see what was going on.

“Uh oh,” said Aang.

It was then that a red dragon came soaring out of the cave and began flying around the
bridge. Chiara was filled with excitement upon seeing the dragon, and she stood up on her
toes against the edge of the staircase. From the other cave came a blue dragon which also
began flying around the bridge.

“These are the masters,” said Zuko in awe.

“Still think we can take 'em?” said Aang.

“Shh...I never said that.”

All the warriors bowed down, but Chiara could not take her eyes off the dragons.

“Oh, here it comes,” chuckled Ham Ghao. “Any moment now. Dinner for the masters.”

“Quiet, Ham Ghao,” said the chief looking up at Chiara.

She had not heard him as her attention was completely caught up in what was going on above
them.

“What?” said Ham Ghao. “Everyone's thinking it.”

The dragons kept soaring around the bridge while Zuko and Aang stood nervously wondering
what was going to happen to them.

“Zuko,” whispered Aang, “I think we're supposed to do the Dragon Dance with them.”

“What? What about this situation makes you think they want us to dance?”

“Well, I think they want us to do something. Let's just try it.”

“Fine,” said Zuko giving in.

Getting into the first stance, they moved from one position to the next performing the moves
of the Dancing Dragon while Ran and Shaw soared around them. When they ended with the
last move, the dragons stopped on each side of the bridge and Zuko and Aang stood face to
face with them.

“Judgment time,” said the chief.

Aang was trembling. Suddenly both dragons blew fire at them and the two of them covered
their faces and yelled. Chiara, not feeling nervous or anxious, stared in wonder at the
beautiful colors that surrounded them. Inside the flames, Zuko and Aang were completely
mesmerized.
“I understand,” said Zuko softly as he stared up at the colors.

The fire dissipated and the dragons flew up in the air before diving back into their caves.
Zuko and Aang, still in awe, stood staring at them as they disappeared. They finally turned
and began descending the stairs, and when they approached the bottom, Chiara ran up a few
steps and threw herself onto Zuko who wrapped his arms around her waist and held her.

“That was incredible,” she said. “I'm so proud of you.”

“Their fire was beautiful,” he said.

She let him go, but he kept his arm around her waist as they continued down towards the
courtyard.

“I saw so many colors,” he said still in awe. “Colors I've never imagined.”

“Like firebending harmony,” said Aang.

“Yes,” said the chief. “They judged you and gave you visions of the meaning of firebending.”

“I can't believe there are still living dragons,” said Zuko as they stood before him. “My uncle
Iroh said he faced the last dragon and killed it.”

“So your uncle lied,” said Aang.

“Actually, it wasn't a total lie,” said the chief. “Iroh was the last outsider to face the masters.
They deemed him worthy and passed the secret onto him as well.”

“He must have lied to protect them, so no one else would hunt them,” said Zuko.

Chiara smiled as she thought about the tales of Iroh's visit to the island of the Sun Warriors.

“All this time, I thought firebending was destruction,” said Aang. “Since I hurt Katara, I've
been too afraid and hesitant. But now I know what it really is...it's energy and life.”

“Yeah,” said Zuko. “It's like the sun, but inside of you,” he said excitedly. “Do you guys
realize this?”

“Well, our civilization is called the Sun Warriors,” said the chief. “So...yeah.”

“That's why my firebending was so weak before,” said Zuko. “Because for so many years,
hunting you was my drive,” he said to Aang. “It was my purpose. So when I joined you, I lost
sight of my inner fire. But now I have a new drive. I have to help you defeat my father and
restore balance to the world.”

Chiara took a step back as Zuko stepped away and sent a powerful flame into the air before
turning and shooting another blast of fire. Aang, too, shot a powerful stream, smiling as he
watched it.
The chief approached the trio, towering over them. “Now that you have learned the secrets,
and you know about our tribe's existence, we have no choice but to imprison you here
forever,” he said deeply.

Their jaws dropped. Zuko pulled Chiara behind him protectively, but their shocked
expressions made the chief grin.

“Just kidding,” he said before his grin disappeared. “But seriously, don't tell anyone.”

--------------------

As the sun was setting, there was a great feast back at the Sun Warrior village during which
several warriors performed impressive displays of firebending which awed Zuko, Aang, and
Chiara. Deciding to return to the air temple in the morning, that evening after the feast, they
were taken to the stone hut to sleep for the night, but Zuko and Aang were too excited as they
told Chiara all the details of their meeting the masters.

“...and then Aang made me lose my piece of the eternal flame,” Zuko told Chiara.

Her eyes grew wide. “What?! So you didn't have an offering for the dragons?”

“No...”

“If Zuko would've just shared part of his flame...,” started Aang.

“You could've gotten another flame from the warriors,” he argued.

“So what did you do?” she asked.

“Mentally prepared to be eaten alive,” said Zuko resignedly.

Aang laughed. “We did the dragon dance.”

“And then they showed us the true meaning of firebending,” said Zuko. “The colors were
incredible...and it was all so clear.”

Chiara wrapped her arms around his neck. “I'm so proud of you.”

“I can't believe Uncle was here,” he said.

She sat back. “You know, for all the stories I heard of his disappearance on this island, no one
ever mentioned the Sun Warriors existed.”

“Now we know why. Did Uncle ever tell you anything?”

“No. He just laughed whenever I brought up a story I heard and said something like, That
was quite an adventure,” she said, imitating Iroh.
The next morning they started flying back to the Western Air Temple. Zuko's thoughts were
filled with his experience with the dragons making the return trip seem much shorter.

--------------------

When they arrived at the temple they never said a word about the Sun Warriors' civilization,
but they showed off their new skills they learned from the dragons.

“With this technique the dragons showed us, Zuko and I will be unstoppable,” said Aang as
they performed the Dancing Dragon.

Everyone clapped after their last move...everyone but Sokka who just scoffed at them.

“Yeah, that's a great dance you two learned there,” he said.

“It's not a dance,” said Zuko taking offense. “It's a firebending form.”

“We'll just tap dance our way to victory over the Fire Lord,” said Sokka condescendingly.

“It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old!” said Zuko walking over to
them.

“Oh, yeah?” said Katara. “What's your little form called?”

“The Dancing Dragon,” said Zuko unenthusiastically.

The others started laughing. Zuko skulked away until he found Chiara brewing tea for
everyone.

“Are you okay?” she asked noticing he looked down.

He flopped down next to her. “They think the Dancing Dragon form is a joke.”

She set the tea cups on a tray. “You don't really expect non-firebenders to appreciate it, do
you?”

“You do.”

“That's because two of my favorite people are firebenders,” she said, pouring the tea.

That put a small smile on his face.

“And as much as I admire Master Jeong Jeong, I never saw firebending as a curse,” she said.
“It's as much a gift as waterbending, and now that you've learned from the masters, your
firebending will be extraordinary.”

Her words helped restore his inner peace, and taking the tray of cups for her they went out to
serve the others.
 Escorts and Chaperones
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

The next morning, Zuko and Chiara were up early meditating before the rising sun.
Afterwards, they walked to the river together where she caught a few fish for breakfast.
While he was cooking in the courtyard, she strolled through the temple garden picking fruit
and nuts for Aang.

It was not long before the others were drawn from their sleep by the aroma of the frying fish.

Sokka, seeing Zuko at the fire, rubbed his eyes. “Am I seeing things? Is the Prince of the Fire
Nation really cooking breakfast?”

“No, you're still dreaming, Water Tribe,” he said. “Go back to bed.”

“Hey, with the food smelling that good, I think I'll just stay in this dream for a while until my
stomach's full. Then I'll wake up to whatever the women are really cooking...AHH!!” he
yelled out suddenly finding himself drenched and dripping with a lot of cold water despite
the clear sky above him. “...cold, cold!”

“Huh, guess you're not dreaming,” said Katara casually as she walked by him.

“You keep talking like that, you might find yourself rotating over the fire,” said Zuko
smirking at him.

“Obviously that was a compliment,” he said to Katara's back. “How can Zuko possibly be a
better cook than my wonderful sister?” Katara ignored him as she was collecting water.

Sokka was just about to go change when he took notice of Chiara laying out the apples,
peaches, and nuts she had gathered.

“Chiara...,” he started in a pleasant voice that was sure to be followed by a request. “...you're
a waterbender. Do you think you could help me out with a little drying action?”

“He deserved it,” said Katara kneeling down by the fire.

“Sorry, Sokka,” said Chiara, “this woman has to start making the tea.”

Zuko and Katara started laughing, so Sokka walked off dripping wet.

“Wow, what happened to you?” asked Aang seeing the trail of water behind him.

“I complimented the cooks,” he said wryly.

Aang had no idea what he meant or how that was related to his being wet, but he walked over
to the fire pit where he saw the assortment of fruits and nuts.
“This looks good...,” he started. “Oh...wait...am I going to end up like Sokka? Because, if so,
it doesn't look good?”

Chiara was giggling. “I think you're safe, Aang.”

She threw a peach in the air and smiled as Momo leaped up and caught it. Soon everyone
came out and Sokka returned in dry clothes and wet hair, and they all ate their fill.

--------------------

After breakfast, Chiara collected all the dishes, and she and Katara began cleaning them, but
before they finished washing them all, Zuko stood up and took his wife's hand. She knew
better than to argue with him.

“Aang, we'll meet you on the balcony,” he said anxious to firebend since his encounter with
the masters.

Katara huffed as she watched Zuko walk off with Chiara. “He really needs to stop treating
her like an object.”

“He's just worried about her,” said Aang.

“No one here is going to hurt her. He needs to lighten up.”

“Says the most uptight person here,” said Toph.

Sokka started laughing until he caught Katara's glare, and he was definitely not ready to take
another cold shower.

Aang took off to the balcony where he and Zuko began his training with simple warm-ups as
Chiara exercised with them. When they started practicing firebending sets, Zuko could feel
the difference in his command of the fire, and he was thrilled to see the improvement in his
firebending. Chiara, noticing the change, stood still and started watching him.

Stopping mid-move he looked at her. “Are you okay?” he asked wondering why she stopped.

“You're amazing,” she said sounding awed.

He was touched by her compliment and he relaxed his stance unable to remove his eyes from
her as he watched her sit down.

“So you're not practicing with us?” he asked.

“I'm just going to watch,” she said. “I can't wait to spar with you.”

The skip in his heartbeat made him smile, and the desire to blow off Aang's training so he
could spar with his wife was tempting. “I guess we have a date later,” he said, mentally
cursing his responsibilities.

She softly giggled, as did Aang.

Zuko continued instructing Aang while Chiara was completely captivated watching him
firebend as he effortlessly created and smoothly guided his fire with astonishing skill and
precision. She had watched him firebend most of her life, and she had never seen him so
composed during training.

--------------------

“You're doing really well, Aang,” she said offering him water during their break. “Your
control has really improved.”

“Thanks, Chiara.”

Her eyes moved to Zuko as he sat down next to her. “And you were extraordinary.”

He appreciated that Chiara had always praised his skills even when they were children,
something he had longed for from his father. But he had heard a change in the tone of her
voice since he encountered the dragons, a shift from encouraging praise to profound
admiration, and he knew that no amount of his father's praise could ever make him feel so
heartened as she did.

“You seem so...relaxed in your movements,” she said.

“Before, it was like I had to force my firebending. But now, it just seems to flow...naturally. I
think and move, and it happens. It's like this is how firebending should be, or was meant to
be. It feels different...it feels...superior.”

She smiled at him as she ran her fingers through his hair. “I'm so proud of you.” She stood
up. “I'm going to make some tea.”

“That sounds good,” said Aang.

Before she could walk away Zuko took her hand pulling her back to him and embracing her.

“Do you want me to bring it to you?” she asked.

“No,” he said as he released her. “I have a few more sets I want to go over with Aang, and
we'll meet you there.”

As she walked away, he became mesmerized by her long dark curls bouncing behind her, but
once she disappeared around the corner his trance was broken. He stood up, and he and Aang
began practicing again.

“I still can't believe we got to see real dragons,” said Zuko, still in awe as he thought about
them, “and learn firebending from them. I didn't think there were any left.”

“There were lots of dragons around a hundred years ago,” said Aang as he stopped
firebending. “They were pretty shy, though. Most of them lived way up in the mountains.”

“They didn't seem shy to me,” said Zuko remembering his fear as Ran and Shaw flew out of
their caves and soared around them.
“One time, when I was a kid, my friend Kuzon and I went looking for them,” started Aang.
“But we had no idea what we were getting into...!”

Zuko flopped down on the ground, both abandoning their practice during Aang's trip down
memory lane. The prince was bored to tears and could not help cringing while Aang
recounted his adventure with Kuzon, and he was relieved when it was over.

“A lot sure has changed since those days,” sighed Aang.

“Yeah, like the slang,” hissed Zuko agitated. He would have preferred to practice firebending
over listening to the Avatar's story.

“Whatever, Sifu Hotman.”

“Stop calling me that!” yelled Zuko. He stood up. “I need some tea,” he said softly as he
started walking away.

Aang followed him, and as they were leaving the balcony to meet the others for tea Katara
walked up to them.

“Not so fast,” she said stopping them in their tracks.

Aang looked puzzled.

“Go on, Aang,” she said. “I need to talk to Zuko.”

He was still confused, but he walked off glancing back at them wondering what she had to
say to him.

Katara stared at Zuko. “You can't keep treating Chiara the way you do.”

He folded his arms as he stared back at her. “What do you mean?”

“She can't do anything without you wanting to know where she's going and how long she's
going to be.”

“I love my wife,” he said simply.

“Then stop smothering her.”

“I'm not smothering her,” he insisted. “I'm trying to keep her safe.”

She was glaring at him now. “You're controlling her,” she said deeply.

He wanted to tell her it was none of her business, but instead, he took a deep breath trying to
maintain control. “When my uncle told me she was dead I was ready to burn down the Fire
Nation. I have never felt more at peace with myself than when she's with me, and I don't ever
want to lose her again.”

“You're being too overprotective. She's her own person.”

“She's not her own person anymore; she's my wife.”

“You treat her like a slave.”

“You're the only one seeing her as a slave,” he said, exasperation slipping through. “And
doesn't the Water Tribe arrange marriages? Isn't that just a form of slavery?”

“Not the Southern Tribe,” she said as she put her hand on her hip. “That's exactly why my
grandmother left the North Pole, so she wouldn't be forced to marry a man she didn't love.”

“But my wife loves me, Katara. She wasn't forced to marry me.”

“Maybe not, but you constantly have her nearby. She can barely walk arm's length from you
and you call her back.”

“She grew up with escorts and chaperones,” he said pointing in the direction where the others
were. “She didn't go anywhere without someone with her. It's for her protection. I don't have
the luxury of providing someone else to guard her now, so I do it myself.”

“But...but she doesn't need that. No one here is going to hurt her.”

“She is wanted by the Fire Lord and Azula,” he said. “We could be ambushed at any moment.
And the last time I let my guard down she was taken back to the Fire Nation and tortured by
my sister. I am not going to let myself get separated from her again.” His voice was deep and
he had to force himself to keep his temper under control.

Chiara was serving tea to the rest of the gang who could hear Zuko and Katara exchanging
words.

“What are they arguing about now?” asked Sokka.

“Princess Chiara,” said Toph whose ears were easily picking up the conversation.

“What about her?” asked Aang.

“Something about her being a slave to Zuko, but he keeps insisting she's his wife and he
loves her.”

“We've depended upon one another for so long,” said Chiara. “I understand his worry.”

“Katara thinks he's too overprotective,” said Sokka. “She has a thing about being controlled
by a man.”

“I think it's sweet how protective he is,” said Toph. “But there's no way a man's going to tell
me what to do,” she added in a sterner tone.

Chiara softly laughed at her remark, but then her thoughts drifted to Zuko's words when they
were refugees in the Earth Kingdom: I've lost everything...everything's been taken from me.
“Since Prince Zuko became the Crown Prince I've always told him I was his loyal subject,”
she said. “But he's lost so much.” Her voice reflected the sadness of her thoughts. “After Ba
Sing Se he had the opportunity to have most of it back, but he gave it up for me and the
General. So if I can make him feel, even for one moment, like he's a prince again, I'm happy
to do it.”

They all sat staring at her.

“Wow, Chiara,” said Aang. “Zuko's very lucky to have you.”

Zuko came around the corner towards them looking annoyed, but Katara, who soon followed,
looked even more agitated.

“Tea, my Prince,” said Chiara softly, offering him a cup as he knelt down next to her.

He smirked wishing she had spoken loud enough for Katara to hear.

“Lady Katara, tea?” she asked when Katara knelt down on the other side of the fire.

“I can serve myself, thank you,” she said.

Everyone started conversing to break the tension in the air left by Zuko and Katara's
argument.

When Zuko finished his tea he looked at Chiara.

“About that date...,” he said.

Her eyes lit up. “Whenever you're ready,” she smiled.

He stood up and took her hand helping her to her feet while the others just stared at them
curiously.

“Aang, whenever you're ready to start training again, just meet us on the balcony,” he said as
he was walking off with Chiara. “Take your time,” he called before disappearing into the
temple to get her sword.

“What was that about?” asked Sokka.

“They have a sparring date,” said Aang chancing a small, hopeful glance at Katara. Seeing
her annoyed and disgusted expression, he decided not to ask her to spar.

--------------------

“If you want to take a break and relax,” started Chiara when they arrived on the balcony, “we
can spar later.”

“No. I'm anxious to spar now. It might be another week before I can throw fire at Aang, and I
won't be able to be aggressive with him.”
“Ah, burning off steam,” she said figuring Katara's lecture had really bothered him.

“I really wanted to throw fire at him listening to him go on about his Fire Nation friend with
his ancient slang.”

“Oh, did he tell you about Kuzon and the dragon's egg?”

He turned and looked at her. “He told you that story?”

“Yes,” she said. “Right before the Rough Rhinos attacked us,” she added softly, unable to
stop a small smile.

Her eyes were locked onto his fiery ones, and she felt her cheeks growing hot as she thought
about the Blue Spirit that night. Seeing her cheeks turn pink made his heart start beating
faster. He knew what she was thinking about. He drew closer to her as his memories of that
night flashed through his mind. He tenderly ran his fingers across her cheek remembering his
longing to look into her green eyes, and now he was staring at the beauty he had desired to
see. As he leaned towards her she could feel the heat radiating from his body, and her heart
pounded in her chest anticipating his soft lips against hers...

“Are you guys done with your date?” asked Aang bouncing around the corner.

Zuko growled. “He's about to become the enemy again,” he said softly to Chiara who started
giggling.

“I'm ready to practice,” said Aang.

“I told you to take your time,” said Zuko scowling at the boy. “We never got started.”

She placed her hand on his arm. “Later, my Prince,” she said before stepping away to sit
down.

“You're not practicing with us?” he asked.

She laid her sword down next to her. “No. I'm just going to watch.”

Zuko sighed, and then he turned towards Aang anxious to blast some fire at him—all in the
name of training of course.

While they were busy practicing, Chiara slipped away to find Katara. Seeing her
waterbending at the fountain, she walked up to her.

“Lady Katara.”

Katara released the water and looked at her.

“I really appreciate your concern,” said Chiara, “but you don't have to worry about me. After
everything we've been through, I understand why Prince Zuko's overprotective.”
“I think he treats you like a slave. Even now he's probably wondering where you are because
you're out of his sight.”

“Probably,” smiled Chiara knowing she was right. “But I don't mind. Whenever he's nearby I
can keep an eye on him to make sure he's safe too. Like the Avatar, Prince Zuko is vital to the
future of the world. I believe it's his destiny to help bring an era of peace to the Fire Nation,
and I will give my life to protect him.”

“I...I guess I understand that,” said Katara in a more gentle tone certain that she herself would
do anything to protect Aang. She was reminded of something he had told her. “Aang once
said you offered your life for him on Zuko's ship.”

“If it means bringing peace to the Nations, my life is a very small price to pay.”

“Somehow, I don't think Zuko would agree...”

“Chiara!!”

Both girls turned to see Zuko storming around the corner.

“I didn't know where you went,” he said walking up to them.

“Give her some space,” said Katara. “We were just talking.”

Zuko grabbed Chiara's hand and started pulling her along with him. “Then talk where I can
see you.”

Katara felt annoyed with him. “If you ever become Fire Lord, I hope you don't treat
everybody in the Fire Nation like slaves.”

“I won't, Katara,” he called back. “Just my wife.”

“Prince Zuko,” said Chiara softly in an admonishing tone.

He continued pulling her towards the balcony where Aang was waiting while Katara huffed
before returning to her waterbending.

Zuko stopped and turned towards Chiara. “Do you think I treat you like a slave?”

“Not at all, and I was just explaining that to her so she would stop arguing with you about it.
But your last little comment didn't help.”

He smirked laughing to himself taking pleasure in annoying Katara.

--------------------

That afternoon after dinner, Zuko and Chiara returned to the balcony for their sparring date.
After quickly braiding her hair and tying it off, she pulled out her sword and they bowed to
each other. She took a defensive position as Zuko stood before her more composed than she
had ever seen him before sparring.
Making the first move, he took a step forward sending fire towards her from his fist. Stepping
to her left out of its path she swung her sword dissolving the flame. He then began a series of
punches mixed with kicks each sending out a burst of fire from which she defended herself.
His movements were smooth and fluid, and his demeanor calm and composed, and she was
finding his attacks more challenging than any she had ever faced from any firebender. She
was reminded of her training with Iroh who also had a very serene disposition in his
firebending, but he would too often go easy on her, whereas Zuko trusted her skill and did not
hold back as much.

They sparred on while the sky gradually darkened as the sun was disappearing beneath the
horizon.

“You're incredible,” she said somewhat breathless noticing he did not seem as taxed.

“I feel like I can do this all night.”

She dodged another fireball and gently laughed. “You're going to make me surrender, aren't
you?”

He smirked at her before throwing a stream of fire, and as soon as she raised her sword to
block it, he quickly moved in and caught her sword hand disarming her as he took her to the
ground.

“You surrender?” he asked holding her down.

“If I don't?”

“Hmm...I'll have to think of a fitting punishment,” he said thoughtfully. He gazed at her. “Is
my bride ticklish?”

“Um...n-no?” she said unconvincingly.

“Surrender or we'll find out,” he threatened.

“I...I don't know if I can...”

“What?!”

He started tickling her and she squirmed trying to get away from him.

“Okay, okay...,” she said nearly out of breath.

He stopped. “Say it.”

She hesitated.

“Say you surrender.” He threatened to tickle her again.

“You surrender,” she said.

He playfully glared at her and started tickling her.

“Okay, I surrender,” she gave in.

“Victory is mine,” he said making her giggle.

Her eyes were fixed on his. She was so happy to see the joy in them.

He moved some loose curls from her face.

“You are an amazing firebender, my Prince,” she said reaching up to run her fingers through
his hair.

“And you are an amazing woman,” he said softly.

He leaned towards her causing her heart to pound within her chest as she once again
anticipated his lips pressed against hers. She tried to push out of her mind the possibility of
Aang running around the corner. Zuko, too, struggled to force an unwanted intrusion out of
his thoughts, and they were both relieved there was no interruption this time as their lips met.
Their hearts were now racing, and inside he was on fire, yet the feeling of her hand as it
rested on the back of his neck, her fingers tangled in his hair, sent chills over his skin, but
Chiara could not tell for the heat that radiated from him.

Neither was ready for their kiss to end, but Zuko knew he could not allow himself to lose
control, as tempting as she was, and he forced himself to break away from her soft lips.

“I can't wait 'til this war is over,” he said softly.

She gently smiled at him. He stood up helping her to her feet, and they left the balcony.

It took a week before Zuko finally relented and allowed Chiara to go hunting as long as
Katara or Toph was with her. On their first hunting trip one afternoon, Sokka and the three
girls left the temple and split into pairs, with Toph walking with Chiara, before heading into
the woods.

“Iroh said you were out hunting the day I had tea with him,” said Toph. “This doesn't seem
like a normal past-time for a princess.”

“It was this or starve when we were wandering through the Earth Kingdom as refugees.”

“I see your point,” said the earthbender. “Where did you learn to hunt?”

“I was trained to use the bow, so I just applied it to finding food. I also used to work with the
cooks, so that's how I learned to prepare whatever I caught.”

They continued walking deeper into the forest.

“Are you looking for anything in particular?” Toph asked her.

“I'm sure anything that's made of meat will please most of the guys,” she said making the
younger girl laugh.

Toph pointed to their right. “There are five raccoon-quail in the bushes in that direction.”

They slowly approached the bush until it was in clear view.

“Do you mind flushing them out?” Chiara asked her as she pulled out an arrow.

“Not at all.”

“Stay to the right of the bush and try to flush them to the left.”

Toph approached the bush from the right as Chiara aimed an arrow in the direction she was
hoping their prey would run. As soon as the raccoon-quail ran out of the bush, she nailed one
as it started to fly away.

“You did it,” said Toph excitedly as she felt it hit the ground.

Chiara walked over and picked up their future dinner. “It's not very big,” she said as she
examined it. “There isn't even enough to make jerky out of it without sacrificing tonight's
dinner. I should've tried for two.”

“Maybe Snoozles and Sugar Queen caught something too.”

“Let's take it to the river to clean it.”

--------------------

Sokka's eyes grew wide when he saw the fresh kill Chiara was carrying towards the river.

“Where did you guys get that?” he asked as he was cleaning a fish.

“Lady Toph found it,” she said.

Hearing Chiara give her credit made Toph grin.

After Chiara cleaned it, they returned to the temple where Katara started roasting their dinner.

--------------------

“Wow, it looks like you guys had a good hunt,” said Aang as he and Zuko walked up when
dinner had finished cooking.

“Chiara got the raccoon-quail,” said Katara.

“Where is she?” asked Zuko surprised that she was not helping her.

“The garden,” she answered.

He turned to go look for her.

“She's fine, Zuko,” she said. “I'm sure she isn't in any danger picking fruit.”

He held his tongue as he continued towards the temple garden where he found her with an
armful of apples.

“Finished with practice?” she asked.

“Yes.” He took a few apples from her arms. “I saw what you caught. It looks good.”

“Actually it was Toph. She sensed them in the bush.”

“Did she shoot it too?”

She smiled making him smile.

“It wasn't very big,” she said. “I wish I had gotten another one. There wasn't enough to make
jerky.”

They walked back to the courtyard where they laid out the fruit for Aang, and then everyone
sat around the fire to eat dinner.

“We're running low on some of our supplies,” said Katara while filling a bowl with noodles
for Aang.

“We'll have to find a village then,” he said.

Sokka had already helped himself to a leg of the raccoon-quail. “The closest villages are Fire
Nation,” he said.

“It's not like we haven't visited those before,” said Toph.

Zuko looked at Chiara. “We can get you clothes.”

She nodded as she was helping Katara serve dinner.

“We can leave early tomorrow,” said Aang.

“We should take my war balloon,” suggested Zuko. “It'll be less conspicuous than a giant
flying bison.”

Sokka pointed a nearly meatless bone at him. “You do have a point,” he said before tearing
the last shreds of meat from the bone.

The next morning after breakfast the Gaang left in Zuko's war balloon for the nearest Fire
Nation colony. Since Haru, The Duke, and Teo had no Fire Nation clothing and there was not
enough room in the balloon to carry everyone, they remained at the air temple with Appa.

After landing in a forest they walked to a large town near the coast of the Mo Ce Sea. Zuko,
wearing an eye patch, walked with Chiara's hand on his arm, and he stopped at the first shop
that sold clothes.

“We need to go in here,” he said to the others. “Where do you guys want to meet?”

“How about the food court?” suggested Sokka.

“Of course.” Zuko laughed to himself not surprised Sokka suggested that.

They went their separate ways as Zuko took Chiara into the shop for new clothes.

“Can I help you?” asked the shopkeeper.

“My wife needs some clothes.”

“Of course. I'll take care of her.” She led Chiara to clothing in her size as Zuko remained near
the entrance.

The woman sifted through various outfits.

“It looks like you're quite mismatched,” she said of Chiara's red tunic and tan palazzos.

“Yes, I lost my clothes while traveling." She was thinking about the clothes she left behind in
the Earth Kingdom when she had been arrested.

“We can set you up with a new wardrobe,” said the woman still going through tops and skirts.
“What's your name?”

“Lin.”

“Well, Lin, this is the latest fashion here.”

She held up a two-piece top and skirt.

“Do you have anything...less revealing?” she asked.

The shopkeeper started going through other clothing, but then Chiara saw something that
caught her eye.

“This is perfect.” She was holding up a kurta of Fire Nation red with burgundy trim.

“Oh, quite modest,” said the shopkeeper.

After picking out two other dresses, palazzos, and a few other items, the woman sent her into
a dressing room.

“You look lovely, dear,” said the woman when Chiara walked out.

Zuko turned around at her words, and he was in awe when he looked upon Chiara. It was the
first time he had seen her in Fire Nation clothing since before their first exile into the Earth
Kingdom, and though he thought she looked adorable in his tunic, there was something
familiar and comforting to him seeing her in her own style.
“You would really do well in the newer fashions,” said the shopkeeper.

Zuko walked up to her and took her hand. “You look beautiful,” he said, awe in his voice.

The shopkeeper wrapped up the few outfits Chiara had chosen packing Zuko's tunic in with
them, and after putting them in his backpack, he and Chiara left the shop to meet with the
others.

At the food court, the Gaang walked up to them.

“Wow, Chiara, you look just like when we met,” said Aang.

“Shh...,” shushed Zuko as he looked around. “Her name is Lin,” he whispered. “I'm Lee.”

It dawned on the others that they needed to hide their identities.

“Oh, right,” said Aang softly.

“Okay,” said Sokka. “We're all here, and I'm starving.”

“We'll buy lunch,” said Zuko to the others. He handed a small pouch of money to Chiara. “I
saw something I want to check out,” he said. “Can I count on you guys to watch my wife for
me?”

Katara rolled her eyes.

“Of course, Lee,” said Aang in a less than clandestine manner. “You've been letting her hunt
with the others; this isn't much different.”

“It's very different,” he said. “There are a lot of people here, so you guys need to stay
together. The last time she was left alone in a port, the pirates took her.”

“I think we handled that pretty well,” said Sokka proudly. “Your wife is safe with us.”

Zuko turned to Chiara. “You know what I like, so just get me whatever. I'll be back.”

She nodded and turned to the others.

“Wow, Sparky's really beginning to put some faith in us,” said Toph.

“Let's eat,” said Sokka.

Unknown to them were the two soldiers that were now staring in their direction as Sokka led
the way to one of the food vendors.

After everyone had ordered their food, Chiara paid for it, and as she picked up her and
Zuko's, she turned to follow the others who were now sitting at one of the tables in the
courtyard.

“We should wait for Chiara...,” started Aang, “...uh...I mean...uh...what did Zuk...” He shook
his head. “...Lee say her name was?”
“Lin,” said Katara.

“Yeah,” said Aang. “We should wait for Lin.”

“Where is she?” asked Sokka who looked around.

They spotted her near the vendor where a soldier was talking to her.

“Are you kidding?” said Sokka. “You guys left her alone?”

“You guys?” said Toph. “You're the one that promised she'd be safe.”

“What do you think Zuko's going to do if he sees her talking to a soldier?” asked Sokka.
“Ow!” He looked angrily at Toph while rubbing his arm where he was sure a bruise would
appear.

“You mean Lee,” she said. “And you might want to be worried about what he's going to do to
you if he sees her talking to a soldier.”

“He told us to stay together,” said Aang nervously. “We need to do something.”

“All right,” said Sokka bravely standing up. “I'll take care of this.”

He tried to look casual as he walked over to Chiara and the soldier. “H-hey,” he started. “Is
everything okay?”

“Yes,” said the soldier. He looked at Chiara. “My apologies again. You really do look like a
friend of mine. I hope I didn't cause any offense.”

“Not at all,” she said slightly bowing to him.

He nodded before walking off.

“What was that about?” asked Sokka.

“He thought I was a friend of his,” she explained as they walked towards the table with the
others.

“Do you know him?”

“No.”

“Are you okay?” Katara asked her when she sat down next to her.

“Yes. Just a case of mistaken identity.”

“Maybe Lee's right,” said Toph, “you can't be left alone for a minute.”

“He said that you always had escorts and chaperones,” said Katara.
“The Gen...my father...always provided someone whenever we were outside his manor if he
couldn't be with me.”

“So you've never been anywhere by yourself?”

“Rarely. I often hunted on my own, but in the cities and ports I was to have an escort. The
only time I went out without one was in Ba Sing Se,” she whispered. “I walked to the tea
shop one time.”

“Just once?” asked Katara.

“Yes. Lee got upset with me for it.”

Katara rolled her eyes. “Figures. It's not like there was much crime there.”

“There was in the Lower Ring, which is where we were living at the time, but it was during
the day so I didn't think it would be a big deal.”

“Wow, you lived in the Lower Ring?” asked Toph. “You guys really were refugees.”

“How did you get kidnapped by the pirates then?” asked Sokka.

“Um...my escort left me for a few minutes, and then I got distracted by a street fight.”

“I can't even imagine having an escort all the time,” said Katara.

“I can,” said Toph. “I know exactly what that feels like. My parents kept me hidden from
everyone.”

“It was nothing that extreme,” said Chiara. “It was just part of life. And according to Amiku,
it was never proper for a young lady to be without a chaperone.”

“Amiku?” asked Aang.

“She was the one in charge of taking care of me at the manor.”

Zuko sat down next to her. “Everything okay?”

“Yes!” said Aang over-excitedly. “Why wouldn't it be?”

Zuko was puzzled by the nervousness in his voice.

“See? Chi...Lin's safe. There aren't any soldiers after her,” he said suspiciously.

Chiara softly laughed as she placed Zuko's food in front of him. “I got you dumplings.”

“Thanks. It looks good.” He looked at her bowl. “You haven't eaten?”

“I was waiting for you.”

“You didn't have to.”

“I know,” she smiled. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Yes,” he answered before they started eating.

--------------------

“It's got to be her,” said a soldier standing on the other side of the court.

Standing next to him was the soldier who had been speaking to Chiara earlier. “Are you
sure?”

“If her eyes are the color you say, there's no doubt.”

“And you remember her eye color?”

“Yes. I had to transfer her to General Iroh's cell. She has the same hair and chain around her
neck. How many girls have you seen with a chain like that?”

The other soldier just shook his head. “If you're right, then that has to be Prince Zuko,” he
said as they watched a young man with an eye patch over his left eye walk up to the table and
sit down. “So do we contact the Fire Lord and let him know we found the traitor and the
spy?”

“No. I think Idem will want to know about this. It was because of her that General Iroh
threatened him in the prison. I'm sure he'll want to settle the score. When he's done with her,
then we'll turn him over to the Fire Lord,” he said, gently nodding his head towards the
couple.

--------------------

That night after they returned to the temple, Katara and Chiara prepared dinner, and
afterwards they all relaxed around the fire while Zuko made tea for everyone.

“No one can make tea like Uncle...and Chiara,” he said.

“Only because I learned from the best,” she admitted.

“Well, hopefully I learned a thing or two.”

He served everyone a cup, Chiara last as he sat down next to her.

“I think you've earned the title Master Tea Maker,” she said.

“If you would've told me a month ago that Zuko would be serving me tea one day, I would've
told you you're crazy,” said Sokka.

Everyone laughed.

“Actually...,” started Zuko, “...Chiara could've told you that.”

“Yep,” said Sokka, “and I wouldn't've believed her.”

 After taking a sip of her tea, Chiara looked at Zuko.

“Is this what you got this afternoon?” she asked as she tasted the chamomile and mint.

He smiled at her.

“Aww...,” she started.

“If I had known you were going to be with me, I would've had it for you already.”

“Thank you,” she said softly.

“I also got you something else.” He reached into a pocket inside his tunic.

Pulling out a set of shuriken, he handed them to her. It made him smile to watch her eyes
grow big.

“You are so precious.” She set her cup down and took the knives before wrapping her arms
around him in a hug.

“You know, Zuko,” started Sokka, “you make the rest of us guys look really bad.”

“Why do you say that, Sokka?” asked Aang.

“I got you something...,” said Sokka imitating Zuko. “...and I got you something else...awww,
you're so precious,” he said in a falsetto now imitating Chiara.

Zuko and Chiara were laughing at Sokka's show as were the others.

“Hey, if tea and knives make my wife happy, then I'm happy to oblige,” said Zuko putting his
arm around her.

Chapter End Notes

The conversation between Zuko and Aang about the dragons is borrowed from the
comic “Dragon Days” included in The Lost Adventures.
 A Break from Training
Chapter Notes

I couldn't believe this chapter turned out to be so long. It was basically me just rambling
on playing with the characters.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

While Aang continued training with his teachers, Sokka and Chiara would spend some days
hunting with Katara and Toph who would take turns joining them when they were not with
Aang.

After a week of training with Zuko, Aang took a day off from firebending by working on
earthbending with Toph. Zuko chose to spend his time with Chiara and they went out hunting
together. They had walked through the woods for hours, and finding nothing worth catching,
they decided to head to the river to take a break. Approaching the bank, Chiara put her hand
out stopping him, and she pointed towards the river. His eyes grew wide.

“Muskrat deer,” he whispered, pulling out an arrow.

“Wait 'til it's on shore.”

He nodded as he took aim. As soon as the creature reached the bank, he let the arrow fly.

“He's really big,” she said as they walked over to their future dinner. “I'll be able to make
jerky.”

“There won't be enough with Sokka's appetite.” He pulled out his knife to start gutting it.

“Be careful of the scent glands,” she warned as she watched him work.

He stopped and looked at her. “Where are they?”

She knelt down beside him, and after pulling out her knife, she skinned part of the lower
section revealing two glands that she carefully removed.

“How did you know about them?” he asked her.

“Ozen showed me.”

He could hear the sadness in her voice and knew she was wondering if his crew survived the
Siege. It was a thought that had gone through his own mind more often than he would admit.

He finished removing the organs, and then he carried it back to the air temple.
“That looks delicious!” exclaimed Sokka whose wide eyes were fixed on the carcass Zuko
was laying down near the fire pit. “All those times we were wondering where we were going
to find food, and you guys were eating like kings.”

Zuko had flashbacks of near-starvation in the Earth Kingdom. He pulled out his knife. “Can I
gut him too?” he said to Chiara.

“Not yet,” she giggled.

He started skinning the muskrat deer while Chiara used sticks and twine to build a stand to
dry some of the meat.

“Whoa!” yelled The Duke excitedly as he ran up to them. “What are you going to do with the
antlers?”

“Give them to you if you want them,” said Zuko.

“Great! I can make knives out of them.”

When Chiara finished making the stand, Zuko cut strips of meat for her which she salted
before placing them on the stand to dry.

“Are you making jerky?” asked Sokka.

“Yes,” she answered.

“Have you ever made blubbered seal jerky?”

“No, but I've had some at the North Pole,” she said. “My cousin's wife made it.”

“Don't leave any of this lying around,” he said leaning in close to her. “If Aang sees it, he'll
use it as kindling.”

She wondered why Aang would use jerky for kindling and if it might have something to do
with him being a vegetarian. “I bet it smelled good.”

“It did,” sighed Sokka.

Soon the muskrat deer was roasting over a fire ironically filling the air temple, once full of
vegetarians, with the aroma of cooking meat.

--------------------

That evening after dinner, Zuko took Chiara to the river where they relaxed in the water
beneath the waning crescent moon. She was sitting on a rock behind him giving him a deep
water massage. With the tension in his muscles melting away beneath her glowing water, his
mind relaxed as well, and it was nearly in a meditative state when he caught her humming a
familiar Fire Nation song.
“I miss your singing,” he said. “I loved it when you and Uncle used to sing at the campfire
every night.”

She stopped humming. “But you used to complain about it.”

He shrugged. “I only complained because I didn't want Uncle to try and coerce me into
singing. But I loved listening to you.”

She ruffled his hair with her wet hands making him chuckle. He took her right hand in his,
and pulling it over his shoulder, he kissed it.

“Let's trade places,” he said. “I want to try something.”

She stood up and sat in front of him while he sat on the rock where she had been sitting. He
scooped up her hair and slowly moved it over her left shoulder allowing the current to pull it
in front of her.

“Lean forward,” he directed her.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and started rubbing them, and as he did, he
concentrated on producing just enough heat to penetrate her muscles.

“That...that feels...wonderful,” she sighed.

He slowly moved his hands down her back.

“I didn't know you could do this.” She could feel the soothing warmth fill her body beneath
his hands.

He smiled. “I didn't know I could either until today.”

“What made you try it?”

“I hurt my shoulder when I moved the muskrat deer...”

Her back immediately straightened as she tensed up. “You hurt yourself?” she asked
worriedly. “Why didn't you tell me?”

“Relax.” He gently forced her to lean forward. “It wasn't that bad. It was just a little sore, so
when I put my hand on it, I added heat and directed it into the muscle.”

“This feels great,” she said as he continued moving his hands slowly down her back on each
side of her spine. “I can feel the heat moving through the entire muscle.”

“Ever since we met the dragons I've seen firebending differently. It's not just something I can
do, but it's an extension of myself, just like fighting with swords. Before, I would aim and
send out fire, but this...this is different. I can direct it to go where I want, even heat.”

“It feels so good.”

He smiled enjoying that he could do something to make her feel good as she had so often
done for him. Finishing her lower back, he worked on her neck again.

“Ooh, don't ever stop doing it,” she moaned.

“Well, I wish I was deaf now,” said Toph as she and Katara walked towards the bank.

Zuko and Chiara started softly laughing at her comment.

“At least you can't see them,” said Katara blandly.

“And thanks to the river I can't feel them either.”

“It's not what you think, Earthbender,” said Zuko with a smile.

“Could you two at least get dressed before we walk out there?” she asked.

He rolled his eyes. “What does it matter if you can't see us?”

“Just knowing is disturbing enough.”

“Then you'll have to give us a few minutes to finish,” he said as they were laughing to
themselves.

He stopped rubbing Chiara's neck and pulled her back until she relaxed against him and
rested her head on his shoulder.

Katara started walking into the river heading to the rock farthest from them. Toph stepped in
the water moving towards the rock closest to the shore where Zuko and Chiara were sitting.
She stood there waiting.

Zuko looked at her. “Oh, you want us to move?”

“You are on my rock.”

“Huh, I didn't realize you owned it,” he said indifferently. “We're finished now. I guess you
can have it back.”

Toph's rigid form slouched a bit in disgust. “Nevermind. I'll take the other rock.” She walked
by them.

“And we never got dressed,” he whispered to her when she sat between them and Katara.

Chiara was softly laughing at Zuko teasing Toph but they both found it even funnier when
Toph splashed them with water.

Chiara was wiping the water out of her eyes. “If I wasn't so relaxed I might've stopped that.”

“You two've been gone most of the day,” said Toph. “That's a lot of private time together.”
“Can you blame us? We've been babysitting you guys since we got here,” said Zuko lightly.
“It's nice to find some quiet time with my wife...explore some uncharted Water Tribe
territory,” he added tightening his hold on Chiara.

Katara grimaced at his words. “Ugh, that's really offensive.”

Zuko, feeling he would never win Katara's approval, softly laughed at her taking offense.

“Whoa...young ears here,” said Toph.

“Hey, you're the one who assumed an innocent massage was something...not so innocent,” he
said.

“Well, if you're giving out innocent massages, then my feet are really interested...and, you
know, it might help make up for you burning them.”

“Seriously?” he playfully groaned. “You're still going on about that?”

“Yep.” She turned towards him and held her foot up. “And it's I get a foot rub or your new
nickname is Sparkles.”

He sighed a fake sigh. “Fine.” The annoyance in his voice sounded forced making Chiara
giggle at his playfulness with the young earthbender.

Toph started laughing. “You're all right, Sparky.”

Chiara sat up so he could face Toph, and taking her right foot in his warm hands he started
his heat massage. She seemed to melt at his touch.

“Is...is this s-something that...all firebenders can do?” she asked.

“I don't know. I just found out I could do it. It wasn't in any of Sozin's approved techniques
for firebending,” he said with a hint of derision.

Katara glanced at them. To see Zuko willingly rubbing the feet of a twelve year old girl
troubled her. He was the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, the same angry prince that
followed them from pole to pole trying to capture the Avatar, and now he was performing
some menial, servile task for a young girl he had only known for a short time. He was the one
in whom she put her trust in Ba Sing Se and who betrayed them all, attacked them, and
watched as his sister nearly killed Aang, her Aang. She imagined how different everything
might be if he had joined them then, if he had fought with them instead of against them. Their
failure on the day of the eclipse might have been a success, her father not a prisoner of war,
the war ended, her family reunited....

“Now I see what Chiara meant,” said Toph when he finished. “Don't stop.” She held up her
left foot. “I think I discovered your new destiny.”

Zuko smiled shaking his head as he took her other foot.

“I can see why you married him, Princess,” she said making Chiara laugh.
The thin crescent moon moved across the sky from one side of the river to the other before
they returned to the temple together.

A few days later Sokka walked out to the balcony where Zuko was warming up getting ready
to work with Aang.

“Hey, Zuko, up for a little swordbending?”

“I'm supposed to be teaching Aang. And don't call it 'swordbending,'” said Zuko, not amused.
“That's not even a real word.”

“Aang's busy with Toph,” said Sokka undeterred. “Besides, it's about time we had a duel.
We're the only swordbenders here, except Chiara, and she's off with Katara playing with their
magic water.”

“I think I'm a little past your level, Sokka. Why don't you practice with The Duke or
something.”

“The Duke? But he's like eight years old.”

“He should be a good match for you then.”

“All right, Zuko. You leave me no choice.” Sokka drew out his sword and pointed it at him.
“I challenge you to a swordbending kai! You know, like an Agni Kai, only with swords
instead of fire...”

“Yeah, I get it!” said Zuko, annoyed. “But there is no such thing as a 'swordbending kai.'” He
crossed his arms.

Sokka stared at him with big seal puppy eyes. Zuko’s shoulders sagged at the guilt trip, and
he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

“But honor demands that I accept your challenge,” he said with little fervor.

“Woo!” yelled Sokka excitedly, throwing his hands up in the air.

He quickly ran off to gather the others.

“You guys got to come to the balcony!” he yelled. “I challenged Zuko to a swordbending
kai!”

Chiara, who was waterbending with Katara, immediately dropped her water as she looked at
him. “A what?”

“Swordbending Kai,” he repeated.

“Oh, is that a thing now?” she asked.

“Where's Aang and Toph?”

“They're in the garden,” said Katara.

Sokka ran off to find them, and then he found Haru, Teo, and The Duke, and everyone
gathered on the balcony.

Zuko stopped Chiara as she walked by. “Fight the winner?” he asked.

She smirked at him. “I can't wait.”

She sat down next to Toph and watched The Duke drawing a crude picture of Zuko. Sokka
and Zuko stood facing each other inside a large circle traced on the ground while Aang stood
between them to referee.

“Finally,” said The Duke when he saw them getting ready to fight. “Some action around
here.”

Zuko pulled out his dao swords. “Don't get your hopes up, Sokka. I started training with
Master Piandao when I was just a kid, so I think I can take a beginner like you.”

“All right, you guys,” said Aang. “I want this to be a good, clean swordbending match!”

“There's no such thing!” said Zuko angrily, agitated by the made-up word.

As soon as Aang whistled, Zuko and Sokka charged each other.

“So you think you're hot stuff, huh?” asked Sokka.

“Go, Water Tribe!” called Katara holding up a sign with a sword beneath the symbol for
waterbending.

Toph held up her sign with Zuko's picture which was upside down until The Duke fixed it for
her.

Sokka brought his sword down towards Zuko who caught it between his broadswords.

“Lemme show you how we do things down south!” Sokka drew back to strike again.

Zuko moved as the Water Tribesman lunged towards him.

“Like I said...,” started Zuko as he swung his sword causing Sokka to lose his balance...

“Whoa!” He fell backwards.

“...Don't get your hopes up,” finished the prince.

Katara was looking annoyed that Sokka lost.

“Way to go, Sparky!” yelled Toph holding her picture up excitedly.

Chiara was laughing at Toph's reaction, but she never doubted that Zuko would be victorious.
“Rematch,” said a disgruntled Sokka. “Now.”

The two swordsmen stood facing each other again, but Zuko easily beat him again kicking
him back knocking him off his feet.

“Another loss for Sokka,” announced Aang.

After another match, Zuko quickly forced Sokka face down on the ground.

“Ouch,” winced Katara covering her eyes.

Even Toph and Chiara felt bad for him.

“This is ridiculous,” said Zuko pointing one of his swords at Sokka. “I'm obviously better
than you. Why don't you just give up?”

Sokka got to his knees and brushed himself off. “This from the guy who unsuccessfully
hunted Aang for years?”

“That was totally different!” yelled Zuko defensively.

“Sure...'cause it'll only take me three minutes to beat you.” Sokka immediately jumped up
and attacked him.

Zuko quickly knocked his space sword out of his hands.

“You were saying?” he said.

Sokka pulled out his boomerang throwing it at Zuko who ducked.

“Hey! No boomerangs in swordbending!” he yelled. His eyes grew wide when he realized he
inadvertently used Sokka's made up word. “Wait...I mean...”

Sokka's eyes lit up at Zuko's slip.

As the boomerang returned, Chiara quickly jumped up while pulling out her sword taking the
flying weapon out of the air before it hit Zuko from behind.

“That's cheating!” she said.

“Chiara's right, you know,” said Aang to Sokka. “You did cheat, so Zuko still wins the
match.”

“I may have lost the battles of swords, young Avatar,” said Sokka. “But I won the war of
words.”

Zuko rolled his eyes at Sokka before turning to Chiara. “I'm ready for a real challenge.”

“Whooo, go Water Tribe!” yelled Sokka loudly making Zuko and Chiara startle.

“What's going on?” asked Toph.

“Water Tribe versus Fire Nation,” answered Haru.

“Isn't that what just happened?”

“It's Water Tribe Chiara now,” said The Duke.

She held out her picture of Zuko to him. “Ooh, I need a picture of Princess Chiara.”

“I think everyone's on your side,” said Zuko to Chiara as they watched them.

“Of course we are,” said Sokka. “Who would actually cheer for the Fire Nation?”

Chiara looked up at Zuko. “I'm on your side,” she said. “But that doesn't mean I'll go easy on
you.”

He smirked at her before looking back at Toph. “Hey, don't forget my new destiny,” he called
out to her.

Toph looked in his direction remembering the incredible foot rub he gave her. She grabbed
the picture of Zuko back from The Duke and held it up, upside down again. “Go Sparky!!”

Zuko and Chiara were laughing.

“Sorry, Princess,” said Toph in a loud whisper.

“Just so you know, that doesn't look anything like me,” called Zuko.

“You're right. It's not scowling enough,” said Sokka. “You better not go easy on him,” he
added to Chiara before walking off to sit with the others. “For the good of all the Water
Tribes you must defeat him.”

“Nothing like putting a lot of pressure on me, Sokka.”

She and Zuko faced each other.

“Okay, I want a good, clean swordbending match,” said Aang.

“Stop calling it that,” sighed the prince. “And I've been dancing with my wife since I was
five, so we know how to do this.”

“Whatever you say, Hotman.”

Zuko growled at the ancient slang which made Chiara giggle, but then he quickly made the
first move attacking her. She defended herself gracefully, but Zuko was on a roll after
defeating Sokka and he fought more aggressively against his more challenging opponent.

The group was cheering for their favorites—Chiara's cheers being louder as she had the two
Water Tribe siblings, Haru, Teo, and The Duke yelling for her victory while only Toph called
out for Zuko. Aang, still playing referee and ever the pacifist, remained neutral.
The battle continued far longer than the combined competitions between Zuko and Sokka as
neither Zuko nor Chiara would go down so easily. Chiara stepped towards him and lunged,
but he caught her sword between his and redirected it. He swung one of his swords, but she
blocked it with her own, and while he was bringing his other sword around towards her neck,
she caught his wrist with her free hand and pushed it up. She quickly ducked under his arm.

“Go Chiara!!” yelled Sokka.

She stood up and threw back her sword arm to strike at the back of his neck at the same time
that he had turned and brought both of his swords towards hers.

“It's a draw!” yelled Aang excitedly as they held their swords at each other's throats, both
breathing heavily.

“They both lost,” moaned The Duke.

“Or both won,” said Teo seeing it more optimistically.

Of course Sokka opted for a darker point of view. “That depends on whether they finish each
other off or not,” he threw out nonchalantly.

As they withdrew their swords everyone relaxed and started talking about the fight, but then
Zuko took a swing at Chiara. It was unexpected, but she was not unprepared as she raised her
sword and blocked him. A new battle ensued catching everyone's attention, and Zuko fought
even more aggressively determined to beat her this time. After another lengthy fight, he
finally shoved her with his shoulder trying to knock her off balance, and even though she
maintained her footing, it was enough time to bring one of his swords to her throat.

“Zuko wins!” yelled Aang.

“Yay, Sparky won!!” yelled Toph rejoicing over his victory. “I knew I voted for the right
one.”

“That's not fair!” yelled Katara angrily pointing at Zuko. “He pushed her.”

“Clearly she let him win,” said Sokka.

Zuko and Chiara sheathed their swords and bowed to one another.

“You guys were great,” said Aang.

“Tell me you let him win,” said Sokka walking up to them.

Chiara gently laughed as she shook her head. “He's a master swordbender.”

Zuko sighed. “Really? You too?”

She softly giggled and rubbed his back before walking off.

“She let you win you know,” said Sokka before he walked away.
Zuko was shaking his head as he turned away to hide his smile.

After another intense week of training for Aang, the Gaang decided to take a break, and after
packing lunch, they all went to the river to relax. Katara and Chiara were practicing
waterbending while the others sat in the grass underneath the trees talking. Zuko was sitting
against a tree by himself quietly admiring Chiara. To him she looked like a goddess as he
watched the sunlight reflecting and sparkling in the water which would surround her when
she moved it in the air. As her dark curls flowed around her they also caught rays of sunlight
while she moved gracefully like she was dancing, and he felt so in love with her that he
wanted to join her, but he remained sitting and continued gazing at her nearly in a trance.

“Hey, Hotman.” Aang sat down next to him.

Zuko did not respond.

“You can sit with us you know,” he persisted. “You don't have to sit here by yourself.”

Zuko was so lost in his thoughts of Chiara, he barely heard anything Aang was saying.

“Zuko,” said Aang realizing his attention was elsewhere. “Hey, are you awake?” He waved
his hand in front of his sifu's face. “Zuko...”

Zuko glanced at him for a second. “What?” he asked. His eyes were drawn back to his wife.

“What are you looking at?”

He continued staring at Chiara. “The most beautiful woman I've ever seen,” he said softly,
sounding like he was in a daze.

Aang started to look in the same direction as Zuko, but his eyes stopped at Katara. He
watched her waterbend, and he felt entranced as well. “She is,” he said dreamily.

Zuko suddenly snapped out of his daze and turned towards the Avatar. “What? Are you
looking at my wife?” he asked deeply, disturbed by Aang's dreamy tone.

“Uh, no, no,” said Aang nervously holding his hands up defensively. “I-I wasn't talking about
her. I...uh...was...uh...speaking about someone else.” His eyes drifted back to Katara.

Zuko looked back at the river and realized he was referring to the other waterbender.

“Oh,” he said more calmly. He crossed his arms and went back to staring at Chiara.

“How-how did you know that Chiara loved you?” asked Aang, his voice timid.

Zuko contemplated an answer to the boy's question. “In a way, I-I guess I always knew. She
always took care of me, in the Fire Nation, on the ship, in the Earth Kingdom.”

Aang thought about the way Katara always took care of him.
“Did she ever tell you how she felt?” he asked Zuko.

“Yes.”

Aang looked down feeling sad that Katara never told him she loved him. “You two must've
been really happy then,” he said softly.

“We weren't,” said Zuko sadly as he remembered when she had first admitted her feelings to
him. “We were stuck in the Earth Kingdom as fugitives, and I decided to leave her and Uncle
and go off on my own.”

Aang raised his wide eyes to stare at him. “After she told you she loved you?”

“I had already decided to leave them. I...I wasn't myself.” He still felt ashamed of his
behavior towards her. “Before I left I thought she was going to try to talk me out of going,
but she said she just wanted me to know that if I ever felt alone there was someone
somewhere who loved me and was thinking about me.” His heart stirred thinking about her
words to him.

Aang was sure that if Katara said something similar to him, he would never leave her.

“She also said had she been worthy, she would consider it an honor to be my wife,” added
Zuko.

“Worthy?” asked Aang.

“I didn't know at the time she was Water Tribe. She just always told me she would bring me
dishonor if she married me.”

“You talked about marriage before that?” Aang was surprised but also hopeful.

“Yes. Before I was banished I told her she would be my wife.”

“But...before you were banished...weren't you just kids?”

“Yes, but I was also the Crown Prince destined to become Fire Lord. It was expected that I
would eventually marry and have an heir to the throne. Chiara was the one I loved.” His eyes
were still fixed on her. “Even when I found out she was a waterbender, I still loved her and
wanted her to be my wife. I made her my destiny, and I wouldn't change it for all the power
in the Fire Nation or all the power on earth.”

He stood up, and immediately ran towards Chiara while throwing fire in her direction. Seeing
his attack, she quickly dodged them and threw water against his incoming blasts. He sent
another barrage of fire bursts which dissolved on the ice wall she quickly drew up from the
river. After dropping the wall, she immediately launched water missiles towards him.

Interrupting Katara's concentration, the water she had been guiding dropped down around
her. “Zuko, what are you doing?!” she yelled.

He did not reply as he continued battling against Chiara.

“What's going on?” asked Toph.

“Zuko's attacking Chiara,” said Sokka as if it were perfectly normal.

“Really?” she asked.

“I don't think he's really attacking her,” said Aang.

“Ohhh, I get it,” said Toph.

“Chiara's attacking back,” said Sokka.

“Who's winning?” asked Toph.

Zuko persistently threw fire at her until she finally raised a tidal wave of water and brought it
down on him.

“Chiara,” answered Aang and Sokka together as Zuko stood completely drenched.

Toph started laughing.

Zuko immediately grabbed Chiara in his arms and kissed her.

“Make that Zuko,” said Sokka.

“Yeah,” said Aang dreamily. He imagined how Katara might act if he playfully attacked her,
though maybe with water instead of fire, and ended their playful battle with a kiss. He was
not sure she would be as receptive, but he enjoyed imagining it.

Releasing her, Zuko took her hand and pulled her deeper into the river.

“I'm borrowing my wife, Katara,” he called out as they started swimming together.

Jumping up, Aang ran to the river opting for playful swimming around Katara rather than
playful fighting. Zuko and Chiara swam for a while, and after swimming to the other side,
they sat in the shallow water not far from shore. He had his arm around her, and she was
resting her head on his shoulder as the current drew her hair around him.

“I really miss our days at the river,” he said.

“I do too.”

“You looked like a goddess when you were waterbending. You're so beautiful.”

“You're so sweet.”

They were watching the others across the river playing around in the water.

“I think Aang's in love with Katara,” he said.

“I know.”
“You do? How?”

“I can tell by the way he looks at her,” she said. “I saw it back when I traveled with them.”

“When we were younger, could you tell I was in love with you by the way I looked at you?”

She softly giggled. “I never thought it was possible that the Prince of the Fire Nation could
fall in love with me.”

“Really?”

“I understand my place. I'm a peasant; how could a handsome prince ever consider me
anything more than a servant?”

He was stunned, and he felt guilty for making her feel that way. “Oh, Chiara, I'm so sorry. I-I
never should've called you that...”

She sat up and looked at him. “Don't ever apologize for speaking the truth...”

“But it's not true...”

“It is true,” she softly laughed. “I'm a peasant from the Water Tribe. It's not an insult. It-it's
just life. Not everybody can be a leader or a king or a prince...or a general, otherwise who
would serve?”

He knew she made a valid point, but he still felt guilty. “I still shouldn't have called you that
though.”

She tenderly caressed his face. “I'm not hurt by it. And the way I felt didn't have anything to
do with what you said. Even if you had been the sweetest chieftain of the Water Tribe or the
King of the Earth Kingdom, I would've felt the same way.”

He felt a bit comforted by her words, and he wrapped his arm around her pulling her close
until she rested her head against him again.

“We're not much different then,” he said. “The true duty of the Fire Lord or a king is to serve
his people. Unfortunately, Ozai doesn't see it that way.”

“You really are the leader your people need.”

“I told Uncle I'd help Aang, and then I'm done with the Fire Nation. I don't want to be Fire
Lord, especially if I can't have you. I can't imagine my life without you.” He caressed her
head. “Every day when I wake up, I can't wait to see you, and every night when I go to bed,
my thoughts are of you.”

“Aww,” she smiled.

“When we were taken to the Fire Nation, I was practically imprisoned in the palace, and I
couldn't sleep not knowing where you were or what was happening to you. It was just like
those days when you were with the Avatar. Both times I tried everything to find out where
you were. When Azula said that you were dead I didn't believe her. It wasn't until Uncle told
me that I believed it, and it felt like my own life ended at that moment. I thought I would
never get to be with you in the river like this again, or feel your hair surround my body, or
spar with you. Nothing mattered to me anymore, not the war, not the Fire Nation, not my own
life.”

“I felt exactly the same way when Azula told me you were dead.”

He held out his left hand. “This was all I had left of you,” he said referring to his wedding
ring. She tenderly touched it with her left hand as she remembered staring at her own through
her tears in the prison. He took her hand in his, kissed it, and held it over his heart. “I guess
Uncle knew what I was feeling because he told me not to let your death be in vain, so I
decided to go on just to defeat Ozai and Azula, but I felt empty.”

She sat up and tenderly caressed his face. “I love you, my Prince.”

He leaned towards her and gently kissed her lips before she rested against him again, and
they continued watching the others.

“Aang was asking me about...about us,” he said. “It's like he was trying to ask my advice
about love.”

She giggled.

“I can answer questions about firebending, but...how am I supposed to give the Avatar advice
on his love-life?”

“You don't consider yourself a lovebender?”

She felt him tense up. “Do not let Sokka hear you say that,” he said making her laugh. He
dropped his head. “Lovebender,” he repeated softly, shaking his head.

“I think it's adorable that Aang thought he could talk to you about that.”

“Ughh,” he groaned. “I did not sign up for that. I told Uncle I'd help the Avatar fight
my...fight Ozai. I didn't agree to...to...”

“Be his friend?” she asked. “It doesn't have to be a business relationship. You are free to be
friends with the Avatar.”

“Being friends is one thing, but talking to him about...girls?”

“Considering you're one of the oldest here, and the only one who's married, that makes you
the most experienced.”

He sighed. “Okay. I see your point.”

They watched Aang and Katara waterbending together.

“Do you think Katara feels the same way about him?” he asked.
“I do.”

They relaxed for a while longer before deciding to return to the other side.

“Race ya,” he said as he quickly dove into the water to get a head start.

She soon overtook him, but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her back. They were laughing as
he started swimming ahead of her again, so she ran on top of the water and passed him. When
he made it to the shore he ran after her and tackled her in the grass. He sat on her stomach
and pinned her to the ground, water from his hair and clothes dripping down on her.

“You cheated,” he said.

“I got a little help from nature,” she smirked.

He laughed. “You're lucky. There's no playing with fire.”

“I've been playing with fire since I met you.”

His heart was racing at her words, and he could not resist pressing his lips against hers. After
pulling himself away from her, he stood up helping her up as well. They joined the others
under the tree.

“You two sounded like you were having a lot of fun,” said Toph.

“We haven't had that much fun since we were hiding in the Earth Kingdom,” said Chiara
offering Zuko a kiwi plum.

“Remember the first time we went to the market?” he asked her as he took the fruit.

She giggled.

“What happened?” asked Toph.

“We had just escaped from the Fire Nation with Uncle,” said Zuko, “and we needed to get a
few supplies from the market. I was going to wear a cloak to hide the scar, but Chiara
suggested I cover my eyes and go blind.” She softly giggled. “So she's leading me through
the market having me feel different fruit.”

The others were laughing trying to imagine the Fire Prince blindly fondling market produce.

“I remember when she put the first fruit in my hand,” he said. “All I felt were her hands on
mine. I don't even remember how the fruit felt, just her hands.”

“But you said the fruit felt good,” said Chiara.

“It was you that felt good.”

“Aww,” she said. “I didn't know that.”

“You were busy having fun with Uncle.”

She chuckled. “The goat gorilla.”

“There was a goat gorilla at a market?” asked Sokka.

“My uncle was telling the merchant that a goat gorilla ripped my eye out,” said Zuko.

“Poor Prince Zuko just sighed,” said Chiara. “So I said to the General, 'Now, Father, you
know how sensitive he is about that.'”

The others laughed.

“They were enjoying it too much,” said Zuko. “Especially since that was the second goat
gorilla attack I suffered.”

Chiara laughed. “That...that first attack...” She shook her head as she continued giggling.

“It was far worse,” he said.

Their eyes grew wide.

“You were really attacked by a goat gorilla?” asked Sokka who was surprised Chiara was still
laughing about it.

“The first time we were fugitives in the Earth Kingdom, we were invited to dinner,” he
explained. “We had fake names and I said that Chiara was my wife. This was before we were
married, and Uncle didn't appreciate it. When we were asked if we had children, I said we
were working on it.”

“I think the General's eyes nearly burst out of his skull,” said Chiara as the others laughed.
“They went back and forth trying to outshock each other.”

“Finally, Uncle mentioned a goat gorilla attack that...well...that made it impossible to have
kids.”

They all burst out laughing again.

“I'll never look at goat gorillas the same way again,” said Zuko.

The next day, while Zuko and Aang were training, Sokka, Katara, and Chiara wandered
through the forest outside the temple scouting for dinner. They had been unsuccessful in their
hunting trip, and they were now quite a distance from the temple complex when Chiara
started feeling unnerved.

“It's really quiet out here,” she said. “I don't think I've ever heard it this silent.”

Even the small tree-dwelling animals seemed to be hiding.

Sokka paused. “You know, you're right. It is unusually quiet.” The odd silence was making
him feel uneasy too. “I'm not sure we're going to find anything to eat today,” he said,
sounding disappointed. “We should go back.”

“We can always go fishing,” said Katara.

Just as they turned around to trek back through the woods, a stream of fire crashed into the
forest floor near them.

“Hey, jerkbender!” yelled Sokka as he turned around annoyed by Zuko's playful attack on
Chiara. “That was way too close...”

Looking back expecting to see Zuko, he instead saw a squad of Fire Nation soldiers coming
towards them.

“Run!” he yelled to the girls.

All three started running towards the river, but they were blocked by more soldiers. Chiara
dropped her bow and pulled out her sword, as did Sokka, when they faced their enemies.
They were quickly surrounded when more soldiers arrived and attacked them. Sokka realized
that most of the men were focusing on the two girls, especially Katara who had pulled water
from her pouch and started waterbending which drew the attention of the soldiers. Chiara
struck her opponent's spear with her sword cutting off the end of it, and while kicking him
away she cut the spear of another soldier charging her before dropping him and hitting him in
the head with her sword handle. Sokka's space sword easily cut through the wooden spears as
he disarmed his enemies and continued battling them until he was able to defeat them both.
When a firebender sent a blast of fire towards Katara, Chiara quickly stepped in front of it
blocking it with her sword allowing Katara to focus on the soldiers she was disarming with
her water whip. Two more foot soldiers with spears charged Chiara, and after destroying
one's weapon, she kicked him back in front of Katara and into the path of a fire blast from the
firebender. The soldier took the hit to his arm and shoulder. She took hold of the broken end
of her other opponent's spear and forced him back against a tree. Pulling out one of her
arrows she grabbed the loose material over his upper arm and forced the arrow through it into
the trunk. She grabbed his other arm, swiftly pulled it around the tree, and pinned it with
another arrow. She quickly moved on to fight the firebender who had been attacking Katara.
Katara froze his hands with water, and before he could heat them enough to thaw them out,
Chiara hit him in the back of the head knocking him out.

Just when they thought they could make a run for it, another squad came running towards
them. The three of them worked again on disarming and disabling the enemy. Chiara blocked
the blasts from the firebenders while Katara froze their feet and hands. Running out of
arrows, Chiara pulled out her shurikens and used them to pin two of the firebenders to the
trees. It did not restrain them long, but long enough for the others to disarm a few more
soldiers. Soon the girls were overwhelmed as they were being targeted, and Katara was now
defenseless having run out of water. The captain grew irritated at the fight the three were
putting up, and as soon as Katara was restrained he stepped over to her and held his sword up
to her throat.

“Put the weapons down or else!” he yelled.

When Sokka and Chiara saw the threat made against Katara, they stopped fighting their
opponents. Suspecting what lay ahead for her if they found out who she was, Chiara was
willing to go down fighting, but she was not willing to risk her friends’ lives. They both laid
their swords on the ground, and the soldiers immediately moved to restrain them.

“What do you want with us,” demanded Sokka.

“With you, nothing,” said the captain.

All three were now worried about the Avatar.

“We're here for the wife of the traitor Prince Zuko.”

Chiara was surprised to learn she was the target, but she refused to allow them to harm the
other two. “I...”

“Why are you looking for her here?” asked Sokka just as she started speaking. “Wouldn't she
be with Prince Jerk in the Fire Nation?”

A brief look of bemusement fell over the captain's face at Sokka's insulting remark before he
regained his glare. “The traitors escaped. You two are free to go, but we're taking the
waterbender,” he said referring to Katara.

“But...but she's not Zuko's wife,” said Sokka. “She's my sister.”

“We know he married a waterbender, and she's a waterbender.”

“I wouldn't let my sister marry some jerk from the Fire Nation,” snapped Sokka. He noticed
that many of the soldiers became visibly tense. “Uh...not that...uh...everyone from the Fire
Nation's a jerk...but...uh...you know...Prince Jerk...”

“Let her go,” said Chiara.

“We were sent here to retrieve his wife, and we know she's a waterbender,” the captain
insisted.

“I'll go with you if you let them go.”

“No...!” started Katara as she tried to take a step forward.

A soldier held her back, and the captain put his sword back up to her neck.

“It's the waterbender we're after,” he said.

“She can't be Prince Zuko's wife,” argued Chiara. “She's not married; there's no ring on her
finger.”

The captain hesitated and then he looked at Katara's hand. He said nothing, but it was
obvious he was concerned that they might have the wrong person.
“So let us go,” said Sokka.

One of the soldiers spotted Chiara's ring with the flame-shaped gem.

“Captain, this one's married to someone from the Fire Nation.”

The captain walked towards Chiara.

“Wait!” yelled Sokka struggling to break free. “That-that's my wife. Let go of her!”

The captain frowned at him. “Check him,” he ordered his soldiers.

They checked his hand and then held it up, but there was nothing.

“Your wife?” said the captain.

“So I'm not wearing my ring today. Big deal.”

“You're not even Fire Nation.”

“Let her go!” demanded Sokka. “She-she's not a waterbender.”

“Did anyone see her waterbend?” asked the captain.

The soldiers were shaking their heads.

“See?” said Sokka. “You've got the wrong girl.”

“Then we'll take them both,” said the captain.

“No! Let her go,” demanded Chiara. “I'm the wife of Prince Zuko and the daughter of the
Dragon of the West.”

Her words brought a sinister smile to his face as he was now sure he caught the right person.
“Take her,” he ordered.

“No,” said Katara and Sokka in unison, still restrained.

The captain sneered at Chiara. “We have a special cell waiting for you.”

She had flashbacks of the hidden cell in the Prison Tower as they were putting shackles on
her wrists.

“No!” yelled Sokka struggling against the soldiers. “Don't...!”

Sokka went down when one of the soldiers nearby by struck him on the head. Katara was
also trying to fight against the soldiers restraining her, but when Chiara saw Sokka drop, she
was worried they would hurt his sister too.

“No,” she said to her not wanting Katara to resist. “Remember these words: true destiny and I
love you.”
 Katara stopped struggling, but before releasing her, they hit her on the head and she collapsed
to the ground. Chiara tried to move towards her, but the soldier holding her arm yanked her
back.

“If you keep fighting us, we will dispatch both of them,” threatened the captain deeply.

Worried over his warning, she stopped trying to pull from the soldier, but she kept her eyes
on the two siblings lying unconscious until the soldier pulled her away in the opposite
direction while others followed carrying their unconscious comrades.

Chapter End Notes

The swordbending scene with Zuko and Sokka is nearly word for word from the comic
“Swordbending” from The Lost Adventures altered to include my OC and with a slight
change to the ending. And I, of course, own nothing of the world of Avatar.
 Prison Again?

Chiara was taken to an airship in a clearing not far from the ambush site. Her eyes were
drawn up to the large warship as they approached it. It was enormous, far larger than Zuko's
small war balloon, and she was reminded of being led to the large cruiser that took her back
to the Fire Nation to be imprisoned. As they ushered her inside and through the dark hallways
towards the center of the ship, a feeling of apprehension descended upon her.

Even the brig was huge with a row of cells lining one side—as if they expected a large
number of prisoners.

“The little waif who's the traitor's spy.”

She recognized the guard standing before her from the Capital City Prison.

“For a little waif, she caused enough trouble down there,” grumbled the soldier holding her.

“Did you get the other traitor too?” the guard asked.

“No. He wasn't with her.”

“Well, if he wants his concubine back, he'll have to come get her.” The guard removed her
knife before opening a cell door. “Welcome to your palace suite, your Highness,” he
addressed her derisively.

The soldier that had hold of her pulled her by her arm into the cell where he shoved her into a
corner and attached her shackles to a ring on the floor.

“You're not going to escape out of this, spy,” he added with disgust in his voice.

“She didn't escape the last time,” said the guard holding the door open. “The traitor broke her
out.”

“He won't be breaking her out now,” he laughed as he exited the cell.

She sat quietly on the floor wondering how long it would take to fly to the Fire Nation in the
airship. She was not anxious to see Azula again so soon. Though it had been weeks, she felt
like she just recovered from their last reunion. Her wounds were healed and her nightmares
were not so vivid now. She had not been so afraid to go to sleep as the worry that she would
not find Zuko nearby when she woke up subsided. Her heart was aching for her husband. She
knew he was going to be angry at her abduction, and for as much as she dreaded her next
encounter with Azula, she hoped he would continue training Aang and not attempt a rescue.
She was sure it was a trap for her prince, so she suspected Azula would keep her alive for a
while. There was still time before Sozin's Comet was to arrive; all she had to do was hang on
until the Avatar took down Ozai and then Zuko could get her out of prison. But then it
crossed her mind that the trap could work even if she was executed immediately because as
long as Zuko believed she was in his sister's hands, he would search for her, and she was sure
Azula would count on that.

After getting over the shock of the sudden change in her situation, she attempted to mentally
prepare herself for what lay in the future. Forcing the worries from her mind, she shifted
herself into a more comfortable position and began meditating as if she were sitting with
Zuko or Iroh.

--------------------

Sokka was rubbing the back of his aching head as he slowly sat up, but his pain was quickly
forgotten when he saw his sister lying on the ground some distance away, and he jumped up
and fell on his knees by her side.

“Katara,” he said checking over her for injuries. He was relieved there was no blood.

Her eyes slowly opened. “Sokka?” He put his arm around her to help her sit up. “Where's
Chiara?” she asked.

They scanned the area spotting only their swords lying on the otherwise empty forest floor.

“They must've taken her,” he said.

She grew nervous. “We need to tell Zuko.”

He slowly shook his head as they stood up. “I'm not looking forward to that.”

They quickly sprinted back to the temple heading to the balcony where Aang was training
with Zuko and Toph.

“Zuko, they took Chiara!” blurted Katara, her and Sokka both out of breath.

Her words echoed in his brain as his eyes fell on Chiara's sword in Sokka's hand. His eyes
seemed to glow while his whole being appeared to be on fire. “Who?” he asked deeply.

“Fire Nation soldiers,” said Sokka still breathing heavy.

“They were after her,” said Katara.

Aang's big eyes stared sadly at them. “Chiara's gone?” he asked softly. He did not want to
believe it.

Zuko was gone having disappeared inside the temple. It was only a few minutes later when
he came running out with his sword and a bag. He ran to his war balloon while Sokka,
Katara, Toph, and Aang followed him.

He tossed his bag and sword inside the balloon. “What happened?” he asked taking Chiara's
sword from Sokka's hands before putting it with his own.

“They ambushed us in the forest,” he said.

“What did the soldiers look like?”

“Like Fire Nation soldiers,” said Sokka. “Some were firebenders.”

“Did they say anything?”

“They said they were looking for the wife of Prince Zuko,” said Katara.

Zuko growled. He was inflamed that they targeted her.

“They were going to take me because I was waterbending, but Chiara said I wasn't married,”
she continued. “Sokka tried to say she was his wife, but it didn't work. They still took her.”

“Zuko, wait...,” said Aang watching him busily working to set up the balloon.

“Aang, keep practicing what I taught you,” he said without stopping.

He sent angry fire blasts into the engine.

Aang was worried about him. “It's probably a trap for you.”

“I'm sure it is.”

Toph, who had been struggling with the loss of one of their Gaang, finally spoke up. “If they
ambushed you in the forest, how did they know where to find her?” she asked thoughtfully.

They all quietly pondered her question while Zuko was still working to fill the balloon.

“Did they say anything else?” he asked.

“I'm sorry, Zuko,” said Sokka shaking his head. “They just said they had a cell waiting for
her.”

Zuko's blast of fire faltered as images of her lying in the cell flashed through his mind. The
thought of her suffering created a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach which was
immediately followed by anger and a determination to find her, and his fire grew stronger in
response.

“She said to remember her words...,” started Katara.

He stopped and turned to her. “What words?”

“True destiny and I love you,” she repeated.

He stood in silent thought contemplating her words.

“What did she mean?” asked Aang.

“She doesn't want me to go after her,” said Zuko sadly. “She wants me to stay with you and
keep training.”
He had no intention of not going after her, and he turned back to the engine and continued
firing it up.

“She believes helping the Avatar and ruling the Fire Nation is my true destiny,” he said. “But
I chose my own destiny: being her husband.”

As much as Katara wanted to be angry at Zuko, she could not help feeling touched as she
realized just how much he loved Chiara. She also knew Aang needed Zuko as a teacher, but
she believed it would be wrong to leave Chiara in the hands of the Fire Nation. She was
reminded of Chiara worrying that she was still back in the cell and that reality was just a
dream.

“Zuko, wait...,” she said.

“I can't wait.” He continued working. “I have to get to her."

“But you can't just go blind into the Fire Nation trying to guess where she might be. First,
you need to find out where they're taking her.”

“If they were after her, then they were sent by my sister, which means she'll probably be
taken back to the Prison Tower.”

“And they'll be expecting you,” she said. “They'll never let you get near her.”

“We need to go to nearby towns and see if we can find some information,” said Sokka.

“There's no time for that,” said Zuko. “If my sister gets her, she really will kill her this time.”

“You don't know that,” said Katara. “They may keep her alive until you get there.”

Zuko, frustrated, hit the side of the engine. “Ughh!!”

They all took a nervous step back.

“I knew I shouldn't have let her out of my sight!”

Katara felt guilty that she had been so insistent that Zuko give Chiara more space, but now
she understood why he was so protective of her.

“Give us a chance to find out exactly where they're taking her,” she said hoping to keep him
calm, but her voice sounded more timid than she intended.

He desperately wanted to rescue her as soon as possible, but he also knew the others were
right.

“Do you really think we can just walk into Capital City asking questions?”

“We can go disguised as tourists,” suggested Sokka. “From...from the outer colonies.”
Zuko stopped what he was doing and sighed. His uncle told him he never thought things
through, and he knew if he attempted to find her on his own and got caught he would never
get the chance to rescue his wife.

“We've done it before,” said Toph. “And you're part of the Gaang now, Sparky. We can't let
you do this alone.”

Zuko was reluctant, but he nodded.

“We'll take Appa,” said Aang. “It'll be faster.”

--------------------

Expecting to be taken to Azula and tortured, or even executed, Chiara was surprised to find
herself in the middle of a volcano. After being yanked off the gondola by the former Prison
Tower guard, she was taken to a yard where another familiar man approached her.

“So the traitor Iroh's Water Tribe spy escaped from prison again,” said Warden Idem standing
before her. “Well, welcome to Boiling Rock Prison. You'll find escape from here impossible.”

She remained silent.

“Word came to me that you were near the Western Air Temple. You may be wondering why
you aren't standing before the Fire Lord,” he said conversationally. “Before you're executed,
and you will be executed, I want to have the privilege of humiliating you.”

She felt the sting of his hand as he slapped her face.

“You should've died in that village with your barbaric tribe instead of tainting my great
Nation with your filthy presence,” he growled. “Even infecting the royal household. But that
traitor general isn't here to defend you now. And neither is that traitor prince.” He glared at
her, his anger rising at the thought that such a lowly foreign urchin had been treated as
royalty in his own superior Nation. “Did you think that by marrying that traitor you'd become
the princess of the Fire Nation? You, a filthy whore from a race of savages?”

She refused to speak which resulted in another slap across her face.

“I am speaking to you, Water scum!”

“You do realize it was because of your decision to attack my village and murder my family
that I was raised in the Fire Nation?” she said unable to resist snapping back at him.

She nearly lost her balance when he backhanded her. He was seething.

“It was the decision of a foolish general!” he yelled. “If he had not been such a coward, he
would have disposed of you immediately!” He leaned closer to her. “If I had found you first
you wouldn't be here. You're not worthy to be part of this Nation,” he hissed at her. “And
you're going to learn just what everyone else, including the prisoners here, thinks of you
trying to infiltrate the royal family.” He stood up straight. “And then after a prolonged
humiliation, provided you survive, your execution will send a message to the traitor prince.
Now kneel,” he demanded.

In defiance of his irrational and dishonorable behavior, she refused to yield to him.

“I said kneel!”

She would not submit, so two guards forced her to her knees.

“You will never be the Fire Lady of the great Fire Nation, and I will never kneel before such
lowly filth.” He looked at the guards. “Take this Water whore to an isolation cell. When I
decide to let her out she'll be placed in the labor sector where she'll be given a job worthy of
her lowly status.”

Chiara was soon sitting alone in a dark cell which she found preferable to standing, or being
forced to kneel, before Idem. She also considered it a tremendous improvement over her
imprisonment by Azula. She could not see in the darkness, but she felt her finger where her
wedding ring had been before they stripped her of her jewelry. She sighed heavily, and taking
advantage of the solitude and silence, she decided to meditate.

--------------------

Zuko, Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Toph left the air temple after informing Haru, Teo, and The
Duke who stayed behind.

It was late at night when they drew near the Fire Nation, and Aang gave the reins to Zuko
who guided Appa to an isolated and uninhabited area of the mountains.

“We're here,” he said picking up his bag and swords before jumping out of the saddle.

Sokka, Katara, and Toph who had fallen asleep during the flight slowly got up.

“Where do we go now?” asked Aang landing lightly on his feet near Zuko.

“I know a spot just outside the Capital where I can get into the underground tunnels. There's a
group who can help.”

“You mean there are...insurgents in the Fire Nation?” asked Sokka.

Zuko hesitated as he thought about the Order. “I...I guess you could call them that.”

“Well it would've been nice if they helped us during the invasion!” he exclaimed.

“There aren't enough of them to overthrow the Fire Lord.”

“Even a few extra men might've been helpful...,” Sokka continued arguing softly until he
caught Zuko glaring at him.

Zuko strapped his sword to his back before putting the strap of his bag over his shoulder. “I
don't know how long I'll be...”
“We're going with you,” said Aang.

Zuko paused and stared at him. “I'm not sure what I'll be walking into. If the group I'm
looking for has been compromised, we can't risk anything happening to you.”

“We care about Chiara too,” he said. “And we're going to do whatever we can to save her.”

“We're going with you, Sparky,” said Toph. “You might as well just accept it.”

He let out a soft sigh. “Fine.”

The trek towards the Capital was long on foot, and Zuko's worry for Chiara's life seemed to
grow exponentially every moment they were apart. Zuko and Aang had been up most of the
night, and despite the few hours of sleep the others got, they were all exhausted, but Zuko did
not want to stop until they were somewhere hidden and safe.

It was hours later when they entered the tunnels. With a flame in his hand, he led them
through twists and turns until they arrived at a hidden passage. Since it was still several hours
before sunlight and Zuko knew there would be no one at the hideout, they decided to rest for
a while. Toph created an opening in the wall and enclosed them in a room big enough for the
five of them to sleep without the worry of being discovered. While the others quickly fell
asleep, Zuko could only lay there half-awake, his body desiring to shut down but his mind
unable to completely relax, still aware of every sound and vibration.

Even his location underground could not break Zuko's connection to the sun, and a clearer
consciousness washed over his exhausted mind just as the first rays of sunlight were pouring
over the horizon. They resumed their walk following the passageway until they came to the
secret Fire Nation headquarters of the Order of the White Lotus. Zuko had the others remain
outside the door until he was sure it was safe.

Entering the hideout, he found Yuzo whose eyes grew wide when he saw him. “Prince
Zuko...what...what are you doing here?”

“I'm looking for Chiara,” he answered anxiously.

Yuzo was stunned and he was wondering if the young prince had gone mad with grief
wandering through the Fire Nation searching for his deceased wife like an old ghost story.

“I...I'm sorry, Prince Zuko...I don't understand...,” he started, not knowing what to say to him.
“I thought you escaped on the day of the eclipse.”

“I did. I found Chiara and took her with me, but they took her again. I need to know if they
brought her here.”

Yuzo was still puzzled as he was sure that she had been executed.

“If what you say is true, I haven't heard anything about her.”
Zuko was frustrated, suspecting that Yuzo did not believe him. “Look, there's a hidden
hallway behind the wall of the West Corridor on the first floor of the prison. Azula kept her
there in the last cell.” Yuzo was clearly surprised to learn something about the prison that
neither he nor any of his operatives had known. “If you could have someone check it out for
me, find out if she's been imprisoned there...”

Yuzo was nodding his head. “I'll get someone on it.”

The door suddenly creaked, and they turned towards the young airbender, Water Tribe
siblings, and earthbender who had been piled at the doorway peeking inside, or in Toph's
case, just listening.

“Um...you're going to help find Chiara?” Aang asked Yuzo.

“You're not alone, Prince Zuko,” he said not taking his eyes off the group.

“Yeah,” said Zuko rubbing the back of his neck feeling somewhat ashamed for allowing them
to follow him into such a dangerous situation. “They insisted on helping.”

“Then you must be the Avatar,” said Yuzo bowing formally to Aang. “I'm honored to meet
you.”

Aang entered the room and returned the bow.

“We will do what we can to find her,” he answered Aang's question.

Zuko wanted to snap that that was not enough the last time when they insisted she had been
executed and they never knew of the hidden prison cells, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

Two days after arriving at the prison, the door of Chiara's cell opened and light in the hand of
a firebender broke through the darkness. She was patiently meditating and did not
acknowledge the guard who stepped inside.

“Wake up, filth.”

She refused to respond to the insult.

“Get up!” he yelled as he kicked her leg.

“Zedak,” called the female guard, “that's not necessary.”

“It is when the traitor refuses to do as it's told.”

Despite the lack of food, Chiara preferred the isolation over dealing with rude, abusive
guards. She slowly got to her feet.

“Go,” he said as he glared at her.

She walked out of the cell where the female guard was standing.
“This way,” said Nai.

Chiara followed her down the dark hall and then out into the brilliant morning sunlight. She
squinted and covered her eyes having been temporarily blinded by the bright light which was
too much for her, and it took a few minutes to adjust to it. They crossed the courtyard and
entered the chow hall—a large room devoid of tables where the prisoners were sitting around
on the floor eating. On the other side of the hall, in front of the kitchen food was being served
by another prisoner of war, a former Earth Kingdom officer.

“Make way for traitor filth,” announced Zedak as he pushed her forward. “If it was up to me,
you would be given nothing,” he growled to her before shoving towards the food server.
“Make sure you give the Water Nation wife of Prince Zuko the royal treatment, Gui.” Zedak
walked off.

Picking up a bowl, Chiara moved in front of the server who gave her a small scoop of
porridge.

“Enemy sympathizer,” he spoke under his breath.

She said nothing, but she took her bowl and found an empty corner where she sat. While she
was eating, she noticed an elderly Fire Nation prisoner in line for food. He was struggling to
walk as he carried his bowl. Chiara immediately got up and walked over to him.

“Take my arm for support,” she said softly as she offered her arm to him.

He hesitated wondering if it was some trick, but then he took it. As he stood before Gui, he
held out his bowl. Gui glared at him and Chiara before pouring half a portion into his bowl.

“Where's the rest?” asked the old man after realizing he was not getting anymore.

“That's the new portion by order of the Fire Princess,” he said looking at Chiara.

“This is ridiculous. We can't live off half rations. Do your job!”

Their arguing caught the attention of the guard. “What's going on, Sota?”

“He won't give me my full ration,” he said.

The guard looked at Gui.

“Hey, I'm just giving the new Fire Princess and her friends what they deserve.”

“I'm not her friend,” said Sota pulling his hand away from her. “Now give me my food.”

“You heard him,” said the guard to Sota. “You've got your new portion. Now go before you
lose what you have.”

He limped off complaining.

“You're already causing trouble,” said the guard to Chiara. “Go!”

She turned and followed Sota. After he sat down to eat she poured the remainder of her
porridge into his bowl.

“I'm sorry,” she said softly before quickly walking off.

She walked to the exit where one of the guards took her outside.

“Zedak!” he called. “This one yours?”

He walked up to them and frowned at Chiara. “Done already?”

“She's causing trouble.”

Zedak glared at her. “Then I've got the perfect job for this Water filth.”

He grabbed her by her upper arm pulling her towards a bucket of water where he forced her
to her knees. He dropped a scrub brush and cloths next to her.

“This floor better shine when you're done,” he said. “And if you even think of waterbending a
drop, you'll find yourself in solitary with no food.”

He walked off. She started scrubbing the floor laughing wryly to herself that he thought he
could punish her with starvation. Little did he know that she managed to travel across the
Earth Kingdom with a mostly empty stomach.

--------------------

Since their arrival in the secret tunnels, the Gaang had been staying in an underground bunker
while Yuzo arranged for guards to search the hidden cells in the Prison Tower. Meanwhile,
Sokka and Katara went out into the streets to see if they could learn any information. Zuko
had been on edge as time went on and spent most of his time pacing in the bunker.

“If you don't stop pacing, you're going to wear a hole through the floor,” said Toph.

“What else am I supposed to do?” he said. “I feel useless sitting here doing nothing.”

“You know, a wise uncle once told me 'there's nothing wrong with letting people who love
you help you,'” she said. “You have people who love you that are out there trying to help
you...well, maybe not Katara...she really doesn't like you. But Sokka loves you. He won't
admit it, but...yeah, he loves you.”

Zuko was wishing Toph would stop talking.

“And both of them love Chiara,” she continued. “They'll do what they can to help find her.”

“You just have to be patient,” said Aang.

“I don't want to be patient,” he said. “I want to find my wife. It's been days; she could be
dead by now.”
“Don't kill her off yet, Sparky. They targeted her for a reason, and if they didn't kill her a few
days ago, they're not going to do it now.”

“My sister could be torturing her,” he argued.

“And you think she would do that without finding a way to let you know? I'm sure if evil
princess has good princess, she'll want you to know it just for the pleasure of tormenting
you.”

Zuko did not have a response to that. He realized Toph had a point considering his last
encounter with his sister, but it did not relieve his anxiety.

“Sokka and Katara are back,” she said.

“Did you learn anything?” Zuko anxiously asked before they even stepped foot through the
door.

“No,” said Sokka. “Anyone who spoke about it said she was executed before the eclipse.”

Zuko was confused. “If she was brought here, there would've been some information about it.
Even rumors, especially if it was a trap to get me here.” He was holding Chiara's sword and
staring at it as he worried about her. “And you're sure they were Fire Nation soldiers at the air
temple?” he asked for what seemed like the millionth time to Sokka.

“Yes. Believe me, I know what Fire Nation soldiers look like. I told you before, at first I
thought it was you jerkbending at Chiara, but it turned out to be real jerks. They were going
to take Katara because she was a waterbender, so they assumed she was your wife.”

“Did they say why?” asked Zuko hoping he would discover new information he might have
missed the last several times he had them recount their story.

“They said they were looking for 'the wife of the traitor Prince Zuko' and they knew she was
a waterbender.”

Zuko sighed. It hurt him to hear what they called her. He resumed his pacing hoping that
Yuzo would have more promising news.

---------------------

Towards late afternoon, Chiara had completed scrubbing most of the large area she had been
assigned. She was feeling exhausted and famished, especially since Gui dropped her midday
ration of bread into the bucket of dirty water when he walked by. While she was busy
scrubbing up the last few tiles, the bucket had been forced on its side and dirty water splashed
everywhere.

“You missed a spot!” yelled Zedak having kicked the bucket over. “This isn't the royal
palace, filth! We don't have servants to clean up after you. That's your job now.”

Better than Azula, she thought to herself. Without a word, she began sopping up the water
wringing it back into the bucket.
 --------------------

Zuko looked up hopefully when Yuzo walked in, the expression on the prince's face asking
the question before he spoke. “Anything?”

The look on Yuzo's face answered the question before he spoke. “I'm sorry, Prince Zuko. She
isn't being held anywhere in the Tower. The hidden cells were checked but there was no one
in them. They even checked the other floors to see if there might be other passages, but there
were none. And none of our guards have heard any news on her being captured.”

Zuko did not know what to do.

“I don't think we're going to find out anymore information here,” said Sokka. “We need to
start searching somewhere else.”

“But where can we search next?” asked Katara.

“Maybe...maybe we should check the colonies near the air temple,” said Zuko. “They may be
detaining her somewhere else hoping I'd come back to the Capital.”

“You should wait until evening before leaving,” said Yuzo. “I'll arrange transport for you
back over the mountains.”

“Thank you, Yuzo,” said Zuko softly.

--------------------

Chiara was still cleaning up the mess Zedak had made for her while the other prisoners were
eating dinner.

“Zedak,” called Nai as she walked over to him. “She needs to go to the chow hall before they
clean up.”

“The traitor'll go when it's finished with the floor.”

“She's barely eaten anything in days,” argued Nai. “The warden doesn't want her dead.”

“I don't think he'll care if something happens to it.”

“Look, I don't want her dead on our watch. Just take her to the chow hall,” she demanded.

Zedak growled before looking at Chiara. “Get up, Water filth.”

She slowly stood up, her back sore and her stomach empty. When she was on her feet, Zedak
took her to the dining hall where Gui only filled her bowl halfway with stew, but she was
relieved to have it.

That evening she was locked in a small, dark cell for the night where she lay down on the mat
exhausted. As she touched her empty ring finger, her last thoughts were of Zuko wondering
what he was going through and worrying that he was, in his impulsiveness, looking for her.
She hoped he would not go back to the Capital. Though she wanted to see him again, she
knew it was more important that he continue training Aang. Curling up on the mat, she
imagined sitting in the river beneath the moonlight wrapped in her prince's warm embrace.

It was late at night when the Gaang left the Fire Nation to fly back towards the Earth
Kingdom. Sokka looked at Zuko who had been sitting listlessly in Appa's saddle staring at
Chiara's sword.

“She went easy on you, you know,” Sokka said to him.

Zuko lifted his eyes from her sword and looked at him wondering what he was talking about.

“The swordbending contest,” Sokka elaborated. “She went easy on you.”

It was the first time Zuko smiled since she was gone. It was a small grin, and it was
involuntary, but the memory of their fight brought it to his face. His eyes moved back to her
sword.

“She was amazing when we were fighting the soldiers,” said Sokka. “And the way she fought
those jerkbenders, pinning some of them to the trees with her arrows—it was incredible. I've
never seen anyone move so quickly.”

“She was trained to fight them.” Zuko was still staring at her sword.

“I think she let you win.”

“She probably did,” he said in a soft voice, nearly a whisper.

“If only we had been near the river, we could've stopped them,” said Katara breaking into
their conversation. “All I had was my skin of water. They wouldn't have been able to beat us
if we both had the river to fight with.”

Zuko reminisced her fighting with the river in the Earth Kingdom when they were trying to
escape the army sent after them.

Early in the morning, hours before sunrise, Appa landed in the Earth Kingdom not far from
the Fire Nation colony where they last re-supplied. The Gaang slept until the sun came up,
and then they resumed their search for information on Chiara.

--------------------

In the prison word had spread quickly that Chiara was Prince Zuko's wife and the adopted
daughter of General Iroh, and many of the Fire Nation guards and prisoners regarded her as a
usurper and spy, while the few Earth Kingdom prisoners saw her as an enemy sympathizer
and betrayer.

After her small breakfast, Zedak took her to a construction site where several of the prisoners
were being forced to excavate rocks and move large stones for an addition to the prison.
“This is where you'll be working today, filth,” he said to her. “You think you're royalty; now
you'll be working for the good of the Fire Nation.” He shoved her forward. “And I better see
you working.”

She started moving stones with the other prisoners.

“Seems like a waste of time,” said one of the guards to Zedak as they stood watching her.
“The load she can carry seems negligible.”

“Yeah, but it makes for good entertainment,” he replied.

The guard shrugged. “I'll give her an hour before she collapses.”

Zedak laughed.

“I don't know,” said another guard. “She finished the floor Zedak set her to yesterday, and I
didn't think she'd get half of it done.”

“Yeah, but scrubbing floors is one thing,” the first guard argued. “The little princess probably
hasn't done anything this hard in her life.”

“I'll bet tonight's dessert that she goes at least 'til midday rations,” said the other guard.

“You're on,” said the first. “I'll stick with one hour.”

“And no interfering, Zedak.”

He just laughed at the two of them.

“You guys are betting on her work?” asked Nai having heard the three guards.

“No,” said Zedak. “They're betting on the filth's survival.”

Nai rolled her eyes. “Why do you have her doing this anyways?” she asked him. “Female
prisoners aren't supposed to do this kind of labor.”

“That filth isn't just any female prisoner, Nai. She's a spy in the Fire Nation. She's a foreigner
who married the traitor Prince in an attempt to get her Water Tribe claws into the Fire Nation
throne. Do you really want to be ruled by some filthy savage?”

“I'm not sure I believe all those rumors.”

“They aren't rumors,” he said.

“Really?” she asked. “Then explain how she's still alive when the last rumors circulating said
she had been executed in Capital City Prison.”

“So you're taking the side of traitor filth?” he asked.

“I'm not taking anyone's side. But you've been intent on mistreating her since she arrived.”
“I'm only doing what Warden Idem said. I'm making sure I give her a job worthy of her
traitor Water filth status.”

Nai was frustrated with Zedak's obstinance so she walked off.

--------------------

Late in the afternoon, Chiara was still moving stones after a short break when all the
prisoners were given bread at midday. While they were all working, there was a loud crash
followed by someone screaming. Near the larger boulders, Chiara saw a prisoner lying on the
ground beneath a stone that had rolled over on him, and his leg was pinned beneath it. While
several guards and prisoners were pushing the stone off its victim, Chiara took water from a
bucket and ran over to the injured prisoner. Once the stone was removed, she knelt down by
the man's leg.

“What are you doing?” demanded one of the guards over the agonizing wailing of the
wounded prisoner. “Get away from him; he's injured.”

“Please, I can help him,” she said softly, not taking her eyes off the injury as she lifted his
pant leg.

The guard scowled at her, but more so because he had earlier lost the bet, and therefore his
dessert that night.

“Wow, the traitor princess can speak,” said the guard who was going to enjoy two desserts
with dinner.

She quickly began healing the injury fearing that the guards might pull her away, but seeing
the water glowing over the man's leg, everyone stopped moving and stared at it. The injured
prisoner was no longer yelling as the pain subsided, and everyone stood gaping in awe at her
ability.

“Give him time to recover,” she said to the guard as she washed the blood from the victim's
leg. “He should be fine by tomorrow.”

She moved to help the prisoner to his feet.

“What's going on over here?” shouted Zedak walking up to the scene. Seeing Chiara helping
the prisoner stand, he became enraged. He pulled her by her arm away from him. “Who said
you could stop working?!” he yelled. “Get back to work...all of you!”

They took the prisoner who had been injured to the infirmary to have him checked by the
medic while everyone else returned to work.
 Unexpected Allies

Chiara spent the next day laboring at the construction site, and that night while walking to her
cell before lockdown, a terrible cough caught her attention. Nearing the cell from where it
was coming, she glanced inside to see an older man lying on the floor holding his chest. She
took a step to enter until she felt herself being yanked back.

“What's wrong with him?” she asked Zedek.

“None of your business. Keep moving,” he snapped pushing her forward.

After hearing the lock of her cell door click, she lay on her mat worrying about the sick
prisoner. She would have trouble sleeping knowing he was in pain especially when she was
sure she could help him.

The next day she was relieved to find herself washing dishes and clothes. She preferred
keeping busy in the water rather than hauling stones. Taking advantage of doing dishes after
dinner, she made sure that her clothes remained damp before lockdown.

That night she could hear the same man coughing in his cell when she walked by. Waiting
until the earliest hours of the morning, she drew the water out of her clothes, and forming a
lock pick out of ice, she opened her cell door and carefully peeked out into the dim hallway.
Not immediately spotting any guards, she stealthily crept down the hall towards the sick
prisoner's cell. She removed a lantern from the wall before quietly opening the door and
stepping inside, and then she gently shut it behind her. She turned back to see the man lying
on his mat struggling to breathe and it broke her heart to see someone in so poor a condition.
She knelt down next to him setting the lantern nearby. The man cowered when she moved her
hand towards him.

“Don't be afraid,” she whispered. “I'm going to help you.”

He did not move again, but it was clear he was still unnerved by the stranger in his cell. She
placed her hand against his forehead.

“You're burning up.”

Pulling the water from her clothes she held it over his chest where it began to glow amazing
the man as he watched it, but even more so when he felt her healing power penetrate his
body, especially his lungs relieving him of the cough that had kept him curled up in pain.

When she finished she dropped the water on her clothes before feeling his forehead again.
She was satisfied that he no longer had a fever or cough. The man was taking deep, clear
breaths astonished, yet relieved, that his illness was gone after having suffered for days with a
cough and labored breathing.

“You should get some sleep now,” she said as she went to stand.
He grabbed her wrist before she could get up. “What is your name?”

“Chiara.”

His eyes showed recognition. “You are the waterbender. You're Prince Zuko's wife, daughter
of General Iroh.”

She nodded, but she had not expected to hear the tone of excitement in his voice having heard
nothing but revulsion since her time in the prison.

“I am Captain So...uh...former Captain Sozoh,” he said sitting up. “It's an honor to meet you.”

She realized he was trying to bow to her.

“I'm sorry we had to meet this way, Captain,” she said placing her hand on his shoulder to
help him up from his bowing position.

“Thank you, Princess Chiara.”

She was surprised by his address, but she smiled at him and nodded her head.

“You should lie down,” she said. “You need to rest.”

He was marveling at the lack of tightness in his chest. “Thank you,” he repeated softly.

Questions started filling his head, but she was already standing, and he knew she needed to
return to her cell.

She carefully left him, replacing the lantern in the hall before stealthily returning to her own
cell for the night.

The next morning, Chiara was sitting quietly against the wall of the chow hall by herself
eating her small breakfast. Seeing someone standing before her, she raised her eyes to Sozoh
who was holding his bowl out to her offering her his rations.

“You eat it, Captain,” she said. “You need to gain your strength back.”

“Please, call me Sozoh.” He looked at the floor next to her. “M-may I?” he asked. She could
hear the timidness in his voice as if what he was asking might be disrespectful or offensive.

“Please,” she invited him.

He sat next to her and started eating slowly.

“I'm quite curious, Princess, if I may ask, is your gift of healing common to all
waterbenders?”

“No, not all.”

“I know someone else here who could really benefit from your gift,” he said softly.

She looked at him. “Where is he?”

He was surprised by her question as he was only making conversation.

“He's on the floor below ours,” he answered in a low voice.

“Tell me which cell and I'll see what I can do,” she said.

His mouth opened in awe. “But...but it would be too dangerous.”

“I can try.”

“But if you get caught...”

She gently shrugged. “What's the worst that'll happen? I get to relax in solitary for a day?”

He could not help letting out a small laugh at her take on solitary, but he was impressed by
her willingness to help someone in need.

While talking to Sozoh, Chiara discovered there were several injured and ill prisoners,
especially among the older ones, many who were forced to work anyways. She began making
plans in her head to find a way to heal them.

--------------------

That evening she stealthily left her cell again, and carefully avoiding the guards, she went to
the cell number Sozoh had given her. Entering the room, her heart sank as the older man
inside appeared deathly ill. She quickly knelt by his side, and pulling water out of her damp
clothes she began to heal him. She could sense his poor condition as she worked, and it
would take at least another session before he could leave his cell, but she worked as best she
could.

“Are-are you a spirit?” the man struggled to ask as he gradually grew conscious.

“No,” she whispered.

“Who-who are you?”

“I'm Chiara,” she answered. “What's your name?”

“Zaro.”

“How long have you been sick, Zaro?”

“A couple weeks,” he answered, his mind becoming clearer while the pain in his body was
easing. His eyes were drawn to the glowing water, and he had second thoughts about his
mind clearing up. “How are you doing that?”

“I'm a healer. I'll need to return tomorrow.” She did what she could for him.
“I feel much better now,” he said.

“You will, but you need to rest.” She had her hand on his arm. “You should also have more
food. I'll try to bring some bread when I return.”

She stood up to leave.

“Are you a prisoner?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Zaro found it hard to believe that the beautiful young girl with the ability to heal was a
prisoner. He was sure he was dreaming, a pleasant dream for sure, maybe a final
hallucination signaling his death, but before he could ask any more questions, she was gone.

Before returning to her cell, Chiara visited an injured prisoner whom Sozoh had told her
about, and another who had suffered injuries at the quarry during the day.

The next morning when Chiara was eating breakfast, she tucked away her small piece of
bread with the intention of giving it to Zaro that night after lockdown.

“May I, Princess?” asked Sozoh who was standing before her.

She gave him a small smile. “Of course.”

He sat down next to her and began eating. “You're not in solitary this morning,” he
whispered.

She let out a soft laugh. “No, I'm not. But I did see Zaro. His condition wasn't good.”

He stopped eating and looked at her.

“He'll be okay,” she assured him. “I'll need to visit him again though.”

He nodded and continued eating.

“I mean no offense by this, Princess, but your presence here has been a blessing. I was sure I
was going to die in my cell.”

“I'm glad I can be of service.”

“I was condemned to prison here because I refused to follow Admiral Zhao in his attack of
the Northern Water Tribe.” He did not notice the wistful look in her eyes at the mention of the
Siege. “When I found myself imprisoned by my own Nation,” he continued, “I questioned
my decision even when I heard of the fate of those who had died in the battle. It was not until
I heard of what General Iroh had done that I knew I made the right choice. Of course, he was
called a traitor for his courageous actions, but I know that's not true. He's a wise man, the
fearless dragon who knows when to show compassion.” He looked at her. “I can see his
daughter follows his path.”
She was moved by his compliment, but their conversation was interrupted by Zedak
stomping over to them. Chiara did not think he could look any angrier, but she realized she
was wrong when his eyes were drawn to her empty bowl.

“You're in here running your mouth when you have work to do, filth!!”

She said nothing but calmly stood up.

“How dare you speak to the princess with such disrespect!”

Chiara was not expecting to hear those words from Sozoh who was now standing next to her
yelling at Zedak who glared at the older man.

“How dare I?!” he growled. “How dare you address this filth as princess...!”

Sozoh stepped towards him, but Chiara immediately placed her hand on his arm as she
moved in front of him.

“It's okay,” she said softly to Sozoh.

“You better learn your place, old man, or you'll find yourself in solitary,” threatened Zedak
deeply.

He grabbed Chiara's arm and pulled her towards the door.

“I hope you enjoy boulders, filth, 'cause that's...”

“Zedak,” called Nai walking over to them as they stepped outside. “She needs to be on
laundry duty today.”

“What? She'll be working in the quarry.”

“I need her washing clothes,” insisted Nai.

Zedak looked angry. “Find someone else.”

“The men are needed to do the heavier labor. Just take her to laundry.”

He jerked her upper arm with unnecessary force and pulled her to the laundry buckets where
she spent the rest of the day washing clothes.

--------------------

It was late afternoon and she was still washing clothes when two of the evening guards
approached her.

“So you're the waterbender from the royal palace,” said Zomi looking down at her.

Though tempted to roll her eyes at the ridicule that sounded in his voice, Chiara just quietly
continued working.
“Is it true you're married to the Fire Lord's son?” asked Dako.

“It is,” she answered softly.

“And you think you're our princess?” Zomi asked sharply.

“I'm merely Prince Zuko's wife,” she answered knowing he was trying to draw her into an
argument.

He scoffed at her. “Prince Zuko...”

Dako let out a derisive laugh. “Imagine a Fire Nation prince so terrible at firebending that he
nearly got his face burned off in a training accident.”

The water surrounding Chiara's hands was heating up. She clenched her fists around the
garment she had submerged trying to keep control of her temper.

“That traitor doesn't deserve that title,” said Zomi.

“He's not a traitor,” she said.

“What did you say?” growled Dako.

“I said Prince Zuko's not a traitor.”

He kicked over the bucket spilling water everywhere and taking the garment with it.

“What's going on?!” yelled Zedak storming over to them.

“She's insisting the Fire Lord's son isn't a traitor,” said Dako.

“Oh, she is, is she?” Zedak scowled at her. “If he wasn't a traitor he never would've been
banished by the Fire Lord.”

“The Fire Lord was wrong to banish his honorable son,” she said refusing to tolerate the
insults towards her prince.

He grabbed her by her braid and pulled out a knife he held to her throat. “Insulting the Fire
Lord is an offense punishable by death,” he threatened deeply.

Chiara was reminded of Iroh's warning of dire consequences when speaking out to the wrong
person, and she could tolerate insults against herself, but her self-control wavered when it
came to her family, something she did not regret regardless of what she might suffer.

“Zedak!” yelled Nai running over to them. “Let her go!”

“She just insulted the Fire Lord.” He was pressing the knife harder against her neck.

“If the warden finds out she was killed by a guard, he'll be furious. You'll be locked in here.
Now let her go,” she demanded.
Zedak hesitated as he contemplated her words. He slowly withdrew his knife and released
her.

“If he wasn't a traitor before, he became one when he married a filthy Water Tribe whore.”
He shoved her to the ground. “Clean this mess up!”

--------------------

That night after lockdown, Chiara waited a few hours before she crept out of her cell to return
to Zaro. When he saw her enter, his eyes lit up.

“You came back,” he said with a bit of shock having spent the day wondering if the previous
night had been a dream or an hallucination.

She gently smiled while kneeling next to him. She drew the water from her clothes.

“You're a waterbender,” he said, again with surprise.

“I am.”

He watched her guide the glowing water over his body. When she finished with the healing
session, she pulled out the small portions of bread she saved from her meals and had hidden
for him.

“I brought you some food.” He sat up, his eyes wide at the sight of it in her hand. “I
apologize it's so little.”

“You must eat too,” he said glad to have extra food and not knowing that she was only being
given half-rations. “It does not bother you that I'm of the Fire Nation?”

She was placing the bread in his hands. “My gift doesn't discriminate.”

He laughed. “Nobody's gifts discriminate, but individuals often do.”

“I don't. Besides, my heart lies in the Fire Nation.”

“It's amazing you can feel that way after so much destruction,” he said before eating some
bread.

“You don't approve of the war?” she asked.

“The only ones that approve of this war are those that are giving orders to others to fight for
them, and anyone who speaks against it is considered a traitor to the Fire Nation.”

“Maybe there will be a change soon,” she said softly.

He raised an eyebrow. “Do you think so?”

She smiled. “I hope so.” She placed her hand on his. “Get some rest tonight. You should be
well enough to go out tomorrow.”
“Thank you.”

She left to visit others before going back to her own cell.

--------------------

The Gaang spent nearly a week covertly asking questions and listening to conversations in
several of the colonies of the Fire Nation, but they found no new information on Chiara and
there was no news that she had been apprehended. Every evening they returned to their camp
feeling somewhat dejected since they were no closer to finding her than the day she was
taken. Even Aang and Toph were quieter than usual at the end of each fruitless day.

The next morning at breakfast Zaro spotted Chiara in the chow hall in line where he walked
up behind her.

“Thank you,” he said. “This is the first I've seen sunlight in so long.”

She smiled at him. Gui poured one ladle full of porridge into her bowl and tore a piece of
bread in half and dropped it on top.

“Thank you,” she said politely as she bowed to him before walking away.

“Traitor,” he muttered in an undertone as he said at every meal.

Zaro did not understand the reason for Gui's insult, and, at first, he thought they had reduced
everybody's rations until he saw his bowl filled with porridge and a full piece of bread.

“What is this?” he asked. “You fill my bowl while giving her barely anything?”

“The traitor princess deserves nothing,” Gui growled. “She's lucky she gets any food.”

“Why do you call her that?” he asked as if he himself had been offended.

“Where have you been, old man? Don't you know she's married to the Prince of your Fire
Nation?”

Zaro's eyes grew wide upon learning who she was, and he was reminded of her words to him
the day before about her heart lying in the Fire Nation. He watched Chiara walk to an isolated
spot and sit down on the floor against the wall. He walked over to her and held out his bowl.

“I had no idea I had the honor of a visit from the Fire Princess,” he whispered with his head
bowed.

She looked up with surprise. “You eat it. You need to build your strength back up.”

“I cannot eat a full bowl of food while the wife of Prince Zuko has so little.”

“And I won't take food from a man who's been sick for so long and is in need of
nourishment.”
He was amazed by her kindness and generosity.

“I would have your company instead,” she said indicating a spot next to her.

His eyes lit up. “I would be honored,” he spoke with awe in his voice at her invitation.

He sat next to her as they ate.

“If you are Prince Zuko's wife, then you are General Iroh's daughter, the one he adopted?”

“I am.”

“So it's true that you're a waterbender.” He grinned. “Leave it to the former Crown Prince to
do something so bold. He would've made an honorable Fire Lord,” he whispered. “He is a
great man. It's a shame he's been condemned to die.”

She tensed up. “Is he in prison again?” she asked worriedly.

“No. He escaped last I heard, broke out of the Capital City Prison and disappeared.”

Chiara breathed a sigh of relief. “Good.”

“You didn't know?”

“I knew he had disappeared, but I was worried that he might've been captured again.”

“No, but if they do capture him again he will be put to death. It's good to know that Prince
Zuko is on his side. If only he were the Fire Lord, we might not be fighting this unnecessary
war,” he whispered.

“Prince Zuko doesn't want the responsibility,” she whispered back.

“Anyone who cares for their family as the Fire Prince does is more than worthy to rule a
nation.”

Her lip curled. “He does care for his uncle,” she said in a tender voice, thinking about Zuko.

“And he cares for you too. I heard that he rescued you from the Prison Tower.”

“He did.”

“It was said that you had been executed, but then rumors spread that Prince Zuko rescued
you.” He stopped eating and looked at her. “Does he know you're here?”

She shook her head. “I don't know. He wasn't with me when I was taken.”

“If he finds out you're here, he'll find a way to rescue you.”

“He needs to follow his true destiny,” she said looking down. “I don't want him to risk his
own life coming here for me.” She blinked back the tears that came to her eyes as she worried
about him and missed him.
“He risked exile for the life of General Iroh; I am sure he will not leave such a beautiful
Princess locked in a prison.”

His compliment did nothing to relieve the worry she felt for Zuko.

--------------------

Chiara had been tasked to scrub the floor for the day. Outside of working at the construction
site or in the quarry, scrubbing the floor was a labor Zedak enjoyed forcing her to do as he
felt it was one of the most demeaning.

At lunch Gui walked through the courtyard passing out bread to the prisoners, and walking
by Chiara he held half a piece over the water bucket and let it go. Kneeling nearby, she
quickly reached out and caught it before it hit the water.

He glared at her when he realized what she had done.

“Thank you,” she said as she bowed to him in a respectful Fire Nation manner further
incensing him.

“Traitor,” he growled as he walked off.

She ate her small portion of bread before picking up the scrub brush and continuing her work
on the floor.

“I hear you're a waterbender.”

She glanced up and met the blue eyes of a dark-skinned man with two blue beads hanging
from his dark hair, the top which was pulled back into a wolf's tail.

“I am,” she answered as she stood up.

“I'm Chief Hakoda from the Southern Tribe.”

“I'm honored to meet you, Chief Hakoda,” she said bowing to him.

“You're from the North?”

“My family lived in a small village in the northeastern Earth Kingdom. They were descended
from the Northern Tribe.”

“I wasn't aware of any Water Tribe villages in the northeastern Earth Kingdom.”

“They were slaughtered on Idem's orders when I was a child.”

Hakoda mouth opened slightly. “Idem? Warden Idem?”

“Yes.”

He could sympathize with her. “I understand. The Fire Nation tried to wipe out the Southern
Tribe and nearly succeeded.”
“If you're from the Southern Tribe, do you know Katara and Sokka?”

“They're my children,” he said with excitement in his voice. “You've met them?”

She nodded. “Yes.” She felt a sense of comfort knowing she shared a connection with
someone in the prison.

“Are they still safe with the Avatar?”

“I believe so. The day I was captured, I was with Sokka and Katara, but the soldiers left them
behind.”

“Why were you taken prisoner?”

“Prince Zuko is my husband.”

Hakoda was silent for a few seconds as he absorbed her words. “What they've been saying is
true then,” he said softly. He was not sure what to think. His children never told him the
prince of the Fire Nation had a wife from the Water Tribe. He had only heard the rumors in
the prison. But what his kids did tell him was that the Avatar nearly died at the hands of the
Fire Nation prince and his sister. “Am I to understand then that you were taken captive by the
Fire Nation and forced to marry the prince?”

“No. I was raised as a daughter of General Iroh. And as for my marriage to Prince Zuko, he's
always held my heart.”

Hakoda felt the sting of betrayal that a member of his own Nation would willingly marry the
enemy. “How can you feel that way for the son of the Fire Lord?” he asked, his cordial tone
having changed to one of disgust.

“My husband is not his father.”

“He's no different than all the other ashmakers who kill and destroy everyone and everything
in their path.”

“You're wrong about Prince Zuko, Chief Hakoda. He's a man of honor. And there are many
others in the Fire Nation who are honorable.”

“The anger of the other prisoners is justified,” he said coldly. “You're a traitor to all the
Nations who have suffered at the hands of the Fire Nation. And that you would consort with
the enemy who wiped out your own family...execution should have been your sentence.”

He immediately turned and walked away leaving Chiara feeling hurt, the short-lived feeling
of connection broken. Despite the rejection, she understood that too many people had been
hurt by the war. Hakoda lost his wife just as she had lost her own family. And just like
Katara, Hakoda wanted to blame everyone in the Fire Nation. Setting her hurt feelings aside,
she quietly resumed her work while performing a mental triage of injured or ill prisoners that
she intended to secretly visit.

---------------------
Hours later she was still working her way across the courtyard lost in her plans for that night
after lockdown. A commotion across the yard jolted her out of her thoughts, and looking up
she was appalled to see Zedak striking Sozoh who was on the ground. She immediately
jumped up and ran to the other side of the yard where she stood between them.

“Stop!” she said holding her hands out at Zedak.

“What's it to you?!” he yelled. “This isn't your business.”

“He's been sick lately.”

“He's not sick; he's just lazy.”

“You can't hurt him like this.”

“Move or it'll be you that gets the lash!” he demanded.

Zedak drew his arm back threatening to hit Chiara, but to the astonishment of all the
witnesses, she refused to move from in front of Sozoh. Zedak's fire whip struck her upper
shoulder as she turned to keep from being hit in the face.

“Stop!” yelled Sozoh struggling to stand up. “Do not hit her!”

Before she could think about the burning pain, Zedak, in anger, swung again deliberately
hitting her across her back this time. She tensed up from the pain of the larger wound which
felt like a knife cutting her skin.

Sozoh was distraught seeing the young girl being punished for his sake. “Princess Chiara,
don't do this for me,” he begged.

Another guard stood between them preventing him from striking her a third time. “She hasn't
done anything, Zedak,” said Jiro.

“She got in the way of his punishment!” he yelled.

“Just leave them alone. He's an old man.”

“An old man who isn't doing his work,” Zedak argued.

Jiro stepped closer to Zedak. “The warden doesn't want dead prisoners,” he said in a low
voice not wanting to argue in front of the inmates. “Unless you want to be the one hauling
stones, leave them alone.”

Zedak huffed before turning and leaving the courtyard in anger. Chiara was helping Sozoh to
his feet, and then she helped him carry the buckets he had been struggling to move before
Zedak punished him.

“Princess, you should not have done that,” he said feeling shame over her punishment.

“He can be too cruel.”

After delivering the buckets, Chiara pulled Sozoh to the side.

“Help me with my work,” she said.

He was glad to do it especially after what she had done for him, and he followed her to a
bucket of drinking water where she stealthily drew out a small amount.

“Turn around,” she said.

He did as she directed, and she began healing his wound.

He could feel the warmth of the water penetrating his wounds and relieving the stinging pain.
“You should heal your own first.”

When his skin was clear of the lash marks, she took a ladle with fresh water and offered it to
him.

“You first,” he said.

She gently smiled at him before taking a drink.

“Now, what do you need me to help you with?” he asked.

“Go. Don't carry so much; conserve your strength.”

As he walked away, he realized her “work” was healing his wounds, and he was in awe over
her compassion.

--------------------

As word spread that Chiara had defended Sozoh, the Earth Kingdom prisoners began
grumbling about her siding with the Fire Nation. At dinner, Gui glared at her as she stood
before him holding out her bowl. She did not back down from his scowl but continued
holding out her bowl waiting for her serving.

“Give her her food, Gui!” demanded Sozoh who was a few prisoners behind.

Gui slammed the ladle onto her bowl dropping a few bites of stew into it. He did not give her
a portion of bread.

“You got your food,” he said deeply. “Now go!”

She bowed to him respectfully. “Thank you.”

Walking to an empty spot near the wall, she sat down by herself to eat. After eating the last
bite, a full piece of bread was dropped into her bowl. She looked up to see Sozoh walking
away quickly so she could not protest.

The next morning at breakfast, Zaro was sitting with Chiara when Sozoh walked up to them.
“May I, Princess?” he said requesting permission to sit with them.

“Please.”

When he sat down next to her, she held her hand over her bowl to prevent him from
deliberately dropping food into it. He smiled when he saw her reaction.

“I wish you would take my bread as thanks,” he said.

“You're sitting with me. That's thanks enough,” she smiled.

He shook his head finding it hard to believe someone raised in the palace could be so
personable.

“They have you work so hard and feed you so little,” he said.

“I have no complaints. This is a picnic compared to my time in the Prison Tower.”

“To have the prince's wife locked in any prison is a disgrace,” said Zaro in a low voice.

“I agree. There needs to be a change in the Capital,” said Sozoh looking over at Zaro. His
eyes were drawn to the wound on Chiara's shoulder. “You haven't healed your wounds,
Princess.”

“I can't.”

“I don't understand.”

“My gift is only for others. I can't heal myself.”

He was stunned. “Y-you should not have defended me then,” he said feeling more ashamed
that she had been injured because of him.

“He's wrong to treat you like that.”

Sozoh was in awe of her defense. “You will be a great empress of the Fire Nation.”

“I agree,” said Zaro.

That they accepted her so readily amazed her, but to hear them speak of her as Fire Lady was
even more startling. It was an idea she had only ever heard spoken of with affection and
admiration by Zuko.

--------------------

Later that day, Chiara saw Zedak abusing another prisoner, a tall, muscular Fire Nation
soldier. She quickly ran over to them.

“Stop hurting him.”

Zedak glared at her. “You again?” he snapped.

“Why are you beating him?”

“That's not your business! Now move or you'll get the same treatment again,” he threatened.

“You can't treat him like this.”

“I'll treat him anyway I please, especially when I catch him giving food to other prisoners.”

“You can't punish him for feeding others,” she argued.

Zedak looked appalled. “How dare you speak to me as if you're royalty, filthy scum!” He
slapped her across the face. “Now get back to work!” He turned to the other prisoner. “And
you're going to isolation, Izin.”

He raised his arm to lash him, but Chiara stood between them again. “Please don't. You
already punished him.”

He was shocked at her nerve and moved to backhand her, but Nai grabbed his wrist and
forced herself between them.

“Zedak, don't,” she said.

“Move, Nai. This Water scum deserves it.”

“I'm not going to let you hit her again. She didn't do anything wrong.”

Zedak was livid. “She's challenging my authority.”

“You don't have to keep punishing her,” said Nai.

“Apparently I do since she keeps standing in the way.”

“Just leave her alone.”

“Fine,” growled Zedak. “Take Izin to isolation then.”

“I'll take his punishment,” said Chiara.

All the witnesses were shocked, especially Zedak.

“What did you say?” he asked deeply.

“If you let him go, I'll take his punishment for him.”

“It's not for you to take anyone's punishment,” said Nai.

“He was only helping to feed people,” said Chiara. “That's not a crime.”

“It is when he steals the food from the guards,” she said.

“Take it from my rations, and I'll take his punishment.”

“Why would you do this?” asked Nai not wanting to punish her.

“I've seen too much war and death, but not enough mercy,” she replied.

Nai was impressed with her answer.

“He's going into isolation for the night with no food,” warned Zedak.

“I'll do it,” Chiara insisted.

The prisoner, Izin, did not know what to do. He did not want to see the young girl who
defended him take his punishment, but he was stunned into silence by her actions.

Zedak was surprised by her insistence but was more than willing to punish her. “Take her,” he
said deeply.

“Zedak...,” started Nai.

“Do it,” he demanded.

Nai and another guard reluctantly led her away.

Zedak turned to Izin. “Well, Izin, it looks like the traitor saved you from a well-deserved
punishment.”

“No,” said the prisoner. “Don't put her in isolation. I'll go.”

“What's wrong?" he grinned maliciously. "Don't like the cowardly feeling of having the filthy
little Water tramp show you up in stupidity?”

“Just let her go,” demanded Izin.

“You're a prisoner,” said Zedak deeply. “You don't give orders here. She chose your
punishment. Now get out of here. And I better not catch you giving away our food again,
'cause after tonight, I doubt she'll want to help you again.”

Izin returned to work.

As Chiara was being escorted to the isolation cell, Nai looked at the other guard.

“I've got it from here,” she said.

He nodded and left.

“My father fought under General Iroh,” said Nai softly as they walked. “He still speaks
highly of the General. My brother died in this war, and my father understands how it feels to
lose an only son.”

“I'm so sorry,” said Chiara sympathizing with her. “I understand your pain too. Prince Lu Ten
was a brother to me.”
Her words almost brought tears to Nai's eyes remembering her own brother. “What Prince
Zuko did for General Iroh in the Prison Tower was honorable, and our family doesn't see
either of them as traitors to our Nation...” They stopped when they reached the isolation cell,
and she turned to Chiara. “...nor you, General Iroh's daughter.”

Chiara felt touched by her words. Nai opened the cell door and they both entered.

“Many here share this view, Princess Chiara, but only a few act on it. This war has been
devastating to many Fire Nation families too.” She leaned down and whispered in her ear. “If
Prince Zuko ever has need of an army to help end this war, we will volunteer.”

“Thank you,” said Chiara.

-------------------

Later that evening Chiara was quietly meditating in the cell when the door opened and a
guard entered. She was not expecting anyone to come to the cell since she knew it was too
early for her to be released and she was not to have any food. She could not see who it was,
but she heard something placed next to her before the door was shut and she was once again
alone. It was dark in the cell, but when she reached out she could feel clean clothes, and
wrapped inside was a piece of bread. She took off her torn garments, put on the clean ones,
and used the old ones as a pillow, but not before eating a small portion of the bread saving the
rest for later.

It had been over a week and a half, and Zuko and the others still had not found any useful
information. The only news they heard throughout various cities and villages was that Prince
Zuko's wife had been executed before the solar eclipse or that it was thought she had been
executed, but she had been rescued by Prince Zuko on the day of the eclipse. There was no
new information about her being recently apprehended which was the only consolation to
Zuko since he was sure that her execution would be well known.

One night after dinner, of which Zuko had eaten very little, they loaded up on Appa to travel
by night to another colony. Zuko was sitting in a corner of the saddle where he pulled a small
canvas from his tunic pocket. After removing the gold ribbon, he unrolled it, and producing a
small flame in his hand he silently stared at his and Chiara's wedding picture.

When Sokka caught sight of the flame, he was curious. “What are you reading?”

“It's our wedding portrait,” he said.

Katara perked up. “Really?” she asked.

“You have a wedding portrait?” asked Aang from Appa's head. “Keep heading forward,
Buddy,” he said patting Appa before he jumped back in the saddle to look at the picture.

By now Katara had crawled over to Zuko to look at it. “Aww. Chiara's so beautiful.”

“She is,” he said softly.

“Wow, Hotman, you really look like a prince,” said Aang.

“How'd you get someone to paint it for you?” asked Sokka.

“My uncle arranged it.” He thought fondly of Iroh. “He really did a lot for us. He gave us our
wedding rings and even provided a Fire Sage to officiate.”

“A Fire Sage in the Earth Kingdom?” asked Aang.

He nodded. “Actually, you know him.”

“What?”

“Fire Sage Shyu helped you on Crescent Island.”

“So he got away,” said Aang sounding relieved. “I had wondered what happened to him.”

Zuko felt Toph leaning against his arm. He should have felt uncomfortable with everyone
gathered around him invading his personal space. Being able to trust others was a strange
feeling he was still having trouble getting used to. Iroh and Chiara had been the only ones he
could trust most of his life, and they were the two people he depended on during his exile.
But over the past few weeks he found it comforting to be surrounded by others he could trust,
people he now considered his friends and that cared enough about him and Chiara to risk
their lives for them...or at least for her.

“I want to see the picture.”

“Very funny, Toph,” said Sokka dryly.

“Hey, I can see, but just differently. I can see with my hands.”

“How can you see the picture with your hands?” he asked.

Zuko quickly rolled up the portrait. “I don't want you pawing at it. It's delicate.”

“I didn't plan on pawing the picture,” she said. “I plan on pawing you.”

“Wait, what?”

His eyes grew wide when she reached her hands up towards his face, but he could not back
away with Sokka, Katara, and Aang surrounding him leaving him no where to duck. He was
now having second thoughts about his personal space invasion.

“Hold still,” she ordered.

He forced himself to relax while she delicately moved her fingers tracing the outline of his
face and his hairline, even running her fingers through the ends of his hair to “see” its length.
Having seen her earthbend, he found her touch to be more gentle than he expected as she slid
her fingers over his forehead and down the bridge of his nose, but when she traced his eyes,
he tensed up again.
“Relax, Sparky, I already know you have a scar.” She traced around it. “It doesn't look so
bad. You feel like a handsome prince to me.”

“Ooh, ooh! Do me!” said Sokka excitedly.

Toph moved her hands to Sokka's face resulting in a slapping sound making him think she
just might have done it on purpose. And the way she traced her fingers over his features did
not seem nearly as gentle as she had Zuko's especially after the particularly painful jab to his
eye.

“Huh...,” she said thoughtfully, continuing her exploration. “You look like a pretty standard
peasant.”

Sokka frowned, but a slight snicker escaped Zuko. Sokka pushed Toph's hands away and
started arguing with her which drove Aang back to Appa's head and Katara to another corner
of the saddle. Zuko just pulled out his picture again and stared at it as the two continued
bickering.
 Breaking the Rules
Chapter Notes

Just want to let everyone know that the Boiling Rock warden is not Mai's uncle in this
AU. Mai and Ty Lee aren't in this fanfic. When I first started writing it I had intended to
include them, but I never got around to it because the chapters weren't written in
chronological order. I started with Chapter 1 and continued somewhere in the middle
focusing on the three main characters; then I went and filled in earlier scenes, jumped to
the end, etc. I just jotted down whatever came to mind. Even the earlier chapters with
the Gaang were some of the last written. At this point I don't have the time to fill in the
story as I originally intended, and the only reason I posted it in its rough draft state is
that it's pretty much a complete story from beginning to end so anyone's who's invested
their valuable time in reading it will have closure.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

The next day Chiara was out of isolation resuming her usual duties Zedak set her to. That
night right after lockdown, Nai entered her cell.

“I can't stay long,” she said. “I brought some burn salve for your back.”

Chiara started removing her shirt.

“Sozoh told me you can't heal your own wounds,” said Nai.

“He's right.”

“Why is that?”

“I was told my gift wasn't for me. Most waterbender healers can heal themselves, a few
can't.”

Nai was curious about her ability to heal, but she was suddenly distracted when she saw the
old scars on her back.

“What are these scars from?” she asked.

“Most of them, Princess Azula.”

“Because you're a waterbender?”

“And because I'm married to her brother.”

It disgusted Nai to learn that the Fire Lord's daughter was as heartless as the Fire Lord, yet
she was not surprised that the royal family could be so callous, especially being one of the
few at the prison who understood the sacrifice of the Crown Prince and his punishment at the
hands of his own father.

Chiara suddenly tensed up as Nai began dabbing salve on the fresh wounds.

“I'm sorry,” said Nai softly.

“It's okay.”

“I heard you were executed in the Capital,” she said.

“Princess Azula intended to, but she wanted to punish me first,” said Chiara.

“How did you get away?”

“Prince Zuko found me.”

Nai smiled to herself at the unfailing honor of the Crown Prince, and she thought it promising
that at least one of the Fire Lord's children had a sense of integrity.

“Your...your ability...,” Nai began, sounding hesitant as she tried forming her question, “...can
you heal anyone or...or anything?”

“It depends. If someone loses too much blood, I can't help them, or if there's too much
internal damage.”

“What about illness? Can you help people who are sick?”

“Yes...well, most of the time...,” she corrected, remembering Zuko's unnatural illness in Ba
Sing Se. “It depends on the cause.”

Nai finished applying the salve. “I hope this helps.”

“It will. Thank you so much.”

That evening Chiara remained in her cell, but the next night she began sneaking out again to
help those who were sick or injured that she was unable to help during the day.

A few days later, Chiara was kneeling at a bucket washing laundry late in the afternoon.
Watching the water splash around as she rinsed the garment in her hands, her mind became
lost in thoughts of Zuko and Iroh.

“I was wondering where you were,” said Zuko walking up to her while she was kneeling on
the riverbank working on washing the dirt stain out of Iroh's tunic.

“I told the General I'd be at the river.”

He knelt down next to her. “That hog you caught yesterday was really good.”

She was relieved she could catch something that had given them some respite from their
hunger pains. “We were so hungry, tree bark would've tasted good yesterday.”

He smiled. It was a rare sight to her, especially as they trekked through the Earth Kingdom
worn out, hungry, and constantly on edge worrying that Azula might be tracking them.

“The hog meat was better,” he said.

“And if you don't learn how to hunt and clean them, we'll be living on tree bark.”

She felt water hit her face as he splashed her. Giggling, she splashed him back, but then he
grabbed hold of her and tried to force her in the water. She pulled back, so he stood up and
wrapped his arms around her waist lifting her up and carrying her into the river. They were
both laughing as she squirmed trying to break free, but he refused to let her go and continued
walking into the water.

“First one to go under, loses,” he said as he released her and then tried to trip her.

She nearly lost balance, but she grabbed his arm before he could pull away. “If I go under, so
are you,” she threatened.

They continued their playful wrestling each trying to remain standing while tripping the
other. They both missed those moments of having fun laughing and enjoying themselves.
Suddenly, a huge wave of water had nearly knocked them over, and they both stood
completely drenched. They turned to see Iroh pop up from under the water after his
cannonball from the protruding rock above them. Taking advantage of the distraction, Chiara
quickly tripped Zuko and pushed him under.

“What's so funny?” came a less than friendly voice.

Chiara, drawn out of her happy memory, looked up to see Zomi dropping dirty laundry next
to her.

“You enjoying this?” he snapped. “Maybe you should be working in the quarry if this is so
much fun. I'm sure Zedak will w...” A loud commotion interrupted his threat and he turned
away from her. “What now!”

He ran off to the courtyard where a fight had broken out. Overhearing that someone was
injured, Chiara left her work and ran to a bucket of clean water before heading to the
disturbance. Several guards were struggling to restrain a prisoner who was fighting to break
free from them while another guard was lying on the ground not moving. Immediately
running over to him, she realized it was Dako, the one who kicked over her laundry bucket
the week before and often insulted her. Zomi was kneeling over him trying to stem the flow
of blood that was pouring out from between his ribs. She knelt down and held water over
Zomi's blood-covered hands as they covered the wound. He stared in awe as he watched the
water glow around her hands and he quickly pulled back his own. She continued working
until all the internal damage was repaired. Zomi's mouth was still open in wonder, especially
when he saw Dako's skin absent of any trauma. As Dako's eyes opened Chiara gently placed
her hand on his head.

“Are you in any pain?” she asked.

He seemed to be in shock with his last memory being an attack by a prisoner and the pain of
something impaling him.

“How are you feeling, Dako?” asked Zomi when he did not answer her. “Any pain?”

Dako just stared up at Chiara finding genuine concern in her expression. “You have really
beautiful eyes,” he said dreamily.

“Uh...” Chiara glanced up at Zomi. “Did he suffer a head injury?”

Zomi shook his head. “I-I'm not sure.”

“He might have a concussion,” she said.

She was about to check, but she felt herself suddenly pulled to her feet and yanked away
from Dako.

“What are you doing here?!” yelled Zedak. “Always putting your nose in other people's
business. Get back to work!”

“Zedak, leave her alone,” said Zomi.

Zedak shoved her away. “Go!”

Chiara walked off to return to the laundry.

“If he's injured you need to get him to the infirmary,” ordered Zedak.

Zomi turned his attention back to Dako and helped him sit up. “Are you okay? Does your
head hurt?”

“No. I feel...good.”

He looked down at the blood and felt his side where there was no pain or wound.

“Did she...did she...heal me?” he asked Zomi.

“Yeah. She thinks you might've hurt your head too.”

He shook his head. “I didn't.”

It was clear Zomi doubted him. “You said her eyes were beautiful.”

Dako had a dreamy look in his eyes. “Well, don't you think they're beautiful?”
“I...guess?” Zomi shook his head trying to shake the thoughts out of his mind. “It doesn't
matter. She's the wife of the traitor prince, and she's a spy.”

Dako shrugged as he got to his feet. “I don't know. I heard those spy rumors might not be
true.”

“I think you should go to the infirmary and get your head checked.”

“I didn't hit my head,” he insisted.

“Okay, okay, but it wouldn't hurt to see the doctor,” said Zomi.

Chiara walked back to the laundry buckets still worried about Dako feeling like she left her
work unfinished.

“Waterbender...”

She turned to see an Earth Kingdom prisoner approaching her.

“There's a prisoner on the third floor who's sick,” he said in a low voice.

She knew it must be serious if he was coming to her about it. She nodded her head wishing
she could tend to the sick immediately rather than wait until evening.

--------------------

That night after lockdown, Chiara left her cell to attend to a few prisoners, heading first to the
prisoner on the third floor. When she arrived at the cell number given to her, she entered to
see Gui lying on his mat which explained why she had not seen him serving food the last few
days. Kneeling by his side, she placed her hand on his forehead. He was burning with fever,
so she drew the water from her clothes and began to heal the illness that had taken over his
body. His eyes slowly opened upon feeling the weakness from which he had been suffering
replaced with strength once again and the sickness in his stomach absent. Once his fever was
gone and his health returned, she pulled a small bundle from her pocket and placed it in his
hand.

“You should be well enough to go out in the morning,” she whispered.

She stood up and left his cell. After she was gone, he opened the cloth in his hand to find the
bread from her meals.

When she finished with all the prisoners she had planned on visiting that night, she returned
to her own cell and quietly closed the door.

“Out for a stroll?”

She jumped at Dako's voice, and she turned around to see him and Zomi. She said nothing,
though she was worried that she would no longer be able to help anyone.

“It's come to our attention that you've been sneaking out of your cell at night.”
“Is that a crime?” she asked in a soft, innocent tone.

“Actually it is, yes,” said Zomi.

“How are you getting out?” asked Dako.

Chiara did not want to show them, but she felt there was nothing she could do about it now
anyways, so she drew the water from her clothes and fashioned a lock pick out of ice.

“Very clever, waterbender,” said Zomi.

“But so many are sick and injured,” she said. “I only want to help them.”

“And that's the only reason we haven't sent you to isolation or told the warden.”

“In fact, we need you to perform your magic with a few others,” said Dako.

She was surprised, and she nodded ready to help anyone she could.

Leaving her cell, they took her to the infirmary on the other side of the compound. The two
guards on duty nodded their heads to them before they entered.

“This is your healer?” asked the doctor skeptically when he looked over her.

“You saw the blood,” said Dako.

The doctor shook his head in disbelief.

“It can't hurt to let her try,” Dako insisted.

The doctor just shrugged and walked inside as they followed. When they entered, there were
three guards and seven prisoners in the beds.

“Why didn't you bring me here sooner?” she asked.

“Certain guards don't want anyone to know what you can do,” whispered Dako. “But most
everybody already knows.”

“I'm going to need more water.”

“I think this is a bad idea, Dako,” said Zomi.

She turned to them. “You can keep it and just let me have what I need to help them.”

Dako nodded and Zomi got a small bucket of water while Chiara and Dako followed the
doctor. Doubting her abilities, the doctor took her to the patient in the worst condition certain
she would be unable to help him.

“He's a guard,” he told her. “He was attacked in the entrance courtyard by the same prisoner
who attacked Dako. We don't expect him to make it,” he added in a whisper. “I've already
informed his family.”
Chiara stood by him and withdrawing an orb of water from the bucket Zomi was holding, she
guided it over her patient. The doctor's eyes grew wide as he watched the glowing water, and
the three men marveled as the wounds slowly began closing. Chiara sensed how critical his
condition was as she worked to heal him, and she continued working until he regained
consciousness.

“Who...who are you?” he asked, his voice raspy.

“Chiara,” she answered. “What's your name?”

“R-Rizin,” he answered.

“You'll recover, Rizin, but it will take some time.”

“I heard the doctor say he couldn't help me.”

“You'll be okay now, but you need to rest and gain back your strength.”

She took a towel and dipped it in water, and then she tenderly touched around his face and
forehead. She turned to Dako.

“I'll need to do another session tomorrow,” she said.

He nodded.

She turned to the doctor who looked to be in shock himself. “He'll need increased rations.”

He pulled his eyes from where one of Rizin's fatal wounds used to be. “Uh...that's probably
not going to happen,” he said.

“Take from mine if you have to, but he needs the nourishment.”

The doctor and the three guards were amazed by her offer. The doctor especially was
impressed by her healing ability, and they followed her as she healed every patient in the
infirmary.

Word continued getting around about Chiara's healing ability and her willingness to heal or
help anyone who needed it no matter what Nation they were from or whether they were
prisoner or guard. The other prisoners were finding it difficult to hate her, and many were
beginning to doubt the rumors of her being a spy for the Water Tribe. And since Gui returned
to the kitchen after she treated him, her food rations increased which gave her more food to
share with others.

Zedak walked up to Chiara one afternoon while she was scrubbing the floor.

“Spy!” he yelled. “I know you've been stealing food.”

She looked puzzled wondering what he was yelling about. He kicked over her bucket forcing
her to stand up as the water spilled everywhere.

“Stealing food from the guards means isolation.”

“But I didn't...”

He backhanded her. “Liar! I've seen you giving food to other prisoners.”

“It was from what I was given,” she said, her hand on her cheek.

“Are you telling me someone else is stealing food and giving it to you?” he asked.

Her eyes grew wide. She did not want anyone else to be wrongly accused. “That's not what I
meant...”

“Where's Izin?” he yelled.

“He didn't do anything,” she said.

“Izin!” he called, ignoring her.

“What are you yelling about, Zedak?” said Jiro walking over to him.

“Find Izin. She and Izin have been stealing food.”

“I don't think she's been stealing...,” started Jiro.

“What are you going on about?” interrupted Izin, walking over to them having heard Zedak
yelling.

“Are you stealing the guards' food again?” asked Zedak.

“I haven't touched your food.”

“Either this traitor stole it or you stole it and gave it to her.”

“He didn't steal anything,” said Chiara. “I gave away from my own rations.”

“You're lying!” he yelled. “There's a crate of food missing and one of you took it.”

“It wasn't us,” said Izin. “Maybe you misplaced it.”

“Now you're covering for this traitor,” said Zedak.

He moved to lash Izin.

“Wait!” said Chiara as she ran between them.

She was struck as Zedak brought the fire whip down. When he realized what she had done,
he became angry and raised his arm to purposely lash her, but Izin wrapped his arms around
her and turned his back towards Zedak who unintentionally struck him instead of her.

“Traitor helping traitor!” yelled Zedak.

Izin turned towards him. “You've abused her enough,” he said as he blocked Zedak's next
assault and then sent a small fire blast at him forcing the guard back.

Jiro ran over grabbing hold of Izin just as Nai had come running up to them.

“A night in the cooler!” ordered Zedak. “And traitor whore gets isolation.”

“Please don't punish him,” said Chiara grateful that Izin protected her.

“Prisoners who firebend get a night in the cooler,” said Zedak.

“I'll take his punishment...”

“No, Fire Princess,” said Izin.

“But you didn't do anything wrong,” she said.

“And neither did you.” He glared at Zedak. “It sounds like someone's getting fat on the
guards' food and needs someone else to blame it on.”

“Take them away,” growled Zedak.

“But Izin is innocent,” argued Chiara.

“Get her out of here!” yelled Zedak.

Jiro led Izin to the cooler while Nai took Chiara to solitary.

“Princess, you can't keep taking other prisoners' punishments,” she said softly as they
walked.

“But Izin didn't do anything wrong. We didn't steal any food.”

“I know you didn't, but...but this might've been handled differently.” Nai regretted not being
able to get to the argument before it escalated. “Zomi and Dako are going to be upset with
you for getting locked up. They were looking forward to having you check out a few new
patients tonight.”

“There's always tomorrow night,” she said, though her mind was still focused on Izin being
sent to the cooler because of her.

“If you don't butt heads with Zedak again.”

After following Chiara into the cell, she pulled out burn salve.

“Turn around, Princess.”

She turned around and removed her top so Nai could apply it.

“You know, I've been carrying this burn ointment around because of you,” she said.

That drew soft laughter from Chiara. “I haven't gotten in that much trouble, have I?”

“You've caused more trouble than any other prisoner I've dealt with,” said Nai with a smile.

Chiara turned her head towards her. “Really?” she asked with disbelief.

“Yes.”

“But what about the guy who tried to kill poor Rizin and Dako? I haven't tried to kill
anybody.”

Nai was chuckling. “True, but you do break a lot of rules.”

“Well, they're stupid rules.”

She finished treating her wounds.

“I'll try to bring you food later.”

Chiara turned and bowed to her. “Thank you, Lady Nai.”

Her gesture was unexpected, but it brought a smile to Nai's face to be treated so respectfully
by Fire Nation royalty, and she wished she was able to free her princess from her
imprisonment.

--------------------

When the guards were changing shift, Nai met up with Dako and Zomi.

“Don't bother looking for the princess tonight, guys,” she said. “She's in solitary.”

“What?” asked Dako.

“What'd she do now?” asked Zomi.

“Zedak accused her of stealing a missing crate in the pantry...”

“How would she get hold of a whole crate?” asked Dako.

“She didn't,” said Nai. “No one did. They miscounted. We didn't find out until after
the...uh...altercation.”

“So why's she still in solitary?” asked Zomi.

“Zedak went after Izin and the princess defended him, so they're both locked up.”

“We need to do something about Zedak,” said Dako softly.

“I just found out he'll be on leave for the next few days,” said Nai.

“Everyone'll be getting a reprieve with him gone.”

“I just hope he moves to the night shift when he returns,” she said.

“Hey, we don't want him,” said Dako. “We see enough of him in the afternoon.”

“Maybe we can get him moved to the entrance courtyard,” said Zomi.

“Good luck with that,” said Nai wryly. “The warden enjoys the way he treats the prisoners.”

The next day Nai released Chiara from isolation after breakfast.

“Princess, you won't have to scrub today.”

“What else needs to be done?” she asked.

“Gui could use some help.”

She nodded and walked with Nai to the kitchen.

“Here's your assistant, Gui,” said Nai. “Take care of her today.”

Chiara sensed there was something going on.

“Princess Chiara,” said Gui cordially. “Here, sit.” He pulled out a chair and placed a bowl of
porridge on the table with a large piece of bread.

“I'm supposed to be helping you.”

“Eat, rest.”

“No.”

He and Nai were stunned by her refusal.

“I won't eat while everyone else is working,” she said.

“You missed breakfast,” said Nai.

“Then I'll eat at lunch with the others.” She looked at Gui. “Do you want me to help with the
vegetables? I can cook too...”

“I want you to take a break,” he said. “You work too hard and are treated too harshly.”

“He's right, Princess,” said Nai.

“I enjoy keeping busy,” she said.

“Then you can help me with the vegetables,” said Gui, “but only after you eat.”

“And if Zedak walks in?”

“Don't worry about him,” said Nai. “He's gone for a few days.”

“There's an old saying,” started Gui, “If you don't eat, you don't work.”

Chiara shook her head. “I don't think that's how it goes.”

Gui chuckled and Nai smiled at him before turning to leave while Chiara reluctantly sat down
and started eating.

--------------------

At lunch, Gui gave her extra rations which she saved to share with the other prisoners. When
she saw Izin eating she approached him.

“I'm sorry, Izin. I didn't mean for you to get punished yesterday.”

“It's not your fault, Princess. Zedak enjoys being cruel, especially to you.”

“Here,” she said. “Take some of this.” She offered him her soup.

“No. I can't take your food from you.”

“You're much bigger than I am, and you need to keep up your strength.”

He shook his head refusing to take it.

“They only have me working in the kitchen today,” she said. “You're strenuously working out
in the sun. Please eat some more.”

“I won't take food from the Fire Princess who took my punishment for me.”

She sighed softly. “May I heal your wound for you?” she asked.

He nodded. She drew water from a bucket and healed the wound on his back. Though he had
heard of her ability, he was astonished to experience it firsthand. When she finished she
tenderly placed her hand on his and smiled at him. She picked up her bowl and walked away
while he continued eating, but he became suspicious when his bowl looked more full.

--------------------

That night after lockdown Dako entered Chiara's cell.

“Princess, we have a few injuries we need you to look at.”

Something in his voice caused her to feel apprehensive. There was a slight tone of timidity
and nervousness making her suspicious, and she wondered if she was about to be punished.
She slowly stood up from her mat and then watched Dako go down on one knee before her.
“Princess Chiara, I never thanked you for what you did for me. I know I didn't deserve it for
what I've done to you, but I beg your forgiveness for my cruel and disrespectful behavior.”

The courage he displayed in his act of humility filled her with hope of a better future for the
Fire Nation and for the world.

“I've forgiven you,” she said.

He looked up to see her bowing to him.

After his apology he led her to her evening's patients.

--------------------

Late in the afternoon, Zuko was sitting impatiently near the marketplace of one of the
colonies from where they were trying to obtain information. He was anxious to do something,
anything, but sit still while people moved up and down the street entering and exiting shops.
The Gaang decided that a young man with an obvious eye injury would be more suspicious
than Sokka and Katara when it came to trying to learn any news about the prince's wife. Zuko
sat with his head bowed, more so out of frustration than trying to hide his eye patch, while
Aang and Toph were sitting on each side of him. He suspected they were flanking him just in
case he decided to run off to search for Chiara on his own; though he wondered what they
could possibly do to stop him in the middle of a Fire Nation colony. He noticed that Aang had
been less animated since Chiara's disappearance. The boy was normally so full of energy
making him wonder if Aang was naturally hyper or if it was just his age. He could not
remember being that hyper at thirteen, but then Uncle Iroh might remember things
differently. Toph had been pretty quiet too lately. Despite her talk of being proud at her
independence, he suspected she enjoyed the way Chiara catered to her like a mother and
treated her like a noble at the same time. It now occurred to him that he was not the only one
hurting. His own grief at her loss had been occupying his mind, and he had not realized just
how much everyone else had been affected. Even Katara was less hateful to him than usual,
but he was sure it was just a temporary cease-fire while they worked on a common
goal...which he felt was odd since he was sure that training the Avatar was also a common
goal. It was the sound of an erhu that interrupted his attempt to decipher Katara's moods, and
he lifted his head.

“What is it?” asked Toph softly as she sensed his heartbeat and his movement.

“I hear music.”

“Probably street performers,” said Aang.

“Azula, show your brother how to properly execute such a basic move,” ordered Ozai, his
voice full of condescension.

“Of course, Father.”

Zuko watched her. Her movements were perfect and fluid, and the fire she created was strong
and bright, unlike his own fire which seemed small and weak.
“Now do what your sister just did,” ordered Ozai.

Zuko tried imitating Azula. He performed the same movements, but somehow he could not get
them as smooth as his sister's and there was little improvement in the fire he produced.
Feeling a burn on his arm, he could not help a small gasp, but he kept himself from yelling
out. He knew yelling or crying would result in something far worse.

“Clearly you weren't watching her or you would have known to step and punch
simultaneously. You punched before stepping forward.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Do it again!”

It was then that the sound of the erhu came from the other side of the wall causing Ozai to
angrily exhale a few flames with his breath.

“That little urchin has to start her racket now?” he growled in a low voice.

Zuko could not understand how such calming music could be considered a racket, but he
found it relaxing while Azula just frowned seemingly indifferent to it. Ozai seemed to be the
only one bothered by it. Zuko had a small smirk as he took his stance. He took a deep breath
in and then out with the music. He started his kata trying to move as smoothly as Chiara was
moving the bow over the strings of her instrument. In the end he delivered a strong, bright
flame, not as strong and bright as Azula's of course, but he felt and saw a definite
improvement.

“Do it again,” demanded Ozai not acknowledging his progress.

Zuko did not expect a compliment from Ozai—he had always hoped for one, but he would
never get it. At this point, no insults and no burns were what he worked towards.

He went through his movements again creating another strong, bright flame.

“Again,” said Ozai.

He repeated it with the same effect.

“You're trying to force your motions which makes your firebending weak. Your movements
should appear effortless and steady.” He shook his head in disgust. “This seems to be a lost
cause,” he added in a low, but audible voice. He looked at Azula. “Your forms were perfect,
just as I taught you.”

“Thank you, Father,” she bowed.

He turned back at Zuko. “I'm done with you today, but I expect you to keep practicing,” he
said sternly before walking off.

“You're lucky the little Earth peasant chased Father away with her noise.”
“Shut up, Azula.”

She just laughed as she walked away.

Zuko peered back relieved to see them gone, and then he ran and jumped up on the wall. He
looked down on the other side to see Chiara leaning against it still playing her erhu. He
glanced back again making sure no one was around before jumping down next to her.

“Thanks,” he said.

She stopped playing and looked at him. “Where are you burned?”

He always hated showing her his marks, but he appreciated that she always insisted on
taking care of them. He held out his arm, and after studying the burns, she stood up and took
him to the kitchen where they sat at the table while she treated them. They had done this
often, but he could see she would never get used to Ozai's teaching method. When she
finished, he pulled out a dagger and laid it in front of her.

“Uncle sent me this. He got it from a general after they broke through the outer wall of Ba
Sing Se.”

She picked it up and pulled it out of its sheath seeing 'Made in Earth Kingdom' etched into
the blade on one side. She flipped it over. “Never give up without a fight,” she read softly. She
glanced up at him and grinned. “That's perfect for you.”

“By the time I join the military academy, there'll be nothing left to conquer,” he said.

“You could travel the world and make sure that peace remains in the colonies.”

“That doesn't sound as exciting.”

“I think it's harder to make peace than war,” she said. “But whatever you do, I'm sure it'll be
something great.”

Her confidence in him brought a smile to his face.

“Hey, they're coming back,” called Aang.

Zuko looked up to see Sokka and Katara walking towards them.

“Anything?” he asked as he stood up.

“Sorry,” said Sokka softly.

Though he had not expected to hear good news—or any news—Zuko's shoulders sagged.

“Let's try another town,” said Aang.

“I don't think we'll find any information heading east...,” said Zuko.

“Just one more in this direction,” said Aang clearly not ready to give up.
 Zuko slowly nodded, but he knew he could not allow them to continue searching with him
much longer.

Chapter End Notes

I know this chapter and the next may seem pointless and boring, but they are going
somewhere. I'm sure it's pretty obvious where, but I can't really omit them.
 Fulfilling Destiny
Chapter Notes

Apologies for any deficiencies or discontinuity in the next few chapters. I had a lot of
trouble fixing this chapter and the two following and getting them to sync together
properly. I feel like they're still not quite right, but I'm burnt out on proofreading them.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Near the end of Chiara's third week in the prison, Dako was trying to talk his friend into a
daring trip.

“I'm telling you, Zomi,” he said, “we can do it. We could be back by morning.”

“I don't trust her.” He was not sure if he truly meant those words, but it might have been the
fear of getting caught.

“Isn't your son worth it? The letter said he's not improving even with the doctor's help. We
can have your wife meet us part way, Princess Chiara heals him, and we head back here.
We'll be back before morning shift. Demi and Nai said they'll cover for us that night.”

“What if she escapes?”

“We'll make it look like she escaped from the prison on her own.”

Zomi was hesitant, but worry over his son's condition exceeded his fear of the consequences,
so he agreed.

That night as soon as everyone was locked in their cells, Dako and Zomi entered Chiara's
cell.

“Princess Chiara,” Dako greeted her bowing respectfully as he had been doing recently. “We
have a request.”

“What is it?”

“Zomi's son is very sick, and he's getting worse. We need your help.”

“I'll do whatever I can,” she said.

“We need to temporarily break you out of the prison. His wife will meet us part way with
him.”

She wanted to help, but she hesitated.

“We can do it in one night and be back in the prison before sunrise," he explained. “No one'll
know you were gone.”

“What if we get caught?” she asked.

“We'll have to say you tried to escape,” said Zomi truthfully.

She contemplated it. “And if I do escape?”

That she even asked that question as if she might attempt it worried Zomi. “If you do escape,
we'll be put in prison and severely punished,” he said.

“Could you at least heal Zomi's son first?”

Zomi looked at him. “Really, Dako? You're going to encourage her?”

“I'm just saying that if she does consider an escape that she at least heal your son before she
tries.”

Zomi turned back to her. “If you do try, we'll have to...we'll have to use any means necessary
to stop you,” he threatened.

“When do we leave?” she asked.

Her ready acceptance was no surprise to them, but it left them somewhat apprehensive that
she might try to break free.

“Zomi will send a message to his wife tonight on where to meet us,” said Dako. “We'll head
out in two days right after lock down, and we'll be back before sunrise.”

She nodded.

With her consent, the two guards moved on with their plan and began their preparations.

A few days later, the Gaang had completed another unsuccessful search, and they had just
finished packing up their camp to move on. Everyone but Zuko had climbed onto Appa's
saddle.

“Come on, Hotman,” said Aang holding the reins.

He looked up at the Avatar. “I'm not going with you. I need to continue this alone.”

Sokka, Katara, and Toph leaned over the saddle, and they all spoke at the same time.
“What?”

“It's been almost a month and we're no closer to finding Chiara now than we were weeks ago.
There's still a war going on. It's not going to stop for my quest, and I can't expect you to stop
fighting to help me.”
“We're not going to leave her behind,” said Aang.

“She wouldn't want you to do this, Aang. She knows how important you are to bringing
balance to the Nations. She's always known it. You need to defeat the Fire Lord. That's the
only way we can end the war.”

It was obvious that Aang was troubled with the idea of discontinuing their search. “I-I don't
feel right about this. It feels like we're abandoning her.”

“You're not,” Zuko reassured him. “By ending the war you're doing what you can to help
her.”

“Where will you go?” asked Katara.

“I'm going to head back to Xi Han and start there again,” he answered.

“Then we'll take you there,” said Aang.

Zuko hesitated.

“If you're leaving us, then we're going back to the air temple which is in the same direction,
so you might as well ride with us.”

He certainly did not want to walk back, so he climbed into Appa's saddle and settled down in
his usual corner.

“Yip, yip!”

--------------------

Dako and Zomi headed out with Chiara after lockdown. Friends and bribes enabled them to
get her out of the prison, and they traveled by ship to a small uninhabited island between the
Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom and not far from Boiling Rock.

When they arrived close to the island, a boat took them ashore where they started walking to
the meeting point. Zomi's wife was waiting there with their son, but the two guards
approached cautiously when they saw another man with her who was accompanied by a
sickly looking woman. Zomi's wife walked up to her husband holding their young, listless
son in her arms.

“What's going on, Zomi?” she asked him. “The doctor told me not to travel with him.”

“Who are they?” he asked her, not answering her question as he was concerned with the
presence of the unexpected strangers.

“I'm Nai's father,” answered the man. “And this is my wife Zara. Nai said that it was
important that we come here, but she didn't explain why.”

“Colonel Tezam,” said Chiara. The chains rattled as she removed her hood.
“Lady Chiara?” He stepped closer to her. “You...you’re alive. And you’ve grown so much...”

When Zomi's wife saw the chains on her wrist and the bruise on her face, she felt unnerved
and took a slight step back.

“Is-is she a prisoner?” she asked.

“It's okay, Gia,” said Zomi. “She can help.”

“You know each other?” asked Dako speaking to Tezam and Chiara.

“Of course,” said Tezam. “Lady Chiara is the daughter of General Iroh. It was a sad time for
the Crown Prince when he lost his son at the Siege of Ba Sing Se; little Chiara traveled to our
camp in the Earth Kingdom to take care of him. But why is she here bruised and in chains?”

“We came from Boiling Rock,” said Dako.

“I'm here for Zomi's son,” she said.

Chiara stepped towards the mother and child, but Gia held her son closer to her taking
another nervous step back. Dako went to remove Chiara's chains.

“What are you doing, Dako?” asked Zomi.

“So she can do her thing.”

“What if she escapes?”

“It's okay. I'll be able to help him with them on,” she assured them.

“Let her see him, Gia,” said Zomi pulling her closer.

Dako handed Chiara a canteen of water.

“What's his name?” she asked.

“Zidal,” said his mother, still leery of her.

“What's wrong with him?”

“No one knows. Sometimes he's awake and seems alert.” She looked down at her son who
lay so lethargically in her arms. “But then there are these times when it's like he has no life
and nothing can wake him, and they're happening more and more.”

Chiara poured water in her left hand suspending it while giving the canteen back to Dako.
She tenderly touched the young boy's head before holding the water over him. The water
glowed to the amazement of Nai's parents, but Gia was tempted to move back away from her.
Zomi, however, had his arm around her and she could not move. As the boy became more
active in his mother's arms, tears fell down her cheeks. When Chiara finished her treatment,
his eyes opened and he looked up to see his father.
“Daddy?” said the boy who reached out to Zomi.

Zomi took him in his arms and held him tightly.

“Are you home now, Daddy?”

“No. I'm just visiting. Mommy said you were still sick, so I brought someone to help you.”

When Zidal sat up in his father's arms, he looked at Chiara who bowed to him.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Zidal.”

“Are you a doctor?” he asked.

“In a way,” she answered.

“She's the Fire Princess,” said Zomi to everyone's surprise.

“The Fire Princess?” asked Gia, sounding worried.

“She's Prince Zuko's wife,” he said.

“But isn't he banished? And you brought her here?” his wife asked.

“It was for Zidal,” he said.

Nai's parents were astonished at what Chiara had done for the child.

“So it's true,” said Tezam. “I heard the rumors that General Iroh's adopted daughter was a
waterbender. I never believed you were a spy, but I do believe I know why my daughter
wanted us to be here now.” He took his wife's hand and brought her closer to Chiara. “My
wife's been ill and the doctors have been unable to help her.”

Chiara took his wife's hand, and held it, and then she took the water and guided it up her arm
and down her body. Zara could feel a strange sensation in her body while the glowing water
was suspended over her. Chiara isolated the cause of the woman's illness and she focused on
healing her. When she finished, Zara's strength returned and she no longer felt any pain. She
looked at her husband in complete wonderment at how good she felt.

“I don't believe it,” she said touching her lower right abdomen. “The pain is gone.”

He hugged her when he saw the excitement in her eyes.

“Thank you,” said Tezam to Chiara after releasing his wife.

Zara took Chiara's hand in hers. “How can we ever repay you?”

“This is a gift for anyone who needs it,” said Chiara. “However, it is I who owe you.”

They looked puzzled. “How so?” she asked.

“It was Nai who dressed my wounds in the prison.”

Chiara bowed to Zara who was still holding her hand.

“Is there anything we can do for you?” asked Tezam.

“No. I'm just happy that I could help.”

“How is General Iroh?” he asked her. “I heard he escaped prison in the Capital. Is he at
Boiling Rock too?”

“No. When he escaped from the Capital he disappeared. I can only hope he's well.”

“He doesn't know you're in prison?” asked Zara.

“He thought I was executed. As far as I know, he still thinks I'm dead.”

“Yes, we heard of the execution,” said Tezam. “It's a shame to see the honorable members of
the royal family treated so disgracefully.” He lowered his voice. “I always suspected foul
play when Ozai became Fire Lord stealing the throne from General Iroh.”

Gia gasped slightly at his words. To speak those thoughts aloud was considered treason under
Ozai's reign, but Dako and Zomi, though disturbed by his bold admission due to years of
indoctrination, were also curious.

“What do you mean?” Zomi asked in a hushed voice as if someone still might hear on the
uninhabited island.

“General Iroh was the Crown Prince who was to take the throne after Fire Lord Azulon. After
the death of Prince Lu Ten he was on his way back to the Fire Nation when the Fire Lord
suddenly and mysteriously died, yet no one questioned that Ozai was immediately crowned
Fire Lord.”

The two guards were unnerved to learn this. Both had been teenagers at the time, and, like
most of the younger generation outside of the nobles, neither had paid much attention to the
reasons given for the change in birthrights of the royal family. They only did as they were
told and professed their allegiance to the current Fire Lord.

“Why didn't General Iroh fight for the throne?” asked Dako.

Tezam shook his head. “That I can't answer.”

They all looked at Chiara.

“He feared it would result in a civil war,” she said softly. She knew there had been more to it.
The death of Lu Ten had been hard on Iroh, and losing his father only added to his grief. At
the time he did not have the will to fight his own brother.

“Civil war may be inevitable,” said Tezam. “Many are unhappy with our leaders. Those that
have deserted should be building an army to fight the true enemy of the Fire Nation and fight
the atrocity of having our children sacrificed for the Fire Lord's bloodlust.”

Again Gia reacted nervously at Tezam's words against the Fire Lord, but Chiara was proud of
his courage.

“What-what do you mean?” asked Zomi.

“Our son was part of the 41st Division,” said Tezam.

Chiara's light gasp drew everyone's eyes, and she placed her hand over her mouth, the chains
on her wrists rattling at her movement.

“I-I am so sorry,” she said softly. The memories of the letter in Zuko's room on the ship
flashed through her mind.

Tezam nodded. “You know then, Princess.”

Chiara nodded. Tezam put his arm around Zara who had been crying at the mention of their
son, and he pulled her to him allowing her to cry on his shoulder.

“Know what?” asked Dako wondering what they were talking about. “The 41st are
considered heroes, right?”

“Unsuspecting heroes,” said Tezam darkly. “The 41st was a division of new recruits, fodder
sent by General Bujing to fight the Earth Kingdom in the Eastern Sea.” There was disgust in
his voice as he spoke the general's name. “They were left to die going up against a battalion
of earthbenders, a distraction, while the rest of the army retreated to attack from the north.”

As Zara gripped her husband harder, Dako, Zomi, and Gia were all staring at him with their
mouths open, appalled and disgusted upon hearing the intentional fate of the Division.

“I-I never knew,” said Zomi.

“Oh, I'm sure it's not taught in the schools and academies what cowardly leaders we have
sitting in the Capital. But the families of the 41st, they know and they remember. They also
know that it was only the young Crown Prince who spoke out against Bujing in the meeting.”

Dako's and Zomi's eyes grew wider.

“The only one brave and honorable enough to defend our son and the sons and daughters of
the other families whose children had been sacrificed was a child among those generals and
son of the Fire Lord. If the purpose of the war is to spread the greatness of the Fire Nation,
how great can our Nation be when it kills its own.”

The two guards stood silent as they thoughtfully contemplated Tezam's words.

“Nai...she never said anything,” Zomi finally spoke.

“And what would happen to her if she spoke out?” asked Tezam rhetorically. “She would be
in prison too. She chose to be stationed at Boiling Rock in the labor sector because she
wanted to be able to help those who came to understand the futility of this war and deserted
its cause.”

Chiara's lip curled into a gentle smile as she learned about Nai. She had been one of the few
guards that had never insulted or abused the prisoners.

Dako saw the light of the moon breaking through the trees. “I hate to cut this short,” he said,
“but we need to get the princess back before sunrise.”

“Must you take her back to prison?” Tezam asked them.

“Unfortunately, we have to,” said Dako.

“But why?” argued Zara releasing her husband. “Look at her, she's a child. What has she
done to be locked up in Boiling Rock?”

Dako and Zomi looked at each other.

“She's Prince Zuko's wife,” said Dako softly.

“And this is how they treat the wife of the Prince and the daughter of a hero of our Nation?”
she asked sympathetically as she tenderly caressed Chiara's face near the bruise.

“Considering how they treated our Prince for his honorable actions, this isn't surprising,” said
Tezam with anger in his voice. “And just where is our Prince? Is he still banished or has he
also been put in prison?”

Chiara shook her head. “He wasn't with me when I was found and taken to the prison. I only
hope he's safe.”

“So he doesn't even know his wife is a prisoner,” said Zara. “He must be so worried.”

“Why not let her go then?” said Tezam addressing the guards. “You don't have to take her
back.”

“If I don't go back these men will suffer for it,” answered Chiara.

Zara shook her head sadly. “I hope to see Prince Zuko become Fire Lord soon, so that his
wife will be by his side and not in chains or in prison.” Her stern eyes focused on Dako and
Zomi making them feel ashamed.

“Where did they find you?” Tezam asked Chiara.

Though she was sure the guards knew, she was not sure she wanted to answer, but she was
spared the decision when Dako answered for her.

“They captured her near the Western Air Temple. A friend of the warden spotted her in Xi
Han.”

Chiara was reminded of the soldier in the colony that insisted she resembled a friend of his.
Zomi kissed his son and then kissed and hugged Gia before handing Zidal to her. When Gia
felt her son's arms around her neck she broke down in tears. She bowed to Chiara.

“Thank you, Fire Princess,” she said.

Chiara bowed back to her.

“Fire Princess,” said Tezam, “it will be an honor to serve you and Prince Zuko as it was an
honor to serve General Iroh.”

“Thank you, Colonel. It was good to see you again.”

Chiara bowed to him and Zara, and they bowed back. Before they could turn away, Zomi
stood before Chiara and unlocked her chains. Taking out a small bag of gold, he held it out to
her.

“You should be able to bribe the captain to take you to the Earth Kingdom,” he said.

She was stunned as she looked at him. Her mind immediately played out the scenario of
reuniting with her husband. She clenched her fists to keep from reaching for the bag as she
considered the repercussions the two men before her would face if she chose her freedom.

“I-I can't,” she forced herself to say. “If I disappear, they'll know you two were involved.”

“Probably.”

“But, Zomi...,” started his wife who worried about losing him.

Chiara held out her hands for him to chain her. “I won't do that.”

He did not move to restrain her. “What you did for me, for my family, this is the least I can
do in return, Princess.”

“No,” she said. “Your son needs you. I refuse to escape if it means you becoming a prisoner.”

“Princess Chiara, please,” pleaded Tezam. “We will keep you safe.”

“I won't put two innocent men in prison for my freedom.”

Zara stepped towards her placing her hands on Chiara's wrists. “But you shouldn't be in
prison.”

“I can handle it,” she insisted. “As long as Prince Zuko is free,” she started softly, “they can't
break me.”

“I understand why Prince Zuko took you for his wife,” said Dako. “When the time comes, we
will serve you and the Prince.”

“Let's go back before someone finds us missing,” she said. She wanted to return quickly
before she felt too tempted to take them up on their offer. She held her hands up again for the
restraints.

“No,” said Zomi. “I trust you.”

Tezam watched as Dako and Zomi led Chiara away. He looked at his wife. “I need to find
Prince Zuko.”

--------------------

The Gaang was still flying towards Xi Han with Aang sitting quietly at the reins not anxious
about deserting the search. Zuko was lost in thoughts of his next move once he reached the
colony while Sokka, Katara, and Toph were trying to think of any ideas that might help them
locate their missing member.

“You know, there's one thing we haven't tried yet,” said Sokka, finally breaking the silence.

Everyone sat up and stared at him expectantly.

“Infiltrating a Fire Nation camp,” he said answering their questioning expressions. “I think
it's time to join the Fire Nation army again.”

Zuko gave him a quizzical look.

“Not again,” sighed Katara.

“Again?” asked Zuko, even more puzzled.

“This sounds like a job for Private Wang Fire,” said Sokka.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

“Sokka enlisted in the army as Private Wang Fire,” explained Aang from the saddle.

“Yeah, but he died attacking the greatest earthbender that ever lived,” said Toph cracking her
knuckles. “There's no coming back from that.”

Zuko was still confused having no idea what they were talking about.

“So I just go as...his brother,” said Sokka excitedly as the idea came to him. “Private...Tang
Fire!”

Katara groaned as she sat back shooting her brother an annoyed look.

“It's that or let Aang enroll in another Fire Nation school,” he shrugged. “But I don't think
that's going to help us.”

Zuko was even more baffled. “Aang went to a Fire Nation school?”

“Yep,” said Aang. “I even made a picture of the Fire Lord out of noodles.”
The prince could not imagine Aang in a Fire Nation school or Sokka in the army. “How did
you guys even get away with these stunts?!”

“Meh,” shrugged Sokka. “Wasn't that difficult really.”

Zuko shook his head and leaned back against the saddle.

“Makes you wonder how the Fire Nation is even winning this war,” said Toph.

Zuko snorted wondering the same thing.

Late that night after settling down at a new campsite, Zuko lay on Appa's tail. The bright
moon caught his eye, and he stared at it recalling Chiara telling him how she gazed at the
moon while lying on Appa's tail thinking about him and Iroh when she was with the Avatar.
He remembered those nights on the ship when he, too, stared at it wondering if it was shining
down on her. Now he was with the Avatar on Appa's tail thinking and worrying about her and
again wondering if the moon was shining down on her wherever she was.

--------------------

Dako, Zomi, and Chiara started back towards the shore where they landed. When they
reached the water, Dako flashed a signal to the ship offshore. Upon seeing the return signal
assuring them a boat was coming for them, they sat and waited. The two guards pulled out
food offering it to Chiara first. Slowly eating, she second-guessed her decision wondering if
she made a mistake in refusing their offer of freedom. She suspected her decision might
anger Zuko if, or when, he learns she had not taken the opportunity to escape. But where
would she go? She had no idea where he was at that moment. Returning to the air temple on
her own would be impossible, and she now knew that she had been recognized in the Fire
Nation colony, so going there or to any other colony would be too dangerous. She would
never risk endangering Nai's parents and she could not imagine letting Dako and Zomi take
the blame if she disappeared. As much as she hated being separated from her family, she
knew she had made the right decision. And she meant what she had said: she could handle
being in prison. She could handle anything Zedak threw at her; he had nothing on Azula.

As they continued waiting for the boat, her eyes were drawn up to the moon shining brightly
through the trees. She wished it were higher up as she longed to bask in its full brightness.
Staring at it she wondered if Zuko was sleeping as she hoped or looking for her. She expected
him to continue training the Avatar and fulfill his destiny, but knowing that he never gave up
without a fight, she suspected he was still searching for her just as he relentlessly searched
for the Avatar for years. She closed her eyes listening for the sound of his dao being pulled
from the sheath as she imagined the Blue Spirit appearing out of nowhere to rescue her. The
only sounds to be heard were the waves ebbing and flowing against the shore—the same
sounds she could hear while being held in the Spirit's warm arms as he carried her towards
the beach. She could still remember the chills she got when he touched her face and his soft,
warm lips pressed against her own. She smiled to herself as she felt her cheeks grow hot at
the thought of their kiss, and she was relieved that there was too little light for any blush to be
noticeable. Dako and Zomi stood up breaking her out of her pleasant thoughts. She took one
last look at the moon before standing up to go to the boat that had just arrived on the beach.
After climbing aboard, they were taken to the ship which would return them to to the prison.
The next afternoon, Aang, Katara, and Toph were sitting around their campsite while Zuko
was anxiously pacing back and forth.

“Are you guys sure he can handle this?” he asked them. “What if they discover who he is?”

“Relax, Sparky,” said Toph. “Haven't you ever gone undercover before?”

“Well...maybe...”

“Uh, human lie detector,” she reminded him.

“Okay, yes. But...but this is Sokka,” he said. “He doesn't exactly act like a Fire Nation
soldier.”

“I agree he doesn't have that stick-up-your-butt attitude most of you have...” When Aang
snickered Zuko's eyes narrowed as he glared at him, but it was only for show because he
knew Toph made a valid point. “...but you'd be surprised at how well he can blend in
sometimes,” she finished.

Her reassurance did nothing to alleviate his worries and he continued pacing.

--------------------

That night after lockdown, Nai went to Chiara's cell where she could confront her alone. She
approached the princess who was quietly meditating and fell on her knees before her. With
tears in her eyes, she bent low with her face near the ground.

“Thank you, Princess, for what you did for my mother,” she said softly.

Chiara was not comfortable with anyone kneeling before her, and she moved closer to help
her from her prostrated position.

“I'm happy I could help her.”

The tears fell from Nai's eyes compelling Chiara to embrace her in comfort.

“It's okay, Nai. She'll be fine now.”

“Thanks to you,” she said holding onto her. “And yet you're trapped here in this prison and
you don't deserve it.”

Chiara released her.

“The gift I have is meant for others. It makes me feel like a mother serving her family; and
that I'm here and can help so many in need, I'm fulfilling what I was meant to do.”

“But it hurts to see you help so many and be treated so cruelly. You should be living in the
palace.”
“I lived in Caldera City with the royal family most of my life. All those years I had to hide
that I was a waterbender. I was forbidden to use my healing ability, even for Prince Zuko
after his Agni Kai. I may be in prison now and treated like a criminal or a spy, but it's worth it
to be able to help whoever needs it.”

Nai broke down in tears touched by Chiara's love for everyone and still overwhelmingly
grateful for her mother's healing.

Chiara embraced her again. “Oh, Nai...,” she said touched deeply by the guard's emotions.

“But what you did for my mother...I-I should be doing more for you in here.”

“You've done so much for me, far more than I ever expected.”

“I want to keep Zedak from hurting you...”

Chiara let her go and fixed her eyes on hers.

“Don't jeopardize your position. I don't want you to end up in here as a prisoner.” Nai looked
like she was about to argue. “Trust me, after what I went through with Azula, I can handle
whatever Zedak throws at me. He won't be able to break me. If only I had the ability to heal
hearts...,” she added in a soft, sad voice.

“I believe you do,” said Nai, “but some hearts are just too damaged.”

Chiara was touched by her words.

“I didn't realize your father was Colonel Tezam,” said Chiara.

“You know him?”

“When General Iroh lost Prince Lu Ten, I went to Ba Sing Se to be with him. I met the
Colonel at the camp when I was staying with the General.”

“We lost my brother years later,” said Nai sadly. “He was with the 41st Division.”

“The Colonel said. Oh, Nai, I am so sorry.”

“My father lost interest in the war after that.”

“I understand.”

“What Prince Zuko suffered for defending his people was unfair,” said Nai. “I only wish I
could show him my loyalty by protecting his wife.”

Chiara gently smiled thinking about her choice to be in the prison. “Thank you, Lady Nai.”

She was puzzled by her gratitude. “For what?”

“For everything you've done. And not just for me, but for everyone here.”
Nai smiled at her.

The sun was rising the next morning when Sokka had finally returned after Private Tang Fire
had infiltrated a small camp of Fire Nation soldiers.

“Did you find out anything?” asked Zuko anxiously.

“Maybe. Nobody was really sure, but someone said something about Boiling Rock,” he said.

Zuko tensed up. “Boiling Rock? Are you sure?” he asked, holding his breath.

“Yes.”

He felt his heart sink in his chest.

Toph sensed his tension. “That doesn't sound good.”

“What? What is it?” asked Katara.

Zuko was heartbroken at the idea of where Chiara might be. He turned and went towards
Appa.

“You know where that is?” asked Aang.

“Yes.”

“Guys, someone's coming,” said Toph.

They all braced themselves when they looked where she was pointing. Out of the forest
walked an older couple. Though they were relieved they were not soldiers from the camp, the
Gaang was still concerned.

“Prince Zuko...,” said the man as he approached him.

They were all extremely uneasy that Zuko had been recognized, and everyone but the prince
took a defensive stance. Their reaction did not faze the couple who continued towards them
and then went down on their knees before Zuko. The Gaang was astonished to see them
kneeling to him. Knowing he was Prince of the Fire Nation was one thing, but to see
someone act in such a subservient manner towards him opened their eyes to the reality of his
royal blood.

“I am Tezam, and this is my wife Zara. I served with General Iroh during the Siege of Ba
Sing Se.”

The others suddenly felt uncomfortable by the mention of the Siege.

“Stand before me,” ordered Zuko. “What do you want?”

Tezam stood up and as he helped his wife, Zuko reached down to help her too, further
impressing the older couple by his benevolence and humility.

He looked Zuko in the eyes, a bold action he normally would not have done to a member of
the royal family while in his civilian clothing, but Tezam hoped to assure his prince of his
sincerity.

“Princess Chiara is being held at Boiling Rock,” he said.

Zuko's eyes widened. “How do you know this?”

Tezam hesitated, and then spoke in a very low voice, “My daughter Nai is a guard there.”

Though Zuko was ready to break into every prison for her, he felt relieved to have
confirmation of her location. He still worried that it might be a trap despite their address of
Chiara as “princess” which did not escape his notice.

“He's telling the truth,” confirmed Toph.

Tezam never took his eyes from Zuko's.

“Why are you telling me?” asked Zuko.

“My son Tezi was a soldier in the 41st Division.”

There was a jolt in Zuko's heart which Toph felt as she stood nearby and she lifted her head
as if she were looking at him. Memories flashed through Zuko's mind: the war room, the
Agni Kai, the letter of confirmation of the fate of the division. His eyes did not leave
Tezam's. “I...I'm sorry,” he said.

“Your honorable act of bravery in standing up for your people and the punishment you
suffered for it are not unknown in the Fire Nation, Prince Zuko. There are many who support
you and will gladly serve you.”

Zuko bowed. “I'm honored.”

“I imagine you want to rescue the Fire Princess just as you did in the Capital. I'm sure my
daughter will help you in whatever way possible, and know you have more than just her as an
ally in that prison.”

Zuko was stunned. He was just given the exact information he had been looking for and the
assurance of allies, and it offered a glimmer of hope after weeks of futile searching. “I'm
indebted to you for this information.”

“It's payment for the debt we owe to Princess Chiara who healed my wife,” he said.

“You-you've seen her?” asked Zuko. “How is she?”

“She's as honorable as her husband,” said Zara.

“I wish there was more we could offer to help you,” said Tezam.

“You gave me just what I needed,” said Zuko feeling hopeful.

They bowed low before him before turning to leave. The others stood staring at Zuko,
puzzled by what was just said, but he just turned and climbed on Appa.

“Are you sure you can trust that guy?” asked Sokka as he followed him. “It seems kind of
convenient that he just comes out of nowhere and tells you exactly where she is.”

“I have no doubt he's telling the truth,” said Zuko softly.

“Where do we go?” asked Aang.

“Back to the air temple,” said Zuko. “I need to get the war balloon.”

“What? But we're going with you.”

“No,” said Zuko. “I'm going to have to do this alone. It's possible I won't be coming back,
and you can't risk going there.”

“What's Boiling Rock?” asked Sokka.

Zuko hesitated. “It's a prison in a volcano.”

“Well, Sokka,” started Toph, “you wanted him to jump into a volcano. Are you happy now?”

“You know, not really,” said Sokka.

“How are you going to get in?” Katara asked Zuko.

“I don't know yet,” he answered.

They began their flight back to the temple. Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Toph all had more
questions for Zuko swimming in their heads.

“Okay,” started Toph, the only one who had the courage to ask her question, “I know
everyone's curious, so I'm just going to throw it out there. What was that guy talking about?
He mentioned 41st Division and your heart jumped.”

Zuko was still having trouble getting used to Toph's unique ability, and he wondered if he
would ever be able to control his impulsive reactions enough to hide anything from her. He
looked up and saw that she was focused in his general direction while Sokka and Katara were
staring directly at him, and even Aang, at Appa's reins, had his head slightly turned listening
intently. He knew he did not have to share it with them; he could tell them it was none of
their business, but none of it was a secret, and he was sure most Fire Nation citizens knew at
least some of the details. He also felt he owed it to them; they deserved an explanation for
why he chased them for so long and so persistently.

“The path that led me here, now, all started in war meeting when I was thirteen,” said Zuko.
 He proceeded to tell them his story—the war meeting, the 41st Division, the Agni Kai against
his father, his punishment, his banishment, restoring his honor by finding the Avatar.

When he finished, they were all gaping at him with expressions close to horror. Even Aang
was now staring at him as he sat on Appa's head, reins held loosely in his hands.

“Your own father,” said Aang still stunned and disgusted by the Fire Lord's actions against
his own son.

“That...that explains a lot,” said Sokka.

Even Katara was astonished by his story, yet it made her hatred for the Fire Nation burn even
more.

“Princess Chiara said your scar was a symbol of how honorable you are,” said Toph softly.
“She wasn't lying.”

Zuko did not feel honorable. His action in the war room never saved those soldiers, and in the
end it only turned his entire life upside down. He was sure if Chiara were there she would
find some good in it offering him comforting words. He, of course, did not feel deserving of
any consolation, but he had come to expect it from her, making the absence of her presence
sting more painfully. Despite the company of the Avatar's gang, now loyal friends he had
never realized before how much he needed, without Chiara he felt a part of him was missing,
and he was determined to do anything to get her back, including jumping into a volcano.

Chapter End Notes

The story of Private Wang Fire and his “demise” are in the comic “Private Fire” which
is also included in The Lost Adventures.
Wang Fire was also Sokka's alias in “The Headband” episode when he and Katara were
pretending to be Aang's parents during their talk with the Fire Nation school's
headmaster.
I would love to have included a "Private Tang Fire" adventure, but, alas, I never wrote it.
:(
 Jumping into a Volcano

As soon as Appa landed at the Western Air Temple, Zuko jumped out of the saddle and
immediately began setting up his war balloon.

“Are you sure we can't help, Zuko?” asked Aang walking up to him. “Appa'll be faster.”

“Last time I checked, prisons don't have bison daycares,” he said as he fired up the engine.

While the balloon was filling with hot air, he pulled his bag from Appa's saddle along with
his dao and Chiara's jian. He stared at them and sighed.

“I need to leave these here,” he said.

“Are you sure?” asked Sokka. “Don't you think you'll need your weapons?”

“My uncle always said I never think things through. The only way I'm going to get into that
prison is as a guard or a prisoner, and I prefer the guard option. In either case my dao won't
do me any good.” He pulled the canvas with their wedding picture out of his tunic, and after
unrolling it, he gazed upon it for a few minutes trying to impress every detail of the image
into his memory.

Tearing his eyes away from it, he rolled it back up, tied it with the golden ribbon, and held it
out to Katara.

“Will you keep this safe for me?” he asked her.

He presumed she would be the most responsible of the group he could entrust with it.

“Of-of course,” she said taking it from him, her eyes wide that he would trust her with
something so delicate and important to him.

“If...if I don't make it back, can you maybe see that my uncle gets it?”

She looked at him and then nodded her head once. He went to step on the balloon, but he felt
something tugging his sleeve. He looked down to see Toph clutching the fabric.

“You have to come back, Sparky,” she said. “And I'm counting on you to bring Princess back
too.”

“He's done it before,” said Aang optimistically. “Twice. And that was in the center of the Fire
Nation Capital. Right, Zuko?”

He turned towards Aang. “Uh...yeah, but...but I had a lot of help...”

“And then there was that time with the Rough Rhinos when you were the Bl...”

“Yes, yes, I get it!” interrupted Zuko sharply. “I'll do my best to bring her back.”
He took a step but was suddenly restrained and nearly knocked over as Toph had wrapped
herself around him in a hug. Seeing that Zuko was not resisting her, Aang lunged forward and
flung himself onto him.

“Are-are you trying to stop me from going?” asked Zuko clearly annoyed by the liberties they
took with his personal space.

“We're giving you a hug, Hotman.”

“Yep,” said Toph. “Get used to it.”

He just sighed. “You guys are more sentimental than Uncle.”

“If it makes you feel more comfortable, it's for Princess Chiara,” she said.

“It doesn't.” The solemn tone of his voice did not betray the smile he was hiding.

He waited until they released him before he quickly stepped onto the balloon. When he
turned around he saw Sokka following him on board and he brought his hands up and held
them out to keep him at a distance.

“Whoa, you should've gotten your hug in when the others tackled me.”

“I'm going with you,” said Sokka.

Zuko dropped his hands. “But I told you I may not be coming back.”

“I know, but I kind of feel responsible for Chiara getting captured. I promised you I would
help keep her safe, and I feel like I failed.”

“I'm sure you did your best, Sokka,” said Aang worried that Zuko might go into his own
version of the Avatar State and take out his anger on Sokka.

“We were surrounded,” he explained. “We fought them as best we could, but there were too
many of them.”

“I understand,” said Zuko softly, remembering when they were attacked in the Earth
Kingdom.

“And since you're going to a prison, I already have experience as a Fire Nation soldier,” he
said proudly.

Zuko decided not to argue, and truthfully, he knew he could use the backup. “As long as you
understand what you're getting into,” he said adding fire to the engine.

Katara stepped on the balloon to hug Sokka. “I hope you bring her back.”

“We'll meet you guys back here,” said Zuko. “But you might want to start looking at the
maps for a new location. If we get her out, they may be expecting us to head back here. We
should have an alternate campsite we can move to.”
“Good idea,” said Aang.

“Be careful,” said Katara.

Zuko nodded.

“We'll try,” said Sokka. “But we are jumping into a volcano.”

The war balloon took flight as they left to head towards Boiling Rock Prison.

--------------------

It was a beautiful morning as Zuko was guiding the war balloon through the clouds heading
southwest towards the prison. He was shooting fire into the tank while Sokka, who was
staring out at the sky, glanced over at him. Zuko caught his eye, and they both awkwardly
looked the other way.

“Pretty clouds,” said Sokka, not really knowing what to say.

“Yeah,” said Zuko as he glanced at the clouds. “Fluffy.”

When Sokka whistled, Zuko looked at him.

“What?”

“What? Oh, I didn't say anything,” said Sokka. He stared off into the sky before turning back
to Zuko. “You know, a friend of mine actually designed these war balloons,” he said trying to
make conversation in order to alleviate the uncomfortable silence.

“No kidding.”

“Yep, a balloon...but for war.”

“If there's one thing the Fire Lord's good at, it's war,” grunted Zuko shooting more fire into
the tank.

“Yeah, it seems to run in the family,” he said with a slight glare.

Zuko turned towards him. “Hey, hold on. Not everyone in my family is like that...”

“I know, I know, you've changed.”

“I meant my uncle,” he said hoping he was safe. “He was more of a father to me.”

“He must be proud of you,” said Sokka, his voice softer. “Leaving your home to help
us...that's hard.”

Zuko thought back to his life in the palace and trying to live up to Ozai's expectations, and
then he compared it to the life he had been living at the air temple with the Avatar's group, a
life not much different than his treasured time at the cabin. He had felt so free, so
unburdened, living with the Gaang. “It wasn't that hard.”
“Really?” asked Sokka. It was a difficult for him to imagine after having grown up with a
close knit family and a childhood that had been far more nourishing. “You didn't leave behind
anyone you cared about?”

“I brought the person I cared about,” said Zuko.

Sokka smiled.

“Besides Uncle, she's the one person who stuck by me through...through everything. I'm so
lucky to have her,” he said softly.

“Yeah,” said Sokka, his eyes dropping. “My first girlfriend turned into the moon,” he said
sadly.

Zuko, not making the connection to Princess Yue, wondered if that was some sort of
metaphor for death or being dumped. “That's rough, buddy.”

Turning away from the engine, he leaned against the rail gazing out over the sea and horizon
thinking about Chiara. He felt reassured by Tezam and Zara. It had been nearly a month and
he was relieved to learn she was still alive; and to hear that she healed Zara was consoling.
He knew that her ability to heal was what she cherished most in her waterbending, and a
small smile formed on his face as he hoped healing at least one person might have brought
her some comfort during her incarceration.

--------------------

Hours later Zuko was still keeping watch while lost in thought despite Sokka's snoring.
Along the horizon he could see thick clouds forming and climbing higher in the sky, but as
they came nearer, he perked up when he realized it was steam billowing from a small mass of
land in the sea.

“There it is.”

Sokka woke up and stood next to Zuko to look at the island in the distance.

“There's plenty of steam to keep us covered,” said Zuko. “As long as we're quiet, we should
be able to navigate through it without being caught.”

They continued moving towards the island. Flying through the steam cloud, Zuko began
feeling more anxious knowing he was getting closer to Chiara. His plan was simple. He
would get inside the prison, find her, get out, and they would fly back to the air temple
together. Of course, he knew it would not be that easy, but as long as nobody recognized him
and they were not seen escaping, he was sure they they could do it. His thoughts were
suddenly interrupted when the balloon began a steep descent.

“We're going down!” he said adding more fire to the tank. “The balloon's not working
anymore.”

He started throwing fire blasts directly up into the balloon.

“The air outside is just as hot as the air inside so we can't fly,” said Sokka.

Zuko was thrown to the side as the balloon continued dropping from the sky. “So what are we
supposed to do?” he asked.

“I don't know,” said Sokka. “Crash landing?”

The balloon skidded across the lake splashing Sokka's hand with boiling water. He quickly
placed his other hand over his mouth to keep from screaming out loud while he shook the hot
water from his skin. They continued skidding across the lake until the war balloon crashed
into land throwing them both out onto the ground. They looked at the balloon.

“How are we going to get off the island if the balloon won't work?” asked Sokka.

“We'll figure something out,” said Zuko.

Sokka started gathering the parts of the balloon together. “What you said about your uncle
saying you never think things through—you weren't kidding.”

“Hey, I never wanted you to come along in the first place,” he said helping Sokka push the
damaged balloon into the water.

After hiding the evidence of their arrival, they both turned and stared up at the prison.

--------------------

Finding their way inside, they made it to a storage room where they disguised themselves as
guards. Zuko was anxious to get out and search the prison. After spending time walking
around, they finally just stood on an upper level and watched everything going on in the yard,
but they did not see Chiara anywhere.

When hours had gone by and there was still no sign of her, Zuko did not know whether to
feel worried or not. He hated the idea of her being imprisoned, but if she was not there, then
they would have to find a way off the island and start their search for her from the beginning,
and he would not know if she was alive or dead.

Before working on an escape plan, he wanted to make absolutely certain she was not there.
They waited until it drew close to shift change among the guards and they went to the guards'
chow hall to see if they could find out any information.

“I would've put her in isolation if I were you,” said Zedak.

“What do you have against her?” asked Nai.

“She thinks she has to be in everybody's business.”

“She's just trying to help everyone,” said Dako. “She's so beautiful,” he added a bit dreamily.

Zuko wondered if they were talking about Chiara.

“Keep in mind who you're speaking about,” warned Nai. “She's off-limits.”

“I don't care how beautiful she is; I wouldn't touch that Water scum spy except to beat her
again,” said Zedak.

Sokka heard a deep growl emanating from Zuko who was suddenly enraged by Zedak's
words, but Sokka put his hand on his arm.

“Who are you talking about?” asked Sokka stepping ahead of Zuko.

Nai glanced up at them. “You guys must be new here.”

“Yeah, we just got shipped in,” he said casually.

“The Fire Princess is here.”

“I wish you would quit calling her that,” growled Zedak.

“Who's she?” asked Sokka feigning ignorance.

“Prince Zuko's wife,” said Dako.

“Fire Nation traitor,” spat Zedak.

“Oh, Prince Zuko is married?” Sokka asked innocently.

“Where have you been?” asked Nai.

“Uh, we've been stationed in...uh...one of the outposts...in the Earth Kingdom,” he answered.

“He married some beauty from the Water Tribe,” said Dako.

“Not only that,” said Nai, “but she was the daughter General Iroh adopted years ago and
raised in Caldera City.”

“So a union between the Water Tribe and Fire Nation,” said Sokka thoughtfully stroking his
chin. “That seems like a smart move.”

The other guards laughed, except Zedak.

“Hey, make love not war. Am I right?” said Sokka.

“That's not what the Fire Lord thought,” said Dako.

“I heard they executed her,” said Nai. “But it turned out that she and Prince Zuko escaped.”

“Then a friend of the warden spotted her in one of the colonies and they found her near the
Western Air Temple, so they arrested her and brought her here,” said Dako.

“Does the Fire Lord know she's here?” asked Zuko, speaking for the first time.
“Who knows?” said Nai. “Apparently, the warden had it out for her, so he punished her by
putting her in the labor sector.”

Zuko was worried about her.

“I think he expected her to be dead within a week,” she said.

Zuko tensed up, and Sokka sensed he was worried.

“But she's not, right?” asked Sokka.

“Not only is she not dead, but she's been the best thing to happen to this place,” said Dako.

Now the two teens were surprised, and Zuko was wondering if any of these guards were the
allies that Tezam had mentioned.

“Really?” asked Sokka.

“Best thing,” said Zedak. “You're all traitor sympathizers.”

The others laughed at Zedak's anger.

“Don't start encouraging the noobs to side with the spy,” he said standing up.

“But she is,” insisted Dako.

Zuko was curious. “How so?”

“She's got healing abilities,” said Dako thinking about her healing his injury. “She's been
helping everyone in the prison: prisoners and guards.”

“She's still Water filth!” snapped Zedak furiously before storming out of the room.

Zuko was angry at Zedak's insults.

“Don't mind him,” said Nai. “He's just upset because he can't intimidate her.”

“And he's tried,” said Dako.

“Tried?” asked Zuko wanting to know what Zedak had done to her.

“Princess Chiara always challenges him when he punishes the prisoners, so he loves abusing
her,” said Nai.

Zuko took notice of Nai's address.

“She sounds pretty cool,” said Sokka.

“Exactly,” said Dako. “Most everyone thinks so too now.”

“Can...can we see her?” asked Zuko.

“She's working,” said Dako.

“Where?” asked Sokka.

“I left her with Jiro,” said Nai. “She's probably working laundry or in the kitchen.”

Zuko was growing more excited at the thought of seeing her; and that she was alive and well
was sinking in making him even more anxious to meet with her.

--------------------

Zuko and Sokka followed Dako to the laundry buckets and then to the kitchen, but Chiara
was nowhere to be seen.

Dako shook his head. “Maybe Zedak moved her to the quarry,” he said. “He was pretty upset
in the chow hall.”

“They make her work in a quarry?” asked Sokka.

“Zedak does. That or the construction site, but Nai tries to keep her in the kitchen.”

“Nai?” Zuko remembered Tezam saying his daughter would help him.

“She was the one in the chow hall with us. Anyways, I got to go get ready for my shift. You'll
see the princess around. Listen for Zedak yelling; that's usually a sign.”

He walked off leaving Zuko and Sokka to wander around the prison, but they never found
Chiara, so they decided to separate and search for her.

By the time prisoners were being sent to their cells for lockdown, Sokka spotted her. He took
a step towards her just as two guards came around the corner. He remained where he was and
watched to see which cell she went into. He was now anxious to find Zuko again and ran off
to look for him.

Unable to identify the prince among the guards throughout the compound, and long after
lockdown, Sokka waited at the spot they planned on meeting.

“Hey there...fellow guard. How goes it?”

Sokka was sure that much awkwardness could only come from Zuko, so he lifted his visor.
“Z?”

“Hey,” said Zuko. “I couldn't find...”

“I found her!”

A feeling of excitement filled the prince. “Where is she? Is she okay? Did you talk to her?”

“I didn't talk to her. I just saw the cell she went into.”

“Let's go.”
They headed to Chiara's cell.

“This is it,” said Sokka before scanning the area to make sure they were alone.

Zuko took a deep breath before slowly opening the door and stepping inside while Sokka
remained in the hall. The prince was anxious to see her, and he could hear his heart beating as
his eyes scanned the cell. It was empty.

“Sokka,” he whispered when he opened the door. “Are you sure this is the right cell?”

“Yeah, why?”

“It's empty.”

Sokka stepped inside and looked around before double-checking the number on the door.

“I know this is the cell she went in,” he said.

“Well, she's not here now.” Zuko felt frustrated as his hope of seeing her was dashed.

“I don't know where she could be,” said Sokka. “Let's go.”

They left the cell, but stayed nearby to keep an eye on it.

It was nearly an hour later when they saw Chiara walking by herself back to the cell. Zuko's
heart leaped when he saw her. After she disappeared inside, he quickly ran over, opened the
door, and entered. He saw her long, ebon braid as it fell down her back past her waist, and as
soon as she turned around his eyes locked onto hers wishing the cell was bright enough to see
the beautiful sea green, and he was unable to stop himself as he lunged towards her in an
attempt to wrap his arms around her.

Startled and creeped out by the sudden and unwanted, seemingly amorous, embrace of a
guard—one she suspected might have been hitting the fire whiskey—she immediately
brought her hands up to his chest and pushed him away from her forcing him across the
room. She took a defensive stance ready to attack him again unconcerned with any
punishment she might endure for assaulting a guard. Zuko had not expected her reaction, and
it took him a second to realize he still had his helmet on before ripping it off his head. As she
took in his face, the hard look in her eyes softened as they widened with excitement and she
ran towards him jumping in his arms wrapping her arms around his neck.

“I'm so sorry,” she said tearfully.

He was softly laughing as he held her tightly.

“I love you,” he said.

“Oh, I love you, my Prince.”

His heart stirred at her loving address he had long missed.

“I've missed you so much,” she said.

He felt the same way and did not want to let go of her.

“I'm sorry I attacked you,” she said still holding onto him.

“It's okay. I'm sure my sternum will pop back into place.”

Worriedly, she let go of him and placed her hand on his chest. “Oh...I'm so sorry...”

He smirked as he gazed into her eyes. “Don't be sorry,” he said. “I'm glad to know that's the
welcome you would've given anybody else.” With his hands on her wet cheeks, he pressed
his lips against hers, his amorous affection every bit welcome to her.

“I can't believe you're here,” she said, tears of joy still flowing down her face.

He wrapped his arms around her with one hand resting on her head holding her against him
as she buried her face into his neck. It occurred to him that she felt thinner than he
remembered.

“If this is a dream I don't want to wake up,” she said.

“It's not a dream.”

She let go of him looking in his eyes while still in his arms. “But if it's not a dream, then you
can't be here. It's too dangerous,” she said worried about him. “I think it's a trap to lure you
here.”

“I'm not so sure it's a trap. It took us nearly a month to find out you were here.”

“You are so stubborn. I wanted you to stay with Aang.”

“You're my destiny, Chiara. I won't stop looking for you,” he said as he wiped the tears from
her cheeks.

“When you have a mind to do something, you do it,” she said smiling, but shaking her head
at his obstinacy. “How did you find me?”

“Sokka infiltrated a group of soldiers who said you were here, and an older couple confirmed
it.”

She threw her arms around him again and lay her head on his shoulder. He laughed and held
her tightly.

“I've missed you,” she said.

Despite their situation, she felt safe in his strong arms at that moment and she never wanted
him to let go of her.

“How are you going to get out of here?” she asked.

“We hadn't planned that yet.”

She released him again and looked up at him. “We?”

“Sokka insisted on coming with me.”

“Oh, I need to speak to him.”

“What for?”

“His father's here.”

“Sokka,” called Zuko softly towards the door.

Sokka opened the door and looked in. “Hey, Chiara, I am so glad to see you,” he said in a
tone of relief.

“It would've been better if it were outside a prison,” she said. “But thank you for having my
obstinate husband's back.”

“Yeah. He's pretty determined.”

“Also, your father's here.”

His eyes grew wide. “What?” he asked excitedly as he stepped inside. “Really?”

“Hakoda of the Southern Tribe,” she said.

“That's him.”

“He's on the first level.” She told him the cell number.

“Do you two mind if I...?”

“Go,” said Zuko with his arms still wrapped around Chiara and not taking his eyes from hers.

When Sokka left, Chiara looked back up at Zuko.

“You stubborn guys. I hope you have a way out.”

“Yeah...about that...,” he said somewhat timidly.

She sighed. “Did you ever consider you could've helped Aang win the war first, and then you
could've had me released?”

“I didn't even know you were alive. I was sure Azula had you.”

Her eyes got big. “You went to the Capital, didn't you?”

He nodded guiltily.
“Oh, Prince Zuko, that was so reckless.”

“The White Lotus helped us,” he assured her. “No one else ever knew we were there.”

“But if it had been a trap...”

“It wasn't, and it doesn't matter now. I found you and we'll find a way to get out of here.” He
released her and looked at her. “You're bruised,” he said as he tenderly touched the fading
mark on her face.

“It's nothing.”

“A bruise on my wife's face isn't nothing,” he said deeply. “You're thin and you look pale.”

“I've been working a lot.”

“That's what the guards were saying.”

“You spoke to the guards?”

“Yeah. They didn't know it was me though.” He touched her soft hair. “How long has it been
since you enjoyed the moonlight?”

“A moon cycle.”

“Oh, Chiara,” he said as he tenderly caressed her face. “I'm so sorry.”

She shook her head. “Don't be.”

“It must've been so rough for you here.” He held her hand leading her towards her mat.

“It's actually been a lot better than the last time I was in prison.”

“You shouldn't be in any prison...”

“But seriously, this has been like a spa compared to being imprisoned by Azula.”

He shook his head. “Unbelievable. This place is one of the most notorious prisons in the Fire
Nation.” They sat down on the mat. “You've impressed a lot of the guards.”

She shrugged. “I just helped whoever needed helping.”

He smiled as he held her hands.

“We were looking for you today, but we couldn't find you. One of the guards said you were
probably working in the quarry.”

“Not today. Jiro took me to the infirmary.”

He had a sudden look of worry. “Were you hurt?”

“No. It wasn't for me. The doctor likes to ask questions about my healing, and we were
discussing anatomy and various non-waterbending treatments. I had also told him about your
ability to relax the muscles through firebending, so he was showing me the result of his
attempt to experiment on himself. I healed it for him...”

“He burned himself?”

She smiled. “It wasn't bad. I tried to help him correct his technique, but he's still having
trouble with it. Maybe if we win this war you can show him one day.”

He looked down at her hands as he held them in his own.

“You weren't in here earlier,” he said. “Where were you then?”

“There was a prisoner who was sick.”

“How did you get out of the cell?”

She pulled water out of her damp shirt and made her ice lock pick.

He grinned. “You're incredible.”

--------------------

Sokka went to the first level where he found the cell number Chiara had given him. He
entered, and seeing his father sitting on the mat, he approached him. Hakoda looked up at
him.

“Thank goodness you're okay,” said Sokka.

Hakoda jumped up and stood defensively ready to attack him. “If you take one step closer,
you'll see just how 'okay' I am,” he said deeply.

Sokka lifted the visor on his helmet. “Dad, it's me.”

His father relaxed as he saw Sokka's bright, blue eyes, and his own eyes brightened as he
looked at his son. “Sokka, my son.” He embraced him and held him. “You know, Sokka, you
should be more careful with this guard outfit on. I almost punched you in the gut.” He
released him. “So what are you doing here?”

“I'm here to rescue you.”

“How did you know where to find me?”

“Chiara told me.”

“Chiara? The traitor waterbender?”

“She's not a traitor, Dad.”

He was puzzled. “The one that's married to the Fire Prince?”

“Yeah. In fact, Zuko's here too.”

“Sounds like a major problem,” said Hakoda crossing his arms.

“Actually, he's on our side now.”

His father looked skeptical.

“I know,” said Sokka. “I had the same reaction. After all he's done, it was hard to trust him.
But he's really proven himself.”

“The Fire Prince Zuko? Didn't he almost kill the Avatar in Ba Sing Se?”

“His sister did...”

“But he was fighting with her.”

“Yep, but he's changed now,” said Sokka. “He's been working with Aang.”

“And you're sure it's not a trap?”

“I'm sure. And if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here.”

Hakoda was confused. “I'm afraid I don't understand.”

“I came with him to help rescue Chiara. He's with her right now. We're going to find a way to
get out of here.”

“Oh...,” said Hakoda looking away.

“What's wrong?” asked Sokka.

“Well...I kinda told the waterbender that she should've been executed,” he said, his voice
filled with shame.

“You what?! Dad, why would you say that to her?”

“I didn't know she was on our side. I mean, she's from a Water Tribe and she's married to the
Prince of the Fire Nation who tried to kill...or helped try to kill the Avatar. What was I
supposed to think?”

Sokka sighed. “I guess I see that. But executed?”

“I was angry. I'll apologize when I see her.”

Hakoda sat down on his mat as Sokka peeked out the door to make sure there were no guards
around.

“So where's Bato?” he asked. “Where's everyone else from the invasion?”
“The others are being held at a prison near the Fire Nation palace. They singled me out as
their leader and sent me here.” Sokka sat down next to him. “But before I left, I met some
young women who said they knew you. The...Oshinama Fighters?” he said unsure.

“You mean the Kyoshi Warriors,” said Sokka smiling.

“That's right.”

“Their leader is Suki, but I don't know where she is,” he said sadly looking away.

Hakoda looked at him. “So, do you have a plan?”

“Not yet. We lost our war balloon, and I don't know if there's another way off this island.”

Hakoda smiled and patted Sokka's back. “Sokka, there's no prison in the world that can hold
two Water Tribe geniuses.”

“Then we'd better find two,” he said despondently.

Hakoda burst out laughing making Sokka laugh as well.

--------------------

“...So we lost the war balloon,” said Zuko after describing the details of their search to
Chiara. “We don't know how we'll get out of here, but I'm sure we'll think of something.”

The door opened.

“Have you thought of a way out yet, Sokka?” he asked.

“Prince Zuko?”

Zuko and Chiara looked up to see a guard who was staring at them wide-eyed as he
recognized the prince by his scar.
 Making Plans

Realizing the guard was not Sokka, Zuko and Chiara immediately stood up, Zuko taking a
defensive stance standing protectively in front of his wife. He felt nervous at having been
caught, as did Chiara. Even though Dako had been kind to her and offered her her freedom
and even professed his loyalty, she still worried that he might turn Zuko over to the warden.
At that moment, Zomi walked in.

“Dako, what's taking so...Prince Zuko,” he said, shocked to see the young prince he also
recognized by the scar. “Uh...Your Imperial Highness...,” he corrected.

“Long live Prince Zuko and Princess Chiara,” said Dako as he knelt down before them. “I'm
honored to be on your side.”

“As am I,” said Zomi now also on his knee.

“Many of us don't see you as a traitor, but as the true leader of the Fire Nation,” said Dako
seeing that the couple was still apprehensive. “We will gladly serve under you and the Fire
Princess.”

Zuko was relieved to find that Tezam was right about allies, and he relaxed his stance. “Then
I'm honored to stand by you,” he said bowing to them.

“I'm Zomi, Your Imperial Highness...”

“There's no need for etiquette. I'm fine with Zuko. And you can stand.”

Zomi nodded as they stood up. “This is Dako.”

“You really did it, Prince Zuko,” said Dako trying to keep his excitement toned down. “There
were bets being placed on whether or not you'd actually break in here to rescue the Princess.”

“Dako!” admonished Zomi.

“What...I won twenty gold coins,” he said. He looked at Zuko. “Your odds were 99 to 1...”

Zuko's mouth opened, though he was not sure what to say.

“...uh...but they would've been a lot shorter if this was the Capital City Prison,” he finished.
“Nobody thought you could manage Boiling Rock. I bet on you though.”

“I guess that's...good then?” said Zuko, still unsure of what to say.

Zomi shoved Dako aside. “Prince Zuko, you must watch out for a few of the guards,” he
warned. “Zedak is one of them.”

“All I want to do is to get my wife out of here.”

Dako's brow furrowed. “How did you even get here?”

“I had a war balloon, but I lost it on the way in.”

Both guards were stunned, but awed, by his daring attempt to rescue Chiara.

“Getting you guys out'll be tricky, but not impossible,” said Dako.

Chiara was excited at the thought of leaving the prison with Zuko and returning with him to
the Gaang, but the delight she felt became weighed down by a sudden concern.

“What about the other prisoners?” she asked.

Zuko turned to her. “What?”

“There are so many here who need help,” she said. “Especially the older ones.”

“There's nothing we can do for them until after the war.”

“But some were close to death. If anyone else gets injured or sick and they're left without a
healer...”

“Chiara, I'm not going to leave you in prison.”

“You've already helped everybody here, Princess,” said Dako, “including me.”

“And me,” added Zomi. “My family will always be in your debt.”

“You've been punished for a crime you never committed,” said Dako. “It's time for you to
leave.”

Zuko was impressed and amazed at the effect Chiara had on the guards.

“I'm not alone,” said Zuko to the guards. “A friend and his father are here too.”

Dako looked thoughtfully at Zomi. “What if...what if we coordinate a mass breakout?”

The idea of getting everyone out of the prison made Chiara feel hopeful, but Zuko was
wondering if it could be done. “Would that be possible?”

“Most of the guards are on your side, Prince Zuko,” said Dako. “And after what Chiara's
done for most of the people here, I think even the prisoners would fight for you.”

Zuko was again impressed by Chiara's effect.

“A majority of the prisoners are Fire Nation deserters who refused to fight for the Fire Lord,”
said Zomi. “If nothing else, they'll all fight for their freedom from here.”

“But what about the guards?” asked Chiara. “I don't want you guys in prison or on the run,
especially those of you who have families.”
“If we plan it properly, the prisoners can overpower the guards, so no one'll ever suspect their
involvement,” said Dako.

They all knelt down on the floor to discuss a breakout plan that would free the prisoners, yet
protect the allied guards.

“What we'll need are a few groups with specific jobs,” started Dako. “One to take out the
warden, some to breach the gateways between sectors, some to run the gondolas, and another
for the airship.”

“We'll need a large group to start a riot,” said Zomi. “If we can cause enough disorder, that'll
make it easier for the specialized groups to do their jobs.”

“It's going to take about a week,” said Dako. “A lot of the guards have been disgruntled with
the war, and more of them are realizing you weren't the traitor we were told you were.”

Zuko looked down. “I guess that's good to know,” he said softly. He felt Chiara's comforting
hand on his back and the warmth of her body on his arm as she leaned against him.

“A lot of them have said they'd support you and General Iroh,” Dako continued. “But, of
course, no one can speak out without being branded a traitor themselves, so we need to get
with them privately and make sure they'll really...”

“Uhh...”

They turned to see Sokka standing at the door with his mouth open.

“Oh, look, it's...you...,” started Sokka awkwardly, speaking to Zuko. “How did you get in
here?”

“It's okay, Sokka,” said Zuko wanting to laugh at his reaction. “They're on our side.”

“R-really?”

“Yes.”

Sokka relaxed. “Whew! We haven't even been here a day and I thought we were caught.”

“Well, technically you were caught,” said Dako. “You're just lucky it was us.”

“We're planning a mass breakout,” said Zuko.

“And you're making plans without my help?” asked Sokka.

“Well, come here and help.”

Sokka quickly knelt down next to Zuko.

“This is Sokka,” said Zuko to the guards. “Sokka, Dako and Zomi.”

They nodded at each other.

“So you guys are really going to help us?” asked Sokka.

“Yes,” said Dako.

“Why?”

“We support Prince Zuko,” said Zomi.

His words still sounded foreign to Zuko.

Dako looked at the prince. “We'll only let a few guards know you're here,” he said continuing
with their plans. “When we talk to the others we can make it sound like you're still on the
outside preparing to fight the Fire Lord to take back the Fire Nation.”

“That is what you're trying to do, right?” asked Zomi.

He told Ozai he was joining the Avatar to help defeat him; it was no secret. “Yes, it is. We
need to end Ozai's tyranny.”

“That might inspire the others to help you once they're out of here,” he said. “They can break
free from the prison, but unless there's a change in leadership, they'll still never be free.”

Zuko had no intention of succeeding Ozai, but he would make sure there was a change in
leadership.

“We'll start with the guards 'cause it won't work without their help,” said Dako. “And then
we'll move on to the prisoners.” He looked at Zuko again. “Prince Zuko, you'll have to
remain in disguise and live like one of the guards while we're setting this up.”

Zuko shrugged. “I've lived in a lot worse conditions.”

They could not imagine what it had been like for him to have been banished, especially at
such a young age.

“There are three sections in the prison,” explained Zomi as he traced invisible walls on the
floor between them. “The entrance courtyard, Sector One, and Sector Two.”

“We're in Sector Two which is the labor sector,” said Dako. “The prisoners in Sector One will
have to be responsible for breaching the gate between their sector and the courtyard. They'll
also be the ones who will have to take down the warden.”

“Once that's accomplished they can take control of the gondolas,” said Zomi.

“What are those?” asked Sokka.

“That's how anyone gets in and out of the prison,” he explained.

“Well, anyone who's not breaking in,” Dako smirked at Zuko.

“They travel over the boiling lake,” continued Zomi. “On the other side is a boat dock, but
there's only a boat present when there's a change of guards or when prisoners or supplies are
brought in...”

“So how do we leave the island then?” asked Sokka.

“There's also an airship pad.”

“The warden's airship is docked there,” said Dako. “That's what you guys can use to leave.
It's large enough to hold everyone who's escaping, and you'll have more than enough
firebenders to run it.”

They continued discussing plans that would be carried out over several days since they would
need to gather as many allies in the prison as possible.

“We need to get back to work,” said Dako realizing it was getting late.

They stood up.

“Prince Zuko,” he said, “you and your friend need to continue working as guards so as not to
raise any suspicions.”

“I understand,” said Zuko. He looked at Chiara, her hand in his. “I've been searching for you
for nearly a month; I hate leaving you in here.”

She smiled at him. “A few more days won't make a difference, and knowing you're nearby
makes it worth it.”

He wrapped his arms around her embracing her tightly before planting a soft kiss on her lips.

“Please be careful,” she said, tenderly caressing his cheek.

“I'll try.”

He reluctantly released her hand and followed the others out into the hall where they walked
to the end of the corridor.

“How'd she get the bruise?” Zuko asked them.

“Probably Zedak,” said Dako.

Zuko remembered him in the guards' chow hall, and he felt angry, but he knew reacting to it
would jeopardize his mission to free her.

“Would it be possible to allow her to enjoy the moonlight tonight?” he asked.

Dako was puzzled by the prince's request. “I don't understand.”

“Waterbenders are strengthened by the moon,” he explained. “She's been trapped in this
prison without any way of recharging, and she's looking really pale.”
Dako nodded. “We might be able sneak her up to one of the towers for a short while. I know
a few of the guards up there who'll do it for her. You stay here and guard this hall, and I'll go
talk to them.” He turned to Zomi. “You stay with the Fire Prince...” He looked at Zuko. “We
need another name for you.”

“I just call him Z,” said Sokka.

“Is that okay with you, Prince Zuko?” asked Dako.

Zuko chuckled softly. “Yes.”

“I'll take...Sokka was it?” asked Dako looking at him.

“Yes.”

“That doesn't sound like a Fire Nation name.”

“It's not. I'm Water Tribe. How about Lee?” he said remembering Master Piandao's
suggestion.

“Good enough,” said Dako. “I'll take Lee with me, that way you and I can handle any
problems that come up,” he said to Zomi.

Zomi agreed. Zuko and Sokka both felt a little apprehensive about being separated, but Zuko
figured if they were going to betray them, they would have already turned him over to the
warden.

Sokka followed Dako as Zuko and Zomi remained standing at the end of the hall.

“Can I ask you something, Prince Zu...uh...Z?” said Zomi. It suddenly hit him that he was
standing alone with a member of the royal family, one who could potentially be the next Fire
Lord, and addressing him in so informal a manner, and he immediately became self-
conscious.

Zuko's eyes were downcast suspecting his question was about his scar. “What?”

“Why were you banished?” he asked in a low voice wondering if it was too personal a
question to ask the Crown Prince.

His question was unexpected. “You mean it's not taught in the Fire Nation military academies
how the great Fire Lord Ozai banished the weak Crown Prince Zuko that it might teach him
respect through suffering?” he asked, bitterness in his voice.

“No,” said Zomi softly, suspecting it had been a mistake to ask. “I just remember hearing
years ago that the Crown Prince had been banished. You must've been just a kid.”

“Thirteen,” he answered softly. “I spoke out against a general at a war council...”

“General Bujing?” he asked, a hint of caution in his voice.

Zuko looked at him curiously and nodded. “Yes.”

“Nai's father said you spoke out in defense of the 41st Division. So that's why you were
banished?”

Zuko turned his head. “Not just for that. By speaking out, I disrespected the Fire Lord and
was ordered to fight an Agni Kai.”

There was a look of shock on Zomi's face. “You had to fight an Agni Kai against a general at
thirteen?”

“It wasn't the general I faced in the chamber,” he said, his eyes downcast again. “It was the
Fire Lord.”

Zomi's jaw dropped. “Your father?”

“I refused to fight him which he considered weakness,” continued Zuko. “For that I was
punished with this scar and banished and sent to find and capture the Avatar in order to
restore my honor.”

“I-I heard the scar was a training accident,” he said softly.

Zuko let out a wry laugh as he shook his head.

“That's...that's really crazy,” said Zomi.

A small smile broke across the prince's face. “It is. But what's even crazier is that it took me
four years to realize how crazy it was. Ozai cannot take or give me my honor, but it comes
from the choices I make. I decided to control my own destiny instead of letting him dictate it
to me. I made Chiara my destiny.”

“I understand,” he smiled. “My wife and son are everything to me.”

“Family is important.” His voice was soft as he spoke the words reminding himself that
Chiara and Iroh were his true family.

“There were rumors going around that Princess Chiara had been executed,” said Zomi. “A lot
of us were really surprised when she was brought here. We were told not to tell anyone of her
captivity.”

“If it's true that the warden was after her, then he's trying to keep that information from the
Fire Lord. If it's discovered that she's here, she'll be taken back to the Capital. And if that
happens, my sister will kill her.”

“Your sister? Princess Azula?”

Zuko nodded. “Azula had it spread that Chiara was dead while she kept her hidden in the
prison so she could torture her.”
The idea of Zomi's sister physically abusing his wife, Gia, was unthinkable to him; so to hear
that Chiara's own sister-in-law tortured her was likewise unbelievable, and he found it
disturbing. “Nai said she had scars on her back. Why would Princess Azula do that?”

“Because Chiara's Water Tribe and she's my wife...and my sister's crazy,” he added.

Zomi was reminded of the verbal abuse Chiara suffered from him and Dako for the same
reasons. It was when he saw her heal Dako that he began feeling guilty over the way he
treated her, but he felt absolute remorse for it when she healed his son. Hearing what Nai's
father said about the leaders of the Fire Nation was further confirmation that she was not
deserving of his scorn nor was the prince whom he insulted and had considered a traitor. His
whole perspective of the royal family and the inferiority of the other Nations, which was also
the perspective of many in the Fire Nation, had been based on lies, and to know the truth was
liberating.

“They say you broke her out of the Capital City Prison twice,” he said wanting to learn more
facts.

“Yes. The first time I got her and my uncle out before his execution, and the second time was
on the day of the eclipse. I was told she had been executed, but I found her when I was
looking for my uncle. At first, I thought she was dead,” he said sadly. “I carried her out and
left the Fire Nation with her, and I nursed her back to health.”

Learning the truth in the rumors that Prince Zuko had broken Chiara out of the Prison Tower
in the Capital, not once, but twice, was intimidating, especially since he had just broken into
the most secure prison in the Fire Nation. But despite the intimidation, he was discovering
that the prince was very personable, and it was refreshing being able to ask him questions and
get a firsthand account instead of relying on hearsay.

“That's...that's incredible,” said Zomi. “You broke into two different prisons three times for
your family.”

Zuko gently shrugged. “It's not really that incredible. I had help. I wouldn't have been able to
do it otherwise. Although that wouldn't have stopped me,” he added making Zomi snicker.
“Even now,” started Zuko, looking at him, “I wouldn't be able to save her if it wasn't for you
and Dako. I'm indebted to you...to all of you, for the help you're offering.”

The devotion Prince Zuko showed to his uncle and his wife was admirable, and Zomi
understood that he was more worthy of being Fire Lord than Ozai to whom all Fire Nation
citizens were required to swear their loyalty. His own allegiance would be to the Crown
Prince whom he was sure could offer a better future for his family.

“It truly is an honor to serve you, Prin...Z.” Zomi shook his head. “That's going to take some
getting used to.”

Zuko just smiled, but having his own people supporting him was something he was finding
hard to get used to after years of exile and being viewed as a traitor.
“I guess it was better that Princess Chiara was brought here this time,” said Zomi as he
considered what might have happened had she been returned to the Capital.

“She shouldn't be in any prison.”

“True...,” started Zomi, “...and don't take this the wrong way, but if she had never come here,
my son would probably be dead.”

“Really?” he asked wondering how Chiara's imprisonment spared his son's life.

“He's always been sickly. He would have good days and bad days, but my wife sent me a
letter saying that he had been sick and he wasn't getting better. Dako came up with a plan to
take Princess Chiara and meet with my wife and son so she could heal him. We have a lot of
friends in this sector who were willing to cover for us, and the guards at the entrance took
bribes to let us out with her. If she had escaped, though, those guards would've turned us in,
and if we were caught with her outside the prison, we would have to say we caught her trying
to escape. The princess was still willing to go, so we met my wife and she healed my son.”
Zomi's eyes watered just a little as he thought about how responsive his son was after Chiara
healed him. “Nai, who covered for us, she had her parents meet us there too, and Princess
Chiara healed her mother. Her mother was so grateful she didn't want the princess to come
back to prison.” He looked at Zuko. “She also said that she hoped Prince Zuko would be Fire
Lord one day so his wife could be at his side rather than in chains.”

He remembered Tezam telling him that Chiara had healed his wife.

“A lot of us feel that way,” said Zomi. “In fact, before we came back to the island, I took her
chains off and offered her her freedom.”

Zuko's eyes grew bigger.

“I tried to give her some gold and told her she could escape to the Earth Kingdom. She
refused to do it because she knew what might happen to me and Dako.”

“She would never risk allowing anyone to suffer for her,” he said softly.

“She is truly worthy of being the wife of the Prince of the Fire Nation. My family is honored
to serve you.”

Zuko felt grateful. “When I married her, I renounced the throne,” he admitted.

“Why would you renounce the throne?”

“My uncle said no one would accept a Water Tribe Fire Lady. If I can't have both, I choose
Chiara.”

“There's no reason you can't have both. Except for a few, most here already consider her the
future Fire Lady. And if our plans are successful, there'll be a lot more who will learn the
truth and accept you and the princess.”
Zuko smiled to himself. “I once told her if only my people could understand what a treasure
she could be to them.”

Zomi was once again amazed by his love for her. “Some of us do understand.”

--------------------

It was not long before Dako and Sokka returned.

“It's all clear,” said Dako. “We can take her up to the tower and there's a spot on the wall
where she can spend some time.”

Zuko was relieved, and he immediately went to Chiara's cell where he found her quietly
meditating, or so he thought. She was having trouble clearing her mind, and she was too
excited to sleep knowing he was so close—if he was so close and she had not hallucinated his
visit. When her door opened, she glanced up, her heart rate increasing with his appearance.

“I have a surprise for you,” he said softly after entering.

“Nothing can beat you being here,” she said.

He grinned at her words as he took her hand helping her to her feet, and then he gently kissed
her before pulling her along leading her out of her cell.

“We aren't leaving the prison yet, are we?”

“You ask that as if you don't want to leave,” he said.

“I do, but...I'm just worried about the others.”

He shook his head softly laughing. “Only you could find something good about being locked
in prison.”

“Yep, and you were the best thing I found in here...or that found me,” she corrected.

Her words caused a flutter in his chest. He stopped walking and pulled her close. Ignoring
their audience nearby, he leaned towards her and planted another gentle kiss upon her lips.

“Save the conjugal visit for the cell,” said Sokka walking up to them.

Chiara was softly giggling as Zuko scowled at him.

“You sound like Uncle. A kiss can hardly be considered a conjugal visit.”

Dako walked over to them trying to force a serious expression after hearing their
conversation. “Follow me,” he said. “There's a spot on the northeast tower where the moon is
visible.”

He led them up to the tower where a guard stood before them.

“Prince Zuko, this is Tadashi,” Dako introduced him.

Tadashi knelt before Zuko and Chiara. “Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara, I am honored to
serve.”

Zuko and Chiara bowed to him.

“How are you feeling, Tadashi?” she asked him.

“Much better, Princess.”

She sighed. “And they still have you up here?”

“Yes. I requested a transfer to the courtyard, but it hasn't been approved.”

She shook her head frustrated by such negligence, and she turned to Zuko. “The watchtower
guards are having issues with their lungs due to the constant exposure to steam. I suspect
there's something more in the air that's causing the trouble. Reducing the shift time of the
guards and rotating more would really cut down on their internal injuries, but the warden
won't do it.”

“Why not?” asked Zuko.

“Favorites among his guards don't want to do this job,” said Dako.

Tadashi led them to a secluded spot where the hazy light of the moon shone down through the
steamy air. Zuko took off his helmet expecting the glance that Tadashi shot his way before
averting his eyes so as not to stare.

They looked around but the steam blocked most of the horizon, especially so late at night.

“It's a wonder you guys can see anything approaching,” said Zuko understanding how easy it
was for his war balloon to slip through unseen.

“Sometimes it's clearer during the day depending on the direction of the wind,” said Tadashi.

“Moon's not very bright with all the steam,” said Zuko to Chiara.

“It still feels refreshing,” she said.

Both guards were amazed by the way her skin had a warm glow as it absorbed the reflected
rays.

“You've spent too much of your energy helping everyone,” said Zuko, his fingers wrapped
around her long braid allowing it to glide through his hand.

“It's a gift for others. But this will help; I feel stronger already.”

“Is this normal for a waterbender?” asked Tadashi.

“They gain strength from the moon the way firebenders do from the sun,” explained Zuko
unable to resist running his hand over the soft, glowing skin of her arm down to her hand.
“The moon is merely reflecting the light from the sun,” she said. “It's filtering and tempering
its power. So in a way we're both connected to the sunlight.”

Zuko was impressed by her words. He lifted her hand to his lips, and her eyes locked on his.

“I've really missed the fire in your eyes,” she said softly as she tenderly touched his face.

“If we make it out of here, I'll never let you out of my sight again.”

--------------------

After spending time on the tower, Chiara was taken back to her cell.

“Thank you for arranging that, Dako,” she said.

“If I had known that you needed it, I would've done it sooner.”

Zuko kissed her goodbye for the night, and then he reluctantly left.

“Z,” said Sokka when he saw him. “Why don't you go get some sleep? I don't think you slept
since she went missing.”

He was exhausted, but now that he found Chiara, he was anxious to move on with their plan
to escape.

“I-I don't want to leave her,” he said.

“I'll stay here,” said Sokka. “You'll want to be awake so you can watch her during the day.”

Zuko knew Sokka had a point, and he nodded.

“Why don't you stay in the cell with your wife?” suggested Zomi. “We'll keep watch and
wake you about an hour before shift change.”

“That's a good idea,” said Sokka. “You always complain you can't sleep without her.”

“I know it's what I would want if it was my wife,” said Zomi.

Zuko nodded again desiring very much to be with Chiara.

“Just don't...you know...make too much noise,” said Sokka.

Dako and Zomi were suppressing chuckles.

Zuko glared at him. “Yeah, because romancing my wife in a prison cell sounds really
exciting,” he said in a flat tone.

“I think it would after a month,” shrugged Sokka.

More like 'after never', thought Zuko sourly. “Stupid war,” he grumbled in an undertone as he
walked off.
Chiara sat up when she heard him enter, thrilled to see him again.

“You look exhausted,” she said after he took off his helmet. “You should go get some sleep.”

“I'm going to,” he said. She watched him set his helmet on the floor before sitting down next
to her. “They're going to wake me up before shift change.”

Having been separated for nearly a month, she was elated to spend every second with him,
and she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him making him laugh softly as he
held her. When she released him he lay down while she rested her head on his upper chest
enjoying the warmth of his body.

“They're really good guys,” she said of the guards.

“They are.”

He gently caressed her arm as it lay over his chest.

“I missed you so much,” he said, relishing the feeling of her body pressed against his making
him feel whole again. “I didn't sleep well when you were gone.”

His words forced her up, and he instantly missed the warm, comforting sensation of her form
against him.

As she moved to sit near his head, he leaned up on his elbow. “What are you doing?”

“Just relax,” she said placing her hands on his shoulders until he lay down again.

He now knew exactly what she was about to do, and he had to admit he was looking forward
to it. She pulled what water had not evaporated out of her clothes. It was just enough, and she
guided it over his head. A calm feeling immediately descended upon him.

“I was sure they took you back to Azula and she killed you and I'd never enjoy your touch
again,” he said softly.

“And yet you still searched for me,” she said in a tender voice, her heart full of love for him.

“I spent years searching for the Avatar; I definitely wasn't going to give up searching for my
wife.”

“The Avatar still has me beat though,” she said playfully.

He softly laughed. “I would never stop looking for you.”

“When you have a mind to do something, you do it.” She leaned over him to kiss his
forehead, and then she tenderly caressed his cheek.

“You're also a lot more beautiful than Aang,” he said dreamily.

She let out a soft giggle. “Just sleep now.”

He became so relaxed and calm as she continued her treatment, he could have lived in that
moment forever. Every tense instant of her absence melted away, as well as the anxieties
surrounding their planned escape, and he eventually fell into a deep sleep.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with long-term lung disease after working at
Boiling Rock Prison during the Hundred Year War, you may be entitled to financial
compensation. Call now for your free legal consultation: 1-123-OZAI-SUX.
 We're Almost There
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

“We need to get all the prisoners released from their cells,” Zuko told Sokka while they were
walking through the prison.

“Come on.” Sokka grabbed his arm pulling him.

“I know what 'come on' means,” hissed Zuko as he scowled at him. But he didn't fight Water
Tribe's manhandling; he was too anxious to move on with the plan. He still hadn't gotten
completely used to the Gaang's touchy-feeliness, but it was easier to just deal with it rather
than threaten them with some sort of bodily injury all the time.

“I have an idea,” said Sokka.

Sokka liked being the plan guy, and since he already had one, it was one less thing Zuko had
to worry about.

They approached the guard who was standing by the levers which controlled the cell doors.
With the prisoners on lockdown, he stood staring out over the empty halls below. It was only
one guard; Zuko was sure he could take him even if he was a firebender.

“Hey, I just got orders,” said Sokka. Zuko looked at him wondering what his plan was. “Let
the prisoners out into the yard.”

Okay , thought Zuko, Water Tribe's going to try to handle this with words.

The guard crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at him clearly not falling for it. “But we're
in the middle of a lockdown.”

Zuko was quite sure a fire blast would easily take care of this problem.

“Oh, okay,” said Sokka a little too agreeably for Zuko's liking.

Zuko's hands were warming up.

“I'll just go tell the warden you said that.”

Really? thought Zuko. His plan involves being a tattle-tale? Yep, let's just go tell the warden.
Maybe try a little sarcasm, Water Tribe.

The guard lifted his visor as he watched Sokka turn away.

“I'm sure he'll be glad to hear about you undermining his authority,” said Sokka.
Way to go, Sokka. Zuko had to admit he was impressed to see the guard getting nervous.
Sweet sarcasm.

“What's your name again?” demanded Sokka lifting his visor to look closely at him.

“Wait...!” said the guard.

Zuko could see sweat beading on the guy's forehead. Water Tribe's really scaring him.

“Don't tell the warden,” the guard said nervously. “I'm just a little confused.”

“Hey, I'm confused too,” shrugged Sokka. “But the warden's in a bad mood, and...irrational.
So if you ask me, it's best not to question it, and just do what he says.” He put his arm around
the guard's shoulder for effect.

“Yeah...you're right,” said the guard. “We're letting them out!” he announced.

He pulled the levers which opened the cell doors, and the prisoners began leaving their cells
and heading out to the yard. Sokka really was the plan guy. Uncle would've been proud to see
the situation handled without violence. If they actually managed to escape the prison, Zuko
might tell him about it.

They ran down to the yard where they met up with Chiara and Sokka's twin that he could
only assume was his father, Dakota? Hokada?

“This is it! We have to start a riot,” said Sokka.

“Okay, how do we do that?” Zuko asked him.

They looked around at the prisoners trying to think of a way to cause some mayhem.

It was Twin Sokka who smiled deviously. “I'll show you.”

As he walked away, Zuko was wondering how he was going to manage a riot using words
until he saw the enormous prisoner he was approaching from behind. It didn't take long to
figure out his plan when he watched Sokka's dad shove him. This was a man who knew how
to get things done without words. Zuko could respect that. The prisoner stood up straight
towering over Twin Sokka looking down at him. On second thought, maybe it was more like
how to get killed, because Zuko was sure Sokka was about to become an orphan.

“Hey! What'd you do that for?” asked the prisoner. “That hurt my feelings.”

Feelings? thought Zuko.

“Aren't you mad at me?” Twin Sokka asked.

He shrugged. “Uh...well, normally I would be,” he said calmly, “but I've been learning to
control my anger.”

Not quite what Zuko was expecting.

“This isn't working,” said Sokka. Clearly he hadn't expected it either.

Zuko spotted another giant of a prisoner, but this one was approaching them, so he grabbed
Chiara's hand and moved her behind him.

“I heard you're trying to escape,” said the prisoner.

“Actually, we are,” Sokka stated matter-of-factly. “But we need a riot.” He pointed at him.
“You wouldn't happen to know how to start one, would you?”

“A prison riot? Please.” He walked off and Zuko watched him grab another prisoner lifting
him over his head. “Hey!” he yelled to the others in the yard. “Riot!!”

Zuko didn't expect the effect to be so instantaneous until all the prisoners started yelling and
shooting fire blasts into the air.

“Impressive,” commented Twin Sokka. Zuko agreed.

“Forget about controlling my anger,” said the prisoner Sokka's dad had pushed. “Let's riot!!”

The chaos ensued around them as prisoners were attacking guards and other prisoners, and
fire blasts were flying around.

Zuko took Chiara's hand again to keep her close. “We have to get to the gondolas,” he said.

“This way,” said Sokka.

They ran through the courtyard, but as they were heading towards the gondola platform,
several fire blasts came towards them. Finally, thought Zuko, anxious to play some part in
their escape. Letting go of Chiara, he moved Sokka out of the way, and jumping into the air
he came down blocking one of the blasts. He turned to Chiara next to him who had just done
the exact same move blocking another fire missile. There was no way his Water Tribe wife
could pull off a firebending move like that without a weapon.

“How did you do that?”

“I've been around you firebenders long enough to pick up a few tricks,” she smirked.

He stared at her with wonder, but her smile and sweet voice had him captivated.

“Back off!” yelled Sokka.

Zuko snapped out of his rapturous state to see the guards ready to attack again.

“We've got the warden.”

Water Tribe's losing it. Zuko turned back to him to see him carrying a tied-up warden.
Wait...when did that happen? Did his wife's firebending trick cause him to zone out that
long?
The guards backed off and allowed them through, so he wasn't going to make too much of a
fuss about his lapse in memory.

“Let's go!” said Sokka.

Zuko took Chiara's hand again and pulled her with him.

Sokka, still carrying the warden, and Twin Sokka reached the gondola, but Zuko knew
someone had to get it moving.

“Go,” he said to Chiara. “Get on. I'll catch up.”

He waited until the others were inside before pushing the lever to start it. Once it started
moving, he kicked the handle trying to break it. It didn't look like it budged. He kicked it
again. Nothing. Spotting the guards running towards him, he began feeling desperate. He had
to break the handle. He kicked it again as hard as he could. The loud crack as it snapped off
was music to his ears. He quickly turned and ran leaping off the platform towards the gondola
as fire blasts surrounded him while he soared through the air. He had never been so happy to
see Sokka who was extending his hand out to him. He grabbed it, and with his and Chiara's
help, he climbed inside.

“What are you doing?” asked Sokka anxiously.

Guess it wasn't obvious. “I'm making it so they can't stop us.”

Sokka nodded his head in approval. “Way to think ahead.”

A compliment with a tone of pride...Nice.

“Wait,” said Twin Sokka. “Who's that?”

Zuko turned to look down at the platform. Not nice. “That's a problem,” he said staring at
Azula. “It's my sister.”

He exchanged glances with Chiara. It was during their quick mutual look that Azula had
snatched a pair of handcuffs from a guard before running across the platform. Zuko's eyes
widened seeing his crazy sister leap off the edge and propel herself with blue flames until she
attached the cuffs to the gondola's cable. A fleeting thought passed through his mind
wondering if he could do the same maneuver. He decided not to risk it yet, at least not this
high up and over a boiling lake. But he did quickly climb up on the roof of the gondola and
wait for her to propel herself to the top. They stared each other down. She was so calm and
relaxed; everything she had just done was so effortless, as always...he hated it. But he was
determined not to give up without a fight. Losing this battle meant losing his wife again, and
he didn't make it this far to lose her to Azula. His sister's devious smile was her warning
before striking. She kicked out blue flames towards him. Zuko jumped forward bringing his
fist down stopping them with his own fire. She sent out another blast, but before he could
react, he was shocked to see Chiara jump in front of him and stop it with her own wall of
flames and then shoot a stream of fire towards Azula. How ever his sister had reacted he
didn't notice; Chiara's green flames were too mesmerizing. They were the same color as her
eyes. It was like a sea of fire...wait...it was her fire...

“Chiara! How are you doing that?!”

“Just go with it,” she said lightly.

He needed to know how his waterbender was also a firebender. Was this another secret she
and Uncle had been keeping from him all these years? Or did she really pick up a few tricks
from him? If she did, did he pick up some from her? Could he waterbend? The flashes of
green and blue drew him from his thoughts and back to Azula who looked livid as she sent
another flaming missile towards them. Zuko joined Chiara in blocking it, and as she
mimicked his moves, they simultaneously sent out streams of fire at evil princess—he
appreciated Toph's nicknaming genius...well, sometimes...as long as Sparkles doesn't come
up again.

Now he smiled as Azula struggled to block both bursts of flame. Taking advantage of it, he
shot a volley of fire at her. It felt good to release his frustrations out on his sadistic sister and
watch her have trouble defending herself. He kept her on the defensive, jumping, ducking,
and sidestepping his attacks, but then he saw her slip as Chiara brought a wave of boiling
water from below sending it underneath Azula's feet. Wait...Chiara was waterbending and
from a tremendous distance from the water below. Maybe it's the heat of the boiling lake
around them that's allowing her to shoot fire...aaand Azula just fell off the roof. Zuko ran to
the edge where he saw her propelling herself towards another gondola that was going back to
the prison...better her than us. He looked behind them. They were nearing the other side of
the lake. He smiled realizing they were going to make it, but then a strange tapping sound
drew his attention; he lifted the visor of his helmet to look for the source of the noise.

“Zuko?”

“We're almost there, Sokka,” he mumbled.

Chiara was wondering what he was talking about, but she was so comfortable and warm
surrounded by her firebender, it was a struggle to open her eyes.

“Zuko,” called Sokka again in a low voice without looking inside the cell. “Shift change is in
an hour.”

Zuko sighed softly as his mind was pulled out of his dream of their escape. They were so
close. Finding himself still in the prison was disappointing, but he was not disappointed to
find Chiara in his arms with her head nestled against his neck. She started moving to allow
him to get up, but he tightened his grip on her not letting her go.

“A few more minutes,” he whispered.

She smiled as she settled against him.

Sokka, not sure if Zuko heard him, opened the door just enough to slowly step inside with his
hand over his eyes.
“Are you...uh...presentable?” he asked.

Zuko refused to open his eyes yet, only wanting to concentrate on the feeling of his wife
against his body. “No, Water Tribe, we're not. Go away.”

Chiara was softly giggling.

“Well, you might want to...um...finish up?”

Chiara covered her mouth to suppress her giggling as Zuko let out a soft growl annoyed by
Sokka's presumption.

“Can I throw a fireball at him?” he grumbled with playful irritation.

Chiara gently rubbed his chest before reluctantly moving from her cozy position and leaning
up on her elbow to see Sokka standing near the door with his eyes covered.

“He totally has his eyes covered,” she whispered to Zuko. She could feel him laughing. “And
you expect us to...um...finish up with you in here?” she asked Sokka.

It was too dim to see the teen's face turn completely red.

“Oh...uh...I...,” he started as he turned and walked into the wall. “I...am so...sorry.” He was
feeling for the door. “Yeah...let me just...” He found the handle and opened it. “Let me
just...um...get out...”

The door shut behind him and Zuko and Chiara started laughing.

“Could he have been any more noisy on his way out?” said Zuko.

“He missed the door and walked into the wall.”

Zuko was still laughing. “Really?”

“Yes.”

She lay down next to him, his warm arm still over her waist.

“I don't want to move from here,” he said as he moved closer to her.

“I know. Me neither.” She leaned into him. “So what were you dreaming about?”

“What?”

“You told Sokka you were almost there.”

Images of his dream started flashing through his mind. “We were escaping. Oh, and you were
a firebender,” he added as if it were normal.

“What?”
“We were fighting Azula and you were firebending green fire. It was really weird...but
beautiful. The fire looked like your eyes,” he said in a dreamy tone.

“That is weird.”

Though Zuko felt more rested than he had in months, he had no desire to open his eyes. As
long as they were closed, all that existed was Chiara in his arms. There was no prison, no
war, no more separation. He sighed deeply knowing he had to get up. He leaned over her
kissing her softly before forcing himself to his feet.

“Be careful,” she whispered.

He nodded as he picked up his helmet and left her cell. She watched him disappear through
the door, and as soon as he was gone, her cell felt cold and empty, and she knew she would
not be able to go back to sleep, so she sat up and tried to meditate.

Zuko met Sokka out in the hall.

“I'm sorry I interrupted,” Sokka whispered. “It's just the guys said I should wake you up since
we're friends, but they're guards, so I told them it was their job to go in and wake you. Then
they insisted I do it because something about it being treason when
interrupting...uh...the...uh...royal act...”

Zuko's head dropped as he sighed deeply at Sokka's rambling, and he found it even more
frustrating that Sokka was dead serious in his belief that he walked in on a romantic
interlude. He was relieved his visor was up when he pinched the bridge of his nose
automatically.

“Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not treasonous, Sokka.” Or at least he did not think it was. “And
I already told you I'm not going to...to romance my wife in a prison cell.”

“But Chiara just said...”

“She was messing with you. The only thing you interrupted was my sleep.”

“Oh, so you did get some sleep.”

“Best sleep I've had in weeks,” he said more calmly.

“I'm going with Dako and Zomi to get some rest myself after shift change,” said Sokka.

They walked to the end of the corridor meeting up with the two guards.

“You'll be hanging with Nai today,” said Dako. “I thought she was going to wet herself when
I told her you were here...”

Zomi burst out laughing. “More like you thought you were going to wet yourself when she
nearly disemboweled you thinking you were screwing with her.”
Zuko found himself enjoying the guards' company and camaraderie. It helped take the edge
off the gravity of their situation.

“Anyways...,” Dako interrupted loudly before returning his voice to above a whisper, “...she's
aware of the plan, and she's super excited to meet you. There are still several other guards I
need to talk to before getting with the prisoners.”

He stopped talking when they heard someone approaching, and Zuko dropped his visor
down. Nai walked up to them.

“Nai, this is Prince Zuko,” said Dako pointing him out.

“Your Imperial Highness,” she said in a low voice, though there was no one else around. She
went down on her knee. “I'm honored to serve you and Princess Chiara.”

“Y-you don't have to kneel,” said Zuko.

She stood up.

“We've been calling him Z,” said Zomi.

“With your permission,” she said to Zuko.

He could not help but be impressed by her etiquette. “Of course,” he replied before thinking
that might have sounded less than regal.

“I thought you might want to eat breakfast.” She unwrapped a cloth containing biscuits, slices
of hippo ox meat, and hippo cow's milk cheese.

Zuko had not realized how hungry he was until he saw the food, and Sokka's eyes grew wide
as he suddenly felt the sting in his own stomach.

“Thank you,” said Zuko taking off his helmet.

Nai's eyes rested on his scar just as the other guards had, but it held a deeper meaning to her
than it did to the others.

“So where do I get some of that?” asked Sokka.

“We'll hit the chow hall before we go to bed,” said Dako.

Zuko was staring at the food he was now holding. “What about Chiara?”

Nai smiled, impressed that he thought of his wife first. “Don't worry. She'll get breakfast with
the prisoners.”

“But she's looking really thin.”

“That's because she gives most of her rations away,” said Zomi.

Zuko looked at him. “To whom?”

“To other prisoners. She worries they're not eating enough.”

“There were also a few times that prisoners were caught stealing food from the guards,”
started Nai, “and Princess Chiara told Zedak to take it out of her rations.”

“Why would she do that?” asked Sokka before Zuko could ask it.

“When I asked her, she said that she saw too much war and death and not enough mercy.”

Zuko's eyes sank. “She wasn't lying,” he said softly. And though he was impressed by her
generosity, he was also worried about her health.

“The server gives her extra now,” said Dako.

It was a relief to hear it, but he was still worried about her. “But she still looks thin.”

“For the first couple weeks she was only given half-rations,” said Nai.

“And she still gave some of it to others then,” said Zomi.

“Why only half-rations?” asked Zuko.

“She wasn't popular when she first came here,” said Dako. “A lot of the prisoners and guards
considered her a betrayer or a spy, and some wanted to be cruel.” He was reminded of his
own treatment of Chiara.

Zuko felt ashamed. “Because of me.” His voice was above a whisper.

“That is part of it,” said Nai truthfully. “But only because the lie about you and General Iroh
being traitors was spread from the Capital and forced down everyone's throats.”

He looked at her knowing she was right about the propaganda and it was frustrating, but he
appreciated her acknowledgment that their treason was false.

“And when everyone learned about the General's daughter being a waterbender,” she
continued, “it was spread that she was a Water Tribe spy.”

“But now, most of us see her as the Fire Princess,” said Zomi.

It was reassuring to hear that they accepted her.

“Zedak is really the only one who has it out for her,” said Nai.

“And the warden,” added Dako. “He put her in the labor sector to humiliate her.”

Nai chuckled. “He has no idea what a mistake he made...at least, a mistake for him.”

“But doesn't he know what she's been doing for the prisoners?” asked Sokka.

“No,” smiled Nai. “Let's just say the reports he receives tell him exactly what he wants to
hear.”
 “Like what?”

“Like an exaggeration of her mistreatment by the guards and prisoners and how miserable
she is. If he learns she's content in any way or has any advocates, he'll intervene and do
something drastic; otherwise, he's happy to leave things as they are.”

Zuko and Sokka found it amusing, and clever, that reports had been falsified to protect her.

“So what's the deal with him?” asked Sokka. “Why does he have it out for her?”

“I heard General Iroh threatened him because of her,” said Nai.

Zuko was curious about his uncle threatening someone. “When did that happen?”

“He used to be the Captain of the Guard in the Prison Tower. I assume it was then.”

His eyes lit up in comprehension when he remembered Chiara feeding Iroh who had been
restrained after threatening a guard with a knife. “Idem,” he hissed.

Nai nodded. “That's the warden.”

“He told my uncle he would be pardoned if he killed Chiara.”

Everyone's jaws dropped, appalled to learn what Idem had proposed to Iroh.

“Uncle threatened him with a knife.”

“I really like your uncle,” said Sokka.

The others softly laughed and nodded.

Chapter End Notes

I apologize for any repetition (again) in these next few chapters and if it seems like the
story's slowing down. There's always got to be a calm before the storm, and right now
Zuko's bonding with the guards who have already bonded with Chiara...and Sokka's got
to have some fun.
 Hard Day at Work

When Zuko finished eating the breakfast Nai brought him shortly before shift change he put
his helmet back on.

“Let's start heading towards the chow hall,” said Dako to Zomi and Sokka. “We'll see you
guys this afternoon,” he said to Zuko and Nai.

When they had walked off, Nai looked at Zuko. “I can't believe you're really here, Your
Imper...Prince Zuko,” she corrected in a whisper. “I almost killed Dako thinking he was
messing with me. I mean, you actually broke into Boiling Rock to rescue Princess Chiara just
like you did in the Prison Tower.”

“I'll do whatever it takes to get her out of here,” he said.

“And I'll do whatever it takes to help you both get out of here.”

He smiled. “So did you win or lose?” he asked her.

She had a puzzled expression as she looked at him. “I'm sorry?”

“I heard there was a bet about whether or not I'd break in here.”

She let out a soft chuckle looking down. “I didn't bet...not that I didn't think you wouldn't do
this...well...I was kind of hoping you would...I just wasn't sure how it was possible, but I
don't gamble.” She looked at him again. “I think it's just...incredible that you're here. I am
truly honored to serve you, just as my father served with General Iroh.”

It still seemed strange to him hearing Fire Nation citizens express their honor in working with
him—with his uncle, the great hero and general and former Crown Prince, it was not so
unusual, but to hear it about himself, it was something he had been sure he would never hear
in his lifetime.

“I met your father and mother a few days ago,” he said to her surprise.

“You did?”

“He found me near Xi Han. He confirmed that Chiara was being held here.”

Nai felt proud of her father as she imagined him searching for the prince to tell him about the
princess.

“Growing up, he always spoke of General Iroh as a great man,” she said. “We're proud of
what you've done for him.”

Zuko nodded. “He is a great man.”

“As are you.”

He was so used to being seen as a traitor among his own Nation that even among his allies, it
was odd to hear 'proud' in any positive sense about him.

“My brother was a soldier in the 41st Division,” she said.

He glanced down. “Your father said so. I'm sorry,” he said, his words barely audible.

“Many of the recruits came from our village,” she said. “My parents lost their only son.
When word got out that the whole division was sacrificed, we were outraged. My father
immediately resigned from the army. When we learned that it was only the young prince who
spoke up in defense of his people, and was then severely burned and banished, we knew you
were the most honorable member of the royal family. Our village will serve you in whatever
way you need.”

He was speechless.

“I-I'm honored,” he finally managed to get out.

“We're honored, Prince Zuko, to have such a noble leader.”

“I don't feel noble,” he said softly. “Those men lost their lives and there was nothing I could
do to stop it.”

“You were only a child then,” said Nai. “But now you can make a difference. You can be the
leader our Nation needs.”

He appreciated her words since outside of Iroh and Chiara he was sure no one else in the Fire
Nation saw him as their leader.

“I don't want it,” he admitted. “At one time I would've given anything to have my place back
next in line. But now...now I just want to settle down somewhere and...and live.”

His desire for a normal life outside the royal palace made her smile. Whereas most would
want the power and royal lifestyle, she found him to be humble and modest.

“That makes you even more worthy to be the Fire Lord,” she said.

He shook his head. “My uncle would be a better choice. He was raised to be the next Fire
Lord.”

“Maybe after him then,” she grinned at him.

He gently shrugged. “Maybe,” he said softly.

Everything was quiet as they leaned against the second floor railing.

“So how's General Iroh doing?” she asked.

“I don't know. The last time I saw him he was in prison, and he was upset because he thought
Chiara had been executed. When I went to free him from his cell, he was gone. He escaped
before I could get to him.”

“We heard that she was executed too.”

“My sister said she killed her. When I went to the prison to get my uncle out, one of the
guards told me about some hidden cells and that's where I found her. I thought she was dead,
but she wasn't. Azula kept her alive so she could torture her.”

“Chiara said it was because of your marriage. Is it because she's Water Tribe?”

“Yes. That and my sister's crazy. That's why my Uncle Iroh doesn't want her to become Fire
Lord after Ozai.”

They were silent for a few seconds staring out over the empty halls.

“Your wife is an amazing woman,” said Nai. “After what she did for my mother, I feel I can
never repay her.”

“Chiara wouldn't expect you to.”

“I remember hearing about General Iroh taking in a war orphan. I never knew she was from
the Water Tribe.”

“Nobody knew except my uncle, and I grew up with her.”

“So he just brought her back to the Fire Nation?” she asked.

“Yes. Her village had been attacked, and she was the only survivor, so he brought her home. I
still remember the first day I met her.” Hearing the affection in his voice she glanced over at
him and saw the brightness in his unscarred golden eye as he spoke of her. “We were together
a lot, but I never saw her waterbend. After I was banished she would use her healing ability,
but she did it so secretly, she made it sound like she just had some really good healing salve.”

Nai laughed. “I suppose if anybody had known she was Water Tribe living in Royal Caldera,
it would've caused a lot of trouble.”

“It did when they found out. My uncle helped the Avatar's friends escape in Ba Sing Se, and
Chiara helped Uncle fight against the Dai Li and my sister.”

“Is that when you found out she was a waterbender?”

“No. It was shortly before we were married.”

“When did you get married?”

Zuko told her about their marriage, Ba Sing Se, their imprisonments, escapes, and life in the
Earth Kingdom.

Nai enjoyed hearing all of it. “I like how your friend put it: a union between the Fire Nation
and Water Tribe.”
“Yeah,” smiled Zuko. “That's one of his better expressions...definitely better than something
like...” He thought about what Sokka might say. “...I don't know...marriagebending?”

She looked confused and would have asked him what he was talking about, but the bells rang
signaling shift change.

--------------------

Sokka followed Dako and Zomi to the chow hall.

“This afternoon after we get some sleep we'll take you on a tour of the prison,” said Dako.
“We can work out the details walking through the other sections.”

“Sounds good,” said Sokka.

After entering the dining room, he loaded his tray with a mound of food before taking it to a
table.

“Wow, where do you put it all?” asked a guard sitting next to him.

“Right in here,” said Sokka as he shoved a chopsticks-full of food into his mouth.

“I've never seen you before. What's your name?”

“I'm Lee,” he answered after swallowing. Sokka looked at him pointing his chopsticks in the
guard's direction. “And you are?”

“Shiro. Did you just transfer here?”

“Yeah. I worked at an outpost in the Earth Kingdom.”

“Which one?”

“Oh, you know, one of the ones way up there,” he said waving his chopsticks in the air
nonchalantly.

Dako and Zomi looked at each other wondering at which point they should intervene.

“You don't know the name of it?”

“Why so curious, Shiro?” asked Dako.

“My brother's at the Zin Xi outpost...”

“No, it wasn't that one,” said Sokka. “But you may have heard of a little place called
Gaipan?”

“Yeah,” said Shiro. “Wasn't that place flooded by those punk kids?”

“Yes, but not before one very brave young man warned them...I'm mean us.” He stuffed more
food in his mouth.
“That happened a while ago,” said Shiro.

“I wath althso at Ba Shing Shay when...” He swallowed his food. “...when we took it over.”

“Were you,” he said almost skeptically.

“Well, 'we' by which I mean Princess Azula,” he said totally unperturbed by the questions
and skepticism. “Our drill never made it into the wall...that darn Avatar,” he added trying to
sound irked.

“Sounds like you've been all over.”

“Yep, that's why I joined,” said Sokka. “I wanted to see the world.”

“Not much world to see here,” said Shiro blandly.

“It's a nice little break from traveling.”

--------------------

When Sokka finally finished eating, Dako and Zomi led him towards the guards' quarters.

“You really sounded like you knew what you were talking about back there,” said Zomi to
Sokka.

“The key is telling the truth.”

Dako let out a laugh. “The truth?”

“Yep,” said Sokka. “Not one bit of that was a lie. I was the one who warned the villagers that
the Freedom Fighters were going to flood Gaipan. And I was at Ba Sing Se when the Avatar
destroyed the drill, which of course he couldn't have done without me since I'm the plan guy,”
he bragged.

“Wait...” Dako stopped walking and took hold of Sokka's arm to stop him. “...so you're the
reason our Fire Nation drill didn't break through Ba Sing Se's walls and Princess Azula had to
find another way to conquer it?” He sounded offended and somewhat threatening.

Sokka started feeling nervous. “A-and that's what we're working for, right? Y-you know, a
better future for the Fire Nation while not occupying other Nations.”

“But you fought against our Princess. That's a criminal offense.”

“But I thought you were on Zuko's side,” said Sokka anxiously, beads of sweat forming on
his brow.

“Yeah, I'm just messing with you,” said Dako laughing as Zomi joined him.

“Oh...yeah...,” said Sokka, suddenly relieved, but his heart still pounding. “Ha ha.”

--------------------
When it was time to let the prisoners out of their cells, Zuko stealthily kept his eyes on
Chiara.

“Zedak will probably have her scrubbing floors today,” Nai told him as they watched the
prisoners leaving the chow hall.

“Yesterday she worked in the infirmary. Why can't she do that again?” he asked.

“As difficult as it is to watch Zedak mistreat her, if we don't let him bully her sometimes, he'll
take it up with the warden. We don't want him to intervene. I heard he had mentioned
execution when she first arrived here, but I think as long as he believes she's suffering it
won't come to that.”

Throughout the day Nai and Zuko watched over the prisoners but mostly Chiara who had
been on her knees scrubbing the floors. Periodically, they would have to move around the
sector, and during the prisoners' lunch break, Nai took Zuko through different areas of the
prison to show him around while discussing their upcoming plans.

That afternoon Zuko resumed watching Chiara.

“You can get closer to her if you'd like,” said Nai seeing the longing in his eyes.

“Really?”

She smiled at the way his eyes lit up expectantly.

“Yes. Just don't look too suspicious.”

He wondered how not to look 'too suspicious.'

“It's not unusual for the guards to talk to her,” she said. “Just be careful.”

Zuko tried to casually stroll towards Chiara while she was working.

“I hate seeing you work like this,” he said in a low voice standing nearby.

Hearing his voice made her heart rate speed up, and she smiled to herself. “It's okay,” she
assured him. “I did this on the ship.”

“But...but that was different. You did it voluntarily.”

She continued scrubbing, so he walked over to her and stopped her.

“At least take a break,” he said. “You should have some water.”

She stood up, and she was just about to take a drink from the canteen he offered her, but she
looked at Zuko and spoke quietly and quickly. “Insult me, and don't get upset by anything
you hear.”

“Wh...?”
She fell to the ground and put her hand on her face as the canteen fell next to her spilling the
water everywhere.

“I just wanted a drink,” she said sounding as if she was about to cry.

Nai had been watching from the second level and wondered what happened, and Zuko was
completely confused and was about to help her up when he heard Zedak laughing.

“Good job,” he said to Zuko as he slapped him on the back nearly knocking him over.

Seeing Zedak below, Nai immediately left her spot to head down there.

“Many of the other guards are too lenient with this Water filth,” said Zedak.

Zuko's eyes narrowed and his fists tightened in rage, but he thought about Chiara's warning.

“It's good to see someone smack her down when she needs it,” said Zedak. “She gets too
many privileges as it is.” He scowled at her. “Trying to take the guard's water is a night in
solitary. If you want a drink, drink this.” He kicked over the bucket.

She stood up, but not before getting wet as the dirty water went everywhere, and Zuko was
struggling hard not to defend her.

“What's going on, Zedak?” asked Nai.

“The spy scum was trying to steal the new guy's water,” he answered. “But he handled her
properly.” He looked back at Chiara whose clothes were dripping with the dirty water. “I bet
you won't try that again.” He turned to Zuko. “You can have the honor of locking her up in
solitary.”

“For what?” asked Nai.

“Trying to steal a guard's canteen.”

“I'm sure she wasn't trying to steal it,” she argued.

He rolled his eyes towards Zuko. “You see the way they defend her? Just lock her up. No
food.”

He walked off, and Nai, Zuko, and Chiara started walking to solitary.

“I'm so sorry, Chiara,” whispered Zuko as they walked.

“For what?” she asked. “You did good.”

“What do you mean? You're going to be locked up because of me...on top of being locked up
because of me.”

“I'll be okay. It's not the first time I've gone through this.”

“I hate this,” he hissed. “I just want to get you out of here.”

They entered the solitary cell, and she turned to him and tenderly touched his face under the
helmet. “Be patient. You guys have a good plan, and it'll work, and it'll save a lot of people,
but you cannot be discovered here.”

He took his helmet off, took her hand in his, and kissed it.

“I'll see you tomorrow,” she said softly.

Suddenly, he pressed his lips against hers and then hugged her tightly. “I love you,” he said.

When he released her, he put his helmet back on, and he and Nai left the cell returning to the
yard.

“Don't worry about her, Z. She's a pro.”

He looked at her wondering what she meant.

“You're not the first person she's protected here,” she said.

“All I did was try to give her some water, and now she's locked up in solitary.”

“Hey, she did the right thing. If this plan is going to work, we can't let anyone outside the
network know. Plus, what she did put you on Zedak's good side. That couldn't have worked
out better if we tried.”

Zuko still felt bad for Chiara.

“And I didn't realize the Prince of the Fire Nation was such a romantic,” she said sweetly. “If
I was a few years younger, I might have a crush on you.”

She playfully bumped him with her elbow and grinned at him. If he had not been so worried
about Chiara, Nai's teasing might have made him smile, but his worry did not stop him from
blushing with embarrassment under his helmet.
 Life in Prison

After the prisoners were locked down in their cells that evening, Nai and Zuko met with
Dako, Zomi, and Sokka.

“We have several more guards willing to join,” said Dako. “So we're still on schedule.”

“Good,” said Nai. “I'm not sure how much longer loverboy here's going to hold out.”

“Ha, ha...!” laughed Sokka. “...loverboy...but...uh...speaking of which...I need your help after
shift change before you get some sleep,” he winked making Zuko cringe.

“He'll be sleeping in the barracks tonight,” said Nai.

“Not even one day and she's already kicking you out of the bedroom,” teased Sokka. “What
did you do?”

“I had to put her in solitary,” said Zuko ashamedly.

“You what?! Why would you do that to her?”

Sokka's reaction made him feel worse, and he dropped his eyes. “I just wanted her to drink
some water.”

“So because she didn't you locked her up for it?”

“Zedak started walking over to them when he gave her the water,” started Nai. “Princess
Chiara hit the ground so that from where Zedak and I were it looked like Z slapped her.”

“What did Zedak do?” asked Dako.

“You know that jerk; he loved it. The princess looked up and said, 'I just wanted a drink.' She
was good. Zedak insisted she stole the canteen so he confined her to solitary. He thinks Z's on
his side now.”

Dako and Zomi laughed.

Zuko could not understand why they found it so funny. “She shouldn't go without food,” he
said sadly. “She looks so fragile.”

“Don't worry about her, Z,” said Dako. “Nai'll take care of her.”

He was not reassured.

“I'll sneak her some food later,” she said. “I've done it before.”

“And at least she's getting a break. She doesn't have Zedak making her slave around out
there.”
Dako's point was a little consoling to him.

“Before you guys go, I need to visit a prisoner,” said Sokka.

“Why do you need us?” asked Zuko. “Isn't your dad on the first level?”

“It's not my dad. It's my girlfriend.”

Zuko gave him a suspicious look. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“So is this just some random girl you saw in the prison and suddenly have a crush on?” he
asked.

“No,” said Sokka with a playful tone of offense. “She happens to be the leader of the Kyoshi
Warriors,” he said proudly.

“Huh,” said Zuko. “So some girl you just saw in the prison and have a crush on...”

“I'll have you know Suki and I go way back,” he said.

“And she feels the same way?”

“Is it so hard to believe that she does?” asked Sokka.

“Yes, it is.”

“Says the guy who put his own wife in solitary. At least my girlfriend doesn't have to put up
with a moody, angry jerkbender like poor Chiara does.”

“Sir, shall I lock him up in a cell for you?” Nai asked Zuko with complete seriousness upon
hearing Sokka insult the prince.

Dako and Zomi were snickering.

“No,” said Zuko, softly chuckling at her offer and even appreciating her sincerity. “He...he's
actually not wrong.”

Sokka threw his arm around Zuko's shoulders. “Don't worry, Nai, me and His Highn-ass here
go way back.”

“Personal space, Lee,” said Zuko through gritted teeth as he crossed his arms. “Or I will let
Nai lock you up.”

“Yep,” continued Sokka, ignoring Zuko's threat. “I remember when Prince Pissy was even
pissier than he is now with all his I must get the Avatar to restore my honor...,” he said in a
deep dramatic voice, waving a fist in the air.

“Okay, Nai,” said Zuko. “I think he needs a time out...”

Just then, the bells rang for shift change.

“Ooh, ooh, time to see Suki,” said Sokka excitedly, pulling away from Zuko.

Zuko looked at Dako and Zomi. “If he doesn't return, just assume he's serving time.”

“Let's go, let's go,” said Sokka who had already started walking off. “She's in the first sector.”

Dako and Zomi gave Zuko a slight bow before he and Nai turned to follow Sokka.

They crossed over to the other sector of the prison and continued following him to the
prisoners' cells.

Just as he was about to enter Suki's cell, Zuko grabbed his arm. “A word of advice: take off
your helmet as soon as you're in the room,” he said rubbing his own chest where Chiara had
pushed him.

Sokka nodded, and Nai and Zuko waited outside while he walked into the cell.

“Your friend is really weird,” said Nai.

“And annoying,” said Zuko with a slight smirk.

Inside her room Suki was lying on her cot. She was not pleased to see a guard enter, and she
sat up wondering why anyone would be entering her cell after lockdown.

“What is it?” she asked. “Did I do something wrong?”

“You mean you don't recognize me?” asked Sokka crossing his arms.

She looked away repulsed by the Fire Nation guard. “You people all look the same to me.”

“Oh? Then maybe you'll recognize this...”

He approached her with his lips puckered. Disgusted by his intentions, she grabbed him and
punched him away from her sending him hard against the door where he dropped to the floor.

“Should we go in there?” Nai asked Zuko as they heard him slam into the door.

“Nah. I'm sure he's okay.” Zuko was laughing to himself.

As Sokka's helmet fell off, Suki took in his young face and blue eyes immediately
recognizing him.

“Sokka! It's you!”

She ran and threw herself down on the floor grabbing hold of him to hug him as tears fell
from her eyes, Sokka embracing her in return.

“The other Kyoshi Warriors,” he said as they stood up, “are they here?”
“No. I don't know where they are. They locked me in here because I'm the leader.”

“Well, you won't be here for long. I'm busting you out.”

“Why are you even here?” she asked.

“We came to rescue Chiara.”

“Chiara?”

“Zuko's wife. You know, Prince of the Fire Nation.”

“And you're-you're helping him?”

“He joined our side. He's Aang's firebending teacher.”

She assumed that to be the reason why the prince's wife would be locked up in a Fire Nation
prison.

“And the Avatar's here too?” she asked.

“No. Just me and Zuko. When he found out they brought her here, he was determined to
rescue her,” he continued. “Oh...and my father's here too. We're coordinating a mass
breakout.”

“How is that possible?”

“Several of the guards are loyal to Zuko. We're going to need prisoners from this sector to
break through to the entrance courtyard and incapacitate the warden.”

Suki grinned. “That's the job I want.”

That put a smile on Sokka's face. “That's my girl. I'll fill you in on the details once we have
more allies in this sector, but for now, I'm getting ready to go on duty.”

“So you're working as a Fire Nation guard now?” she asked him.

“Yeah, well, it's not the first time,” he said. “But now I'm Lee instead of Private Wang Fire or
Tang Fire.”

Her mouth opened.

“Long stories,” he said knowing she was about to ask. He reached for his helmet. “I have to
go, but I'll come back for you.”

He turned to her, and they were looking in each other's eyes again.

“I'm so glad to see you, Sokka,” her eyes lost in his blue ones. “I can't believe you're here.”

He hated the idea of leaving her a prisoner, even for a couple days. Unable to resist, they
wrapped their arms around each other and kissed, which Sokka felt was nicer, and a lot less
painful, than getting thrown into a wall.

When he left her cell, Zuko looked at him and crossed his arms.

“You forgot to take off your helmet, didn't you?”

Sokka laughed guiltily. “Yeah, I did,” he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

They started down the corridor to return to the other sector.

“I understand how you feel now, Z,” said Sokka. Zuko looked over at him. “I hate the idea of
leaving Suki in that cell.”

“At least you didn't have to lock her up in solitary.”

“True. That was a jerk move,” teased Sokka.

Zuko rolled his eyes, but silently agreed.

--------------------

Sokka returned to Dako and Zomi while Zuko and Nai went to eat dinner. Later, she took him
to the barracks where she made sure he had a cot in a dark corner where no one paid attention
to him or noticed his scar. After leaving the guards' quarters she went to the solitary cells.

“Princess,” she whispered after entering Chiara's cell, “I brought you food.”

“Thank you, Lady Nai. How's my prince?”

“He's sleeping in the barracks.”

Knowing how difficult it was for him when he was worried, Chiara suspected he would get
little sleep.

“He wanted to come with me, but it's too risky,” said Nai. “If Zedak sees him sneaking
around here, he might get suspicious.”

“I'm worried about him. I don't know how he'll handle it if things get really heated with
Zedak. Is there a way you can just keep me locked in solitary for a few days?”

Nai gently laughed. “That might actually be the safest option, but Zedak can be so
unpredictable. If I put you in here, he'll think it's to keep you from working.”

“Maybe Prince Zuko will take the night shift.”

“I don't know...he could barely keep his eyes off you today.”

Chiara sighed. “I'll try to be more careful around Zedak...but like you said, he can be
unpredictable.”
Zuko lay on a cot tossing and turning most of the night unable to sleep well without Chiara
by his side and he was awake before sunrise.

He was already sitting quietly in the chow hall when Nai met him for breakfast.

“How'd you sleep?” she asked sitting down across from him.

“Not well,” he said softly.

“Lonely?”

He nodded.

She leaned down towards him. “Most of us are,” she said in a low voice. “A lot of us are
separated from our families. And for what?”

“For Fire Lord Ozai,” he said bitterly.

--------------------

Later in the day, Chiara was helping a few of the older prisoners with their work. Zuko
resisted the urge to talk to her, and he just kept an eye on her from a distance. Just as he was
desperately wanting to go down to the site and help her with a bucket she was carrying, he
saw a dark-complexioned man walk up and take it for her.

“Princess Chiara,” Hakoda greeted her. “I want to apologize for my words to you before.
Sokka told me that you're an honorable woman, and I'm sorry for how I spoke to you.”

His apology was unexpected, but she bowed to him. “I understand. This war has been
difficult on everybody, and we've all suffered losses.”

He was impressed by her understanding and forgiveness.

As Zuko was watching them, Nai came up to him and held out a small pouch and some other
items.

“Three rings, a chain diadem, a knife, and a sword sheath,” she said.

“Thanks,” he said taking them from her. “The diadem's all she has left of her mother from the
Water Tribe, and one of the rings is all I have left of my mother.”

He tucked the jewelry inside his uniform and placed the knife and empty sheath on his belt.

--------------------

After the prisoners had eaten dinner one of the guards stopped Chiara on the way out of the
chow hall.

“Princess,” Damon addressed her, “would you mind cleaning dishes? I need Sota to help
Zaro.”
They were all allies and plans were cautiously being made among them now that some of the
prisoners were aware of the breakout. Zaro and Sozoh intended to lead a movement for
Zuko's cause, and they were trying to gather their own allies that would help once they were
all free.

Chiara nodded to Damon. Zuko was on an upper level where he could look down at the yard
and watch her, and when she went to the water buckets where the dishes were piled, he
slowly moved to keep her in his sight.

She had not been working long when Zedak found her.

“Water filth,” he addressed her. “This isn't your job.”

As soon as Zuko heard Zedak, he watched more closely worrying about what might happen
to her.

“But it needs to get done,” she said.

“Where's Sota?” he asked. “He's supposed to do this today.”

“He needed to help someone.”

“It's not his job to help anyone! This is his job today!”

“What does it matter who does it if the work gets done?” she asked.

Zedak was getting angrier. “Prisoner scum! You're going to talk like that to me?”

As he continued yelling at her, Zuko was desperately fighting the urge to jump over the rail
and attack him. Nai walked up to him.

“Why does he have to pick on her?” he asked deeply.

“Some people hate good,” she said. “Your wife doesn't have a hateful bone in her. She'll help
anyone no matter who they are or where they come from or even how they've treated her.
People like Zedak don't know anything but hatred, so when they see something good, they
lash out.”

He considered her words and found her observation profound, but he did not feel any better
as he watched Zedak mistreat his wife. While the guard continued belittling Chiara, she just
ignored him and kept working like he was not even there hoping he would just walk away,
but it only enraged her tormentor further. Zuko was growing increasingly angrier with Zedak
as he watched, and Nai noticed his knuckles turning whiter as they gripped the railing.

“Calm down, Z,” she said softly. “She'll deal with it. I know it's hard, but you especially can't
get involved.” She saw Izin walking towards them. “Look,” she said as she nodded towards
the other prisoner. “Izin'll help her out.”

They watched Izin walk up to them.

“Why are you yelling at her, Zedak?”

“This is Sota's job,” he said. “Where is he?”

“Damon wanted him to help Zaro. Take it up with him.”

“Oh, I'll take it up with him, but not before I take it up with her.”

“She doesn't have anything to do with this,” said Izin. “Leave her out of it. You're just
looking for an excuse to punish her.”

“You are a prisoner, and you will not speak to me like that! You're nothing more than a
coward and a traitor like all the other traitors here. Traitors defending traitors. Traitors
defending filthy spies...!”

“What's going on?” asked Damon as he walked up to them.

“Sota needs to be doing his own job,” said Zedak.

“I needed him to do something else,” said Damon. “What's the big deal?”

Zedak was upset. “She's supposed to be working in the quarry now!” he yelled pointing at
Chiara.

“He's just picking on the Fire Princess,” said Izin.

Chiara winced knowing that was going to set Zedak off. It did. He angrily kicked the tub with
the clean dishes in it, so it tipped over next to her.

“Stop calling her that!” he yelled.

He raised his hand to strike her. Zuko was gripping the railing ready to jump over it, but Izin
grabbed Zedak's wrist and stopped him from his assault.

“Zedak!” yelled Damon, also grabbing him while Jiro ran over to them to help.

Zuko was angry, and smoke was emanating from his knuckles as he watched intently,
struggling to keep out of it.

“They've got it,” Nai said to him trying to keep him calm.

Chiara was standing near Izin who let go of Zedak as the other guards stepped in. “Izin, it's
okay,” she said, not wanting him to get in trouble.

“Zedak, calm down,” said Jiro.

“The Captain doesn't want you punishing her without a reason,” said Damon.

“She's a spy! That's all the reason I need,” Zedak yelled as he pulled away from Jiro and
Damon. “You're all traitors!” He stormed off.
“Are you okay, Princess?” asked Izin.

“Yes.”

They fixed the tub and he helped her clean the dishes again.

“See?” Nai said to Zuko. “Izin helped her out.”

“Why would he do that?”

“She went to solitary in his place,” explained Nai. “If he sees anyone messing with her, he
steps in. He's been put in the cooler for protecting her.”

“Really?”

She smiled and nodded. “She's got a lot of allies here.”

He was relieved to hear it, but it did not make it easier to stay out of the fight.

--------------------

That night after lockdown, Zuko and Nai met with Dako, Zomi, and Sokka again to discuss
their progress. All of the prisoners in Sector 1 had been made aware of the breakout and
groups were being formed for taking down the gates between sectors. Zaro and Sozoh were
meeting with Sector 2 prisoners who had been informed of the plans and finding ones who
were willing to sneak through the Fire Nation islands and colonies and collect more allies
once they were free.

After shift change, Zuko and Nai went with Sokka to visit Suki in her cell to update her on
the plans, and that evening Zuko entered Chiara's cell to remain with her for the night.

When she saw him enter, her eyes lit up making his heart skip a few beats. He set his helmet
on the floor when he sat down next to her, and then he took her in his arms to embrace her.

“I missed you last night,” he said.

“I missed you too.”

“I'm so sorry.”

“Please don't apologize,” she said. “I don't blame you.”

He released her.

“Are you here for the night again?” she asked hopefully.

“Yeah. Sokka and Zomi are watching.”

“Lie down on your stomach,” she ordered.

He obeyed and she started massaging his back.

“Oh, Prince Zuko, you're so tense.”

“It's been so hard watching Zedak mistreat you.”

“Why don't you take the night shift and sleep during the day?” she suggested.

“No. I don't want to be away from you anymore, and I won't be able to sleep anyways.”

She pulled out a small orb of water and started her technique.

“You need to relax, and don't let what Zedak does get to you.”

“How can I not let it get to me? He's constantly abusing you.”

“It's only a few more days,” she said as she worked out his tension. “And knowing you're
here, I could suffer Azula visiting me everyday.”

“I couldn't handle that,” he said tensing up at the thought. “Unless...you can't firebend, can
you?”

She let out a soft laugh as she remembered him telling her about his dream. “No. Would you
rather I be a firebender?”

“Why would I want that? We already have a firebender in our family...two, counting Uncle. I
just thought maybe if you could bend both elements that would be helpful fighting Azula.”

“I don't think that's possible except for the Avatar.”

“Then it's perfect that you're a waterbender instead.” He could feel the tightness in his
muscles loosen as she worked. “Who else could do these wonderful water massages?” She
giggled, happy that he enjoyed them. “Oh no,” he groaned. "I'm starting to sound like Uncle.”

“You say that like it's a bad thing.”

“I guess it's not,” he smiled. “But I should be doing this for you.” He pushed himself up on
his elbows. “You deserve a heat massage.”

She pushed him back down. “Don't interrupt.”

“But you're the one who worked all day,” he argued.

“You relaxing, relaxes me. And if we make it out of here, I'll take you up on your offer,” she
said as she continued her massage. “Now relax, and don't worry about anything. Just
overlook whatever happens here; it won't be much longer.”

He tried to push the worries out of his mind and give in to her treatment.

“I know the perfect spot,” he said serenely, his voice reflecting the calming effect of her
technique. “There's a waterfall not far from the air temple.”

“It's a date,” she said softly.

She worked out the tension in his muscles until he fell asleep.
 The Volcano Erupts

Zuko woke up the next morning to tapping on the door. As his mind cleared itself of sleep
and he became aware of where he was, his initial disappointment of finding himself in a
prison cell was eclipsed by the contentment he felt having Chiara sleeping in his arms.

“Uh...Zuko...buddy...,” started Sokka in a gentle voice as he opened the door. “...I'm

not...uh...interrupting anything, am I? 'Cause your Fire Nation treason laws don't apply to me,
you know.”

Zuko just sighed.

“What is he talking about?” asked Chiara tiredly, her eyes still closed,

“Nothing,” said Zuko. “You're interrupting my sleep, Water Tribe,” he called out to Sokka.

“Oh, okay,” he said. “But it's an hour before shift change. I'll just wait out in the hall 'til
you're done with...you know...sleeping.”

The door shut and Chiara's eyes opened wide. “Wait...,” she started as she propped herself on
her elbow. “...does he think we're...”

“Yes,” said Zuko not ready to open his eyes.

“Again?”

“Yes.” He gently pulled her back into his arms.

“Seriously, in a prison cell?”

“I tried to tell him that, but it's Sokka, so...you know.”

She giggled as she rested against him relishing the warmth of his body against hers making
her feel like she was basking in the sunlight. They lay there quietly for a while longer before
Zuko finally forced himself to get up.

Sokka was waiting outside in the hall when he left the cell.

“So...how'd you...sleep?” he asked Zuko as they walked down the corridor.

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. The sun had not risen yet, and he felt it was much too
early to deal with Sokka's innuendos.

“I slept fine,” he answered simply. “And you don't have to assume you're walking in on
anything every time you enter.”

“Hey, you've been apart for almost a month. I think everyone expects you two to...”
“Don't say it.”

“...do the flaming tango.”

Zuko groaned as he shook his head at Sokka's choice of words.

“What about a flaming mango?” asked Dako who had been waiting for them at the end of the
hall.

“No,” said Sokka. “The fl...”

“Nothing,” interrupted Zuko.

“A flaming mango sounds pretty good,” said Dako.

“Is that a thing?” asked Zomi.

“Sure. Haven't you ever had deep-fried mango? Isn't that what it's called? A flaming mango?”

“Maybe,” said Sokka, “but that's not what I was talking abou...”

“Can we not talk about any of this?” said Zuko feeling frustrated.

Sokka turned to him. “Sounds like you're going to be sleeping in the barracks tonight with
that attitude. Maybe you wouldn't be so grumpy if you had a little in-prison romance...”

“Nai!” said Zuko a little more loudly than he intended, but extremely relieved to see her
walking up to them.

She raised her eyebrows at his over-excited greeting. “Ready for breakfast, Z?”

“Yes, definitely.”

“We need to talk before shift change,” said Dako.

“Yes. After breakfast,” said Zuko as he started walking away. “As long as it's not about
anything flaming,” he muttered under his breath.

He and Nai left the others to go to the chow hall for breakfast. He was anxious to get the day
over with because it would bring them another day closer to their escape.

“Did you sleep better last night?” she asked him.

“Much better,” he answered.

She smiled. “It won't be long now.”

After getting a tray of food, he found an empty table where he and Nai could eat. While he
was waiting for her, he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, and lifting his head he saw Zedak
standing over him. First he woke up to Sokka's innuendos, and now this jerk. He wondered
how much worse his day was going to get.
“Hey, new guy, good job the other day putting that Water filth in her place.”

Suddenly, Sokka's insinuations were not so bad because Zuko was ready to break Zedak's
arm, but he took deep breaths reminding himself to remain calm, and he continued slowly
eating his breakfast despite the sudden loss of appetite. Nai kept her eyes on Zuko when she
sat down opposite him.

“I get to pick the filth's job this morning, Nai, since those spy lovers took her last night,” said
Zedak as he sat down with his breakfast next to Zuko. He glanced at him unaware that the
prince of the Fire Nation was hidden under the helmet. “Maybe he'll want to pick it for me,”
he said casually pointing at him while looking at Nai. “How about it, new guy? What do you
think? The quarry or the construction site for the Water savage?”

How about drowning you in the boiling lake. “Oh...uh...I heard she hates working in the
kitchen,” said Zuko trying to deepen his voice.

Zedak laughed. “The kitchen? Is that what they've been telling you?” He looked at Nai
accusingly. “They'll say anything to protect her.”

“Seriously, Zedak, what have you got against her?” she asked him as he was just about to
take a bite of his biscuit.

He paused and looked at her. “You want to know what I got against her?” he said deeply.
“My brother never returned from the Siege of Northern Aggression.”

It took a lot of willpower for Zuko to suppress the scoff that nearly burst from his throat. He
wondered how Zedak considered the Northern Water Tribe to be the aggressors when their
land was invaded by the Fire Nation.

“Really?” said Nai. “That's what you call Zhao's ego project?”

He knew he had to remain silent, but he appreciated her calling Zedak out on it.

“They destroyed most of our fleet,” said Zedak. “Including my brother.”

Zuko knew it had not been the Water Tribe that destroyed the fleet, but the ocean spirit in
retaliation for Zhao's murder of the moon spirit. His mind filled with flashbacks of the bodies
in the sea after the Siege and he wondered if one of them might have been Zedak's brother. It
suddenly occurred to him that the man next to him was blaming Chiara for his loss, but he
was sure that she had been the only member of the Tribe to mourn over those dead soldiers.
He had watched her shed tears and suffer nightmares. She had even offered her life to Zhao
which would have spared not only her own people but also the Fire Nation soldiers that met
their end at the North Pole. Zedak had no idea of her sufferings and what she had been
willing to sacrifice, and Zuko wanted to scream it at him, but all he could do was sit there
feeling impotent leaving it unspoken.

“That's not her fault,” said Nai. “She lived in the Capital most of her life. I wouldn't be
surprised if she's never even seen the North Pole.”
Zuko's eyes were on his food, though they were not focused, and he remained quiet while
Zedak glared at Nai.

“She was on the Admiral's flagship,” he growled. “And rumor has it the treacherous Dragon
took her there to be trained.”

“That doesn't mean she deserves to be punished. She's not responsible for what happened
there...”

“I don't care if she's responsible or not! She was there and she's one of them!” His voice was
deep and angry. “That makes her guilty by association. And she has the nerve to marry into
the royal family. He may be a traitor but that pathetic prince had no business hooking up with
a Water Tribe savage! You can put an elephant rat in a dress and call it a princess, but it's still
an elephant rat. And you all go around encouraging it calling her princess and treating her
like she's royalty when she's nothing more than an animal like the rest of them.”

Zuko could feel the heat rising in his body, but he continued doing his breathing exercises
desperately trying to keep composed. He had to keep reminding himself that he was
defending and protecting her by remaining calm.

Nai glared back at him. “I'll have you know, Zedak, that I lost my brother too.” Her voice was
so low and dangerous Zuko was sure he never wanted to get on her bad side. “He was sent to
his death with the 41st Division.”

“Then he's considered a hero...,” started Zedak.

“That was nothing more than a consolation title given by our glorious leaders who
deliberately sent those soldiers to their death. That prince you call a traitor was the only one
who defended them. If you want to focus your anger on anyone, take it out on the generals
and admirals who throw others' lives at the war effort while growing fat and happy at the
expense of those heroes' families!”

She stood up and started walking out ignoring the stares from the other guards.

“Come on, Z!” she ordered.

Zuko did not hesitate to obey her command and follow her out. She kept walking until she
was outside where the hazy sky was lit up with the rising sun that was still below the prison's
mountain wall. She stopped and took a few deep breaths of the steamy morning air.

“Are you going to be okay?” Zuko asked her.

“I'll be fine,” she said with forced calm in her voice. “I've never told any of my coworkers
about my brother before, but he just made me so mad. Like he's the only one who's ever lost
family in this war.” She wanted to cry, but she refused to let her eyes water. “I hate this war,
and I hate the Fire Lord...” She stopped and looked at Zuko, her eyes wide as she realized she
spoke words that should not have been spoken aloud, words that could land her in prison, or
worse, but she would never apologize for them no matter the consequences.
“It's okay, Nai,” he said understanding her expression. “It's okay to hate him. It's not treason,
it's not disloyalty, it's not an offense against the Fire Nation. It's...it's human. He's a terrible
Fire Lord; he was a terrible father, and he's a terrible person. And you were right. They don't
care about the lives of our people. That's what we're fighting for.”

She relaxed as she turned away. “It's so hard when it seems like no one else sees what's really
going on,” she said softly. “Zedak blames the princess for his brother's death. There are so
many like him who blame everyone but our leaders.”

“It's what they've been raised to believe,” he said. “I was the same way...” She stared at him
in disbelief. “I was,” he repeated.

“But you were the only one to speak up at the council.”

“But I still believed the war was justified. We were 'spreading our greatness'. I spent years
searching for and chasing the Avatar for my father even after I saw the suffering this war
caused. I believed in all the wrong things. A lot of our people do, and it's up to us to show
them the truth.”

“That won't be easy if they're all like Zedak,” she said.

“It's not easy. Like you said, he blames Chiara for his brother's death, but it was because of
Zhao that most of our people died.”

“Were you at the Siege?” she asked.

“Yes. I was trying capture the Avatar.” Sadness descended upon him as he recalled the events.
“While I was busy trying to redeem myself in my...Ozai's eyes, Uncle and Chiara were trying
to stop Zhao from killing the moon spirit.”

“What?! He tried to kill the moon spirit?”

“He did kill it. And it's the reason most of our fleet were destroyed, our people killed. The
ocean spirit took possession of the Avatar's body and decimated the fleet before it killed
Zhao. The princess of the Tribe gave her own life to restore the moon and bring back the
balance.”

Nai's mouth was hanging open as she listened to him recount what happened at the Siege.

“I-I heard stories,” she said. “Sailors that returned talked of a giant spirit rising from the ice
city and capsizing ships.” She looked lost in her thoughts. “So it's true,” she said softly.

Zuko nodded.

She leaned towards him. “Anyone caught speaking of it was dealt with,” she said in a low
voice. “There are some who refuse to speak of it now out of fear of the repercussions.”

He shook his head in disgust. “It's easier to blame my uncle or Chiara and sweep the
witnesses under a rug than it is to admit the truth,” he said sadly.
“Hey, there you guys are,” said Sokka as he and Dako walked up to them.

Dako looked around to make sure they were alone. “We're still on schedule,” he whispered.
“Four days. I've spoken to most of the prisoners. Once the guards are restrained and the path
is clear, we have one group responsible for running the gondolas.”

“Go Water Tribe,” whispered Sokka.

Everyone looked at him.

“That's me and my dad,” he said. “And Suki's going to help take down the warden.”

“We have a group of firebenders responsible for setting up the warden's airship,” said Dako.
“Sozoh and Zaro are really excited to be a part of that. They're also making plans for once
they're out of here. Everyone will need shelter and clothes, and those two have contacts on
the outside that can help with that.”

“Once we're on the airship and heading away from here, we'll have a meeting on board to
discuss the next steps together,” said Sokka.

“Right now, other than talking to a few more prisoners, we just have to coordinate the revolt
and make sure everyone knows who's on whose side,” said Dako.

“If this works and all the prisoners escape, what will happen to you guys?” asked Zuko.

His concern for the welfare of others touched Nai making her smile.

“More than likely we'll be reassigned,” said Dako.

“Wherever we go, we're going to keep gathering allies,” said Nai as Dako nodded.

“How soon will the Fire Nation be after us?” asked Sokka.

“I've been thinking about that,” said Dako. “The next supply ship is due in about two and a
half weeks. We aren't expecting any incoming prisoners, but of course that can change at any
time. We have one team of prisoners who are going to release all the messenger hawks into
the Earth Kingdom, so there'll be no way to contact the homeland.”

“So as long as there aren't any new prisoners arriving, we'll have about two and a half weeks
once we're gone,” said Sokka.

“It looks that way,” said Dako.

“Will everyone here be okay for that long a time?” asked Zuko.

“We have enough supplies to last us two months, so we'll be good,” said Nai.

Sokka looked at Zuko. “Two and a half weeks is more than enough time to get back to the
others and plan our next move.
Zuko nodded just as the bells rang for shift change.

--------------------

Zedak put Chiara to work in the quarry that day. After his argument with Nai, he felt
especially cruel and took it out on the princess demeaning her and yelling at her every time
he walked by.

Zuko was watching from an upper level, and he was doing everything in his power to keep
from attacking Zedak to defend her.

“She'll be okay, Z,” said Nai softly, noticing his growing anger. “And it won't be much
longer.”

“I should be protecting her,” he said deeply.

“I know it must be hard for you to watch, but your wife's an amazingly strong woman.”

“Uncle Iroh said the same thing.”

“And he's right. Besides, she's been through a lot worse than that,” she said nodding towards
her.

Zuko hated hearing that, but at the same time he wanted to know what Chiara had suffered.

“She isn't intimidated by Zedak,” she continued. “When he punishes her, she doesn't let it
stop her from doing what she knows is right. I never would've guessed it by looking at her,
but she's one of the bravest women I've ever known. I only hope to be as strong as she is if
I'm ever in her position.”

Zuko's eyes followed Chiara as she was carrying a large water-filled bucket with far more
ease than anyone else could have moved it, almost as if the bucket were empty. She went
around the quarry filling the smaller buckets used by the prisoners to quench their thirst and
offering water to those who looked like they needed it. When she saw Zaro walk by
struggling to carry a load of rocks, she set the water down and took the handle of his bucket
to help lighten his burden. He looked exhausted and overheated.

“Thank you, Princess,” he said. “But this isn't work you should be doing.”

“You need a break, Zaro.”

Suddenly, the bucket nearly fell as Zedak pulled her away from it. “That's his job, filth! If
you want to haul rocks then you can get your own.”

“Leave her alone, Zedak,” said Zaro angrily.

Zedak turned towards him with a furious glare.

“It's okay, Zaro,” said Chiara softly, hoping to prevent him from getting in trouble.
“It is not okay!” said Zedak. “You worthless prisoners have no right to speak to me that way.”
He was still glaring at Zaro. “You are a Fire Nation traitor. Real men have died for our Nation
while pathetic cowards like you run away. You're going to live the rest of your pitiful, little
life hauling these rocks until your meaningless death.”

Zaro was glaring back at Zedak and he desperately wanted to retort, but Chiara was gently
shaking her head at him trying to keep him from instigating Zedak.

“That's what I thought, old man,” growled Zedak.

He turned from Zaro and pulled Chiara to the pile of rock debris that was being hauled away
by the prisoners. He shoved her towards it.

“There. Take one!” he ordered.

Nai saw smoke coming from Zuko's clenched fists.

“Calm down,” she said worried that he was about to erupt like a volcano.

“But he's touching her,” he growled deeply.

She made a visual search of the area until she spotted Jiro. “Jiro,” she called softly.

He looked up at her and seeing her waving him to come closer he went to the upper level.

“What is it?”

“Can you do something about Zedak?” she asked.

“I can try, but he's got a dragon-beetle up his butt today about something.”

Nai suspected their argument was the something.

“Maybe just distract him.” She glanced back at Zuko, and Jiro could see the smoke.

He nodded and returned to the quarry floor where he approached Zedak. “Hey, man, they're
going to need their water refilled.”

“And your point?” he growled.

“It won't get done if you take her off water duty.”

Zedak scanned the other prisoners. “Sota!”

The older man slowly approached him.

“You're on water duty. Start filling the buckets.”

“But that's the princess' job.”

“It's your job now, old man! Get to it!”

Sota grumbled as he walked off.

“You have some serious anger issues, Zedak,” said Jiro.

“Don't start with me,” he snapped.

Jiro continued distracting Zedak which took his attention from the prisoners.

Chiara had just loaded up a bucket with as much as she could carry when she looked up to
see Zaro falling over his own bucket. Without a second thought, she immediately dropped her
own load and grabbed a water bucket before running and kneeling by his side. She put her
arm around him helping him to sit up.

“Are you okay?”

“My arm,” he groaned as he moved it slowly.

She suspended the water over his arm and hand.

“You have a broken wrist,” she said. “Hold still.”

After healing the fracture she moved the water over him checking for more injuries. Zaro
watched the glowing water until it dropped on his leg as Chiara was pulled away from him.

“No bending!” yelled Zedak. He backhanded her, and after she fell to the ground, he brought
a fire whip down across her back.

“No!!” cried Zaro who was trying to get up.

Zuko snapped. Without thinking about the consequences, and before Nai had even realized
what he was doing, he jumped from the second floor, his helmet falling off as he landed, and
he attacked Zedak with fire. The surprised guard was stunned when he saw the scar.

“It's the traitor Prince!” he yelled after having been knocked down by Zuko's attack.

“You attack her again, it'll be the last thing you do,” threatened Zuko deeply.

“Arrest him! Arrest him!” he shouted as the other guards came running up.

Zedak stood up and started attacking Zuko who countered his attack, and as they were
fighting, Chiara used ice to bind Zedak's hands angering him even more. Just as Zuko sent a
fire blast knocking his opponent back off his feet, two other guards ran towards him, but
Chiara sent water to the ground before them turning it to ice. The guards slipped and fell, but
more guards came running into the quarry. When two other guards tried to rush Zuko from
behind, Chiara kicked one sending him backwards before punching the other in the chest.
Zuko was battling any firebenders willing to attack him while protecting Chiara from the fire
missiles aimed at her. She drew more water from the bucket freezing the hands of another
firebender before quickly moving behind him and forcing him to the ground.
By now the quarry prisoners started gathering around to see what was going on as more
guards tried to keep them back.

Nai ran up to Jiro.

“What do we do?” he asked.

“We need to stop them,” she whispered. “They'll never be able to break out like this.”

“I'm sure I don't want to fight them,” he said as he saw the power in the prince's fire and the
otherwise gentle princess take down a few more firebenders and armed guards.

“I can't believe Prince Zuko broke in here,” said a guard walking up to them.

“Aw, man, I lost a week's pay,” said another guard. “My wife's going to kill me.”

“Wait 'til Dako finds out he won the bet,” said the first.

Nai and Jiro looked at each other.

“They need to be stopped,” said Jiro. “Do you guys want to go handle this?”

“What? No way,” said the first guard.

“I already lost money on the prince,” said the second. “I'm not about to lose my life to him
too. I'd rather take my chances with my wife...maybe...,” he added thoughtfully.

Nai rolled her eyes. “We need to deal with this,” she said to Jiro.

She and Jiro cautiously approached Chiara.

“Princess...,” said Nai gently.

Chiara turned to them. Holding an ice dagger, the last small amount of water she had access
to, she was in an attack stance standing behind Zuko who was again fighting Zedak who had
broken free of his ice bindings.

“I won't let anything happen to him,” said the princess.

Nai had never seen a dragon, but she was sure she saw one now when she stared into Chiara's
eyes as she boldly guarded her prince's back, and she was reminded of the tale she had heard
of the Dragon's Daughter.

“We won't let anything happen to him,” Nai assured her. “But this won't end well if you both
keep fighting.”

Zuko sent a powerful blast at Zedak which threw him back on the ground, and before he
could get to his feet, the prince was standing over him with his fist drawn back, a fire dagger
ready to inflict injury to his enemy.

“You will never touch her again!” he threatened deeply.

Chiara immediately ran towards them to remain near Zuko as new firebenders surrounded
them ready to attack as commanded by the Captain of the guards. The Captain took in the
scene, and though he was not cruel like Warden Idem, he would not tolerate disorder.

“If you do it, we'll have no choice but to take you down, Prince Zuko,” he said.

Zuko did not move, but Chiara stood against him and tenderly placed her hand on his drawn
arm. The fire weapon he was holding was gradually dimming at her touch.

“The Water Tribe savage too,” the Captain added.

Zuko's eyes never left Zedak's, but his flame grew hotter again at the Captain's insult. Chiara
considered that neither of them would survive. She knew Idem would take advantage of it
and suspected they would both be sentenced to death.

“I'm your loyal subject and I've got your back,” she spoke softly to him. “We can go down
fighting together or we can trust them. Your call.”

He knew them meant their allies, but he was anxious to fight now, and the idea of them
fighting together to their death had a slight appeal to him making his lip curl and his fire
dagger glow brighter. Zedak heard her words, and the approving look on the prince's face and
the growing brightness of his fiery weapon sent chills down the guard's spine. But the
Captain's threat worked. Zuko knew Chiara would be unable to protect herself from the
firebenders without a weapon, and it would be a definite death sentence for her if they fought.
His goal was to get her out of the prison alive, and standing down might give them another
chance. He slowly lowered his arm, Chiara's hand still on it, and he placed his other hand
over hers.

Zedak, beads of sweat dripping down his face, quickly pushed himself backwards away from
him.

“I've got them,” said Nai.

The Captain, trusting that Nai's rapport with Chiara would keep the situation under control,
allowed her to take charge of them. She directed Damon and another allied guard to take
control of Zuko while she and Jiro took hold of Chiara. Pulling them apart, her hand slipped
from his as they were both shackled. Zedak was now on his feet trying to compose himself
after his humiliating defeat at the hands of the prince he despised and believed to be a traitor,
but he looked angrier than ever.

“Take them both to the warden!” he yelled.

“Zedak, she shouldn't have to...,” started Jiro.

“That traitor broke into this prison for her! Take them both to the warden!” he ordered.

Jiro looked at the Captain appealing to him. “Captain...”

“Do it,” he ordered.

They knew they had no choice now that the news would spread that Prince Zuko had broken
into Boiling Rock. The four guards led them away.

“Don't worry,” Nai whispered to them. “We'll work something out.”

They were taken to a room where they sat and waited for the warden.

“I'm sorry, Chiara,” said Zuko softly.

“Don't worry. We still have a plan guy,” she whispered.

The door burst open and Idem walked in with the Captain. A smile grew on the warden's face
when he saw Zuko's scar identifying him as the infamous banished prince.

“The traitor Fire Prince and his Water whore.”

Zuko was infuriated by his insult to Chiara and he tried to leap at him but was held back by
the guards.

Idem just laughed. “And I didn't even get a chance to send my message. I never really
expected you to break into the strongest and most fortified prison in the Fire Nation to rescue
this filth,” he said. “For being the Fire Lord's son, you are really stupid.”

“The stupidity lies in not recognizing his courage,” snapped Chiara glaring at the warden.

Nai and the other guards held back laughter at her remark, and Zuko was stunned that she
defended him just as she had defended Iroh when General Ikong insulted him, but he could
not help a small snicker at the insult.

“How dare you speak to me, Savage!” Idem screamed angrily.

“Shut up!” yelled Zuko instantly offended. “You don't speak to her that way!”

“I'll speak to this filthy whore any way I please, traitor,” he said deeply.

As Zuko fought against his restraints, Idem scowled at Chiara.

“I believe now is the time to send our message to the traitor Prince.”

Zuko paused his struggle to look at the warden. “What are you talking about?”

Idem stood over him. “Would you like to see what happens when water is burned up?”

Zuko felt nervous at the threat against Chiara. “Let her go and then you can turn me over to
Ozai and he can execute me.”

He just laughed. “That would be easy for you, wouldn't it? You're a traitor to the great Fire
Nation, and a traitor does deserve execution. And you will be sent to the Fire Lord for just
that, but I'm not quite ready to let you go yet. I think you need to witness the power of the
Nation you betrayed.” He looked at the guards. “Take the traitor to the cooler until
tomorrow,” he ordered. “And take this savage to isolation for a week. No food.”

“That'll kill her,” said Zuko.

“If she's lucky. Or maybe it'll weaken her just enough that we'll get to enjoy burning her
alive.”

“No!” he yelled trying to fight against his restraints to no avail.

Idem's lip curled into a cruel smile. “I see you're getting the message.”

The two guards with Zuko took him out of the room, and as Nai was helping Chiara up, Idem
looked at her.

“Lieutenant, I'd like a word with you.”

Nai looked at Jiro who took Chiara's arm and left to lead her to isolation.

“Warden?” said Nai once the prisoners were gone.

“Keep a close eye on him tomorrow. The cooler will keep him from firebending, but he'll
need to go back in if he makes any attempt to rescue her again.”

She nodded.

“And make sure he stays alive, even if you have to keep him in isolation. I want him to live
to see her burn, and then the Fire Lord can have him.”
 Change of Plans

Early that evening before shift change, Nai went to find Dako, Zomi, and Sokka. After
searching, she finally found them leaving the barracks.

“We need to talk,” she said.

Dako nodded and they went to a spot where they could speak privately.

“Z's in the cooler,” she said.

“What?!” asked Dako. “How?!”

“What's the cooler?” asked Sokka.

“It's where they put firebenders,” explained Nai. “He won't be able to firebend for a week
after he gets out.” She looked at Dako. “Zedak started beating Princess Chiara and Z...Prince
Zuko snapped.”

“Why was he beating her?” asked Sokka, his normally light voice sounding deep and dark.

“She used waterbending to help Zaro who fell. Zedak hit her and whipped her, but before he
could strike her again, Prince Zuko was on him. Honestly, I'm surprised he held out as long as
he did considering the way Zedak's been treating her.”

“Zuko said his uncle always told him he didn't think things through,” started Sokka, “but I
probably would've done the same.”

“I should've known he wouldn't be able to handle it,” she said. “He's been on edge every time
she's had to deal with Zedak.”

“So now the warden knows Prince Zuko's here,” said Dako looking down.

Nai nodded. “He's in the cooler 'til tomorrow, and she's in isolation for a week with no food.”

“A week without food?” asked Sokka appalled.

“Yes.”

“I don't know what we're going do now,” said Dako hopelessly. “Everyone'll know Prince
Zuko's here.”

“Wait,” said Sokka. “Why would that change anything?”

“A lot of the guards might fear the Fire Lord getting involved,” answered Zomi.

“It'll be at least a week before that happens,” said Nai.

“How do you know?” asked Dako.

“The warden said if she's still alive after a week he's going to burn her to death in front of
Prince Zuko before sending him to the Fire Lord for execution.”

All three guys, especially Sokka, felt nauseated at the thought of Chiara's execution.

“Why don't we just move the plan to tomorrow?” suggested Sokka.

They stared at him.

“I don't know if that's possible,” said Dako.

“Look,” said Sokka, “the prisoners like Chiara. Zuko came to rescue her, but now he's been
imprisoned, so the other prisoners start rioting and everything goes as planned.”

“But tomorrow's too soon,” said Dako. “We need to have all the sectors coordinated.”

“Then how about the next day? We can use tonight and tomorrow to set it up.”

“It could work,” said Dako slowly as he considered it. “It would be a perfect excuse for the
riot too. If the other guards are still willing, then we can go through with it.”

“Prince Zuko won't be able to firebend though,” said Nai.

“He doesn't need to,” said Sokka. “A lot of the prisoners aren't benders anyway.”

“Okay,” said Dako. “We'll start working on it, but we have to move fast.”

Nai held out a small bag, a knife, and a sheath to Sokka. “These are Prince Zuko's. When you
escape, make sure he gets them.”

Sokka nodded.

-------------------

That night, Nai stepped into Chiara's solitary cell.

“I have medicine for your wound, Princess,” she whispered.

Chiara turned her back to her to allow her to treat it.

“How's Prince Zuko doing?” Chiara softly asked her.

“He's in the cooler,” she said sadly. “You know how that goes.”

Chiara nodded as she understood what effect it had on firebenders. After his exploits at the
Northern Water Tribe, though, she hoped he would be able to fight the effect of the cooler.

She tensed up when the salve touched her wound.

“Don't underestimate my prince's strength.”

Nai smiled at her optimism. “Knowing he broke into this prison and watching him fight
today...I won't underestimate anything he does.”

“I'm so sorry,” she said feeling responsible for his punishment and for ruining the plans for
the breakout.

“For what?” asked Nai as she finished.

Chiara turned towards her. “I should've found another way to help Zaro today. Now I've
jeopardized the plan and caused my husband to be imprisoned.”

Nai had watched Chiara tolerate abuse, verbal and physical, and she heard the anger in her
voice when she spoke out against the injustices against other prisoners, but she never heard
her sound so hopeless before. “Princess Chiara, don't worry about anything. We're going
through with the plan early, so just hang in there.”

Chiara's eyes met Nai's soft brown ones. “You've all been so good to us. No matter what
happens, I'm grateful for all you've done.”

“Princess, you've done more for us than we can ever repay.”

“Then promise me one thing,” she said.

“Anything I can,” said Nai.

“Whatever happens, protect Prince Zuko. Even if it means my death. His destiny is to bring
peace to the Fire Nation, which will mean peace for the world. He must survive.”

Nai found her request unexpected, and though she did not like the idea of allowing her to die,
she nodded. “As you wish, Princess.”

“And if I never get the chance again, tell him I love him and remind him of his true destiny.”

Nai felt worried about her. “I will.”

--------------------

Later, Nai visited Zuko in the cooler. She stepped inside while Sokka waited in the hall.

“How's Chiara?” asked Zuko.

She let out a soft laugh.

“What's so funny?” he asked. “Is she okay?”

“Her first words were, 'How's Prince Zuko?'” she said. She smiled warmly. “Her heart really
does lie in the Fire Nation.” Zuko's heart stirred as he thought about Chiara's words. “You
two really love each other.”
“More than anything,” he said softly.

“I told you she's a strong woman. She's doing fine. I took her food and medicine for her
back.”

“Thank you for taking care of her.”

“It's an honor to serve you, both of you.” She bowed her head to him. Now that everyone
would know his identity, she reverted to maintaining her respect towards his royal status.
“Your Imperial Highness.”

“Um...Nai, I think we've been through enough that you can call me Zuko, or even Z.”

She grinned. “Well, this may seem like a stupid question, Prince Zuko, but how are you
holding up in here?”

He shrugged. “It's a little chilly.”

She wanted to laugh at his seemingly indifferent attitude to his current situation, especially
since she had never seen any other prisoners fare too well in the cooler. But she was worried
about him, and he noticed her look of concern.

“I've been colder,” he assured her. “Seriously, the North Pole makes this place feel like
summer in the Earth Kingdom.”

She gave a small smile at his humor.

“Your wife sends you a message...,” she started.

“Follow my true destiny,” said Zuko.

She raised her eyebrows. “How did you know that?”

“She insists my true destiny is becoming Fire Lord.”

“She said it's bringing peace to the Fire Nation.”

“In other words, becoming Fire Lord,” he said. “But I renounced the throne for her. She's my
true destiny.”

“And you can't have both?” she asked.

“Not according to my uncle. He said the Fire Nation won't accept a Water Tribe Fire Lady.”

“I greatly admire General Iroh, but I believe he's wrong about that.” Zuko stared up at her. “I
mean, maybe it's different in Royal Caldera, and this prison may only be a handful, but I
promise you, Prince Zuko, there are more out there who would welcome it.”

He had heard the same from Zomi, but hearing it again from Nai seemed to instill a little
more hope in him. Though his hope was short-lived as he considered their current
predicament.

“It doesn't do any good since I screwed up the plan.”

“Your wife blames herself.”

“For what?”

“Jeopardizing the plan and putting her husband in prison.”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “It's my fault she's in prison on top of being in prison. She told me last
night not to let Zedak get to me.” He sighed, his eyes downcast. “But when I saw him beat
her, all I could think of was what Azula did to her. And because I couldn't control my temper,
I jeopardized the plan, and now she's going to be executed all because of me.”

“I don't know many husbands who wouldn't have reacted the same way as you did today;
even your weird friend said he probably would've done the same thing. But don't worry about
the plan. The riot will start early,” she whispered.

He looked up at her feeling hopeful.

“Oh, I have one more message from your wife. She said she loves you.” She turned to leave.
“Hopefully that'll help keep you warm.”

Nai left the cooler.

The next morning the prisoners were more active and rowdier than usual as news spread that
Prince Zuko broke into prison to rescue Chiara. Many in both sectors were voicing their
dissatisfaction at the couple's imprisonment and the upcoming execution of the Fire Princess.

When word got to the warden that all the prisoners were getting unruly due to the recent
events, he ordered a majority of the Sector 2 prisoners locked in their cells save for about
twenty men bound with chains and restrained by guards. Among the small group were
Hakoda, Zaro, and Sozoh. Above them Idem walked out onto an upper level landing. He
approached the railing like he was royalty, a king over the subjects of his island kingdom, and
he addressed the small crowd below, his voice haughty and condescending.

“I've been informed that many of you have been causing trouble since the traitor Prince
Zuko's arrival at this prison. I'm sure many of you were worried that he would free the Water
Tribe spy that was brought into our beloved Nation by the traitor Iroh. I know you're upset
that this traitor and his spy have disgraced the Fire Nation, so I have ordered the execution of
the savage at the end of the week. And as much as I would love to execute both of them, the
traitor prince must be sent to our great Fire Lord Ozai for punishment.” Several of the
prisoners were yelling at the warden who just cruelly smiled down on them. “I understand
that waiting a week to see justice served is too much to ask of you; therefore, I am moving
the execution up...”
The shouting grew louder, and Nai glanced back at Jiro and Damon who just shrugged
confused.

“...to now,” finished the warden loudly speaking over the group.

Nai's eyes grew wide as she looked up at the warden who was now speaking to the Captain
next to him. She walked over to Jiro and Damon. “We need to do something.”

As the prisoners reacted angrily, Idem held up his hand. “I know, I know, you're quite anxious
for such exciting entertainment,” he said knowing he was further instigating their anger. He
smiled maliciously. “You will all be witnesses to the example I will be setting for any future
spies and traitors of the Fire Nation.”

He left the upper level to descend into the yard where he approached a post near one of the
buildings.

“Bring out the condemned as well as the traitor,” he ordered.

All the allied guards were now worried since they were not expecting the execution to take
place so soon, and most were hesitant to do anything out of fear of being taken prisoner
themselves or for fear that their families would be targeted.

Zuko was brought out from the cooler in chains by two guards.

“Place the traitor right there,” said the warden directing them to put him in line with the
guards, but directly in front of the post.

Chiara was brought out by Zedak and another guard.

“Bring her here,” said the warden.

They led her before him.

“Kneel,” he demanded.

She remained standing.

He slapped her. “I said kneel!!”

“Don't touch her!!” yelled Zuko as he fought against his restraints.

She still refused to kneel causing Zedak to force her to her knees. The guards surrounding the
prisoners were struggling to keep them back.

“Water savage, you will be executed for your treachery against the Fire Nation. Your death
will be an example to any who might be tempted to defy our great Nation.” He looked at
Zedak. “Chain her up.”

Zedak pulled Chiara to the post where he began restraining her.

“The likes of you killed my brother; you deserve every bit of this,” he hissed at her. “My only
regret is that I don't get to be the executioner.”

“Don't do this!” yelled Zuko as he struggled. “She's royal property. You have no right to
touch her!”

The warden scowled at him. “The savage isn't worth the Fire Lord's time, so I don't think he'll
have a problem with this.”

“No!! Chiara...!” He struggled desperately.

“You, however,” continued Idem, “I'm sure he'll want to deal with personally.”

Chiara was relieved Idem would not dare touch Zuko. That meant there would be a chance
for Sokka to save him before he could be taken to the Fire Nation. She looked at him when
Zedak finished restraining her.

“I love you, Prince Zuko.” She wanted those to be the last words he would hear from her.

Zuko's heart was aching painfully. “I won't let you do this to her,” he said deeply to Idem as
he continued trying to break free.

“There's nothing you can do to stop me,” he said. He approached Zuko. “For what little time
you have left in this life, I'll make sure you never forget what you're about to see.” He turned
to his right. “Executioner, take your position.”

Those who were watching were amazed by how calm Chiara was as the executioner stood
before her. Anger over the injustice had most of the prisoners getting rowdier trying to fight
against their restraints.

“Enough!!” yelled the warden. “It's time to find out what happens to spies.” He looked at the
executioner. “Ready!”

“No!!” yelled Zuko struggling to pull free from the guards and restraints.

The executioner drew up a stream of fire. Chiara kept her eyes focused on Zuko; her heart
was filled with sympathy as she watched him trying to fight knowing he would never give
up.

“Take aim!” ordered Idem.

Twelve years earlier, Chiara had survived the massacre of her village, but like one big circle,
she returned to the beginning and would now face death on the orders of the same man who
ordered her village annihilated. She had spent the last month of her life helping and healing
whomever she could, even saving the lives of a few near death, but now it was time to face
her own once again. Though her life would be ending, she would not leave it feeling
hopeless. She was sure Sokka would find a way to help her prince escape. Zuko was on the
right path, he had a growing number of allies willing to help him, and the Avatar was finally
learning all four elements. Her impending death could not kill the hope she had of a better
future for Zuko, Iroh, their friends, and for all the Nations.
She turned her head away and closed her eyes, whispering, “I love you, my Prince,” over and
over.
 The Great Boiling Rock Prison Breakout

“I love you, my Prince,” Chiara continued whispering her mantra.

“Stop!!” yelled Zuko.

As Idem was giving the order to execute her, an enormous ring of fire shot out. Hearing
painful cries, Chiara opened her eyes in time to see Zuko's mangled shackles fall to the
ground as the flame that encircled him knocked down everyone around him, including the
warden and the executioner. The blast he created was similar to the one he created when she
had been wounded by a sword, but this flame was so strong and hot, it melted the shackles
from his wrists yet left no burns on him. Everyone else was stunned that the prince could still
firebend after having been in the cooler all night, and even more so by the ferocity of his
firebending which was terrifying, yet impressive. Sokka, Dako, and Zomi, who had been in
the quarters with the night guards, as well as Nai who had gone for them, had just come
running out to see everyone around Zuko lying on the ground struggling to crawl away under
the pain of their injuries, while the prince himself was attacking any other guards who had
the nerve to try and stop him.

Backup arrived after Jiro released all the prisoners in lockdown, and now a full blown riot
had started among the prisoners and guards. The allied guards involved in the plan did not
fight as hard as they could have allowing the prisoners to gain the upper hand. Sokka
discarded his Fire Nation helmet, and after freeing Hakoda from his chains, they started
fighting alongside the prisoners. The specialized teams went to work breaking through to the
first sector, who, once involved, set about their tasks of breaking through to the entrance yard
and taking control of the gondolas.

Idem with the help of his personal guards was able to get out of the sector, and they quickly
made for the entrance yard. Spotting the warden, Suki immediately ran towards him. Fire
came towards her from one of his guards, and she moved to the side punching him in the
chest. Another guard kicked fire at her, but not before she slid underneath his leg and threw
him over her. Dodging the fire blasts of another, she kicked him away from her and grabbed
Idem's hand threatening to punch him in the face.

“You wouldn't dare,” he hissed.

She did not hold back and broke his nose before pulling his hands behind his back and tying
them. “Sorry, Warden, you're my prisoner now.” She pulled him along to the entrance yard
where the members of her team stood amazed that she accomplished their task without their
help.

Back in the labor sector, Zuko was aggressively fighting several guards at the same time. In
one direction he threw up a wall of fire that blocked an attack from one guard, while
smoothly moving to create a blast of fire that dissipated a fire missile from another, and he
continued moving to send out a bright flame of his own with enough power to break through
incoming fire and throw another opponent on his back. None of the allied guards would even
dare to pretend to fight him as some watched in awe and fear. Zuko's mind was completely
absorbed with defeating the enemy and freeing Chiara. He could feel the intensity of his inner
flame, and he was sure that he had the power to easily take their lives with minimal effort to
accomplish his goal. But there was a part of him that remembered that these guards were still
Fire Nation citizens who were raised on the lies and only needed to understand the truth. He
was in control, and he would defeat them without shedding their blood unless absolutely
necessary. In his mind there were only two exceptions to his mercy in the prison.

Chiara, still chained to the post, desperately wanted to fight with Zuko and protect him as
was always her desire, but she could not break free of her chains. It was clear, though, he had
no need of anyone's help or protection, so she watched with complete admiration his fantastic
display of firebending. His movements were smooth and flowing, almost like a waterbender,
yet powerful and strong, and she could tell as she observed him that each move could have
been potentially lethal if he had willed it to be. Suddenly drawing her attention from his fight,
she saw Zedak angrily walking towards her preparing to throw a stream of fire in her
direction. She turned her head away unable to move from its path or shield her face
otherwise, and she tensed up waiting for the pain of the fire to strike her. She clenched her
eyes shut, but there was no pain. When she ventured to open them she saw a wall of fire
between her and Zedak, and a well-aimed missile knocked him off his feet before he could
move another step. She had never been out of Zuko's watchful eye even in the middle of his
battle. Before Zedak had even hit the ground, Zuko turned back sending out a blast behind
him that blocked a stream of fire heading towards him from another guard and then he kicked
up a burst of flame that sent his opponent to the ground. He immediately turned back to
Zedak who was struggling to get up. When he looked up and saw fire in the prince's eyes as
he approached him, he was immediately filled with terror, and he forced himself to his feet
and hobbled off through the crowd. Unwilling to leave Chiara chained and unprotected, Zuko
refused to pursue him, but before he could assist her, several guards attempted to overtake
him. During his battle, he nearly threw a fire blast at someone heading towards Chiara until
he realized it was Izin who had been released from his cell with the other prisoners.

“Thank you, Izin,” she said when he unlocked her chains.

She quickly pulled water from buckets around the yard to defend Zuko who smiled when he
saw the water shield. More firebenders joined the guards attacking him, and as several
streams of fire came at him, he punched out his own flames that dispelled some while Chiara
sent out streams of water to dissolve the others. To incapacitate the firebenders, she began
binding their hands and feet with ice.

“Someone get them shackled!” yelled Zuko when he saw the guards unable to fight.

One of the teams responsible for securing the guards ran up with shackles and started cuffing
the wrists of any that Chiara had frozen.

Izin insisted on remaining near her assigning himself as her bodyguard despite Zuko
constantly watching over her even while fighting his own battles. As the number of guards
that were restrained increased, and seeing the power of Zuko's firebending, there were no
more left who were willing to continue fighting him. Chiara, followed by Izin, walked
towards the captured guards, a mix of enemies and secret allies, sitting in an area where they
were being guarded by the prisoners assigned to that task. She began healing any injuries
they sustained, mostly burns, some of the worst caused by Zuko's initial fire blast that broke
him free. Not one among them complained, argued, or threatened her for her healing touch,
and the guards who had been part of the plan had secretly welcomed it. Zuko joined her while
she was working, and when she finished with the group, she stood next to him as he
addressed them.

“I hope that one day you will all join me in welcoming a change in leadership that we might
lead the Fire Nation away from self-destruction and onto a path of peace.”

Both he and Chiara bowed respectfully. It was their covert way of thanking those who had
helped them without betraying their alliance. Chiara made eye contact with Nai giving her a
small smile. Then Zuko took Chiara's hand and they left the labor sector to head towards the
entrance, Izin staying with them. She stopped to heal anyone who had been wounded,
especially the ones who were seriously injured, though she was thankful there were none that
were life-threatening. While they were in the first sector, three prisoners from that sector, as
soon as they saw Zuko and Chiara, protectively surrounded them while she was healing the
wounded.

Moving towards the entrance yard, Zuko was nearly hit by a stream of fire. The three
prisoners and Izin stood in front of him and Chiara.

“Traitor prince,” growled Zedak.

Zuko's eyes narrowed in rage, and forcing himself between his own guards, he ran after him.

“Prince Zuko...,” one of the men called out as they followed.

Zedak threw fire at him, but the prince smoothly punched out a fire blast that quickly
dissolved the attack.

“I told you you won't touch her again,” said Zuko angrily.

Zedak turned to run, but the prince was out for blood, and the fire he sent at him struck him
in the back forcing him face-forward onto the ground. Zuko walked towards him with a fire
dagger in his hand. Zedak struggled to get up, but he could only watch the prince approach
him. Chiara immediately ran towards them.

“Princess...,” called Izin as he followed her.

Pulling water from a nearby barrel, she threw up an ice wall between the Zuko and Zedak,
and then she quickly wrapped Zedak in water freezing him in place.

“You filthy Water whore! Let me go!” he yelled as he struggled to break free.

Zuko had run around the wall and knelt next to him, right fist back ready to strike him. “I'm
going to make you pay for how you treated her,” he threatened.

“No,” said Chiara as she walked up and knelt down. He stopped and looked at her. “Please
don't.”
“He abused you for a month,” he said deeply.

She took his left hand holding it in her own. “But he couldn't break me,” she said to his
surprise.

He was still angry at Zedak. “He should be executed for the way he treated you.”

“His family lost enough from this war.”

He could not resist her, and he relaxed his fist. Chiara turned towards Zedak and began
healing his wounds starting with his chest.

He tried to recoil at her touch but was still unable to move in his ice restraints. “Get off me,
Water filth,” was all he could spit out.

Zuko was incensed, and she placed a hand on his wrist to calm him down before covering
Zedak's mouth with ice. When she finished with his other wounds, she stood up and pulled
Zuko towards the entrance yard. “Let's go; we're almost free.”

Izin pulled Zedak's wrists together and bound them with shackles. “The Fire Princess just
saved you from a well-deserved punishment, Zedak. Now you owe her.”

He was trying to yell at Izin, but the ice muffled his voice. He continued struggling, but the
prisoners were gone.

--------------------

In the entrance yard Suki still had the warden restrained and on his knees while Sokka and
Hakoda were directing other prisoners onto the gondolas and sending them to the other side.
Zuko and Chiara approached Warden Idem who had a stream of blood coming from his nose.

“Fire Lord Ozai will have you both executed for this!” he spat angrily.

Suki smacked him in the back of the head, but Zuko, taking a more threatening approach,
produced a fire blade which he held to Idem's throat.

“I'm going to execute you for what you did to my wife...” His voice was so deep and
dangerous, Izin and the three firebenders surrounding them all felt nervous hearing his threat.

“Prince Zuko,” said Chiara in a most tender voice that touched his heart, and he knew what
was coming. He closed his eyes waiting for it. “Please spare his life.”

“But he wouldn't have spared yours,” he said, his voice still deep.

“I don't believe in vendetta,” she said. She placed her hand on his wrist. “I beg you to have
mercy, my Prince.”

He felt a sense of calm in her touch, like the moon tempering the blinding light of the sun.
For years he had been a slave to Ozai carrying a heavy burden of a seemingly futile quest just
to earn the approval of his heartless father. It was then that there were times he had looked
into Chiara's enchanting eyes, and forced himself to resist his desire to obey her request,
whether it was regarding the safety of his crew or mercy towards the Avatar or his
companions. He was no longer a slave to Ozai; he now found himself a slave to Chiara, but
there was no burden in his servitude to her. It was desire—a sweet, pleasant longing to do
whatever she asked of him knowing that it would never be impossible or unreasonable. She
only had to flash her beautiful eyes at him, speak her request in her sweet voice, and he could
not refuse her.

“Only for you then.” He pulled back from Idem restraining his urge to avenge her.

Chiara turned to the warden. “Prince Zuko's mercy is the only grace you'll see, Warden. My
father-in-law won't be so merciful.”

Zuko could not help a slight smirk at her words. “When Ozai discovers that you let all these
prisoners escape, including me, you'll be the one he has executed.”

Chiara drew up a small orb of water before kneeling in front of Idem.

“My mercy isn't shallow,” she said. “A gift from the Tribe you slaughtered.” She held the
water over the severe burns on his arms and chest that he had sustained when Zuko broke free
of his bonds.

“Get away from me, you savage,” he growled at her while futilely struggling to break free.

Suki wrapped his headband over his mouth to silence him.

When Chiara finished with his burns, she healed his broken nose. “Warden Idem, I thank you
for your hospitality.”

Zuko, Izin, Suki, and the other prisoners nearby were confused by her words, and Zuko
reached down to take her arm.

“Chiara, don't...”

“If you had not invited me into your prison,” she continued still kneeling before Idem, “I
never would've met so many honorable people.”

The warden angrily glared at her as if trying to set her on fire with his mind. Everyone else
who was listening was now stunned by what she said.

“And inviting Prince Zuko to remain here,” she continued, “it gave him the chance to pardon
many Fire Nation prisoners. You've made such a difference to so many people.”

Zuko and the other prisoners were laughing to themselves, and they did not think it was
possible for Idem to look even more irate, but he proved them wrong. Zuko helped her as she
stood up.

“You told me when I arrived that escape was impossible,” she said. “Thank you for allowing
my amazing husband and our friends the opportunity to accomplish the impossible.”
Zuko took her hand, and they all turned away to head towards the gondolas. If they had not
been so anxious to escape, the prince would have kissed her for her words before she could
take another step.

--------------------

Hakoda and Sokka were still sending groups across the lake when they arrived. While they
were waiting, the three firebenders that had remained with them knelt before Zuko.

“Prince Zuko, you may not remember me. I am Kaito...”

Chiara's eyes grew wide. “Kaito and Ezo.” She looked at Zuko whose eyes also widened in
recognition.

“Shu Jing,” he said. “Of course I remember you.” He motioned them to stand.

“Shu Jing,” said Sokka. “Isn't that where Master Piandao lives?”

Zuko nodded. “They were our escorts,” he said. “You're Imperial Firebenders.”

“Kaito also escorted me to Ba Sing Se,” said Chiara, her tone one of sadness as she recalled
the reason for her trip.

Kaito nodded, and the two guards were impressed that they remembered them.

“I'm sorry I don't recognize you,” said Zuko to the third.

“I am Shin, Prince Zuko. I was also an Imperial Firebender. I was often assigned to escort
Princess Azula to the Royal Fire Academy.”

“I'm sorry,” said Zuko sincerely. “How did you all end up in Boiling Rock?”

“We know that Prince Iroh should have been Fire Lord,” said Kaito. “When Ozai declared
him a traitor after the Siege of the North, we offered our resignations, and for that we were
branded traitors and imprisoned. We are loyal to Prince Iroh, and as you have fought for him,
we pledge our allegiance to you and his daughter, Princess Chiara.”

Zuko nodded. “My uncle would be proud to have you join us.”

“Have you heard from him, your Highness?” asked Ezo.

“No,” said Zuko. “I last saw him in prison before the eclipse. I was told he broke out, and I
can only hope he's safe.”

“There are others within the palace that are loyal to Prince Iroh,” said Kaito. “It's only out of
fear that they submit to Ozai.”

“That's the only way he knows how to rule,” said Zuko bitterly.

“And he's about to go down,” said Sokka.

After sending the remaining prisoners to the other side, Zuko, Chiara, Sokka, Hakoda, Suki,
Izin, and the three Imperial Firebenders went last.

Across the lake the warden's airship was docked. It had been Sozoh and Zaro's job to load
everyone onto the airship and be ready to leave once everyone was aboard.

When Zuko and Chiara arrived on the ship, they stopped and looked around.

“Everyone's on board?” Zuko asked Sozoh.

“Yes, Prince Zuko.”

“Then it's time to go.”

Zuko and Chiara turned to each other. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her
tightly, lifting her off her feet.
 Return to the Western Air Temple
Chapter Notes

Sorry about taking so long to get this chapter out. For the rest of the story, time between
posts will probably be longer. Life just took an extremely depressing turn which has
made it more difficult to focus.
The next couple of chapters will probably come off as boring. The most fun I had when
I was working on this was playing with the characters' interactions, so despite any lack
of action or movement in the plot, I've left those scenes in since it was for scenes like
these that I originally started writing.

When Zuko released Chiara from his embrace, all the fire nation prisoners around them knelt
down.

“Hail, Prince Zuko.”

“They are not many, Prince Zuko,” said Sozoh, “but they are the start of an army willing to
fight for you.”

“I am honored,” said Zuko. “For years the Fire Lords have led a war against the other Nations
destroying innocent lives, including those of the Fire Nation. It's the job of the Avatar to face
the Fire Lord and restore balance to our Nations, but Ozai has an army behind him and it will
be our job to neutralize it and help restore peace to the world.”

All the Fire Nation prisoners let out a cheer.

“Hey, Z,” said Sokka, “I don't mean to break up your inspirational speech, but we're having a
meeting that we can't start without you. And by the way, this is Suki, leader of the Kyoshi
Warriors, my girlfriend.”

“Actually, we met a long time ago,” said Suki stiffly.

“We did?” asked Zuko.

“Yeah, you kind of burned down my village.”

“Oh,” said Zuko sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry about that. Nice to see you
again.”

Chiara bowed to her. “I had no idea I had been in the presence of a Kyoshi Warrior,” she said.
“It's been a long time, Suki.”

Suki was surprised by her humble greeting. “I'm sorry. Have we met before?”
“Many years ago on Kyoshi Island. I visited there as Lin.”

Suki's eyes lit up as she remembered. “Lin? I didn't know you were in the prison.” Suki
hugged her. “I never saw you.”

“I was in the labor sector. I didn't recognize you without your makeup.”

Suki laughed as she released her.

“And I had no idea you were a waterbender,” she said to Chiara.

“Until recently, very few people did,” she said.

“So you two know each other?” asked Sokka.

“The General and I visited Kyoshi Island many years ago.”

“Huh...it's a small world,” he said.

“I've always wanted to train with the Kyoshi Warriors,” she said.

“She really did,” smiled Zuko.

“If we can get through this war, then you can join us,” said Suki.

“I don't know about that,” said Zuko taking her hand and gripping it tightly.

“So you're married to him?” Suki asked her. “You're who they broke in to rescue?”

“Yes and yes,” Chiara smiled. “My obstinate, yet incredible husband should've been training
the Avatar.”

Zuko looked a little embarrassed. “But...but if I hadn't broken in, then I wouldn't have had a
chance to...uh...pardon all these prisoners,” he said trying to justify his actions.

That made her laugh. “You really are incredible.”

“Why would they put you in Sector 2?” asked Suki.

“Idem and I have a history.”

“It must be some history for him to put you in the labor sector.”

Chiara shrugged. “It was still a vacation compared to the last time I was in prison.”

“We'll have to catch up later,” said Sokka. “Right now, we should get to that meeting.”

Zuko had hold of Chiara's hand and pulled her along with him into a room where Hakoda,
Sozoh, Zaro, and a few others were discussing their plans. Izin, always staying somewhere
near Chiara, also followed them into the room as did the Imperial Firebenders.
During the meeting they decided to land near one of the outer Fire Nation colonies where
some of the Fire Nation prisoners would begin recruiting while others would find passage to
their home islands and do the same. The Earth Kingdom prisoners would take transport to
Kyoshi Island until they could learn the status of their own military. The warden's safe
contained enough gold to help them start their journeys. Since Zuko would be continuing his
job of training the Avatar, Sozoh and Zaro took charge of recruitment of militia to help stop
Ozai's army. Having deserted the military disgusted by the despicable actions they were
ordered to carry out, they were both pleased to be able to serve the Fire Nation again for a
more admirable cause. Zuko suggested during the meeting that they might benefit from
contacting Iroh, though his location was still unknown.

When they finished their discussions, Zuko turned to Chiara and hugged her again. She gazed
into his golden eyes when he released her.

“That was the most amazing firebending I've ever seen,” she said. “I can't imagine what
you'll accomplish during Sozin's Comet.”

He felt heartened by her compliment and he grinned.

“That was incredible, Prince Zuko,” said Sozoh. “I've never seen anything like it—and after
spending a night in the cooler.”

“You melted the shackles from your wrists, and you don't have a burn on you,” said Zaro.

“What'd I miss?” asked Sokka.

“Prince Zuko created a ring of fire that melted his bindings and threw back everyone around
him,” said Sozoh.

“It was you,” said Zuko to Chiara. “I never could've done that without you. I refused to let
him harm you.”

She suspected a couple of dragon masters had something more to do with it.

“I guess it's good that you're on our side now,” said Sokka.

Zuko felt elated. He entered Boiling Rock Prison with Sokka on a small war balloon and
managed to free Chiara and get out of the prison with a much larger airship full of allies
willing to help gain more.

“Speaking of firebending,” said Chiara, “is there anyone on board who got injured?”

“There are a few,” said Sozoh. “Nothing too bad, but most likely they're in the infirmary.”

“I guess that's where we'll be,” said Zuko.

-------------------

After healing everyone who had been injured, Zuko and Chiara returned to the bridge where
she and Suki stepped outside on the deck. Chiara explained the reason for her alias years
earlier, and the two girls conversed about their adventures since they had last seen each other.
While Zuko continued talking with Zaro and Sozoh, Izin walked up to him and knelt down.

“Prince Zuko, I would be honored to remain in your company at your service and at the
service of the Fire Princess.”

“We may be heading into the heart of the Fire Nation sooner than the others,” said Zuko.

“I'm not afraid.”

“If that's what you choose, then I would be honored to have you join us.” He motioned him to
stand. “I appreciate what you did for my wife in the prison.”

“There was no honor in allowing her to suffer in my place,” said Izin still feeling ashamed for
not defending Chiara earlier.

“Chiara doesn't see it that way.”

“To regain my honor I will dedicate my life to her protection.”

Zuko was amazed by the man's loyalty. “Consider it regained.”

Izin bowed to him before leaving the bridge as Zuko watched him go.

“He's really protective of the princess,” said Zaro.

“I saw him defend her in the prison,” he said.

“He's a good man. He doesn't say much though,” Zaro added.

“He doesn't like to speak of his past,” said Sozoh. “Like most of us, he was imprisoned for
desertion after seeing the harsh realities of this war.”

“He was an officer then?” asked Zuko.

“First lieutenant in the army...,” he said.

“Same rank as Lu Ten,” said Zuko softly. “But he seems much older.”

“When his captain and half his unit died in a bloody battle with earthbenders, Izin took
charge in the fight and led the men to victory over the enemy soldiers. They promoted him to
first lieutenant before sending him with the rest of the unit to burn down the village and
murder the soldiers' families in retaliation.”

Zuko's mouth dropped open in shock and disgust at the order.

“Izin immediately defected,” said Sozoh.

“Of course, he was caught and imprisoned,” said Zaro sadly.

“There definitely needs to be a change in leadership,” said Zuko.

 --------------------

Hours later they landed near a Fire Nation colony. Zuko and Chiara thanked everyone who
was disembarking, and those of the Fire Nation pledged their allegiance to the prince and
General Iroh. Once they were gone, Zuko, Chiara, Sokka, Hakoda, Suki, Izin, and the three
Imperial Firebenders were the only ones on board. They headed towards the Western Air
Temple. The firebenders stayed in the engine room to keep the airship moving while Hakoda
and Sokka were at the helm. Suki, of course, remained by Sokka's side. When Zuko saw
Chiara standing outside on the deck, he stepped out and walked up to her sliding his arm
around her waist.

“So...go down fighting, eh?” he said.

“Never give up without a fight.” He softly laughed at her words. “I really thought we were
dead already,” she said sadly.

“For a second there, I did too.”

She looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you, my amazing firebender,” she said making his
heart skip.

He took her in his arms and held her. “You bring that out in me.”

She rested against him. “I think it had something to do with the masterful training you
received on a certain island.”

She felt him laughing. “That too,” he conceded. “But you made me tap into it.”

“More like Idem forced you to tap into it.”

Now she felt a low growl.

“When I saw your shackles hit the ground, I was reminded of what you said about seeing
Avatar Roku at the Fire Temple,” she said.

He nodded. “That's almost what it was like, but this was my own fire.”

He quietly held her as they thought about the events of the morning.

“You said something about Idem slaughtering a Water Tribe,” he said. “What did you mean
by that?”

“He led the attack against my village.”

Zuko released her to look in her eyes. “Wait...what?”

“My family was killed on his orders.”

He was disgusted. “I had no idea. Why didn't you let me execute him?”
“I don't believe in vendetta. It won't bring my family back.”

Zuko looked down. “You know, if he hadn't committed that atrocity, I never would've known
you,” he said sadly, feeling guilty for thinking it.

“And if your uncle hadn't brought me back to the Fire Nation, I never would've known you.”

A small smile lit up his face. The thought of Iroh's decision made him appreciate his uncle all
the more. “He definitely made the right decision.”

“Destiny is a funny thing,” she said making him chuckle at her imitation of Iroh.

--------------------

That evening they arrived at the air temple. Seeing the large airship descending, the others at
the temple had been ready to escape until they saw Sokka waving and calling from the deck.
Aang, Katara, Toph, Haru, Teo, and The Duke came running out and gathered around as it
landed on the balcony where Aang and Zuko would train. Sokka was the first to disembark,
and Katara ran up to him and hugged him, happy to see her brother return safely.

“You guys were gone for so long,” she said. “We were really worried.” Before she could even
ask if they were successful in their mission, she saw Chiara. “You did it!”

The girls embraced.

“I'm so glad you're okay,” said Katara.

“We brought lots of gifts,” said Chiara.

Katara released her. “Suki!”

As Katara and Suki were hugging, Aang hugged Chiara.

“It's good to have you back, Chiara,” he said.

“It's good to be back.”

“We missed you. And Zuko was really sad when you were gone.” When Aang spotted the
prince, he quickly released her from his hug and started shaking her hand instead. “I knew
you could do it, Hotman,” he said to Zuko.

“Dad?!” cried Katara excitedly. She ran to him and threw her arms around him.

“Hi, Katara,” he said.

“Were all you guys in the same prison?” asked Aang.

“Yes,” said Hakoda.

“Well, that was convenient,” said Toph who was hugging Chiara. “I knew you could do it,
Sparky.” She moved towards him and punched him in the arm.
“Hey,” said Zuko rubbing his arm. “You hug Chiara, but you punch me?”

“Yeah. I know you don't like us being in your personal space, so I figure that's less personal.”

“Ha! She's right about that,” said Sokka as he put his arm around Zuko's shoulders. “You're
all personal about your personal space.”

“I think I liked it better in the prison,” Zuko said dryly. “You're lucky Nai isn't here.”

“Hey, she warmed up to me,” said Sokka as he walked off.

“So who are the strays?” asked Toph sensing the new people.

“That's Izin,” Zuko introduced him.

“Oh, is it? He looks very interesting,” she said sarcastically.

“Uh...yeah...,” he said embarrassed by his mistake. “The one behind you and Chiara,” he
said. “And on my right is Shin, and Kaito and Ezo are behind me and Chiara. These three are
Imperial Firebenders.”

“Wow,” said Aang. “You have your own royal bodyguards.”

Zuko turned towards the men. “This is Aang, the Avatar. Toph,” he said pointing to her, “is
his earthbending teacher.”

“Also known as the greatest earthbender ever and champion of Earth Rumble VI,” she added
proudly.

They stared skeptically at her, but they did not question it, and though curious, they did not
remark on her blindness.

Zuko pointed at Katara who was with Hakoda, Sokka, and Suki. “Standing next to the Water
Tribe simpleton you already met is his sister Katara, Aang's waterbending teacher. And Haru,
Teo, and The Duke are friends from the Earth Kingdom,” he said pointing them out.

“It's getting late,” said Chiara. “Everyone must be hungry...”

“No,” said Zuko sternly as he took her hand. “You just got out of a labor camp. You're not
doing anything.”

“But these guys did too, and...”

“No.” He pulled her over to the other group. “Excuse me, Katara,” he said interrupting her
conversation with Hakoda. “I don't mean to pull you away from your family reunion with
your father...well...I do, but only temporarily,” he added as he noticed Katara's glare. “She
needs you to heal her.” He put Chiara between them.

Katara's eyes softened. “Of course.”

She looked at Hakoda who knew she was about to apologize. “It's okay. The princess took
care of a lot of people in the prison; it only seems right that she gets cared for now.” He
smiled at his daughter. “And I'll be here when you're done.”

She turned to Chiara. “Come on,” she said as she led her inside the temple.

“Wait,” said Sokka. “That's both of our cooks. Who's going to make dinner?”

“Go make it yourself,” snapped Katara.

“There's still food in the galley on the airship,” called Zuko as he walked towards the temple.
“Make enough for everyone.”

“But that's not my job,” moaned Sokka.

Katara and Chiara disappeared inside the temple as did Zuko with Kaito and Ezo following
them. Ezo was about to follow the girls into Katara's room until she noticed him, stopping
him at the door.

“Um, this is private,” she said.

“Princess?” said Ezo looking around her at Chiara.

Zuko turned back to them. “You can wait outside the door,” he said.

“Yes, your Highness.”

“Thank you, Ezo,” said Chiara.

She and Katara disappeared inside while Zuko continued on to another room followed by
Kaito. After gathering a few items he returned to the courtyard where Izin, Kaito, and Shin
sat with him.

“You guys should eat something,” he said as he held a flame under a teapot. “There was
plenty of food left on board.”

“Thank you, your Highness,” said Kaito. He looked at Shin. “We'll eat in shifts; you can go
first.”

“What about the princess?” Izin asked Zuko as Shin stood up to leave the group. “Shouldn't
she eat something?”

Zuko smiled to himself feeling appreciative of Izin's concern for Chiara. “She will.”

“I could get a bowl of food ready for her.”

Zuko looked at him and nodded. “Yes. Thank you, Izin.”

Izin stood up. “Would you like a bowl as well, your Highness?”
“That sounds good. Thanks.” As Izin walked off, Zuko looked at Kaito. “Technically I'm no
longer the prince, and I know you offered your allegiance, but you don't have to be so formal
or follow us everywhere.”

“Your Highness, there is no greater honor than to do our duty to the Fire Nation by serving
the royal family, the rightful heirs to the throne.”

“It's just that it's pretty informal here. No one's really used to having guards around, and to be
honest, I'm not so used to it anymore either.”

“Then it's good that we're here to get you used to it again before you're back in the palace.”

Zuko was about to argue with that, but the water began boiling in the teapot, so he removed
the flame and added chamomile and mint.

“Is that Fire Lilies in the Golden Sunlight, your Highness?” Kaito asked him.

Zuko looked up at him not even aware he had been humming. “Oh...um...yes?”

He continued the song in his head, but now that he lost his place, he wondered if the tea he
was making would not turn out as good. He considered starting over. He decided it could not
be that bad if he let it stew a few extra seconds, but since Chiara had been in prison for a
month, he at least wanted to make her a perfect cup of tea.

“Do you want tea?” he asked.

The guard had never expected to see any of the royal family making tea, much less offering it
to him.

“Y-yes, your Highness,” said Kaito out of respect, though unsure of how it would taste.

Zuko poured him a cup, and then he poured three more for Ezo, Shin, and Izin before
proceeding to make a new pot for Chiara determined not to lose focus this time.

It did not take long for Katara to heal what she could of Chiara's back injuries. When Chiara
returned to the courtyard, she sat next to Zuko and handed him a rolled up canvas tied with a
golden ribbon that he recognized as their wedding portrait. He smiled at her and tucked it
away before handing her a freshly made cup of tea.

“Oh, thank you,” she said. “I haven't had any tea in a month.”

He held a cup out to Ezo. “Tea, Ezo?”

He was clearly surprised. “Oh...yes, thank you, your Highness.”

“Aw, it's chamomile and mint,” smiled Chiara. “You're so precious.”

“This is really good, your Highness,” said Ezo who was just as astonished as Kaito that the
prince could make such delicious tea.
Zuko grinned. “I hope so. I did work in two tea shops in Ba Sing Se after all.”

Soon there was a fire blazing in the fire pit in the courtyard, and everyone settled around it
with their food while Zuko brewed more tea for the others and Sokka animatedly recounted
the story of the breakout.
 Trying to Relax
Chapter Notes

I ended up splitting the next 2 chapters. There's a lot of rambling in both of them, so
enjoy...

Late in the evening of their return from the prison after everyone had gone to bed, Zuko and
Chiara started walking out of the temple. He stopped when he saw Kaito and Ezo following
them.

“Oh, you guys can relax,” he said.

“But, your Highness, you shouldn't leave the temple without your guards,” said Kaito.

Zuko was unaccustomed to having guard escorts since before his banishment, and he was
finding it tedious. “We'll be okay. We're used to being on our own.”

“I just don't think it's...wise to go off on your own, sir,” he said.

“We're just going to the river for a while. We won't be long.”

The guards were hesitant to let them go alone. “We'll stay at a distance, your Highness.”

Chiara looked at Zuko. “It's not much different than having Lady Katara or Lady Toph
along.”

“Fine,” he gave in.

They left the temple with the guards following. While Kaito and Ezo stood near the woods,
Zuko took Chiara into the river where they sat in the water relaxing in the moonlight. Sitting
on the riverbed he held her in his arms while leaning against the rock they usually sat on.

“I missed you so much,” he said.

“I missed you too.” She gazed at him. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For rescuing all those prisoners.”

“I did it for you,” he said.

“And thank you for rescuing me...again.”

“I vowed to protect you,” he said. “And if Katara thought I was overprotective before, wait
'til she sees me now.”

She chuckled softly. “I love you,” she said as she caressed his face.

He leaned towards her and kissed her.

“I have something for you. Close your eyes.”

He pulled out the little pouch Sokka had given him.

“Are they closed?” he asked.

“Yes.”

She heard something metallic.

“Okay, you can open them.”

Her eyes grew wide when she saw him holding her diadem. “Oh, how did you get it?”

“Nai got it,” he said. “And your knife too...as well as these...”

Opening his hand he revealed her rings. She was relieved to see all three. He placed her
wedding band on her finger followed by Ursa's ring on her other hand, and then he put on her
forefinger the dragon ring he had given her years earlier when they lived on the ship. He
wrapped her diadem around her head connecting it in the back before wrapping his arms
around her. They sat quietly in the water enjoying the current flowing against their bodies in
the moonlight.

During their first week back at the temple, the airship was moved from their training balcony
to just outside the temple as Aang resumed training with all his teachers focusing especially
on his firebending. Zuko never relented in keeping Chiara on the temple grounds. Even if
Izin and the Imperial Firebenders were around to watch her, Zuko never let her leave the
temple unless he himself was with her. Every evening he took her to the river to relax
followed by their faithful guards. During the days she often practiced with him and Aang
going through the motions with them during their training hours. As Aang was progressing in
his firebending, he, Zuko, Izin, Kaito, Shin, and Ezo would team up against Chiara, at Zuko's
insistence, in order to keep her trained against an attack. It took a bit of effort, and nearly a
command, to get Izin to participate in attacking her, but Zuko assured him that it was for her
benefit so she could practice defending herself against several firebenders at once, and it
allowed her to develop new defensive and offensive moves. Unless she used her sword,
Chiara found the sparring quite challenging when her water supply was limited inside the
temple, but when they battled near the river, it was the firebenders who were on the defensive
often ending up wet and frozen. The three Imperial Firebenders were amazed to see Chiara's
masterful waterbending, especially Kaito and Ezo who had practically watched her grow up
in the Fire Nation and never knew she had been a bender of any element.
One afternoon, a few days after arriving back at the temple, and after her incredible defensive
waterbending techniques at the river during practice, Zuko and Chiara took a break in the
river while Kaito, Ezo, Shin, and Izin remained on the bank where they snacked on the fruit
Chiara packed for them.

As Kaito was watching the two teens enjoying themselves in the water he wondered about his
own children. He had not been in touch with his family since before he had been imprisoned
following his resignation after the Siege of the North. Even now he could not take the chance
of contacting them for their own safety, and, of course, for the safety of the prince and
princess if it were to give away their location.

“I can't believe how powerful she is,” said Ezo. “Do you think Prince Iroh knew when he
took her in?”

“I don't know,” said Kaito setting the thoughts of his family aside. “It's hard to believe he
would take a chance of her being exposed to Fire Lord Azulon or Ozai.”

Ezo smiled. “Prince Zuko doesn't seem to mind.”

Kaito chuckled as he was watching them. “They were always close. I remember the last time
we were in Shu Jing he asked me if I was married and if I liked my wife.”

The other men softly laughed.

“Then he asked if it had been an arranged marriage.”

Ezo nodded his head understanding why the young prince had been curious. “Of course.”

“I said we had been friends before we were married, and he said he hoped he could marry his
friend too.”

Ezo chuckled. “I guess he got what he hoped for.”

“Breaking into Boiling Rock for her...” Kaito shook his head. “...unbelievable. If only his
father cared about family the way his son does.”

“That's why Prince Zuko will make a far better Fire Lord,” said Shin.

Kaito smiled as he reminisced his last trip to Shu Jing.

It was their last day at Piandao's estate where the two young royals were practicing their
sword fighting techniques. It was in between their lessons with the swordmaster, and the two
kids never seemed to tire of sparring together, even doing so during their free time. They took
the art seriously, but their private battles, despite exercising all their skills, still turned out
playful making him quietly laugh as he watched Prince Zuko pretend to cut off his opponent's
limb only for her to switch hands to continue the battle with one arm behind her back, or for
Lady Chiara to pretend to decapitate her opponent causing the prince to fall to the ground
dramatically feigning death.
He had been serving as an Imperial Firebender for a year when he was first assigned to
guard Prince Zuko on his trips to Shu Jing every month. Ezo joined him when Iroh began
sending Chiara along with the prince. After having served as palace guards for three years,
both men had undergone the year-long training course together to become Imperial
Firebenders. The intense program provided training in multiple fighting and defensive
techniques, diverse weapons, strategy, diplomacy, court etiquette, and even survival
instruction and medical knowledge for emergency situations. The candidates who made it
through the program would be required to guard the royal family with the highest level of
skill, and even with their lives.

Kaito had to admit that he thought being an Imperial Firebender would be a lot more
adventurous. For all his training, guarding the youngest prince was pretty tame on these
monthly trips, and he did not expect much danger or many attempted kidnappings, especially
considering Piandao's legendary history. But after hearing what happened to Prince Lu Ten
and his guards who accompanied him on his mission at Ba Sing Se, his monthly week-long
vacation-like assignments did not seem so bad. He found himself looking forward to the trip
each month, especially as he had children of his own close in age to the young royals.
Reminding him of his own children, they made his assignment feel more personal as he
watched them grow up, especially as they were both good-natured compared to some other
members of the royal family. And Kaito enjoyed seeing the two together again, especially
after their year apart. He had noticed the change in Prince Zuko after Lady Ursa
disappeared; he seemed so lost and reserved, and with his young friend gone too, it seemed
to be a greater strain on the boy. The past year since Lady Chiara's return made a positive
difference in the prince's somber disposition.

“Kaito, are you married?”

The guard looked down at the prince who was now sitting next to him with a bowl of noodles
while Amiku was ushering Lady Chiara inside the castle.

“You two never stop with these swords,” he heard Amiku saying to her. “I told Prince Iroh
years ago it's one thing to train you in self-defense, but fighting with swords...it's just too
much for a young lady.”

“But, Lady Amiku, it helped when the General and I were in the Earth Kingdom...”

“But to pretend to remove the Crown Prince's head...”

Chiara was giggling at Amiku's motherly rant.

“Yes, Prince Zuko, I'm married,” said Kaito.

“Do you like your wife?”

He was smirking under his mask, and he was finding it difficult not to laugh at the boy's
question. “Of course, your Highness. I love my wife very much.”

The prince silently contemplated his next question. “Was it an arranged marriage?” he asked
softly.
“No, your Highness.”

“So you were friends before you were married?”

Another smirk. “Yes, your Highness.”

Zuko looked down lost in thought. “I hope I can marry my friend too,” he nearly whispered.

“Do you think they're all right?”

Kaito snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Ezo who was staring fixedly at the river.

“What?”

“You don't think they swam downstream or something, do you?” asked Ezo.

“They were just here...,” he started.

“Where have you been? They've been gone for a while. The sun's already dropped below the
treeline.”

“Can a waterbender drown?” asked Shin, sounding worried.

Just hearing those words made Izin nervous, and he stood up and walked towards the river as
Kaito was right behind him. They could see nothing underneath the water from their position
on the shore. The four men walked along the bank of the river looking for them. Getting
worried when there was no sign of them, Kaito stopped.

“We should split up in pairs,” he said. “We'll stay near the water. Ezo, you and Izin go up
river...”

“But if...if something happened to them, they would be downstream,” said Izin hating himself
for saying it out loud.

“I don't think they drowned,” said Kaito. “They may have gone upstream...”

“Something wrong?” asked Zuko.

They all turned towards Zuko's voice to see him and Chiara.

“Your Highness,” said Kaito, “where were you?”

“We found clams,” said Chiara, showing the molluscs they had gathered in her skirt. “There
was a whole bed of them.”

The men were relieved, but at the same time Kaito wanted to scold them for disappearing.

“You can't just disappear like that. We were looking all over for you,” he said sounding more
like a concerned father than an exasperated guard.

“Food doesn't find itself,” said Zuko nonchalantly.

“And we wanted to gather enough for everyone,” said Chiara.

Shin was looking at the clams. “They do look good. And it beats prison food.”

“I appreciate that,” said Kaito, “but could you at least let someone know when you're going
to disappear?”

Izin opened the bag that had contained the fruit they had eaten. “Princess, we can put them in
here.”

She sat on the ground spreading out her skirt, and they gathered the clams into the bag.

They returned to camp, and after soaking the clams, Katara and Chiara steamed them over a
fire and everyone, but Aang, of course, enjoyed them with the fish that Hakoda and Sokka
had caught for dinner.

The next day, while Aang was practicing with Toph, Zuko walked up to Chiara who was
gathering fruit for lunch and he took her hand pulling her away from the grove.

“What's up?” she asked.

“A date by a waterfall.”

“Aw,” she smiled. “But you should eat lunch...”

“We'll take the fruit with us,” he said. “I want to sneak out before Kaito or Ezo see us.”

She softly giggled. They started up the steps to leave the temple only for Zuko to look back
and see Kaito and Ezo walking towards them. He sighed to himself and stopped.

“You guys don't have to come with us.”

“You shouldn't go out unescorted, your Highness,” said Kaito.

“He's right, your Highn-ass,” said Sokka who was coming down the steps with Hakoda, both
carrying fish they caught for lunch. “You shouldn't go anywhere without your elite
jerkbending guards to protect you.” He glanced at the firebenders as he walked by them. “No
offense.”

“Shut up, Sokka,” said Zuko in a low, deep voice.

Sokka turned back towards him. “Hey, you don't want to get ambushed out there like we were
when they took Chiara to the prison.”

Kaito's eyes grew wide. “The princess was ambushed here? It would be best if we stay with
you, sir.”

Zuko made a mental note to kill Sokka later. “I really appreciate your loyalty and dedication,
but my wife just got out of prison where she was constantly under guard. I would like to take
her to the river without feeling like we're still incarcerated.”

“They've been in prison for a while, Zuko,” called Sokka. “They might not know about the
treason charge...you know, with interrupting...”

“Yes, I know what you're talking about,” snapped Zuko, quickly cutting him off.

“Maybe you should explain it to them.”

Kaito stared curiously at the prince. “Sir?”

Zuko sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Nothing. Just ignore the idiot.” He turned
to Chiara. “I feel like killing something. Let's go hunting.”

“I'll get my bow.”

He released her hand, and she went to their room to grab the bow and arrows and a bag for
the fruit she was carrying. When she returned outside, Zuko took the bow from her before
taking her hand and pulling her up the stairs.

Kaito started worrying as they walked deeper into the forest.

“We shouldn't stray too far from the temple, sir.”

“We need to find something big enough to feed everyone,” said Zuko.

“Why don't we go closer to the river,” suggested Chiara. “Remember the muskrat deer? He
was pretty big.”

“He was,” he agreed.

They went towards the river and sat just inside the forest where they could view the water.
They ate the fruit Chiara brought as they quietly sat waiting for something meaty to stroll by.
They did not wait long before Zuko spotted a rabbitcoon on the other side of the river. He
stealthily took aim and let the arrow fly hitting his target.

“Good hit, your Highness,” said Ezo.

Chiara raised an ice bridge from the water and then took the bow from Zuko before he ran
across followed by Kaito who slipped and slid the rest of the way until he landed on the other
side.

“Are you okay?” asked Zuko reaching down to take his hand.

“Yes, sir. I've never been on ice before.”

Zuko pulled him to his feet, but he could not help a smirk. “It's takes some practice.”

He retrieved his kill. Kaito had planned on carrying it for him, but after sliding across the ice
bridge, he decided to allow the prince to carry it since he seemed more balanced on the
slippery walkway, but they did return to the other side at a much slower pace.

“Are you bruised?” Chiara asked Kaito.

“No, Princess.”

Zuko pulled out his knife and began gutting the rabbitcoon at the river's edge. Though the
Imperial Firebenders had been trained in survival skills, they had been rarely needed, and
seeing the prince working so expertly, they chose to let him handle it.

“You really know what your doing with that, your Highness,” said Ezo.

“We've been on our own for a while.”

They heard a noise coming from the forest as it sounded like something hit the ground, and
the guards turned to see Chiara holding the bow after releasing an arrow.

“You got it, Princess,” said Izin who had been watching her.

“What was it?” asked Shin.

“It was a turkey-squirrel,” he answered as he headed into the woods.

He returned carrying the new kill. Chiara joined Zuko at the river where she drew up water,
suspending it in the air. She concentrated on heating it up and waited until it was boiling.

“Izin, hold it in the water just enough to cover its feathers.”

He did as she directed. Seconds later, she returned the water to the river, the steam rising as
the hot water met the cooler. She took the turkey-squirrel and sat on the bank where she
began pulling feathers as the four men stood by watching them.

“These feathers'll be so much better for the arrows than bark,” she said setting them behind
her.

“And we can eat that tonight and make jerky with most of this one,” said Zuko.

“We definitely need to make jerky, especially if we're leaving next week.”

Kaito felt bad as he watched the two royals process their game. He had been trained to take
care of the royal family in these situations, but the two teenagers had become more adept at
survival just through their experiences. He considered it a shame that they had been forced to
survive on their own by Prince Zuko's tyrannical father. Instead of living pampered lives in
the palace, they had to concern themselves with arrow fletching and drying meat for the
future. His greatest consolation, however, was that they did their work so willingly and
selflessly, even making sure they had enough to share with everyone. And the joy they
seemed to find in their labors reminded him of the fun they had when they sparred; these
were just other activities they were enjoying together. It almost made him feel bad about
hounding them about security and not allowing them time to go out on their own, but he was
determined to do his duty and keep them safe.
Kneeling before Fire Lord Ozai was always terrifying, but even more so when the message
contained news of a disturbing nature. A messenger never knew what to expect of the
outcome of the delivery. The news of Prince Zuko's treason when he broke Iroh and the
Water Tribe girl out of the Prison Tower so angered the Fire Lord that the messenger was
instantly blinded by his wrath. Far worse was the fate of the messenger who delivered the
news of Iroh's attack on Zhao preventing him from defeating the Northern Water Tribe. It was
said that all that was left of the poor man was a few smoldering remains that could fill a
bucket. Now the messenger kneeling before him was trembling slightly.

“M-my Lord, I have a message from Warden Idem of Boiling Rock Prison.”

The Fire Lord remained silent.

“He's reporting a breakout.”

“Anyone of significance?” Ozai asked as if an escaped prisoner was of no consequence.

“It was all the prisoners,” the messenger spoke in a small voice.

“What?!” The flames around Ozai rose higher as the messenger shrank back. “How did all
the traitors manage to get off the island?!”

“They stole the warden's airship...”

“Prison was too lenient for those treasonous scoundrels!”

“Sh-shall we send out a unit to apprehend them, my Lord?”

“Where were they headed?” he asked deeply.

“Northeast from the prison towards the Earth Kingdom a week ago.”

“A week?!”

“Yes, my Lord. We just now received the message.”

The fires around the throne were burning hotter.

“Should we pursue, my Lord?” he asked timidly.

“No,” said Ozai thoughtfully. Though the man kneeling before him could not see through the
wall of flames, not that he would even dare lift his face to his Fire Lord, Ozai's lip curled
slightly as Sozin's Comet flashed through his mind. “No. Leave them in the Earth Kingdom.”

The messenger seemed to relax as the Fire Lord seemed to adjust well to the news.

“There is more,” said the messenger.

Ozai's eyes narrowed. “What more could there possibly be?”

“Prince Zuko had broken into the prison and was responsible for freeing the prisoners.”

A blinding flash of light was the last the messenger's eyes would see before his lifeless body
slumped to the floor.

“Bring me Azula!” ordered Ozai.

The guard at the door nodded before disappearing.

When Azula arrived in the throne room, she knelt down before her father, the acrid smell of
electricity and singed flesh filling the air around her.

“Bad news, Father?” she asked eyeing the corpse beside her, smoke still rising from the exit
wound.

“Your treacherous brother broke into Boiling Rock and freed the prisoners,” he said deeply.

“He's building an army using traitors?” She scoffed. “How like Zuzu.”

“First, I want you to pay a visit to Warden Idem, and then I want you to find that traitor Zuko
and kill him.”

“Yes, Father,” she said, a smile gracing her face as she bowed her head.

Late in the evening of their return from the prison after everyone had gone to bed, Zuko and
Chiara started walking out of the temple. He stopped when he saw Kaito and Ezo following
them.

“Oh, you guys can relax,” he said.

“But, your Highness, you shouldn't leave the temple without your guards,” said Kaito.

Zuko was unaccustomed to having guard escorts since before his banishment, and he was
finding it tedious. “We'll be okay. We're used to being on our own.”

“I just don't think it's...wise to go off on your own, sir,” he said.

“We're just going to the river for a while. We won't be long.”

The guards were hesitant to let them go alone. “We'll stay at a distance, your Highness.”

Chiara looked at Zuko. “It's not much different than having Lady Katara or Lady Toph
along.”

“Fine,” he gave in.

They left the temple with the guards following. While Kaito and Ezo stood near the woods,
Zuko took Chiara into the river where they sat in the water relaxing in the moonlight. Sitting
on the riverbed he held her in his arms while leaning against the rock they usually sat on.
“I missed you so much,” he said.

“I missed you too.” She gazed at him. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For rescuing all those prisoners.”

“I did it for you,” he said.

“And thank you for rescuing me...again.”

“I vowed to protect you,” he said. “And if Katara thought I was overprotective before, wait
'til she sees me now.”

She chuckled softly. “I love you,” she said as she caressed his face.

He leaned towards her and kissed her.

“I have something for you. Close your eyes.”

He pulled out the little pouch Sokka had given him.

“Are they closed?” he asked.

“Yes.”

She heard something metallic.

“Okay, you can open them.”

Her eyes grew wide when she saw him holding her diadem. “Oh, how did you get it?”

“Nai got it,” he said. “And your knife too...as well as these...”

Opening his hand he revealed her rings. She was relieved to see all three. He placed her
wedding band on her finger followed by Ursa's ring on her other hand, and then he put on her
forefinger the dragon ring he had given her years earlier when they lived on the ship. He
wrapped her diadem around her head connecting it in the back before wrapping his arms
around her. They sat quietly in the water enjoying the current flowing against their bodies in
the moonlight.

During their first week back at the temple, the airship was moved from their training balcony
to just outside the temple as Aang resumed training with all his teachers focusing especially
on his firebending. Zuko never relented in keeping Chiara on the temple grounds. Even if
Izin and the Imperial Firebenders were around to watch her, Zuko never let her leave the
temple unless he himself was with her. Every evening he took her to the river to relax
followed by their faithful guards. During the days she often practiced with him and Aang
going through the motions with them during their training hours. As Aang was progressing in
his firebending, he, Zuko, Izin, Kaito, Shin, and Ezo would team up against Chiara, at Zuko's
insistence, in order to keep her trained against an attack. It took a bit of effort, and nearly a
command, to get Izin to participate in attacking her, but Zuko assured him that it was for her
benefit so she could practice defending herself against several firebenders at once, and it
allowed her to develop new defensive and offensive moves. Unless she used her sword,
Chiara found the sparring quite challenging when her water supply was limited inside the
temple, but when they battled near the river, it was the firebenders who were on the defensive
often ending up wet and frozen. The three Imperial Firebenders were amazed to see Chiara's
masterful waterbending, especially Kaito and Ezo who had practically watched her grow up
in the Fire Nation and never knew she had been a bender of any element.

One afternoon, a few days after arriving back at the temple, and after her incredible defensive
waterbending techniques at the river during practice, Zuko and Chiara took a break in the
river while Kaito, Ezo, Shin, and Izin remained on the bank where they snacked on the fruit
Chiara packed for them.

As Kaito was watching the two teens enjoying themselves in the water he wondered about his
own children. He had not been in touch with his family since before he had been imprisoned
following his resignation after the Siege of the North. Even now he could not take the chance
of contacting them for their own safety, and, of course, for the safety of the prince and
princess if it were to give away their location.

“I can't believe how powerful she is,” said Ezo. “Do you think Prince Iroh knew when he
took her in?”

“I don't know,” said Kaito setting the thoughts of his family aside. “It's hard to believe he
would take a chance of her being exposed to Fire Lord Azulon or Ozai.”

Ezo smiled. “Prince Zuko doesn't seem to mind.”

Kaito chuckled as he was watching them. “They were always close. I remember the last time
we were in Shu Jing he asked me if I was married and if I liked my wife.”

The other men softly laughed.

“Then he asked if it had been an arranged marriage.”

Ezo nodded his head understanding why the young prince had been curious. “Of course.”

“I said we had been friends before we were married, and he said he hoped he could marry his
friend too.”

Ezo chuckled. “I guess he got what he hoped for.”

“Breaking into Boiling Rock for her...” Kaito shook his head. “...unbelievable. If only his
father cared about family the way his son does.”

“That's why Prince Zuko will make a far better Fire Lord,” said Shin.
Kaito smiled as he reminisced his last trip to Shu Jing.

It was their last day at Piandao's estate where the two young royals were practicing their
sword fighting techniques. It was in between their lessons with the swordmaster, and the two
kids never seemed to tire of sparring together, even doing so during their free time. They took
the art seriously, but their private battles, despite exercising all their skills, still turned out
playful making him quietly laugh as he watched Prince Zuko pretend to cut off his opponent's
limb only for her to switch hands to continue the battle with one arm behind her back, or for
Lady Chiara to pretend to decapitate her opponent causing the prince to fall to the ground
dramatically feigning death.

He had been serving as an Imperial Firebender for a year when he was first assigned to
guard Prince Zuko on his trips to Shu Jing every month. Ezo joined him when Iroh began
sending Chiara along with the prince. After having served as palace guards for three years,
both men had undergone the year-long training course together to become Imperial
Firebenders. The intense program provided training in multiple fighting and defensive
techniques, diverse weapons, strategy, diplomacy, court etiquette, and even survival
instruction and medical knowledge for emergency situations. The candidates who made it
through the program would be required to guard the royal family with the highest level of
skill, and even with their lives.

Kaito had to admit that he thought being an Imperial Firebender would be a lot more
adventurous. For all his training, guarding the youngest prince was pretty tame on these
monthly trips, and he did not expect much danger or many attempted kidnappings, especially
considering Piandao's legendary history. But after hearing what happened to Prince Lu Ten
and his guards who accompanied him on his mission at Ba Sing Se, his monthly week-long
vacation-like assignments did not seem so bad. He found himself looking forward to the trip
each month, especially as he had children of his own close in age to the young royals.
Reminding him of his own children, they made his assignment feel more personal as he
watched them grow up, especially as they were both good-natured compared to some other
members of the royal family. And Kaito enjoyed seeing the two together again, especially
after their year apart. He had noticed the change in Prince Zuko after Lady Ursa
disappeared; he seemed so lost and reserved, and with his young friend gone too, it seemed
to be a greater strain on the boy. The past year since Lady Chiara's return made a positive
difference in the prince's somber disposition.

“Kaito, are you married?”

The guard looked down at the prince who was now sitting next to him with a bowl of noodles
while Amiku was ushering Lady Chiara inside the castle.

“You two never stop with these swords,” he heard Amiku saying to her. “I told Prince Iroh
years ago it's one thing to train you in self-defense, but fighting with swords...it's just too
much for a young lady.”

“But, Lady Amiku, it helped when the General and I were in the Earth Kingdom...”

“But to pretend to remove the Crown Prince's head...”

Chiara was giggling at Amiku's motherly rant.

“Yes, Prince Zuko, I'm married,” said Kaito.

“Do you like your wife?”

He was smirking under his mask, and he was finding it difficult not to laugh at the boy's
question. “Of course, your Highness. I love my wife very much.”

The prince silently contemplated his next question. “Was it an arranged marriage?” he asked
softly.

“No, your Highness.”

“So you were friends before you were married?”

Another smirk. “Yes, your Highness.”

Zuko looked down lost in thought. “I hope I can marry my friend too,” he nearly whispered.

“Do you think they're all right?”

Kaito snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Ezo who was staring fixedly at the river.

“What?”

“You don't think they swam downstream or something, do you?” asked Ezo.

“They were just here...,” he started.

“Where have you been? They've been gone for a while. The sun's already dropped below the
treeline.”

“Can a waterbender drown?” asked Shin, sounding worried.

Just hearing those words made Izin nervous, and he stood up and walked towards the river as
Kaito was right behind him. They could see nothing underneath the water from their position
on the shore. The four men walked along the bank of the river looking for them. Getting
worried when there was no sign of them, Kaito stopped.

“We should split up in pairs,” he said. “We'll stay near the water. Ezo, you and Izin go up
river...”

“But if...if something happened to them, they would be downstream,” said Izin hating himself
for saying it out loud.

“I don't think they drowned,” said Kaito. “They may have gone upstream...”

“Something wrong?” asked Zuko.

They all turned towards Zuko's voice to see him and Chiara.
“Your Highness,” said Kaito, “where were you?”

“We found clams,” said Chiara, showing the molluscs they had gathered in her skirt. “There
was a whole bed of them.”

The men were relieved, but at the same time Kaito wanted to scold them for disappearing.

“You can't just disappear like that. We were looking all over for you,” he said sounding more
like a concerned father than an exasperated guard.

“Food doesn't find itself,” said Zuko nonchalantly.

“And we wanted to gather enough for everyone,” said Chiara.

Shin was looking at the clams. “They do look good. And it beats prison food.”

“I appreciate that,” said Kaito, “but could you at least let someone know when you're going
to disappear?”

Izin opened the bag that had contained the fruit they had eaten. “Princess, we can put them in
here.”

She sat on the ground spreading out her skirt, and they gathered the clams into the bag.

They returned to camp, and after soaking the clams, Katara and Chiara steamed them over a
fire and everyone, but Aang, of course, enjoyed them with the fish that Hakoda and Sokka
had caught for dinner.

The next day, while Aang was practicing with Toph, Zuko walked up to Chiara who was
gathering fruit for lunch and he took her hand pulling her away from the grove.

“What's up?” she asked.

“A date by a waterfall.”

“Aw,” she smiled. “But you should eat lunch...”

“We'll take the fruit with us,” he said. “I want to sneak out before Kaito or Ezo see us.”

She softly giggled. They started up the steps to leave the temple only for Zuko to look back
and see Kaito and Ezo walking towards them. He sighed to himself and stopped.

“You guys don't have to come with us.”

“You shouldn't go out unescorted, your Highness,” said Kaito.

“He's right, your Highn-ass,” said Sokka who was coming down the steps with Hakoda, both
carrying fish they caught for lunch. “You shouldn't go anywhere without your elite
jerkbending guards to protect you.” He glanced at the firebenders as he walked by them. “No
offense.”

“Shut up, Sokka,” said Zuko in a low, deep voice.

Sokka turned back towards him. “Hey, you don't want to get ambushed out there like we were
when they took Chiara to the prison.”

Kaito's eyes grew wide. “The princess was ambushed here? It would be best if we stay with
you, sir.”

Zuko made a mental note to kill Sokka later. “I really appreciate your loyalty and dedication,
but my wife just got out of prison where she was constantly under guard. I would like to take
her to the river without feeling like we're still incarcerated.”

“They've been in prison for a while, Zuko,” called Sokka. “They might not know about the
treason charge...you know, with interrupting...”

“Yes, I know what you're talking about,” snapped Zuko, quickly cutting him off.

“Maybe you should explain it to them.”

Kaito stared curiously at the prince. “Sir?”

Zuko sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Nothing. Just ignore the idiot.” He turned
to Chiara. “I feel like killing something. Let's go hunting.”

“I'll get my bow.”

He released her hand, and she went to their room to grab the bow and arrows and a bag for
the fruit she was carrying. When she returned outside, Zuko took the bow from her before
taking her hand and pulling her up the stairs.

Kaito started worrying as they walked deeper into the forest.

“We shouldn't stray too far from the temple, sir.”

“We need to find something big enough to feed everyone,” said Zuko.

“Why don't we go closer to the river,” suggested Chiara. “Remember the muskrat deer? He
was pretty big.”

“He was,” he agreed.

They went towards the river and sat just inside the forest where they could view the water.
They ate the fruit Chiara brought as they quietly sat waiting for something meaty to stroll by.
They did not wait long before Zuko spotted a rabbitcoon on the other side of the river. He
stealthily took aim and let the arrow fly hitting his target.

“Good hit, your Highness,” said Ezo.

Chiara raised an ice bridge from the water and then took the bow from Zuko before he ran
across followed by Kaito who slipped and slid the rest of the way until he landed on the other
side.

“Are you okay?” asked Zuko reaching down to take his hand.

“Yes, sir. I've never been on ice before.”

Zuko pulled him to his feet, but he could not help a smirk. “It's takes some practice.”

He retrieved his kill. Kaito had planned on carrying it for him, but after sliding across the ice
bridge, he decided to allow the prince to carry it since he seemed more balanced on the
slippery walkway, but they did return to the other side at a much slower pace.

“Are you bruised?” Chiara asked Kaito.

“No, Princess.”

Zuko pulled out his knife and began gutting the rabbitcoon at the river's edge. Though the
Imperial Firebenders had been trained in survival skills, they had been rarely needed, and
seeing the prince working so expertly, they chose to let him handle it.

“You really know what your doing with that, your Highness,” said Ezo.

“We've been on our own for a while.”

They heard a noise coming from the forest as it sounded like something hit the ground, and
the guards turned to see Chiara holding the bow after releasing an arrow.

“You got it, Princess,” said Izin who had been watching her.

“What was it?” asked Shin.

“It was a turkey-squirrel,” he answered as he headed into the woods.

He returned carrying the new kill. Chiara joined Zuko at the river where she drew up water,
suspending it in the air. She concentrated on heating it up and waited until it was boiling.

“Izin, hold it in the water just enough to cover its feathers.”

He did as she directed. Seconds later, she returned the water to the river, the steam rising as
the hot water met the cooler. She took the turkey-squirrel and sat on the bank where she
began pulling feathers as the four men stood by watching them.

“These feathers'll be so much better for the arrows than bark,” she said setting them behind
her.

“And we can eat that tonight and make jerky with most of this one,” said Zuko.

“We definitely need to make jerky, especially if we're leaving next week.”
Kaito felt bad as he watched the two royals process their game. He had been trained to take
care of the royal family in these situations, but the two teenagers had become more adept at
survival just through their experiences. He considered it a shame that they had been forced to
survive on their own by Prince Zuko's tyrannical father. Instead of living pampered lives in
the palace, they had to concern themselves with arrow fletching and drying meat for the
future. His greatest consolation, however, was that they did their work so willingly and
selflessly, even making sure they had enough to share with everyone. And the joy they
seemed to find in their labors reminded him of the fun they had when they sparred; these
were just other activities they were enjoying together. It almost made him feel bad about
hounding them about security and not allowing them time to go out on their own, but he was
determined to do his duty and keep them safe.

Kneeling before Fire Lord Ozai was always terrifying, but even more so when the message
contained news of a disturbing nature. A messenger never knew what to expect of the
outcome of the delivery. The news of Prince Zuko's treason when he broke Iroh and the
Water Tribe girl out of the Prison Tower so angered the Fire Lord that the messenger was
instantly blinded by his wrath. Far worse was the fate of the messenger who delivered the
news of Iroh's attack on Zhao preventing him from defeating the Northern Water Tribe. It was
said that all that was left of the poor man was a few smoldering remains that could fill a
bucket. Now the messenger kneeling before him was trembling slightly.

“M-my Lord, I have a message from Warden Idem of Boiling Rock Prison.”

The Fire Lord remained silent.

“He's reporting a breakout.”

“Anyone of significance?” Ozai asked as if an escaped prisoner was of no consequence.

“It was all the prisoners,” the messenger spoke in a small voice.

“What?!” The flames around Ozai rose higher as the messenger shrank back. “How did all
the traitors manage to get off the island?!”

“They stole the warden's airship...”

“Prison was too lenient for those treasonous scoundrels!”

“Sh-shall we send out a unit to apprehend them, my Lord?”

“Where were they headed?” he asked deeply.

“Northeast from the prison towards the Earth Kingdom a week ago.”

“A week?!”

“Yes, my Lord. We just now received the message.”

The fires around the throne were burning hotter.

“Should we pursue, my Lord?” he asked timidly.

“No,” said Ozai thoughtfully. Though the man kneeling before him could not see through the
wall of flames, not that he would even dare lift his face to his Fire Lord, Ozai's lip curled
slightly as Sozin's Comet flashed through his mind. “No. Leave them in the Earth Kingdom.”

The messenger seemed to relax as the Fire Lord seemed to adjust well to the news.

“There is more,” said the messenger.

Ozai's eyes narrowed. “What more could there possibly be?”

“Prince Zuko had broken into the prison and was responsible for freeing the prisoners.”

A blinding flash of light was the last the messenger's eyes would see before his lifeless body
slumped to the floor.

“Bring me Azula!” ordered Ozai.

The guard at the door nodded before disappearing.

When Azula arrived in the throne room, she knelt down before her father, the acrid smell of
electricity and singed flesh filling the air around her.

“Bad news, Father?” she asked eyeing the corpse beside her, smoke still rising from the exit
wound.

“Your treacherous brother broke into Boiling Rock and freed the prisoners,” he said deeply.

“He's building an army using traitors?” She scoffed. “How like Zuzu.”

“First, I want you to pay a visit to Warden Idem, and then I want you to find that traitor Zuko
and kill him.”

“Yes, Father,” she said, a smile gracing her face as she bowed her head.

Attention: Job openings in Royal Caldera:

The Fire Nation Royal Palace is currently taking applications for messenger positions. If you
think you have what it takes to work in an unpredictable, fast-paced environment serving
your Fire Lord, please apply now.
 Unguarded
Chapter Notes

This is the 2nd half of the previous chapter, so not much change...sort of....

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Early the next morning, Izin was helping Chiara with breakfast while Zuko and the guards
were meditating on the balcony in the light of the rising sun.

“You can join the others, Izin,” she said as she carefully peeled the tubers she had dug up
earlier. “Usually I'd meditate with them, but with more to cook for now, I want to start early.”

He was setting up the fire in the pit. “I don't mind helping, Princess. You shouldn't have to do
all the cooking alone.”

“It's all right. It gives Lady Katara a break and allows Aang's teachers time to work with
him.”

Just then, she spotted Zuko, Toph, and Suki in the distance coming around the corner, but
then they stopped and started talking privately. Zuko's posture gave her the impression that
they were griping at him about something, and she silently wondered what could be so
important that the girls would be up early interrupting his meditation.

“If you don't mind my asking, Princess...,” started Izin. He hesitated, and she looked at him
curious as to what he was about to ask. “...the Avatar...he's so young. I heard that Fire Lord
Sozin attacked the Air Nomads looking for him, but that was a hundred years ago.”

“He was frozen in an iceberg for a hundred years. He told me that shortly after it had been
revealed to him that he was the Avatar he was flying south when a storm overtook him on his
bison, and he went into the Avatar State which preserved him.” She withheld the more
personal event of Aang's running away, feeling it was not her place to share that information.
“It was Lady Katara who freed him from the iceberg.” Glancing up at Zuko and the girls, she
noticed he looked uncomfortable or maybe frustrated—she was unsure, but she considered
going to his rescue.

“I always thought the Avatar was a myth,” said Izin.

“I remember how exciting it was to see him airbend when we first saw him,” she said with a
smile as she continued working. “I never imagined I'd get to see an airbender.”

“He's not quite what I expected. I guess I thought he'd be...” He was unsure how to express
his thoughts about Aang. “...less like a child?”
Chiara softly laughed. “In a way, he's only twelve or thirteen.”

Now Zuko looked relaxed to her and...was he smiling?

“It's difficult to see him defeating the Fire Lord,” said Izin.

She looked at him. “It's not so hard to imagine if you've ever seen him in the Avatar State.”

“You've seen it?”

She nodded. “When Prince Zuko first captured him, he and Aang were fighting on the
deck...well, actually, Prince Zuko was sending fire blasts at poor Aang and it sent him
overboard.” She paused what she was doing as she thought about it. “When he rose out of the
water his eyes and tattoos were glowing white. It was like...it wasn't Aang anymore. It was
frightening. And the control he had over the water was amazing.”

“Did he bend all the elements?” he asked.

“No. Just water. But he threw us all to the deck and sent Prince Zuko over the side.”

His eyes grew wide.

“He caught the anchor chain so he didn't fall in the frigid water,” she explained. “But it was
still unnerving.”

“If it's anything like your waterbending, I can imagine,” he said making her laugh.

Zuko suddenly reacted a bit nervously making her more curious as to their conversation. She
kept an eye on them, but it was not long before he was laughing, and it made her smile to see
him happy. She watched as he bowed to the girls before disappearing around the corner, so
she returned her focus on her work again.

--------------------

Toph and Suki stopped and turned to Zuko after they walked around the corner out of sight of
his meditating guards. He could not figure out what could be so important that they had to
drag him from his morning meditation, especially considering that Toph never even crawled
out of her bed until after breakfast was being served. They had only been back at the temple
for a week and he had spent most of his time training Aang, so what he could have done to
offend anyone was beyond him, but the urgency in their behavior gave him the impression
that he was guilty of some transgression.

“Okay, Sparky,” started Toph, “we know you've been looking to spend some quiet time with
the princess. We think we can help.”

His curiosity was piqued as their reason for their interruption was far more interesting than he
had originally anticipated. He raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. “I'm listening.”

“Your babysitters aren't with you right now, right?”

Zuko looked behind him. “Okay...but I probably only have a few minutes before they hunt
me down...”

“I've been anxious to get a little practice in against firebenders,” she said cracking her
knuckles.

“While Toph is distracting them, you and I will walk off to 'talk,' like we just did,” said Suki.
“And then you take Chiara and go.”

“And that doesn't sound a little weak to you?” he asked. “What happens when they realize
we're gone?”

“We'll make something up,” she said. “Like you two are sharing some private time in the
bedroom...taking a nap.”

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose frustrated that the conversation had suddenly taken an
uncomfortable turn. “Do you and Sokka share the same brain?” he asked.

“Do you have another excuse?”

He sighed. “No, but what if they check?”

“Sokka said it's treason for guards to interrupt...”

He raised his hands up. “Okay, okay,” he cut her off. “I don't think that's true, but please don't
finish that.”

“Would you feel better if we have someone in your room making noises just in case they're
feeling mutinous?” asked Toph.

He cringed at the thought. “No, not really.”

“So, look, do you want us to do this for you or not?” she asked.

“Why would you do this for us?” he asked in a soft voice.

“Because I know what it's like to have people making you feel like you're in prison.”

Zuko looked at Suki. “What about you? I mean, I wasn't exactly nice to you...or your
village.”

“It's for Chiara. I heard what she went through in the prison. If anyone deserves a break, it's
her.”

“Thanks,” he said gratefully. “I really owe you for this.”

“Yep, a foot massage should cover my fee,” said Toph.

Zuko smirked. “It's worth it.” He looked at Suki.

“I only ask one thing,” she said.

“Anything.”

“Do not get caught by anyone out there. If something happens to you two, your guards are
going to...”

“Kill you,” he finished for her as he nodded.

“What?!” she said. “That's not what I was going to say.”

His eyes grew wide. “Oh...I mean...you know, figuratively.”

“I was going to say 'freak out.'”

“Oh...yeah...they will,” he said, though after dealing with the overprotective guards since the
breakout, he was unsure if their reaction would be that mild.

“So is this afternoon okay?” asked Toph.

“I'm supposed to work with Aang.”

“Don't worry about Twinkle Toes. We can get him involved in the earthbender versus
firebender competition.” He was chuckling at her idea. “Hey! We can call it Nation Rumble,”
she said excitedly.

“Thank you.” He bowed to them. “Let me know who wins.”

“Oh, I can tell you right now who's going to win,” said Toph.

“Let me guess...you?” he asked.

“The Blind Bandit, greatest bender ever.”

Zuko returned to his meditation smiling.

--------------------

That afternoon, Azula stepped off the gondola into the quiet entrance courtyard of Boiling
Rock Prison.

Warden Idem and two guards approached her.

“Welcome, Princess Azula,” said Idem bowing low. “I didn't expect you to be visiting.”

“Oh, this isn't a casual visit, Warden,” she said smoothly. “My father sent me to deal with the
fiasco that occurred here.”

A wave of nervousness crept up his spine. “I would think such a...a situation would be...”

“What? Beneath me?” she asked. “Normally it would be, but this isn't normal is it, Warden?
Not when it involves a disgraced member of the royal family.”
“Of course, Princess.”

--------------------

Zuko walked up to Chiara who was gathering fruit and nuts for lunch in between training.

He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. “I promised you a date by a waterfall,”
he whispered in her ear.

“What about the...”

“It's taken care of, but we need to go quickly.”

As he took her hand, she saw that he had a bag over his shoulder. She dropped off what she
had gathered near Katara, and they quickly left the temple and started walking along the river.

“I didn't think we were ever going to get a chance to be alone again,” he said.

“I feel like I should feel bad about sneaking out behind their backs.”

He was laughing. “After Boiling Rock, we deserve this...you deserve this.”

“But it's good that you have others willing to protect you.”

He glanced at her and smirked. “I thought that's what you were for.”

“I am. I'm your Imperial non-Firebender and your Imperial Waterbender.”

“So we'll be safe by the river.”

“How did you manage this?” she asked.

“With the help of a certain Kyoshi Warrior and the world's greatest earthbender.”

“Aww.” She now realized what their conversation had been about earlier.

“And it only cost a foot massage.”

“Ooh, lucky Toph,” she giggled.

They continued following the river northeast until they reached a waterfall not far from their
old camp site.

“This is so beautiful,” she said. “And you were here before?”

“Right after we left the Fire Nation when you were unconscious I carried you here hoping the
sound of the waterfall might wake you up. I wanted to bring you here again, but by the time
you woke up I was so happy you were awake I forgot about it.”

She thought he seemed sad as he looked around. “Are you okay?” she asked him.
“I...I considered burying you here if you...you know...didn't make it,” he said softly.

Her surprised expression immediately made him regret telling her his thoughts.

“Bury me?” she said making him feel even more guilty. “But the Fire Nation doesn't bury the
dead.”

Now he was confused by her words. He thought he had caused offense by speaking of her
death, but the offense was over her burial.

“But I thought...I thought you'd want to be buried...and I don't know how to bury at sea like
the Water Tribe...”

“I don't live with the Water Tribe, and I'm not Earth Kingdom.”

“So you want to be...cremated?” he asked.

“Isn't that what you'd want me to do for you?”

“Well, I hadn't thought about it.”

“Really? For as much danger as we're always in?”

He smiled wryly at the truthfulness of her observation. “Well, I never really planned on
dying...”

“Death is inevitable.”

“I know...I just never planned on dying so soon. But now that you mention it, yes, I'd want to
be cremated. I didn't think you'd want that though.”

“It's what I prefer.”

He was touched by her loyalty to the Fire Nation.

He lifted her hand to his lips and tenderly kissed it. “I hope I never have to deal with your
death, but we'll make sure our kids know that's what you want a long, long time from now.”

She smiled and laughed.

“That's why I wanted to be alone here,” he said. “It...it didn't feel right having anyone else
with us.”

He led her towards the waterfall where she stepped in the pool and stood where the water was
falling more gently. Leaning her head back she allowed the water to run through her hair,
soaking through her clothes right to her skin. She had no cares at that moment; she felt freer
than she had in weeks. When her skin and hair were completely saturated, she drew up a
stream of water which she gracefully guided through the air, spiraling it around her. Zuko
watched her from the shore admiring her beauty as she was surrounded by both of their
elements, her water sparkling like crystal in his sunlight. He felt drawn to her, and dropping
the bag on the shore, he stepped into the pool and joined her under the falls. The cool water
could not reduce the heat of the fire burning inside him, and he wrapped his arms around her.
She spiraled the water around both of them before slipping her arms around his neck while he
leaned towards her pressing his lips against hers. He turned and pulled her behind the falling
water where he shook his hair out of his eyes so he could drown himself in hers. She reached
up to run her fingers through his wet hair, his whole body trembling at her touch.

The golden fire of his eyes locked onto the ocean in hers. “You're a goddess.”

“And you're my Dragon Emperor.”

The fire inside him was growing so hot, he was sure it would turn the water between them to
steam when they kissed again. When his lips parted from hers, he blew out a puff of smoke
making her giggle as they watched it float away.

“The Dark Water Spirit strikes,” he said as spray from the falls dissolved his smoke.

She grinned at his remark, but her eyes never made it back to his as they were drawn behind
him just to her left. “There's a cave.”

He looked back to his right behind the stronger falls where he saw the dark entrance. Chiara
was already walking towards it, so he followed her inside where the water dropped off their
skin and clothes. He held up a flame to light their way as they continued farther inside.

She knelt down at the edge of a pool and touched the surface of the water. “A mineral pool,”
she said excitedly. “You are so getting a massage with this water.”

He laughed, enjoying her excitement.

“We need kindling,” he said.

They returned outside where he retrieved his bag and they gathered wood. Back inside the
cave Zuko built a small fire. While she was feeling and playing with the water in the small
pool, he pulled a blanket out of the bag and laid it over the floor of the cave before setting
food out for them.

“This water is so rich...” Her eyes lit up when she turned and saw what he was doing. “Aw.
You're so sweet,” she said.

“Suki packed it.”

Sitting on the blanket they enjoyed the meal Suki had provided for them.

“It was so sweet of her to do this,” she said.

“She said you deserved it after what you went through in the prison.”

“I'm just glad I was able to help people,” she said softly. “It made it less...prisony.”

He shook his head and smiled.

“I love this place,” she said, enjoying the dancing shadows of the stalagmites and stalactites.
“This is perfect.”

“I just figured we'd have a nice picnic next to the waterfall,” he said. “But this is so much
better. Do you think the others'll find us here?”

“I don't know. I hope not.”

“What about Toph?”

“The running water may keep her from seeing us,” she said.

“Katara might think to look behind the falls though.”

“She might, but she won't be looking for us right away.”

“Kaito's probably out looking for us right now.”

She softly laughed suspecting he might be. “But it's good that they're so loyal to you.”

“And I appreciate it, but...it's been really...overbearing.”

She shrugged. “It doesn't bother me so much, but I'm used to having someone around most of
the time.”

They continued their discussion as they ate, and when they finished their lunch, she stood up
and took his hand.

“Come on,” she said. “You're getting in the pool.”

“But you said I could give you a heat massage.”

“Yep, after I try out this mineral water on you.”

He was laughing as he started removing his boots and then his tunic. She took off her kurta
and they stepped into the pool.

“Do you mind if I heat it up?” he asked.

“Please.”

He raised his body temperature and blew steam just as Iroh had done causing the water to
grow warmer.

“It feels really good,” she said. “Come here.”

He moved in front of her with his back to her, and she drew up the mineral-rich water
beginning her technique over his neck muscles.

“This feels amazing,” he said. “I see why you were so anxious to try it.”
She took her time moving the water along every muscle of his neck and back relieving all the
tension and pain.

“Turn around,” she said after a lengthy session.

He turned to face her and she proceeded to rejuvenate the muscles of his arms and chest.

“Can we just live here forever?” he said, his eyes closed as he enjoyed her technique.

“We have everything we need—water, shelter, food in the forest,” she smiled.

“This pool that I don't ever want to get out of,” he added to her list, making her giggle.

“It makes me wonder what the Spirit Oasis water can do.”

His eyes opened. “Really,” he said thoughtfully. “If this feels this wonderful...I can't even
imagine how that would feel.”

“Shall we see what this can do for relaxing your mind?”

She held up small globes of water in each hand, but he placed his hands over hers stopping
her.

“It might make me sleep until next year.”

“It just helps you get the sleep you need,” she said.

“I'm not ready for that. I owe you a heat massage.” She allowed the water to fall. “Let's
switch,” he said.

He moved to her spot while she sat in front of him with her back to him. He parted her long
hair and moved it over each shoulder so it draped down in front of her, and then he reached
around her to remove the top she wore underneath her kurta.

“Wait...,” she started as she tensed up.

“It'll feel better without the material.”

“But...I don't want you to see my back,” she said softly, embarrassed by her scars.

“And I didn't want you to see my eye.”

She had no argument. She tried to relax as she allowed him to remove her top, but her
shyness and natural modesty made it difficult for her and she remained tense. Zuko's heart
broke when his eyes came to rest on the scars over her back. Her recent marks, though far
fewer than the older ones, were coarser unlike the more refined scourges produced by Azula's
well-honed fire whip. He slowly reached up and lightly ran his fingers over each stripe.

“Any pain?” he asked.

“None.”
He was thankful for Katara's healing ability. He dipped his hands in the water before laying
them over her shoulders near her neck. He concentrated on slowly raising the temperature
allowing the moist heat to penetrate her muscles. He moved his hands around in a pattern
similar to her own technique often re-dipping his hands in the rich water.

“Never stop,” she said feeling as though she was melting beneath his hands, all her shy
tension vanishing. “You know, if the General finds out you can do this, he might be willing to
become Fire Lord as long as you remain at the palace as his personal masseur.”

He was snickering. “Between him and Toph it'll be a full time job.”

He continued down her back slowly taking care of all the muscles.

“You're right,” she sighed. “Let's never leave.”

He softly laughed. “It's really tempting.”

“Mmm,” she moaned as she rested her head on her knees when he reached her lower back.

After finishing her back, he leaned against her wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Turn around and I'll get your arms,” he said near her ear.

She turned around to face him, and when she was kneeling in front of him he started with her
left arm and worked his way down from her shoulder to her hand. When he finished with her
right arm he lifted her hand placing a tender kiss upon it. She gazed into his fiery eyes, her
heartbeat increasing when he leaned towards her. The warmth of his lips that had been
against her hand was now against her lips. She reached up and rested her hand on his cheek.

“I missed you so much,” she whispered.

She felt his warm hand on her bare back and his soft lips against hers again, and she ran her
fingers through his hair resting her hand on the back of his neck, her touch sending chills
through his heated body. He slid his other arm around her pulling her body against his,
unwilling to part from her, and she never wanted to leave his warm embrace. Refusing to
tame his passion, he stood up bringing her to her feet before lifting her out of the pool. The
water dropped from their bodies as he carried her to the blanket where he gently laid her
down. He was overwhelmed with desire for her and his lips passionately met hers sending a
delightful shiver through her body.

“I love you, Chiara,” he breathed in her ear.

The combination of his words and his hot breath against her skin caused her heart to beat
harder and she willingly surrendered it to him wanting nothing more than to be consumed by
his flame.

“I love you, my Prince.”

Her affectionate address in her soft, sweet voice further set his heart on fire, a fire stronger
and hotter than any he had ever produced himself or ever thought possible. He found her
 intoxicating, and at that moment nothing else existed but her in his arms.

Chapter End Notes

I know Kya had an actual gravesite in the South Pole (according to the comic "North
and South"), but I decided to go with burial at sea as a Water Tribe custom.
 Surprise Attack

Azula was sitting in the Warden's chair behind his desk. Across from her sat Idem with her
two Imperial Firebenders standing behind him and one of her guards standing at the door.

“So, Warden, explain to me exactly how my brother was able to break into and out of the
most impregnable prison in the Fire Nation.”

Idem felt more than intimidated at being interrogated by the young princess. “Well, we're not
exactly sure how he managed to get inside, your Highness. The best we can determine is that
he arrived on a supply ship.”

“Right...a supply ship coming from the Fire Nation,” said Azula unconvinced. “Prince Zuko
hasn't been seen in the Fire Nation since the eclipse. Considering he has a very distinguishing
feature...” She placed her left hand over her eye. “...I find it unlikely that he was able to board
a ship without being noticed.”

“We haven't had any guards transferred here in a few months, but he was posing as a guard
for at least a week, and the last supply ship had delivered here only a few days before anyone
noticed the new guards.”

“Guards?” she asked stressing the plural.

“He brought at least one accomplice with him—went by the name of Lee.”

“Clearly an alias,” she said. She stood up and leisurely walked about the room. “My brother
is collecting traitors to form an army. It seems to be the most logical reason he would choose
to break into a prison full of them.”

“There is another reason, your Highness,” he said.

She was standing by a window examining the entrance yard. “What other reason could he
possibly have to break in here?” she asked still gazing at the empty yard.

“Over a month ago we brought in his Water Tribe concubine...”

She quickly turned to him. “What?!” The sharp glare from her eyes made him visibly
nervous, and he shifted uncomfortably. “And you conveniently thought to leave that
information out?!”

“I-I didn't realize it was of any importance being that she was just a Water Tribe savage,” he
said trying to dig himself out of a hole he had not expected to be in.

“She is wanted in the Fire Nation for being a spy and for desecrating royal property. How did
you even manage to capture her?” she demanded as if it were a feat above his capability.

He now feared any explanation would get him in trouble. “I-I heard of a waterbender near the
Western Air Temple and sent a unit to apprehend her.”
“Without informing the Capital?”

“At first I wasn't sure it was the same savage.”

“You obviously figured it out after a month.”

“Y-yes, Princess, but I didn't realize she was wanted by the Capital. It was rumored that she
had been executed already, so I didn't want to trouble the Fire Lord with such a scandal.”
Surely expressing his concern for the Fire Lord's reputation rather than his own personal
vendetta would be a safer option.

“Did you think you would use her to lure Prince Zuko to the prison, capture him yourself?”

“I hadn't put out any claims she was here. I'm not sure how he discovered it.”

“Well, he did discover it,” she said deeply. “Leave it to Zuzu to break into this prison for
her,” she added in an undertone. “And not only did he take her, but he took all the traitors
with him,” her voice rising again. He tried not to cower beneath her angry glare. “Tell me,
how did my idiot brother manage to escape from this isolated prison with every single
prisoner?”

He was sure his guards would be questioned during the investigation, and any lies he told
could easily be proven false, so he opted for honesty.

“After we discovered Prince Zuko, I planned to execute the savage, but...but before the
executioner could carry out her sentence, the prince...he...he...exploded.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Exploded?” she asked derisively.

“Yes, your Highness. Fire went everywhere. It was extraordinary; I've never seen anything
like it. The men surrounding the prince...we were all thrown back by the blast.” He did not
mention that he or anyone else had been burned since he did not want to admit how they were
relieved of their injuries. One of the other guards they question might tell them how they
were healed, but he himself would never acknowledge what the Water Tribe savage had done
for him. “He freed himself of his bindings and attacked everyone.”

It was clear to her that whatever had happened, Idem was definitely troubled by it, but she
had a difficult time believing that Zuko could perform any extraordinary deed, especially
with fire. “And you're sure he wasn't aided by someone? You said he had at least one
accomplice.”

“It's believed that his accomplice was freeing the other prisoners at the time. As soon as the
prince was free, the prisoners in lockdown had been set loose and were rioting.”

She was still skeptical. “It sounds to me like he had more than one accomplice. Was it
possible the Avatar aided him?”

“The-the Avatar, Princess?”

“Yes, the Avatar.”

“None of the guards spoke of an airbender.”

“He is the Avatar. If he's been trained in firebending, he may have displayed extraordinary
firebending skills. My brother's skills are subpar. It's unlikely he could accomplish anything
on his own.”

“It...it's possible the Avatar could have assisted him in breaking free,” he said, though there
was doubt in his tone as he was sure he saw the fire come from the prince.

Azula snapped her fingers at the guard by the door.

He stepped towards her kneeling on one knee. “Your Highness,” he said, ready for her orders.

“Send a message to the Capital. I require a ship to be sent to collect the guards. I'm sure my
father will want them reassigned to the airship division as soon as possible.”

“Yes, Princess.” He stood to carry out her orders.

“And inform them that they'll have one prisoner to transport,” she added turning to look out
the window.

He bowed and left the office.

Idem looked at her. “Y-your Highness?”

“The Fire Lord does not tolerate failure. Your first mistake, Idem, was not informing me of
the Water spy's capture.” She turned towards him. “Your second was underestimating my
brother's attachment to his little pet.” She took a step towards the exit as one of her Imperial
guards opened the door for her. “Have him locked up until the transport arrives.” She turned
back to Idem. “I know you're familiar with Capital City Prison, so you should feel quite at
home there. You may even learn a little secret about the West Corridor.”

His face grew pale as she walked out the door.

“Send for four more airships,” she said to the guard who walked just behind her. “We'll be
conducting a search starting at the Western Air Temple.”

The first thing Chiara's waking mind sensed was complete warmth wrapped around her. Even
after a week at the air temple she still worried that she would wake up in a cell, so refusing to
open her eyes she focused on Zuko's warm body pressed against her back, his arms holding
her close. She felt his right arm under her neck as her head rested on her balled up kurta like a
pillow. Any worry in the back of her mind drifted away as the sound of the waterfall assured
her that she was no longer in the prison. She was lying in perfect contentment in her prince's
arms feeling his chest moving against her with each breath he took. Unable to resist, she ran
her fingers over his left hand touching his wedding ring.

It was the sound of the waterfall that drew Zuko out of his deep sleep. His clearing
consciousness was soon drawn to his relaxed limbs which embraced his entire world. Chiara's
long curls felt like silk against his face and chest, softer than any fabric he had ever worn, and
it took great effort to resist the urge to squeeze her more tightly. He felt her light touch on his
hand which sent pleasant shivers down his spine.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Like I never want to leave this moment.”

She felt him laughing.

“Come here,” he said as he rolled on his back.

She rolled over resting her head on his shoulder and her right arm on his chest. His tunic had
been lying over both of them like a thin blanket, but it was the warmth of his body that
insulated them from the mild chill in the cave.

“After the war, I say we move here,” he said.

“Sounds good to me,” she smiled. She glanced towards the waterfall at the cave entrance. “It
looks a little darker. How low is the sun?”

“Low enough that they might be looking for us by now,” he said, caressing her hand and arm.

She sighed.

“I don't want to go back either,” he said. “But I guess we should before we have Imperial
Firebenders hunting us down, if they're not already.”

Neither made the effort to move from their comfortable position, so they lay there a little
longer.

--------------------

When they arrived back at the temple courtyard, Aang, Sokka, and Katara were gathered
around the fire where Katara was making dinner.

“Where were you guys?” asked Sokka when he saw them.

“Out,” Zuko answered simply.

“You guys were gone?” asked Aang. “I thought you were resting in your room.”

“We rested at the river,” he said.

“Then why's there a guard outside your room?”

“Huh, don't know,” said Zuko sounding unconcerned. “Wasn't here.”

He set the bag down near the fire and pulled out the tea while Chiara knelt down by Katara to
help her with dinner.

“How'd you manage to sneak out without your elite jerkbending guards?” asked Sokka.
“If I told you, I'd have to kill you, Sokka,” said Zuko filling the teapot with water.

Katara gasped at his threat.

“He's just joking,” said Chiara.

“I know he's joking,” said Sokka. “Me and Zuko are buds. You don't do time in prison with
someone without forming a brotherly bond.”

“You didn't do time in prison, Sokka,” said Katara.

“It was still a prison adventure.”

“Oh, brother,” she said rolling her eyes.

“You wouldn't understand,” he said. “You were only in jail with Toph for like what...an hour?
We were in prison for a week.”

“Yep,” said Zuko. “I wouldn't really kill Sokka.” He placed the teapot over the fire. “I'd just
order my Imperial guards to do it.”

“Yeah,” said Sokka smugly. His eyes shot towards Zuko. “Hey, wait a minute...”

“Prince Zuko,” said Kaito anxiously as he and Shin entered the courtyard. “We were out
looking for you and the princess.”

Zuko looked up at them. “Then why is, I assume Ezo, guarding our room?”

“When you were in there for hours, we suspected you might not really be in there, sir.”

“And you didn't check?”

“Uh...” Kaito glanced at Sokka and then back at Zuko. “...no, sir.”

Zuko wanted to laugh. It appeared the faux treason charge had its benefits. “We had lunch at
the river.”

“We searched there, sir,” said Shin.

“Did you search under the river?” he asked.

The men looked puzzled making Zuko and Chiara want to laugh at their expressions.

“Un-under the river, sir?”

“My wife is a waterbender. I told you we'd be safe.”

“Your Highness,” started Kaito, “it's still risky for you to go off without escorts.”

“Kaito, I know for a fact that I'm not the first of the royal family to disappear on temporary
excursions without his guards.”
“Young Prince Iroh ventured out on quite a few solo exploits,” smirked Chiara.

“That's true, my Lady, but considering current events, I must object to such dangerous
outings.”

“Objection noted,” said Zuko in a light, almost playful tone. “And for the record, I did have
my Imperial Waterbender with me.”

Kaito pinched the bridge of his nose remembering it was a lot easier watching over them
when they were children, and he wondered if his wife was having as much trouble with their
teenagers.

Zuko recognized that look, and he could sympathize with his faithful guard, but the feeling
was short-lived as images of his memorable afternoon in the cave filled his mind and sent
chills through his body. He was already considering plans for another enchanting adventure
there before leaving the air temple in a few days.

Kaito sent Shin to get Ezo who was still guarding the empty room as they had suspected
earlier. As soon as Suki walked into the courtyard, Chiara stood up to give her a hug.

“Thank you,” she whispered in her ear.

“Did you enjoy your day?” asked Suki.

“We did,” said Zuko inclining his head towards her in thanksgiving for her help. “We found
our new home after the war.”

Chiara was laughing as she continued helping Katara.

“Really?” said Aang smiling. “You're going to live in the air temple?”

“It's a beautiful place near the river,” said Chiara.

Neither Zuko nor Chiara mentioned the cave so as not to give away their hiding place.

“But what about the palace back in the Fire Nation?” asked Aang.

“Yeah,” said Sokka. “The one where you have servants waiting on you all the time, people
grovelling at your feet, meals served anytime you want, and...and can I take your place
there?”

“Sure, Water Tribe,” said Zuko. “You can be the next Fire Lord. I'll take my little river home
over that any time.” He looked at Kaito. “Kaito, Sokka's the next Fire Lord, so you can
follow him around now.”

“That's Water Lord, jerkbender,” said Sokka.

“I wouldn't recommend calling your guards 'jerkbender,'” said Zuko.

“I don't need any guards.”

Chiara was softly laughing at their banter. “You will if you're going to call firebenders
'jerkbender,'” she said.

“And as Water Lord, you're going to be the target of assassins,” said Kaito.

For all the guard's seriousness, Zuko enjoyed hearing him join in this conversation.

“So let me ask you,” started Sokka looking at Kaito, “if Prince Pissy...”

“Shut up, Sokka,” deadpanned Zuko.

“If Prince Pissy wants you to assassinate someone, would...”

“We'd do it immediately,” said Kaito completely expressionless.

Sokka softly gulped, but Zuko suspected Kaito was jokingly exaggerating.

“So you're trained to be assassins too?” asked Sokka.

“Imperial Firebenders are trained to serve the royal family in whatever way necessary,” he
answered. “If that means neutralizing a potential threat, then that's what we do.”

“And you would put yourself in between him and an assassin?”

“It's our duty to guard the royal family,” answered Kaito. “We'll fight to the death to protect
them.”

“Wow, you really take your job seriously.”

“You guys are worse than my parents,” said Toph as she was walking up to the group. “I
prefer to protect myself.”

“There are many duties that the Fire Lord—or Water Lord—must attend to,” said Kaito.
“With the Imperial Firebenders guarding them, that's one less worry for the royal family.”

“Which is exactly why I'm not the Earth Queen,” she said.

“Really?” scoffed Sokka. “I thought it was because King Kuei would prefer a...”

“A what, Snoozles?” said Toph threateningly. “And you better carefully consider your next
words.” She pounded her fist against the palm of her other hand.

“A...an older, more...uh...delicate woman?”

She “glared” in his general direction while he nervously stared at her. “Yeah, you got me
there,” she said lightly, relaxing her fist. “But I don't need a king to be the queen of the Earth
Kingdom. I could just kick his butt and take it.”

“That's not going to happen until we get Ba Sing Se back from the Fire Nation,” said Suki.

“That won't be a problem once Zuko's Fire Lord,” said Aang.

“You mean when Sokka's Water Lord,” corrected Zuko.

“Too bad other firebenders aren't as timid as this guy and his buddies,” said Toph, referring to
Kaito.

The guard saw Zuko raise an eyebrow at him.

“We wouldn't participate in her game earlier,” he explained to the prince.

“Game?” said Toph. “It was supposed to be a tournament between the nations.”

“I tried to explain to her, sir, that firebending is dangerous. We don't play with it,” he said
towards Toph.

“But we do practice,” said Zuko. “We've been practicing with Chiara.”

“Yes, sir, but the...tournament seemed less like practice and more like...”

“Like you were too scared to battle the world's greatest earthbender,” finished Toph.

“Or too scared to hurt the Avatar's earthbending teacher,” said Ezo who just returned with
Shin and Izin.

“Oh, that's it,” said Toph. “You just earned yourself the losing spot in tomorrow's battle.”

“Woohoo!” yelled Sokka. “Nation Rumble's back on!”

Chiara handed Zuko a bowl of noodles before handing a bowl to Kaito who was sitting next
to him.

“Thank you, Princess.”

Chiara took a bowl to Toph and knelt beside her. “Your dinner, Lady Toph.” She leaned close
to her. “And I offer my gratitude for your...support.”

Toph grinned. “It's just good to have you back, Princess.”

Chiara returned to pick up two more filled bowls, but Izin took one from her before picking
up another bowl. “I'll get these, Princess. You should eat.”

She wanted to argue when she watched Izin handing out the bowls to the rest of the group
who were arriving for dinner, but she knew it would be useless, so she sat next to Zuko who
handed her a cup of tea.

“Don't worry,” he said smiling at her knowing what she was thinking. “Once this is all over
we can retire to our river home or our cabin in the Earth Kingdom.”

She returned the smile.

“Not so bad being a peasant, is it?” asked Sokka.

“As king of our home and ruler over our own little subjects, he'll always be royalty, Sokka,”
said Chiara.

Zuko stopped eating and stared at her.

“Wow, Princess,” said Toph. “You just messed up his heartbeat.” Chiara looked up at him
worriedly. “In a good way,” added Toph sensing her reaction.

Chiara relaxed and gave Zuko a smile. He returned it and continued eating, though slowly as
his mind drifted to their time in the cave.

As the others settled in with their meals, conversations changed course among them. Zuko
leaned close to Chiara. “I'm ready to spend the night in that mineral water,” he whispered.

She laughed softly, wishing the same thing, but not without blushing at the pleasant
memories.

The next morning, Zuko and Chiara were asleep in their room when the room rattled with the
sound of an explosion.

“That didn't sound good,” he said as they immediately sat up.

Ezo stepped inside to make sure they were all right. “Your Highness...,”

“What happened?” asked Zuko.

“I don't know...,” he said as another explosion shook the room further shaking any drowsiness
from their minds.

Chiara grabbed her sword while Zuko grabbed his dao and their bag, and they ran out into the
hall just as Izin was coming towards them to check on them. Kaito and Shin also came out of
their rooms.

“Your Highness, are you okay?” Kaito asked.

“Yes. Let's find out what's going on.”

They all ran to the entrance room where Aang had just closed the large doors as bombs
continued striking the temple.

“What is it?” asked Zuko. “What's happening?”

“Fire Nation airships,” said Aang.

“They found us sooner than we expected,” said Sokka who was loading their belongings onto
Appa's saddle.

Zuko turned to Chiara.

“I need you to stay with the Avatar,” he said.

“I can help you.”

“No. I'm not going to risk losing you again,” he said as he caressed her face.

He took her over to Katara.

“Keep Chiara with you,” he said to the other waterbender.

He kissed his wife, but as he tried turning away, she had hold of his tunic and would not let
him go. He looked at her and she wrapped her arms around his neck hugging him tightly.

“Be careful,” she said. She kissed him before releasing him.

His heart stirred at her tender kiss, and it made it difficult for him to part from her. He forced
himself to turn away, and he pulled Izin along with him. “Keep her safe, Izin,” he said in a
low voice. “Stay with the Avatar, and whatever happens, don't let her follow me.”

“Yes, sir.”

Zuko threw his bag and dao into Appa's saddle before turning and running towards the door.

Toph and Haru were busy creating a large opening through the back wall as the temple
continued to shake from the assault.

“Come on! We can get out through here,” said Toph.

Everyone started running towards the tunnel except Chiara who continued watching Zuko
desperately wanting to go with him.

“Princess, you need to go,” said Izin.

Katara turned back and took her hand to pull her along. “Come on,” she said.

Aang was struggling to pull Appa's reins trying to get him into the tunnel.

As Zuko stared through an opening a bomb had blasted in the doors, he spotted an imperial
airship rising from below the cliffs. If his glare could produce fire, the ship would have been
ash.

“What are you doing?” Aang called to Zuko when he saw him facing the airships.

“Go ahead!” he said. “I'll hold them off.” Zuko looked at his three Imperial Firebenders who
were standing with him. “You need to stay with the others.”

“But, sir...”

“Kaito, don't argue with me right now,” demanded Zuko sternly. “They'll need you three to
power the airship. Izin'll watch over Chiara who will remain with the Avatar.”
They dove out of the way of a fire blast and falling debris.

“Are you sure, sir?” asked Kaito.

“Yes. I think this is a family visit.” He glanced at him. “If possible, try to find my uncle.”

Kaito hesitated.

“Yes, sir,” he finally said.

The guards bowed to him and then reluctantly turned to go back to the others while Zuko
started running towards the doors before jumping through an opening.

“Zuko! No!” yelled Aang.

Sokka, Katara, Chiara, and Izin ran towards Aang.

“Come on,” said Sokka. “We've got to get out of here!”

They all began pulling on Appa's reins, but the bison still refused to go into the tunnel.

Zuko ran towards the airships and sent a large fire blast at the imperial ship. Rising out of a
hatch, Azula stood atop the ship looking down at her brother. When Chiara spotted her, she
moved to run towards Zuko, but Izin quickly caught her and pulled her back.

“Princess, no.”

“What are you doing here?” called Zuko to Azula.

“You mean it's not obvious yet?” she asked. “I am about to celebrate becoming an only
child.”

She kicked a large blast of blue flame at him. He ran back, but the blast knocked him over
and parts of the temple began collapsing.

“Prince Zuko!” yelled Chiara as she tried to pull away from Izin.

“You can't go out there,” said Katara holding onto her as well to prevent her from running
out.

The temple was collapsing and they could no longer see the battle, but Chiara could not draw
her mind away from it.

Outside, Zuko jumped to his feet and ran towards the airship while shooting fire at Azula. He
leaped through the air punching more fire blasts at her, but unable to grab hold of the ship, he
plummeted down through the clouds.

“I can't get him to go in there,” said Aang still struggling to pull Appa into the tunnel. “Appa
hates tunnels.”

“Aang, there's no way we can fly out of here,” said Katara.

“We'll have to find a way.”

“We need to split up,” said Sokka. He ran to the others. “Take the tunnel and get to the stolen
airship.”

“No,” said Katara angrily. “The Fire Nation can't separate our family again.” She walked up
to Hakoda.

“It'll be okay,” he assured her. “It's not forever.”

Kaito, Ezo, and Shin ran up to Chiara.

“Princess, may you be safe,” said Kaito.

“You as well,” she said.

They bowed to her and went towards the tunnel while Izin and Chiara climbed onto Appa's
saddle. Katara hugged Hakoda before turning away. Sokka also hugged his father before
grabbing Suki's hand and pulling her towards Appa where Katara was now climbing in the
saddle.

Toph touched the fallen rock. “I can clear that away and we can fly out through there,” she
said.

“Um, there's an awful lot of fire in that general direction,” said Suki.

“We'll get through,” said Aang holding Appa's reins. “Let's go.”

Appa broke through the rock while Toph created a rock shield for the bison. Azula, spotting
them flying out of the temple, punched a blue flame at them, but Appa's rock armor protected
him as he flew over her. As she stared at them flying away, Zuko rose from the chasm
standing atop another airship.

Chiara was leaning against Appa's saddle watching behind them. “Prince Zuko,” she said
softly relieved that he was okay, but she was tense with worry as he faced Azula. She
desperately wanted to be there to defend him.

Everyone on Appa stared intently as Zuko faced Azula, except for Toph who had a death grip
on the saddle and Aang who was at the reins.

Zuko sprinted towards Azula's airship and leaped onto it while she punched out a strong blast
of fire at him. He deflected her assault before sending a bright orange blast back at her. As
they battled each other, Aang was busy dodging fire attacks from the other airships while Izin
sent out his own fire bursts to disperse and deflect the incoming fire. Flying towards one of
the ships, Aang pulled Appa's reins taking him straight up as everyone clung onto the saddle.
Chiara, knowing how scared Toph must have been, wrapped herself around her to protect her
while clutching the saddle to keep the smaller girl from sliding around too much during their
steep ascent. Toph, normally quite proud of her independence, felt deeply grateful she could
rely on her friends to watch out for her.
Back on the airship Zuko skillfully defended himself from Azula's constant attacks breaking
through each blue flame while drawing closer to her. Finally, they simultaneously struck at
each other creating a large explosion sending both of them tumbling over the edge of the
ship. Falling through the air, Zuko reached out as Appa came flying underneath him, and
Chiara and Izin stretched out their hands grabbing his pulling him onto the saddle. They
turned back and watched as Azula continued falling.

“She's...not going to make it,” said Zuko. He wondered if he should feel guilty for having no
sympathy for her fate, but images of the scars on his wife's back erased any of his concerns,
and he felt justice was being served even though it was disproportional to his sister's crimes.

They all watched as Azula suddenly shot out blue flames propelling herself towards the
mountain wall where she stopped herself from falling with her hair pin.

“Of course she did,” said Zuko turning his eyes away from his sister.

He suddenly found himself wrapped in Chiara's arms. He put his arms around her while she
clung to him, relieved he was safe.
 Vendetta
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

Leaving the Western Air Temple had not gone as the Gaang had planned. They had prepared
to leave together with the group on the airship after a few more days, but the early,
unexpected attack on the temple forced them to depart abruptly and separately. While the
airship headed east towards the Earth Kingdom, Aang flew Appa west to throw Azula off
their trail before circling back around and flying southeast until they found a quiet spot to
settle down that afternoon. They spent the rest of the day setting up their camp, and that
evening after Katara and Chiara made dinner, everyone sat around the fire eating.

“Wow, camping...,” said Aang. “It really seems like old times again, doesn't it?”

“If you really want it to feel like old times,” started Zuko, “I could...uh...chase you around
awhile and try to capture you.”

Everyone laughed but Katara.

“Ha, ha,” she said sarcastically.

“To Zuko!” cheered Sokka holding up his cup. “Who knew after all those times he tried to
snuff us out, today he'd be our hero?”

“Hear! Hear!”

Toph gently punched Zuko in the arm.

“I'm touched,” he said. “I don't deserve this.”

Chiara tenderly caressed his arm.

“Yeah, no kidding,” griped Katara who stood up and walked off.

“What's with her?” asked Sokka.

“I wish I knew,” said Zuko. He looked at Chiara. “I'm going to talk to her.”

She nodded, but she suspected she knew what had her upset. Though Chiara's mind had been
preoccupied with worry when Zuko faced the airships on his own that morning, Katara's
sorrow over once again being separated from her father reached her ears. And while Chiara
placed the blame on Ozai and Azula for that morning's attack, she knew that Katara blamed
the whole Fire Nation, including, and maybe even especially, Zuko.

He stood up and followed the upset waterbender.

“What's with him?” asked Sokka.

Zuko walked towards the cliff where Katara was sitting on a rock. When she realized who it
was approaching her, she felt even angrier, so rising from her seat she moved away from him
stepping closer to the precipice.

“This isn't fair,” he said. “Everyone else seems to trust me now. What is it with you?”

“Oh, everyone trusts you now?” she said angrily. “I was the first person to trust you.
Remember? Back in Ba Sing Se. And you turned around and betrayed me, betrayed all of
us!”

“I'm sorry,” he said softly, wondering how many times he would have to apologize for his
rash decision.

“You are sorry.” Her eyes narrowed at him. “You nearly killed Aang...”

“Actually, it was Azula...” He knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as the words rolled
off his tongue, and her icy glare confirmed it.

“You helped her! And don't act like you wouldn't have done it yourself!”

“Honestly, Katara, it was never my intention to hurt Aang. I was just going to take him back
to...to Ozai,” he finished softly turning his eyes from her cold stare.

“So he could finish him,” she spoke deeply.

“I-I don't think he...”

“Don't! Don't even try to defend what you did. There's no justification for it. You didn't even
bother to help us during the eclipse. Maybe this war would be over now...maybe we wouldn't
be on the run separated from our Dad again.”

He looked down feeling guilty. “What can I do to make it up to you?”

“You really want to know?” She started walking towards him. “Hmm...maybe you could
reconquer Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King...or, I know...,” she continued now
standing in front of him, “...you could bring my mother back!”

She stormed off. Zuko returned to the camp and sat down next to Chiara. By his silence, she
suspected his talk with Katara had not gone well.

---------------------

After most of the group retired to their tents for the night Izin remained to help Chiara clean
the dishes. When they finally went to their own tent, Zuko lit their lamps while Chiara pulled
out a needle and thread so she could fix one of his tunics.

“Katara's still upset?” she asked him now that they were alone.

“Yes. For betraying her in Ba Sing Se and for her mother's death,” he said.
“The Fire Nation killed her mother, and you represent the Fire Nation.”

“It killed your mother too, but you don't hate me for that...” He looked at her. “Do you?” he
asked worriedly.

“Have I ever given any indication that I hate you for that?” she asked not taking her eyes
from her sewing.

He relaxed. “No,” he said softly. “But Uncle says he feels responsible for the death of your
parents, yet you don't blame him or the Fire Nation.”

“Katara's having trouble with forgiveness, especially when there's been no justice for her
mother's murder. I felt the same way with Admiral Zhao. I wanted justice for the lives that
were lost because of him and for what he did to you.”

“But you would've married him?” he asked, his voice low. He could not help feeling slightly
bitter at the thought that she agreed to be Zhao's wife, and he was unable to keep it out of his
tone.

She paused what she was doing, his question bringing up painful memories and a mix of
emotions for her. The images of the dead Water Tribe Warriors, her cousin, and the Fire
Nation soldiers floating in the sea were etched in her mind; the sacrifice of Yue still broke her
heart; and she still felt the sorrow and grief and even the guilt over her failure to prevent so
much loss. “If it meant saving the Water Tribe and all those lives on both sides, I would've
swallowed my pride and done so,” she said sadly. “But I still would've wanted him brought to
justice for what he did to you.”

He regretted his words. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean...I shouldn't have brought it up.”

She resumed her sewing trying to push the memories out of her head.

“I need to talk to Sokka,” he said, intent on finding a way to help Katara.

He left their tent.

“I know you're a prince and all,” started a startled Sokka when Zuko barged in uninvited,
“but I'm not one of your minions you can just walk in on.”

Zuko rubbed the back of his neck looking ashamed. “Oh...yeah...sorry...”

“So, Zuko, what's on your mind?” asked Sokka sitting up.

Zuko sat down across from him. “Your sister. She hates me.”

“Nah, she doesn't hate you. Katara doesn't hate anyone...except maybe some people in the
Fire Nation...” His eyes got wide as he stared at Zuko. “No...I mean, uh...not people who are
good, but used to be bad. I mean bad people. Fire Nation people who are still bad, who've
never been good and probably won't be...ever...”
“Stop,” interrupted Zuko. “Okay, listen. I know this may seem out of nowhere, but I want you
to tell me what happened to your mother.”

“What?” He leaned back thrown by the prince's request. “Why would you want to know
that?”

“Katara mentioned it before when we were imprisoned together in Ba Sing Se, and again
earlier when she was yelling at me. I think somehow she's connected her anger at that to her
anger at me.”

“It's not a day I like to remember,” he said sadly. “Many of the warriors had seen the black
snow before and they knew what it meant: a Fire Nation raid. We were badly outnumbered,
but somehow, we managed to drive them off. As quickly as they came, they just left. I was so
relieved when it was over, but that's because I didn't know yet what had happened.” He
wrapped his arms around his knees bowing his head. “I didn't know we had lost our mother.”

“Wait,” said Zuko. “Can you remember any details about the soldiers who raided your
village? Like what the lead ship looked like?”

“Yeah, sea ravens. The main ship had flags with sea ravens on them.”

Zuko immediately knew who was responsible. “The symbol of the Southern Raiders. Thanks,
Sokka.”

“Nooo problem. Thanks for stopping by.”

Sokka shoved Zuko out of the tent.

“I know who's responsible for her mother's death,” said Zuko when he entered his and
Chiara's tent.

“The Southern Raiders,” she said softly, her eyes still on her sewing.

He knelt next to her. “Wait...how did you know?”

“The General told me years ago when we were at the South Pole.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “I was stunned to see so few people there. It was so different from the Northern
Water Tribe. He told me the Southern Raiders were sent to find the last waterbender in the
Southern Tribe.”

“Huh...,” he said as he thought about it. “...and Katara was the last waterbender.”

Her needle stopped halfway through the fabric as she lifted her head to look at him. “What
are you planning?” she asked suspiciously.

He was staring thoughtfully into the fire. “I'm going to help her find who did it.”
“And what are you going to do once you find him?”

“I'm going to let her do whatever she wants to him,” he said.

“Revenge isn't the right path.”

“But what about justice?” he asked meeting her eyes. “What about Zhao?”

“I didn't plan on punishing him myself. I was going to give him over to the Water Tribe.”

“There's no one to give him over to for punishment,” he said. “She needs to do this herself.”

“No, she doesn't. And you don't need her forgiveness for her mother's death. You haven't
done anything wrong.”

“But it's my Nation, my family that are responsible for her pain...”

“That doesn't mean you have to pay for their sins,” she argued.

“I need to help her.”

She sighed knowing he would not let it go. “Then I want to go with you.” She hated the idea
of going on a revenge mission, but she also worried about Zuko going on a dangerous
mission without her.

He nodded.

The next morning, while Chiara was making breakfast for the group, Zuko sat outside
Katara's tent waiting for her to come out. When she stepped out and saw him she glared at
him.

“What do you want?” she snapped as she walked by him.

He stood up. “I know who killed your mother,” he said, “and I'm going to help you find him.”

She stopped and considered his offer before turning back to him. “Pack what you need,” she
said before walking into her tent.

Zuko returned to his own tent to pack what he thought they might need for their journey.
When he finished, he joined Chiara by the fire.

“She's packing,” he said softly. “We'll be leaving soon.”

Izin stared up at him wondering what he meant. Zuko noticed his puzzled look.

“We're going on a mission. It shouldn't take too long.”

“Do you need to me to go with you, your Highness?”

Zuko considered inviting him along knowing they could use the extra help, but he did not
feel right expecting him to go on a personal revenge mission.

“No. You can stay here and watch over the others—try to keep them out of trouble. Make
sure Aang's doing his forms properly.”

Izin nodded.

Chiara handed Zuko his breakfast before holding out a bowl to Izin.

“Thank you, Princess.”

--------------------

After everyone had eaten, Zuko grabbed his bag, and he and Chiara followed Katara.

“I need to borrow Appa,” she said to Aang while he was feeding him.

“Why? Is it your turn to take a little field trip with Zuko?” he asked lightly.

“Yes, it is,” she answered.

Aang looked surprised and worried. “Oh. What's going on?”

“We're going to find the man who took my mother from me.”

“Sokka told me the story of what happened,” said Zuko as Sokka walked over to them. “I
know who did it, and I know how to find him.”

“Um...,” started Aang. “...and what exactly do you think this will accomplish?”

“Ugh, I knew you wouldn't understand,” snapped Katara as she turned away from them.

“Wait. Stop,” said Aang. “I do understand. You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do
you think I felt about the sandbenders when they stole Appa? How do you think I felt about
the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people?”

“She needs this, Aang,” said Zuko. “This is about getting closure and justice.”

“I don't think so,” said Aang. “I think it's about getting revenge.”

“I agree with the Avatar,” said Chiara.

“Fine, maybe it is!” said Katara angrily, her back still to them. “Maybe that's what I need!
Maybe that's what he deserves!”

“Katara, you sound like Jet,” said Aang.

“It's not the same!” she said turning back to him. “Jet attacked the innocent. This man, he's a
monster.”
“Katara, she was my mother too,” said Sokka. “But I think Aang might be right.”

“Then you didn't love her the way I did!”

“Katara!” said Sokka, the hurt reflecting in his voice.

“The monks used to say that revenge is like a two-headed rat viper,” said Aang. “While you
watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself.”

“That's cute,” said Zuko. “But this isn't air temple preschool. It's the real world.”

“Now that I know he's out there...,” said Katara, “...now that I know we can find him, I feel
like I have no choice.”

“Katara, you do have a choice: forgiveness,” said Aang.

“That's the same as doing nothing,” she said.

“No, it's not,” said Chiara. “It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive.”

“It's not just hard, it's impossible,” she said.

“It's not impossible,” said Chiara. “In the prison I faced the man who slaughtered my whole
village...my own mother. The only memory I have of her is her burned body and her cut
throat.” Except for Zuko, everyone's eyes widened since Chiara had never spoken of the
memory of her mother's death to them. “I had the opportunity to see the man responsible
executed or do it myself. I chose to spare him, otherwise it would have just been revenge, not
justice, and it wouldn't have brought my family back.”

“Maybe it wasn't impossible for you, but it is for me,” insisted Katara.

She turned and walked away.

The rest of the day had been fairly quiet. Aang and Toph practiced earthbending, and Sokka
and Suki spent their time at a nearby stream. Zuko practiced firebending with Izin or
meditated while Chiara joined him in between making meals. No one saw Katara much as
she isolated herself from the others. When Chiara took her lunch to her, she hoped Katara
would talk to her, but she said very little.

--------------------

After making dinner, Chiara found her sitting on a rock near the cliff looking out over the sea.
She knelt down next to her and held out a bowl of rice.

“Thank you,” whispered Katara as she took it.

“I understand your pain, Katara,” said Chiara softly still kneeling nearby.

“I don't think you do,” she said darkly. “If you understood, you would have killed your
mother's murderer.”
“I know how it feels to want to make him pay, to hurt him the way he hurt you, but this
obsession with finding him, with avenging your mother's death, it's letting this man have
control over you. And when the time comes, the choice to hurt him will not be an easy one. It
changes when you're facing him...”

“I'm not afraid of him...!” her voice rose.

“I'm not talking about fear. More than once I stood before the men responsible for hurting or
murdering my family. I wanted to hurt them, but I knew I...

“Yes, you let it go!” said Katara standing up and stepping away, the bowl of untouched food
still in her hands. “I'm not you, Chiara! I didn't grow up in the Fire Nation. I can't just accept
what they did to my mother, to my family!”

Chiara softly sighed. She walked over to her and placed her hand gently on her arm in a
comforting gesture wishing she could help her. Katara stood silently staring out at the sea, so
Chiara returned to the camp.

--------------------

That evening as soon as everyone was settled in their tents, Zuko and Chiara heard a tapping
sound on their door. He looked outside to see Katara standing there in dark clothes.

“Meet me at Appa in a few minutes,” she said.

He nodded and turned back to Chiara.

“We're stealing the Avatar's bison?” she asked.

“We're borrowing it,” he corrected.

“I don't think this is right.”

“She wants to do this, and I told her I'd help,” he said.

Chiara sighed, but she reluctantly got ready and they met Katara at Appa. Katara was tying
her hair back while Zuko was double-checking their supplies when a frustrated Aang and a
tired looking Sokka stepped out from behind a rock.

“So you were just going to take Appa anyway?” asked Aang.

“Yes,” said Katara.

“It's okay, because I forgive you,” said Aang. “That give you any ideas?” he asked hopefully.

“Don't try to stop us.”

“I wasn't planning to. This is a journey you need to take. You need to face this man.”

Katara nodded to him and climbed onto Appa's head.

“But when you do, please don't choose revenge,” said Aang. “Let your anger out, and then let
it go. Forgive him.”

Zuko threw their bag onto Appa's saddle. “Okay, we'll be sure to do that, guru goody-goody.”

“Prince Zuko,” admonished Chiara as they climbed up on Appa.

He glanced at her feeling a twinge of guilt as he considered her forgiving nature. “I forgot I
was married to an air nomad.”

“Thanks for understanding, Aang,” said Katara. “Yip yip.”

They flew off heading southeast.

“We need to find the Fire Navy communication tower,” said Zuko from the saddle. “All the
navy's movements are coordinated by messenger hawk. And every tower has to be up to date
on where everyone is deployed.”

“So once we find the communication tower, we bust in and take the information we need,”
said Katara.

“Not exactly. We need to be stealthy and make sure no one spots us, otherwise they'll warn
the Southern Raiders long before we reach them.”

It was a few hours before sunrise when they reached the communication tower where Katara
landed Appa behind the rocks.

“Is it okay if I stay here with Appa?” Chiara asked Zuko.

He looked at her curiously.

“It'll be easier if it's just the two of you,” she said. “And if something happens, I don't want
all three of us caught.”

He thought about it. He was uncomfortable not having her by his side, but he nodded.
“Okay.”

“Be careful,” she said.

He kissed her before climbing off Appa to follow Katara. Running towards the water, Zuko
and Katara jumped on an ice raft she created. He was grateful to have had experience with
Chiara's ice rafts when they last lived in the Earth Kingdom.

During their absence, Chiara sat at Appa's reins on edge worrying about them, but through
the noise of the waves, she listened for any alarms that might sound.

Though they were not gone long, it felt like an eternity to her, and she was relieved when
they finally arrived back.
“Yip, yip,” she said after they climbed into the saddle. “Where to next?” she asked.

“Head southwest towards Whaletail Island,” said Zuko. “They're on patrol in that area.”

Katara climbed onto Appa's head and took the reins from her.

“Why don't you get some rest, Katara?” she said. “I'll get us there.”

“I'm fine,” she said stiffly.

Chiara, worried about her, remained with her.

--------------------

Later in the morning, Zuko woke up alone in the saddle. He sat up and turned to see Katara
still at the reins and Chiara lying next to her asleep.

“You should get some rest,” he said to Katara. “You'll need all your strength.”

“Oh, don't you worry about my strength,” she said. “I have plenty. I'm not the helpless little
girl I was when they came.”

Chiara woke up at their conversation as Katara began recounting the story of the attack on
her village.

“But we were too late,” she said after telling them about her mother's death. “When we got
there, the man was gone...and so was she.”

“Your mother was a brave woman,” said Zuko.

“I know.”

Chiara climbed back in the saddle where she went through their food supplies. She was
thankful for that last batch of rabbitcoon jerky she made at the air temple. She offered it to
Zuko before taking a few strips to Katara.

They flew all day, and it was late in the afternoon when Chiara finally convinced her to lie
down and rest and she took over the reins.

--------------------

The sun had gone down as they were getting nearer to Whaletail Island, and Chiara was
steering Appa while Zuko kept a lookout through a telescope searching for the Southern
Raiders.

“There!” he said, finally spotting them. Katara sat up in the saddle when she heard him. “See
those sea raven flags?” He tossed the telescope to her. “It's the Southern Raiders.”

“Let's do this,” she said. “Chiara, take Appa underneath the boat and surface on the other
side.”
Chiara guided Appa under the water while Katara created an air bubble around him.
Approaching the ship, she sent a water tentacle up on deck and pulled one of the soldiers off
the ship. When the other soldiers ran to the side to see what happened to their crewman,
Appa surfaced on the opposite side of the ship while Katara created huge waves that crashed
into it washing most of the other soldiers overboard. Chiara landed Appa on the deck, and all
three jumped down. One very wet soldier tried to attack them with fire, but both Katara and
Chiara forced him over the side with water. While Chiara waited on deck with Appa, Zuko
followed Katara inside.

Hearing the cries of their shipmates in the water, several soldiers appeared on deck. Chiara
began drawing water from the ocean pulling the men overboard. Even Appa joined her when
he brought his tail down sending a rush of air that pushed more men into the water.

“Aw, thank you, Appa,” she softly laughed as she scratched his neck.

Seeing two more people coming out, she raised more water from the sea until she recognized
Zuko and Katara. Neither looked like they accomplished the mission, and she wondered what
had happened. Climbing back on Appa, Zuko took the reins.

“Did you find him?” she asked.

“He retired,” he answered. “We need to go to the southern island in the Fire Nation.”

They took turns flying the rest of the night until they reached a village on the southernmost
island of the Fire Nation just as the sun was rising. Landing Appa on the outskirts of the
village, Chiara once again remained with him while Zuko and Katara went to find Yon Rha.

It was hours later when Chiara spotted them walking towards her, and she could see that
Katara looked down, but it seemed different than the night before. They climbed into the
saddle where Chiara sat with her while Zuko took the reins.

“Did you find him?” she asked her.

“Yes,” she answered sadly. “But I couldn't do it. I hate him so much, but he was pathetic
and...and empty.”

Chiara hugged her and Katara broke down crying on her shoulder.

“He murdered my mother without mercy, and he had the nerve to beg for his own life,” she
cried. “He deserved to die. He deserved it, but I couldn't do it.”

Chiara gently rubbed her back and just let her cry for a few minutes.

“When this war is over,” said Chiara softly, “ask for justice.”

Katara sat back rubbing the tears from her cheeks as she stared at her. “What?”

“Ask that he be tried for war crimes.”

Katara had not thought of that. “Do...do you think I can do that?”

“The Southern Raiders terrorized coastal towns for years and murdered innocent people. The
Southern Water Tribe's been nearly eradicated. Ask for a trial. Let the court sentence him to
death or let him live out his days in prison, but either way he'll be punished for his crimes.”

Zuko was impressed by Chiara's suggestion. Katara sat in silence thinking about it.

“When Admiral Zhao attempted to assassinate Prince Zuko, I wanted so much to make him
pay. Then on the way to the North Pole I listened to him talk about how he was going to
destroy the Water Tribe. I cried in my cabin nearly every night knowing I was going to be
there when the Northern Water Tribe was attacked by the Fire Nation, and all I could do was
watch. When I heard about his plans to destroy the moon spirit, I made the decision to stop
him no matter what, even if it meant losing my life or taking his. Unfortunately, I was too
late, but when he escaped, I was still determined to get justice. I had planned on capturing
him and handing him over to the Water Tribe to let them imprison him or execute him as they
saw fit. It would've been easier to execute him myself. When my waterbending returned, I
was tempted to create an ice sword and pierce his heart the way he pierced mine, but I knew
no matter how angry I was at him, it was not my place to decide his fate.”

Zuko thought about her words. He was reminded of her defenses in the Earth Kingdom when
they were trying to escape the Fire Nation soldiers. He remembered her ice spikes that she
used to pin soldiers to trees or to the ground, and he realized that it would have been easier to
kill them with the spikes, but she chose to use her power to restrain rather than kill.

“I also confronted the Fire Nation soldier who killed my cousin during the Siege,” she said.

Katara's eyes grew wide, and Zuko turned his head a bit to better hear her.

“You had a cousin?” asked Katara.

“I spent time with him and his family when I lived there. He was my father's cousin. The
reason I was late following Zhao was because I found dead warriors, and my cousin was
among them, but he was still alive. One of the Fire Nation soldiers, a firebender, had been
finishing them off, and when he saw me he attacked, but I trapped him in ice. I tried to heal
my cousin, but...” She shook her head as her eyes filled with tears. “...there was so much
blood. There was nothing I could do but hold his hand as he died.” The tears fell down her
cheeks. “By then the soldier melted the ice, so I covered him completely. I wondered if he
could melt it before suffocating. But I thought decapitation would be more merciful than
suffocation.”

Zuko and Katara never knew that Chiara had killed anyone, and Zuko was surprised she had
never told him about it.

“I melted the ice around his head and told him I'd show him more mercy than he'd shown my
family. And then I walked away. I couldn't bring myself to take his life,” she said softly.

Zuko let out a sigh of relief not even realizing he had been holding his breath.
 They were silent for a long time as they flew. A couple hours into their flight, Zuko peered
back at them. Katara was asleep as Chiara stared out over the water below.

“Chiara,” he whispered.

She climbed onto Appa's head and sat with him.

“Ember Island,” he said.

“What about it?”

“We can stay at the beach house. It'll be safe there. It's private and secluded, and no one
would ever suspect that we'd be there.”

Chiara thought about it and nodded. It was full of happy memories of their youth.

“I miss those days,” she said softly as she leaned against him.

He put his arm around her. “Me too.”

He continued flying.

“We'll check it out first before getting the others,” he said.

He kept his arm around her as they flew.

“I...I didn't know about the...the firebender and your cousin,” he said softly. “I mean,
obviously the Fire Nation was responsible for his death, but I didn't know you confronted the
soldier who did it. I'm so sorry.”

“I only hope he learns to show mercy...if he survived.”

Zuko thought both were doubtful, but he kept those thoughts to himself.

Chapter End Notes

Obviously this was from the "Southern Raiders" episode. The next 4 chapters will be
mostly...unique...
 Ember Island

Katara was roused from sleep when she felt Appa landing, but she lay still, unsure if she was
ready to face Aang and Sokka yet and the questions they would have for her. After a few
minutes, she finally forced herself to sit up expecting to see their curious faces, but she was
surprised instead to see a beach.

“Where are we?”

“Ember Island,” said Zuko as he was climbing down from Appa. “We used to vacation here.”

“Are...are we in the Fire Nation?” she asked peering down at him from over the saddle.

“Yes.”

Her brow furrowed in worry. “Do you think it's safe for us to be at your old vacation spot?”

“It should be. No one'll expect us to be here.”

She glanced around before jumping down next to him. “What if someone shows up?”

“No one's been here in years.”

He started towards Chiara who was standing a short distance away staring at the beach where
they used to play.

“Are you okay?” he asked her.

She nodded. He immediately took her in his arms and hugged her.

“What's wrong?” asked Katara walking up to them.

“There are a lot of memories here,” said Zuko softly as he released Chiara.

“You came here together?” she asked.

“Yes. The whole family.” He took Chiara's hand. “We should look around.”

They walked up and down the beach making sure it was secluded. When they decided it was
safe and isolated enough, they stopped in front of the familiar path leading to the beach house
and stared up at it.

“Do you want to look inside?” he asked her.

She hesitated knowing what was just beyond the door. “I...I don't think I'm ready yet.”

He nodded in understanding, not sure he was ready either. They walked back to Appa who
was grazing on the beach grass.
“It's deserted enough,” he said to Katara. “We can bring the others back here.”

He pulled their supplies out of the saddle, and they sat on the beach and ate lunch. After
allowing Appa to rest and graze, they packed up to fly back to the rest of the group.

“I'm going to stay here,” said Katara staring out over the water. It might have been Fire
Nation waters, but the sea still brought her some comfort.

“Do you want me to stay with you?” Chiara asked her.

“No. I...I just want to be alone.”

Chiara tenderly caressed her back before turning to climb up on Appa.

“We probably won't be back until sunset,” said Zuko.

“I know,” she said.

Chiara pulled out fresh water and food from the saddle and handed them to Zuko.

“I'll leave these here,” he said setting them on the sand next to her.

Katara nodded, and then Zuko and Chiara left on Appa to get the others, Zuko holding the
reins with Chiara sitting next to him.

“Did you ever imagine yourself flying the Avatar's sky bison?” she asked him.

He smirked. “Not without kidnapping him.”

“It feels much freer this way.”

“You're right, it does,” he said softly.

They were quiet as he thought about the last few days, and he remembered something he
wanted to talk to her about.

“I...I saw Katara do some form of waterbending,” he started, “but...but I don't know what or
how she was doing it exactly.”

“What do you mean? Describe it.”

“When we were interrogating the captain of the Southern Raiders, it...it looked like she was
restraining him...without touching him. It was like an invisible force was controlling him and
pulled him to the ground.”

Chiara, who had been leaning against him, sat up, her eyes wide.

“What?” he asked. “What is it?”

“Bloodbending.”
“Bloodbending?”

“Yes. We have water and other fluids throughout our bodies that can be manipulated. I
learned advanced techniques to stem blood flow from wounds, but I...I never heard of it
being weaponized.”

“Could you do it?”

“To control someone? I don't know,” she answered thoughtfully. “I'm not sure I want to
know.”

“It was...terrifying knowing that someone could possess your body like that.” He could still
see the distorted limbs of the commander as he was forced to the floor as if controlled by
invisible strings.

“I've done it a few times to slow bleeding while I was healing a wound, but I only focused on
the area of the injury,” she said sadly, Surak immediately coming to her mind. “I also pulled
water from Tedo's lungs after he fell overboard, but I was very precise in pulling only the
water that shouldn't have been there.”

He was amazed by her ability as he thought about the night of the storm.

“It was really good having a waterbender around,” he said pulling her closer.

She leaned against him enjoying the warmth of his body amid the cool air above the clouds.

--------------------

They arrived back at the camp where Aang, Sokka, Toph, Suki, and Izin were anxiously
waiting for them.

“How'd it go?” asked Aang when they were jumping down from Appa.

“Where's Katara?” Sokka was already asking before they could answer Aang.

“We left her on Ember Island,” said Zuko.

“You what?!!” he said taking a step towards him. “You left my sister behind?!”

“How could you do that?!” yelled Aang.

“Whoa...wait...,” said Zuko moving Chiara behind him while holding a hand up at Aang
before he went Avatar State on them. “...we didn't just leave her anywhere. She wanted to
stay behind.”

Izin was now by Zuko's side ready to fight for him and Chiara as Toph and Suki came
running up upon hearing the yelling.

“And where exactly is this island?” demanded Sokka, anger still in his voice. “It sounds Fire
Nation.”
“It is...,” said Zuko.

The normally cheery Avatar was looking upset. “Why would she want to stay behind in the
Fire Nation?”

“She wanted time to herself...,” he said calmly.

“So you just left her alone in Fire Nation territory?” Sokka glared.

“Trust me, she's fine...,” insisted Zuko.

“But she's by herself...!”

“Hey, Scuffles!” interrupted Toph causing Sokka to stop and look at her. “Do you really think
Sparky and Princess would leave your little sis somewhere dangerous?”

“We can all stay there,” said Zuko. “She's waiting for us.”

Aang's anger started dissipating, but Sokka was still feeling agitated that Katara was left by
herself in enemy territory.

“So we get to live in the Fire Nation again?” asked Toph.

“Great,” groaned Sokka sarcastically. “Another cave.”

“No, there's a house,” said Zuko. “It's abandoned, and it's secluded enough that we'll be safe
there.”

“If you say so,” he said, still not enthused by the prospect of living in the Fire Nation again.

They quickly packed up their camp, and Zuko sat with Aang while they flew to Ember
Island.

--------------------

The sun was setting by the time they arrived back to the island. After landing Appa, Aang
immediately ran to the dock where Katara was sitting while Zuko and Chiara casually
followed him.

“Katara, are you okay?” asked Aang.

“I'm doing fine,” she answered sadly still sitting on the edge of the pier.

“Zuko told me what you did...or what you didn't do, I guess. I'm proud of you.”

“I wanted to do it. I wanted to take out all my anger at him, but I couldn't. I don't know if it's
because I'm too weak to do it or because I'm strong enough not to.”

“You did the right thing. Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing.”
She stood up. “But I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him.” Her eyes softened as she
looked up at Zuko. “But I am ready to forgive you.”

She stepped up to him and gave him a hug. When she let him go, she hugged Chiara.

“Thank you,” she said to her before walking down the dock towards the beach.

“You were right about what Katara needed,” said Zuko to Aang. “Violence wasn't the
answer.”

“It never is.”

“Then I have a question for you. What are you going to do when you face my father?”

Chiara looked at Aang who was not sure what to say.

“I...I don't know.”

They slowly walked back to the shore.

“...something could've happened to you!” they heard Sokka scolding Katara as they
approached the beach.

“I told you I was fine, Sokka,” she said.

“But what if somebody saw you?”

“There's nobody around here.”

“And did you even think about Zuko and Chiara? Aang nearly killed them thinking they left
you behind,” he said.

Aang's eyes grew wide as Katara turned to him. “M-me?! What about you, Sokka? You were
angry too.”

“Yes, but I wasn't about to go into the Avatar State and wreak vengeance.”

“Aang!” said Katara in an admonishing tone. “What about revenge and the two-headed rat
viper?”

“Uh...y-yeah...,” he stumbled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “...I-I didn't...you
know...go into the Avatar State...”

“Guys, it's okay,” said Zuko as he was helping Izin unpack Appa. “Katara's safe, and Sokka
and Aang didn't murder us in a fit of vengeance.”

Aang looked even more ashamed, but Sokka just shrugged.

“Who's the angry jerk now, Water Tribe?” said Zuko throwing him a bag with a little extra
force behind it nearly causing Sokka to lose his balance.
“Hey, at least I didn't send out a ring of fire burning everyone,” he said.

Zuko chuckled. “Yeah, that was pretty cool.”

“Sounds to me like it was pretty hot,” joked Toph.

“It sure was,” said Chiara which set the other girls to giggling and Zuko to blushing amid the
pride he felt from her compliment.

“Hey, hey...there are children present,” said Sokka whose seriousness caused even more
laughter among the girls.

“Speak for yourself, Scuffles,” said Toph.

“I'm sorry,” said Chiara smiling. “Was it inappropriate to think a firebending technique hot?”

“What do you expect from someone who thought a waterbending technique was
inappropriate,” laughed Katara.

Now Sokka was blushing. “Ugh...girls...”

Zuko was smirking as he walked by him. “I don't have any complaints,” he said as he lifted
Chiara's hand to his lips.

“You're just encouraging this,” said Sokka. “You know that, right?”

“Aw...I think it's romantic,” said Suki.

“Hey, I know how to be romantic, too...”

Suki's eyes lit up as she held her hand out only for Sokka to put the strap of a bag over it.

“Gee, thanks,” she moaned expressing her disappointment.

“When it's appropriate,” he finished.

After gathering their belongings, they walked towards the beach house.

“So, hanging out in the Fire Nation...,” said Sokka, “...again.”

“But this isn't just any place in the Fire Nation,” said Katara. “It's the Fire Lord's house.”

“You brought us to the Fire Lord's house?” asked Suki.

“Ozai doesn't come here,” said Zuko.

“It's been years since we've been here,” said Chiara. “We haven't been here since...since
before Lu Ten...”

Zuko caressed her hand as she held his arm.

They followed the path towards the porch, where they ascended the front steps. He stopped at
the door and looked at her.

“You ready?”

She nodded. He reached for the handle and pulled, but it was locked, so they stepped back
and he kicked the doors open. When he and Chiara stepped into the foyer, he dropped the bag
from over his shoulder before producing a flame in his hand. They looked up to see two
portraits: one of Ozai, Ursa, Zuko, and Azula; and one of Iroh and a young Lu Ten. Chiara
fought back her tears seeing Lu Ten's image as Zuko stared at his mother's. The others filed in
behind them.

“This place is huge,” said Sokka.

“And really dirty,” said Suki.

Having sat uninhabited for years, everything in the house was covered with a layer of dust.

“So that's your family,” said Aang.

“Is that your Uncle Iroh?” asked Katara.

“Yes,” said Zuko softly.

“He looks much...slimmer,” she said.

Izin stared at the portrait impressed by the image of the Dragon of the West, Prince Iroh of
the Fire Nation whom he had once expected to become Fire Lord. What he had never
expected was that he would one day be standing in the home of the Royal Family being
treated more as a welcome guest than a common subject of the empire.

The others started looking around leaving Zuko and Chiara alone to look at the portraits.
Zuko's eyes left his mother's face and moved to young Azula. She looked so innocent in the
picture, but he knew better. She had been as cold-hearted as Ozai, caring for no one but
herself, having been molded in his image. His eyes scanned Ozai's face, his serene
countenance hiding a cruel, ugly interior.

When you were born, we weren't sure if you were a bender at all. You didn't have that spark
in your eyes. I planned to cast you from the palace. How embarrassing for a prince of the
Fire Nation to have a nonbender as his firstborn! Lucky for you, your mother and the Fire
Sages pleaded with me to give you a chance. Azula, on the other hand, never needed that kind
of luck. She was born lucky. You were lucky to be born.

Zuko spent years trying to win his favor. As he was wondering how he had been so blind for
so long his eyes were drawn to his own image. He could see the innocence in his young,
unmarred face. The flame in his hand suddenly formed into a fireball and he drew his arm
back.

“Don't you dare.” Chiara moved in front of him placing her hands on his chest.
His eyes dropped to hers, the fireball still suspended in his hand. “That family doesn't exist
anymore. I don't think it ever existed.”

“I won't let you destroy that image of you or Aunt Ursa.”

He sighed as he lowered his arm, his fireball dimming into a small flame again.

“It was all a lie,” he said softly.

“It wasn't a lie. You were happy then.”

“That's because I didn't accept that he was a monster.”

“A monster that you'll never be,” she said. She reached up placing her hand on his left cheek.
“And one day, you'll be a better father than he ever was.”

Her words softened his heart, and he leaned towards her and tenderly kissed her lips.

“May I at least burn off that sorry excuse for a father?” he asked.

“If you feel you must desecrate it in some way...”

She stood out of his way, and he threw his flame towards Ozai's face directing the fire
burning as much of him out of the picture as he could. When he finished, he drew up another
smaller fireball that lit up the dark foyer.

“What's that for?” she asked.

“Azula.”

“No. She's...she's just a child.”

“And she was a cruel child,” he said. “Even at that age.”

“And you already removed who was responsible for who she became.”

His little ball of fire reformed into a small flame which kept the darkness of the house at bay.
She placed her hand on his arm and they went in search of the others. They eventually found
them on an outside patio where Izin had built a fire in the fire pit, and Katara was sorting
through their rations for dinner.

--------------------

After eating, they relaxed while discussing their plans for Aang's training and restocking their
food supplies.

Outside the sky grew darker and with their appetites sated, everyone began feeling tired.

“So do we all just sleep out here tonight?” asked Toph.

“There are plenty of rooms upstairs,” said Zuko. He looked around. “Chiara's still gone.”
“She's been gone for a while,” said Suki.

“Where'd she go?” asked Aang.

“She went for a walk,” said Zuko. “I think she wanted to be alone.”

“I didn't even notice her leave,” said Sokka.

Katara rolled her eyes at him. “Do you notice anything when you're shoveling food into your
mouth?”

“I notice the food.”

She just shook her head.

Zuko stood up and the others followed him inside and up the stairs. At the top of the staircase
were two full size portraits: one of Iroh, Mina, and an infant Lu Ten on the left and Ozai and
his family on the right. Zuko made a mental note to burn Ozai out of the portrait when no one
was around. Light down the hall to his left caught his eye. He could see it was coming from
Lu Ten's room and he knew that was where Chiara was.

“You guys can take your pick of the first four bedrooms down either hall,” he said.

“Was this like your uncle's side and your father's side?” asked Sokka as he pointed left and
right, respectively.

“Yes.”

Sokka grabbed Suki’s hand and pulled her along with him to the left. “We'll take bedrooms
on your uncle's side.”

Zuko walked down the hall towards the light. He noticed that his uncle's bedroom door had
been opened before turning into Lu Ten's room where he saw Chiara sitting on the bed.

“I miss him too,” he said as he sat next to her and put his arm around her.

“This...this is really hard being here.”

“I know. I'm sorry. I just thought it would be the best place to hide...”

“You're right, it is. I'll deal with this.”

He held her close.

“I miss the General, too,” she said. “I hope he's safe.”

“So do I.”

They were drawn out of their sad worries by loud arguing, so they stood up to check on the
others. Zuko picked up her lantern and took her hand, and they walked out into the hall.
“Why do I have to have a room on the Fire Lord's side?” asked Toph. “Just because I'm blind
doesn't mean I get last pick of the rooms.”

“Well, I called dibs on two rooms on this side,” said Sokka. “I can't help it if Aang and
Katara picked the other two.”

“What's going on?” asked Zuko.

“I want a room on your uncle's side,” demanded Toph. “I think it's only fair since I was
friends with him first.”

“You can always desecrate Azula's room,” said Zuko.

The others were laughing.

Toph considered it. “That is tempting.”

“Or you can have my old room, Lady Toph,” said Chiara. “It's right next to the General's.”

“Really?” she said. “Hmm...good Fire Princess or bad...,” she said thoughtfully. “Okay, you
win. I'll go with the good Fire Princess.”

Zuko chuckled.

“Come on. It's down here,” said Chiara.

Toph followed her to her old room across from Lu Ten's and next to Iroh's.

“It's quite dirty, but I'll start cleaning the house tomorrow.”

“Not a problem,” said Toph as she moved her hands across the bed driving all the dust onto
the floor.

“Or maybe you'll be cleaning tomorrow,” she laughed. “Good night, Lady Toph.”

Chiara went back down the hall to Zuko who took her hand and walked to the other side of
the staircase.

“I guess they didn't want to be on my family's side,” he said softly. “Not that I blame them.”

“I want to be on your family's side,” she said smiling up at him.

He chuckled softly. “But you have no choice now. You are my family.” He looked at Izin
who was walking with them. “Sorry, Izin, I guess you're stuck on my family's side of the
house.”

“I'm just honored to be here, Prince Zuko.”

“We'll see you in the morning,” said Zuko.

“Good night, Izin,” said Chiara.

“Good night, Prince, Princess.”

He bowed before choosing a bedroom. Zuko led Chiara towards his old bedroom where he
opened the door. After stepping inside, their eyes scanned the room.

“It seems smaller than I remember,” he said.

“You're just bigger.” She grinned at him.

“This is the first time we'll be sleeping in a bed since we've been married,” he said as it just
occurred to him.

She walked over to it. “A bed that needs cleaned.”

She began pulling off the blanket with his help. They took it out to the balcony where they
shook it out. After shaking out the linens, they redressed the bed and both flopped down on it.

“Oh, I forgot how good a real bed feels,” she moaned not having slept on one since Ba Sing
Se.

“The mats feel like stone compared to this,” he agreed.

It did not take long for anyone to fall asleep that night in their comfortable beds.

The next morning, Zuko and Chiara woke up early and sat on the balcony quietly meditating
while the sun was rising.

“Is it okay if I raid yo...Ozai's closet?” she asked him when they went inside.

“What?” He stared at her. “Why?”

“Izin's still wearing prison clothes. I think Ozai's clothes might fit him.”

His expression lightened. “Oh...yeah, sure. That's a good idea.”

Leaving his room they approached his parents' old bedroom where he reached for the door
handle but hesitated. She placed her hand on his and looked in his eyes.

“You don't have to do this.” She knew it was difficult for him to see reminders of his father
and mother. “I can do it later.”

“No,” he said. “I'm fine.”

He opened the door and they both entered the enormous bedroom. It was dim inside until
Chiara pulled the curtains open to allow the sunlight to enter. Like all the rooms, everything
was covered in a layer of dust which also floated through the air in the streams of sunlight
after having been dislodged from the heavy drapes. She walked over to Zuko's side as he
stood next to his mother's vanity where her brush and hair combs lay. He picked up a bottle
of perfume. He had a sad smile when he held it out to her.
“It smells like her,” she said softly.

They left the vanity and opened the wardrobe where they rummaged through Ozai's clothes.
She pulled out several casual garments.

“These'll be perfect for him,” she said. “Suki will need some clothes too, but I don't want to
pillage Aunt Ursa's.”

“It doesn't matter,” he said softly. “It's not like she's ever coming back.”

“I still don't feel right about it. Besides, I don't ever recall her wearing anything casual, even
at the beach. We might find something more comfortable for Suki in the servants' quarters.”

He took Ozai's clothes from her, and they left the bedroom.

“I imagine everyone'll sleep in late,” she said as they descended the stairs. “I can get these
washed up before breakfast.”

Before going to the washing room, they visited the servant quarters. Searching through the
rooms, they collected clothes for Suki.

“This might fit Izin too,” she said holding up a tunic.

“I'd rather he wear Ozai's.”

She smirked to herself knowing he was thinking it would be a double slap in Ozai's face that
his princely clothing would be worn by a commoner and an army deserter.

Zuko remained with her when she went to the washing room where she washed and dried the
clothes.

--------------------

Later, on the patio, Chiara was going through their rations and setting out what they had to
eat while Zuko started a fire. When he spotted Suki, he picked up the clothes they collected
for her.

“Suki,” he said holding out the garments, “we found clothes that should fit you.”

“Oh, I can finally get out of these prison clothes,” she said excitedly as she took them.
“Thanks.” She quickly disappeared to change.

Zuko picked up another set of clothing. “These should fit you, Izin,” he said when Izin
stepped out onto the patio.

The former soldier stared at them noticing the rich material of the tunic folded on top. “Prince
Zuko, I...I shouldn't wear those...”

“Why not?”
“They look like they were made for the royal family...”

“So,” said Zuko.

“My family's not even from the nobility,” he said humbly. “They're not meant for me to
wear.”

“Izin, I don't care that you're not a noble. You've shown far more honor than any noble I've
met at the palace.”

There was a look of complete shock on Izin's face at Zuko's compliment.

“It...it's not right for me to put those on,” he said, his humility preventing him from accepting
the fine clothing.

Zuko did not want to order him to wear them, but he had another idea. “You offered to serve
Chiara and me. It's only fitting that you wear these.”

“But...”

“Chiara spent all morning washing and drying them for you,” he interrupted. “It'll really hurt
her feelings if you don't wear them.”

“Yes, Prince Zuko,” he said without further argument as he took them, his loyalty to Chiara
overcoming his humility.

The prince smirked as he watched him walk away with the clothes.

“Good morning, Hotman, Hotwoman,” greeted Aang cheerfully bouncing out onto the patio.

“Good morning, Aang,” said Chiara as she held out a bowl of food.

“Thanks.”

Sokka, Katara, and Toph were not far behind, and Chiara served them all breakfast.

Suddenly, Sokka stopped eating as his mouth dropped open. “Suki?” His eyes were wide as
they followed her walking towards them wearing Fire Nation garments. “You look...wow.”

“I'll take that as a compliment,” she grinned.

“Where'd you get the clothes?” asked Katara.

“Zuko gave them to me.”

Sokka's wide eyes instantly narrowed at the prince. “Why is Zuko giving you clothes?”

“She can't go to the market in a prison uniform,” said Zuko casually, not totally oblivious to
his jealous tone.

Sokka relaxed. “I guess that makes sense.”

While they were eating, Chiara began making a list of items to be picked up at the market.

“Did you write down ash bananas?” Zuko asked her.

“Of course.”

“It's been forever,” he said.

She looked up from her list. “Anything else?”

“You have what you need to make cookies?” he asked softly.

She smiled and scanned the list. “I think this'll cover it.”

“Wow, Izin,” said Sokka. “You look more like a prince than Zuko.”

Izin, who had just returned, stared nervously at Zuko whose shoulders slumped at Sokka's
words.

“Way to go, Water Tribe.”

“What? I was giving him a compliment.”

“Do you know what it took me to convince him to even wear those clothes?”

“They look nice on you, Izin,” said Chiara.

“Thank you, Princess, but I shouldn't wear these. I'm not royalty.”

“It's fine,” said Zuko.

“Where did you get them?” asked Aang.

“Ozai's closet,” he answered.

Izin tensed up even more.

“You gave him the Fire Lord's clothes?” asked Toph. She started laughing. “Oh, that's great.”

“Actually, they belonged to Prince Ozai,” said Zuko. “He never wore anything so casual after
he became Fire Lord.” He looked at Izin. “Trust me, you'll blend in better wearing those than
a prison uniform.”

“It seems kind of weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house and going
through his closets,” said Katara.

“I told you, Ozai hasn't come here since before he was Fire Lord,” he said. “It's the last place
anyone would think to look for us.”

--------------------
When they finished breakfast, Izin, Sokka, and Suki went to town to purchase supplies while
Zuko and Aang started training out in the courtyard. Toph sat with Katara and Chiara as they
were cleaning dishes, and when they finished, Chiara disappeared inside the house.
 Bittersweet Memories
Chapter Notes

Sorry it took so long to put this out. I was out of town for a few weeks and I didn't want
to post it without having Chapter 78 nearly ready to go. The later chapters, especially
the final battles, are really skeletonized, and I'm starting to feel burned out trying to fix
them with so little time to devote to it, so bear with me.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Hours after they had left, Sokka, Suki, and Izin returned from the market with containers of
food.

“We're going to eat like kings tonight,” said Sokka.

Aang abandoned his training mid-kata to run over to them, eyes wide at the assortment of
edibles. When Zuko saw the ash bananas he went to turn to Chiara but realized she was
missing.

“Where's Chiara?” he asked.

“She disappeared a while ago,” said Toph.

Izin immediately stood up.

“Where'd she go?” asked Zuko feeling worried.

“Relax, Sparky, she just went inside,” Toph answered sensing his increased heart rate.

Zuko and Izin went inside the house to look for her finally finding her in the kitchen where
she was cleaning.

“Chiara,” said Zuko, “I've been looking for you.”

“Do you need something?” she asked pausing her scrubbing of the counter.

“Why are you doing this?”

“This place desperately needs to be cleaned. I thought I'd start with the kitchen first.”

“You shouldn't be doing this...”

She playfully glared at him.

“Okay,” he said knowing that look. “Then you shouldn't be doing this alone. Why don't you
ask the others to help you?”

“Two of them are the Avatar's teachers and one is a Kyoshi Warrior,” she said. “I'm not going
to have them spend their day cleaning.”

“But it's too much work for you to do alone...”

“Prince Zuko, I always helped the servants at the General's home and here too. I'm not above
making this a home for all of us.”

The idea of her making a home for them made his heart melt and he was unable to argue with
her.

“You have a responsibility to train Aang,” she continued, “and you're out there in the heat
diligently doing so. Please let me try and make this place a home again.”

He sighed knowing he lost the battle. “Fine, but you need to eat.” He took her hand and
started pulling her towards the door. “They brought back a lot of food.”

Outside, the others were enjoying fruit and cured meats.

When Sokka saw them coming back out to the patio, he held up a komodo chicken. “I got
this for dinner tonight,” he said.

“I wish Tai were here,” Chiara said to Zuko.

“According to Uncle, you're the next best thing.”

--------------------

After lunch, Chiara stood up to return to the kitchen.

“Why don't you train with us?” Zuko asked her making one last attempt at keeping her from
working in the house.

“There's other work to be done. And I want to start roasting the komodo chicken for dinner.”

“You can't argue with that,” said Sokka lounging back contentedly, still picking at some food
despite being sated.

Zuko glared at him. “You're not doing anything. Why don't you cook it?”

“As the great hunter, I provided the meal,” he said proudly.

“Buying it from the market isn't being a great hunter,” said Suki.

Izin stood up. “I'll help her, Prince Zuko.”

“Izin, you worked hard enough in the prison,” said Chiara. “And you're helping Aang too.”
“Let him help, Chiara,” said Zuko.

He walked off to join Aang while Izin took the komodo chicken from her before following
her inside.

“Really, Izin, you don't have to do this,” she said.

“Sorry, Princess Chiara, but it's the Prince's orders.”

She softly laughed as she returned to the kitchen where they continued working.

--------------------

Later in the afternoon, Chiara went out to the courtyard where Aang and Zuko were still
training.

“Where is everyone?” she asked.

Zuko stopped and looked around just noticing they were gone.

“Toph wanted to work on her sandbending, so they all went to the beach,” said Aang.

“Dinner's done,” she said.

“All right!” said Aang excitedly. “I'll go get them.”

He quickly disappeared like the wind sending a cool breeze across Zuko's skin as he passed
him. Chiara sat down on the steps, and Zuko was soon sitting next to her drying off the sweat
with a towel.

“How's it going?” she asked.

“He's really got potential, but sometimes he's so unfocused.”

She smiled. “Complete opposite of you.”

“I know he's only thirteen, but the comet's going to be here soon enough, and he has so much
more to learn before then.”

“I'm sure it'll work out. It has to,” she added softly.

--------------------

When the others returned from the beach they all went inside where Chiara led them to the
dining room. The kitchen and dining room had been thoroughly cleaned and looked to Zuko
the same as when they were kids.

“Oh, Chiara, this looks great,” he said.

“It wasn't just me,” she said. “Izin did most of the dining room.”
“Chiara, this looks great!” said Sokka with far more excitement in his voice, his eyes glued to
the roasted komodo chicken on the table surrounded by biscuits, fruit, and a plate of cookies.

Everyone sat down, Zuko and Chiara sitting next to each other in the same places they sat
when they were younger.

“You guys did such a good job,” said Katara.

“Looks the same to me,” said Toph to everyone's laughter. “But the food smells great.”

They all enjoyed their meal, and afterwards, Izin cleared the table while Katara and Chiara
washed the dishes.

When the others gathered outside on the patio to relax, Zuko took Chiara's hand.

“Oh no you don't,” he said knowing she was off to clean another room. “Let's go for a walk.”

She just smiled and walked with him as he started leading her down towards the beach.

“I think we both need a break,” he said.

“Having kids is a lot of work, but I enjoy it.” Toph was not there to tell her what her words
did to his heartbeat, but his smile let her know.

“You know, it really is like having kids...,” he said. “...teaching Aang firebending, trying to
get Sokka to keep his mouth shut...”

She was laughing.

“...you in the kitchen cooking,” he continued. “And those cookies were the best.”

“Yeah, I figured you liked them when you ate most of them. Poor Aang almost didn't get
any.”

“He wouldn't have if he hadn't created that little tornado to steal the last two.”

“There were plenty for everyone,” she said. “And I'm pretty sure you ate at least half.”

“That's my compensation for suggesting them,” he said making her giggle.

“In a few days I'll make your ash banana bread once they get a little over ripe.”

He leaned towards her. “You know you don't have to tell anyone about the bread,” he said in
a low voice. “It can be our little secret.”

She smiled and shook her head.

It felt good to him holding her hand as they walked along the beach, something he had
wanted to do years ago. They reminisced their childhood there: the beach parties, building
sand palaces, swimming, reenacting Love Amongst the Dragons. Suddenly, Zuko stopped and
turned to her, his golden eyes fixed on her soft green ones.
“Do you remember this spot?” he asked her.

Her face lit up at the sweet memory forever engraved in her mind. “I'll never forget it.”

“'Though I was trapped in the body of a mortal, you willingly gave me your heart,'” he said
tenderly. “'I cannot help but give you mine in return.'”

Chiara felt her heart beating harder at his words. “'Only with your glory hidden in false form
could you finally recognize my devotion,'” she replied just as tenderly.

He did not hesitate this time, but he pressed his lips against hers. He wrapped his arms
around her and held her tightly.

“When I was traveling the world with the General, that memory of you, of us, was one of my
favorites.”

“Mine too,” he said, smiling, but then his smile faded. “That was the last time we were here.”

He took her hand again and they continued their stroll. They eventually found themselves at
the end of the dock where they sat and watched the sun create an array of colors through the
clouds during its descent below the horizon.

The next morning, Chiara made breakfast after she and Zuko meditated as the sun was rising.
After eating, Aang and Zuko continued their training, so Chiara went inside to continue
cleaning the house. She wanted to thoroughly clean the bedrooms for everyone. Ascending
the stairs, the large portrait at the top caught her eye, and she smiled as she looked at young
Zuko. Before turning away from admiring his bright eyes, she noticed a large burn in the
canvas where Ozai's face used to be, and she wondered to herself when Zuko had done that
bit of work to it. She started with the first room down Iroh's hall which was the bedroom
Aang was using. It was not long before Izin found her and started helping her clean the rooms
and gather the linens which she would wash in the wash room before replacing them over the
beds.

After Izin insisted that she take a break, she quietly went to Lu Ten's room. When she and
Iroh returned from the Earth Kingdom years earlier, there were times when she would sit in
Lu Ten's bedroom and cry. His room in the beach house was not nearly as furnished with
reminders as his bedroom at Iroh's manor, but there were still a few mementos of their time
there. From a shelf she picked up a large dragon-shark tooth and brushed it against her
clothes to clean off the dust.

“I think this looks isolated enough,” said Iroh as he stopped on the beach. “You have the
whole ocean at your disposal,” he said, turning towards Chiara.

She looked up at him. “It's really okay if I do it?”

“It's your gift. It's a shame we must keep it hidden, but here there is no one to hide it from.”
She slowly approached the water. The waves moved towards her and then receded back into
the ocean. She continued walking until she was standing in the sea connected to her element.
Her ability to heal had come naturally to her, but she had never called upon the water to do
anything but heal.

“Close your eyes,” said Iroh. “Listen to the motion of the sea, and breathe in and out just as
the ocean is doing. The waves pull from the shore as it inhales and flow over the beach as it
exhales.”

She followed his instructions breathing in and out with the waves. She could feel the power of
the water coursing through her. She held her hands out over the sea focusing on her
connection to it. She could feel Iroh's presence in the ocean to her right side as well as Lu
Ten's presence as he moved closer to her left. Ripples formed in the waves that moved around
her, and though she did not see them with her eyes, she could sense them through her
connection to the element surrounding her.

“Good,” said Iroh. “The water is responding to you. Try to draw it up.”

She tried to imagine the water moving towards her, but it only rippled.

“You're holding your breath,” said Lu Ten. “You need to keep your breathing steady.”

She realized she had been holding her breath as she concentrated on moving the water.

“Your breathing guides the flow of energy in your body,” said Iroh.

She relaxed and began breathing in and out following the rhythm of the waves against the
shore. She willed the water to rise, and beneath her hands two small columns of water rose at
her silent command.

“You're doing it,” said Lu Ten.

She opened her eyes and saw what her mind could sense. She allowed one column to drop
and she concentrated on the other until she separated it from the ocean forming it into a
sphere which she moved around her.

“Excellent,” said Iroh.

After hours of working on controlling the water, she and Lu Ten began a playful battle. He
sent small fireballs into the air which she tried to put out with water spheres. The longer they
battled the faster he would launch his fire forcing her to quickly send up more water missiles.
Suddenly, the fire stopped as Lu Ten broke out laughing. Chiara looked at Iroh who was
drenched with sea water as one of her orbs had accidentally fallen on him.

“I think you both have had enough practice,” he said trying to shake the water off.

Chiara and Lu Ten glanced at each other smiling before following Iroh back towards the
shore. Stepping past the waves' reach, her eyes fell on a dark object lying in the sand. What
she had seen was only a small portion of the large tooth she uncovered when she picked it up.
“Whoa!” exclaimed Lu Ten.

She looked up to see his eyes glued to the tooth that was bigger than her hand.

“Dad, look at what Chiara found.”

Iroh walked over to them to see what she was holding. “It's a dragon-shark tooth,” he said.
“It's quite a rare find as none have been seen alive in hundreds of years.”

She turned it over and then ran her fingers over the serrated edges. She held it out to Lu Ten
who took it and studied it with great interest. He held it back out to her as they started their
walk back to the beach house.

“You keep it,” she said.

“What? But you found it; it's yours.”

“I want you to have it.”

His smiled reached his amber eyes.

Chiara wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks before replacing the memento on his shelf,
and she decided to immerse herself in work.

Weeks had gone by at the beach house where Zuko and Chiara started their day meditating on
the balcony every morning at sunrise. Chiara would make breakfast for everyone, often with
Izin's help, and she and Katara almost always made lunch and dinner together. Sokka, Suki,
and Izin took regular trips to the town to replenish their supplies. Aang continued training
with his teachers, and Chiara and Izin managed to thoroughly clean two sitting rooms and the
bedrooms, including Iroh's and Lu Ten's. On days they took off from cleaning they would
practice with Zuko and Aang. Whenever Izin was present for training, Zuko often had Aang
battle against him, as Izin was an accomplished firebender. Zuko found it easier to study
Aang's forms during the sparring, and he and Chiara would observe from different positions
in order to give him advice on his stances and attacks. Every few days Aang would take a
break from firebending and train with Katara or Toph or all three of his teachers at once.

One morning Chiara went to stand up, but feeling dizzy, she slowly sank back down on the
bed.

When Zuko saw her sit down rubbing her head, he immediately felt worried. “What's wrong?
Are you okay?”

“The room started spinning.”

He knelt down in front of her. “You should just rest today,” he said as he caressed her head.
“You've been working too much around here.”

“I'm fine now. I probably just got up too fast.”

“Are you sure? You've been having nosebleeds all week, and now you're feeling dizzy.
Maybe you're coming down with something.”

“Maybe,” she said softly.

He touched her forehead. “You don't feel feverish.”

“I'll be okay.”

They went to the balcony where they quietly meditated, but Zuko struggled to focus and
spent the time worrying about her condition. She was still thin since leaving Boiling Rock,
and she had been constantly working around the beach house since they arrived. He
suspected she might be overworking herself too soon after her imprisonment.

--------------------

After breakfast Zuko and Aang were training out in the courtyard while Izin and Chiara
practiced with them. They had been practicing katas when Zuko saw Chiara drop to the
ground. He immediately went to her side as did Aang and Izin.

“Chiara, Chiara!” Zuko glanced around quickly. “Where's Katara?”

“I'll get her,” said Aang as he jumped up and quickly disappeared towards the beach.

“Her nose is bleeding again,” said Zuko.

Izin stood up. “I'll get water.”

Zuko remained by her side checking her pulse and trying to wake her. When Izin returned
with a bucket of water, Zuko took a cloth and dipped it in the bucket to clean the blood from
her face. Katara came running to the courtyard along with Aang, soon followed by the others.

“What happened?” she asked pulling water out of the bucket.

“She just fell,” said Zuko. “She said she felt dizzy this morning like the room was spinning.
And just now her nose was bleeding again.”

Katara held the water over her head.

“What do you think's wrong?” asked Zuko.

“I don't know,” said Katara as Chiara did not respond to her treatment.

“It doesn't seem to be helping her,” said Aang.

Zuko remembered when Chiara's treatments did not work for him she said it had been
something going on inside him that was not physical. He considered it might be the same for
her, but she had given no indication that anything was wrong. He tore his eyes from the
glowing water Katara had suspended over her head, and he stared up at the house. He thought
about Lu Ten, and he wondered if the pain of returning to the beach house and the memories
might be weighing more heavily on her than she let on.

“Chiara?” said Katara.

Zuko looked down as her eyes opened. “How are you feeling?”

“Dizzy,” she said softly.

He caressed her head and then he helped her as she slowly sat up.

“You should lie down upstairs,” he said.

He and Katara helped her to her feet.

“I'll take you to the room,” he said.

“No. You stay here and train. I'll go...”

“You're not going without me.”

“I'll take her, Zuko,” said Katara.

“I've got her,” he said lifting her off her feet.

She wrapped her arms around his neck when she felt her feet leave the ground. “You don't
have to carry me.”

“Because you falling on the floor is better?”

He carried her into the house and up the stairs.

“Ugh, this is so frustrating,” she complained. “If it's not prison, then it's...it's whatever this
is.”

“I think you're overdoing it. You just got out of prison...”

“Weeks ago.”

“Chiara, you were in there for a month, and everyone said you were giving away your food
and being overworked. I don't think you ever really recovered from that.”

He laid her on their bed and sat down facing her.

“Maybe,” she said softly.

He ran his fingers down her cheek. “Is there anything you want?”

“No. I'll be okay here,” she said. “Please go back and train with Aang.”
He shook his head. “I'm not leaving your side.” He held her hand. “Are you still feeling
dizzy?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“You don't eat much. Maybe you need food.”

“I don't really feel hungry.”

He wondered what else he could do for her.

“Would you like to go to the beach, sit in the water?”

“No. I think I'll just stay here.”

Now he felt even more worried because she had never refused time in the water before. Even
before he knew she was a waterbender, he remembered how much she enjoyed relaxing in or
near water.

“Should we look for another place to stay?” he asked softly.

“What? Why? It's perfect here.”

“I think it might be too much for you.”

She sat up, but the dizziness caused her to sway forward.

“This isn't good, Chiara,” he said as he caught her. “You've been working entirely too hard,
and...and how often do you sit in Lu Ten's room?”

She did not realize he was aware that she had been visiting the room since their first night in
the house. Seeing her eyes fill with tears he wrapped his arms around her and held her.

“We can find somewhere else to...”

“No,” she interrupted. “This is the best place for training Aang. And I-I said I'll deal with
this.”

After he let her go, she wiped the tears from her eyes while he climbed on the bed. He lay
down next to her and held her, and they remained there until lunch was ready.

After lunch, Zuko went back to working with Aang since Chiara felt better, but he would not
allow her to work around the house anymore and scolded her whenever he found her even
helping with meals, so she would sit with the others outside on the veranda next to the
courtyard.

At a campsite just inside the outer wall of Ba Sing Se, one of the members of the Order of the
White Lotus sat down at a campfire.
“Grand Lotus, you must be very proud of your nephew.”

Iroh was wondering what the man was talking about as he began pouring his tea.

“What has he done now?” he asked, worried about what he might hear.

“Prince Zuko broke into Boiling Rock Prison to rescue your daughter, and together they
liberated all the prisoners.”

Iroh did not understand what he meant.

“My daughter?” he said softly, his heart still broken over her death.

“Yes, Princess Chiara.”

He looked down to see tea overflowing his cup as his distracted thoughts made him lose his
concentration. He set the pot to the side. “But Princess Chiara was executed by Azula,” he
said stiffly, hating that he had to speak those words.

“That was the rumor, but Prince Zuko found her alive in the Prison Tower and they left the
Fire Nation together.”

Iroh slowly raised his head to look up at him. “She is alive?” he asked in a near-whisper
trying to hold back any feelings of hopefulness just in case it was not true.

“You didn't know?”

He shook his head unsure of whether he could believe the news. “Are-are you sure?”

“Yes. She's alive,” said the man. “And a couple months ago she was captured again and taken
to Boiling Rock. It's said that she won many hearts by her compassion and generosity
towards prisoners and guards.”

Iroh was impressed, and he was unable to control the hope growing inside him.

“When Prince Zuko discovered where she was,” the man continued, “he broke into the prison
and rescued her, and they liberated all the prisoners.”

His eyes were staring blankly ahead of him as he took in the news. “Boiling Rock,” he said
amazed. “I had not heard any of this.” He was relieved and overjoyed to learn Chiara was
alive, and he was awed by what she and Zuko had done.

“The prisoners that were set free have been recruiting an army for the Prince and Princess to
help them fight against the Fire Lord.”

“This...this is great news.” Iroh looked at him. “Are there any in that group we can trust?”

“Captain Sozoh has been working to gather allies for them.”

 “I have heard of Captain Sozoh, but I'm not personally familiar with him. Try to find out
more information.”

“Yes, Grand Lotus,” he bowed before leaving to carry out his orders.

Chapter End Notes

The dragon-shark's tooth scene was a new addition. I spent a few weeks in Florida, and I
found the tiniest little shark's tooth (smaller than my smallest fingernail). It's amazing
my eye even caught it in a pile of shells. That itty-bitty tooth gave me the idea for the
added scene.

(Also, surprise guest in the next chapter...)

 More Unexpected Allies and an Unexpected Surprise
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

Over the next few days, Chiara continued watching Zuko, Aang, and Izin train, but any
participation made her feel dizzy, and after passing out a few more times Zuko would not
allow her to practice with them. He had not shared with the others his concerns about Chiara
struggling with memories of Lu Ten, and she had insisted she did not want to leave the island
since she knew it was the safest place for them.

“I think it's time to find a doctor,” said Zuko when she was nursing another nosebleed after
Katara's treatment had no effect.

She wondered if a doctor could even help since Katara was unable to. She could tolerate the
nosebleeds, but she found the dizziness more than annoying as it was interfering with her
work forcing her to remain still most of the time.

“Where can we find someone who won't recognize us?” she asked.

He thought back to the doctor from the Earth Kingdom who had helped her when she was
injured, but he knew the village was too far and suspected that it may have even been seized
by the Fire Nation by now.

“Sir,” said Izin, “I've heard of a healer from one of the villages on my home island.”

Zuko looked at him. “If you think they can be trusted, that's where we'll go.”

“I don't know if anyone can be trusted, Prince Zuko, but it's unlikely that they'll recognize her
there.”

He nodded. “Go to town and rent a boat. We'll leave first thing in the morning.”

“Yes, sir.”

Early the next morning before sunrise, Zuko took Chiara aboard the boat Izin had rented
along with the supplies Suki and Katara packed for them. Izin, being familiar with the
location of the island, went with the couple. They arrived later that morning.

“Izin, stay here with the boat.” Zuko was placing an eye patch over his scarred eye. “If we're
not back before sunset, assume the worst and leave.”

“Maybe I should go with you.” Despite witnessing the couple's skill in battle, the former
soldier was eager to help protect the princess.

“It's best if you remain here in case something happens to us. Then you can get back to Aang
and make sure he continues his training.”
Izin hated the idea of any trouble befalling the young couple, but he reluctantly nodded.

“The village is called Hira'a,” he said. “The path through the woods should lead you to it.”

He remained on the boat while Zuko and Chiara started down the path that led towards the
woods. Their trek seemed to go on forever before they finally cleared the forest, and they
continued following the path through a meadow.

He was becoming concerned when he noticed she was slowing down. “Are you okay?”

“The ground is moving too much.”

He stopped and stared at her. “The ground's not moving at all.”

“Tell that to my brain.”

He lifted the water skin she was carrying and held it up to her. “Here, drink.” She took it from
him. “Do you want me to carry you?”

She shook her head. “No. I can do this,” she said after drinking the water.

“Wait...” He took her arm and led her to a large rock nearby. “Sit. You're bleeding again.”

She rolled her eyes frustrated with herself, but she sat down and cleaned the blood from her
face. He had hoped getting her away from Ember Island might help, but he could see no
improvement in her condition.

After resting a few minutes, they continued their journey, but as time went on, they began to
worry when they saw no signs of a village.

They were relieved when the path took them by a farm where there was a man working in the
field. Seeing the couple approaching him, he pulled on the reins of the hippo-ox pulling his
plow.

“Is this the way to Hira'a?” asked Zuko.

“Yes,” said the farmer. “Just continue on the path. When the road splits, do not turn into the
forest. It leads to Forgetful Valley. Follow the clear road and you'll arrive at Hira'a.”

“Thank you,” said Chiara.

Zuko and Chiara bowed to him and then kept following the path. Just as the man said, they
came to a fork in the road.

“Forgetful Valley,” Zuko read the sign.

They continued walking the clear path.

“I wonder what's so forgetful about it,” Chiara thought out loud.

“Maybe you forget you're in there,” suggested Zuko.

“Maybe it causes amnesia and you forget who you are.”

“Maybe it's just not a very memorable place to visit,” he said.

She snickered, and they resumed speculating the valley's name as they traveled along.

Numerous huts soon appeared around them marking the village of Hira'a, and now that they
had made it to the town, Zuko wondered how they would find the doctor. He spotted a tall
man with long brown hair secured at the base of his neck turning onto the road ahead of
them. He seemed to be carrying something, but they could not make out what it was.

“Excuse me,” the prince called out.

The villager turned towards them as they approached him.

“Can you help us find someone?” asked Zuko.

The stranger's yellow eyes grew wide as soon as he focused on them while the theater masks
in his arms tumbled to the ground.

“I'm sorry,” said Zuko as he and Chiara bent down to help pick up the masks. “I didn't mean
to startle you.”

“Uh...it...it's okay...”

Zuko thought he looked unusually nervous, and he wondered if the man recognized him. He
wanted to pull more hair down over his eye patch, but it was too late now and he did not want
to draw attention to it.

“We heard there's a doctor in this village.”

“Oh...yes,” said the man as they stood up after collecting the masks. Zuko could see relief
settling in where there had been tension, and he wondered what the man had initially
expected from him. “She lives in the house near the center of town. Let me take you there.”

They followed him through the small village.

“It's right here,” he said pointing out the house.

“Thank you,” said Zuko. He realized he was still holding the mask he had picked up. “Oh,
here...” Turning it over as he held it out, he saw that it was the mask of the Dark Water Spirit.
Chiara caught her husband's eye and they shared a smile.

“Oh...right...thank you,” said the man who took it.

“Are those for Love Amongst the Dragons?” asked the prince.

“Yes. I'm the director Noren.”

“Really?” asked Zuko raising an eyebrow. “You direct the play and have the same name as
the Dragon Emperor?”

Noren nodded.

“That seems like such a strange coincidence.”

“I suppose it is,” said Noren with a hint of a smile.

“It's one of our favorite plays,” he said glancing down at Chiara. “When is it?”

“We'll be performing it next month.”

Zuko and Chiara were not sure if they would even be alive in a month. It was hard to imagine
being able to enjoy a play instead of worrying about a war in which neither of them might
live through.

“I...uh...I should be going,” said Noren. There was still a slight unease in his manner as he
turned and quickly walked off.

Zuko and Chiara exchanged looks, both worried that he knew who they were. He took her
hand in his and led her to the door of the doctor's house. As soon as he knocked, he quickly
shook his hair over his eye patch to cover the rest of the scar just before an older woman
appeared at the entrance.

“May I help you?” Her brown eyes carefully appraised the couple standing before her.

“I'm looking for the doctor,” said Zuko.

When she did not answer right away Zuko thought she might be intimidated by his covered
eye.

“For my wife,” he added hoping it would put her at ease.

She eyed Chiara before looking back at Zuko.

“I am Nersala. I'm the doctor.” She stepped aside. “Come in.”

They entered the small home and followed her into another room.

“Sit here.” She directed them to the cushions on the floor.

When they were seated, she knelt down with them.

“What is wrong with your wife?” she asked Zuko, though her eyes were on Chiara.

“She's been dizzy and passing out,” he answered.

She moved closer to Chiara.

“And she's been having nosebleeds,” he added.

Nersala visually examined her before holding out her hands. “May I?”

Chiara nodded, so Nersala took her left hand in her own hands and checked her pulse, and
then she checked her right pulse. After feeling around both wrists she gently lifted Chiara's
chin and touched her face before carefully studying her eyes.

“Such beautiful eyes,” she said, studying them intently. She held up a lantern to provide more
light. “They contain the sea.”

There was no malice in the woman's tone, but Chiara still felt nervous and wondered if she
would make the connection.

Nersala shook her head. “This is not good.” She set the lantern down and stood up. “Wait
here,” she said before disappearing into another room.

Zuko felt extremely worried, and he could see the concern in Chiara's eyes as well. He
reached out taking her hand in his holding it firmly. They both suspected that the woman
might return with soldiers or a mob. He tensed up as anxious thoughts entered his head, and
he wondered if he would have to fight his way out of the town. He could not imagine it being
any worse than breaking Aang out of the Pohuai Stronghold, but if Chiara lost consciousness
during the battle, it would make an escape far more challenging. He now regretted not
allowing Izin to come with them.

Nersala soon returned. Instead of soldiers, she carried a cup, and kneeling down before
Chiara, she held it out to her.

“Drink this.”

Zuko placed his hand over it. “What is it?” he asked, feeling nervous that it might be
something poisonous.

“It's just an herbal tea,” she assured him.

“Can I taste it?” he asked.

Chiara knew what he was thinking and raised her eyebrows in response, but as she reached
for the cup, Nersala placed it in Zuko's hands with a smile. “Of course.”

He inhaled the aroma. “I smell mint.”

The woman nodded. “There is a pinch of mint.”

“And this will help her?”

“Yes,” she said. “It will help her.”

He took several sips of the warm liquid. He now understood what his Uncle meant by
'bracing.' It was no ginseng, and he could never imagine it being sold at the Jasmine Dragon,
but he would not complain if it would heal Chiara. And if it killed them both...well, he could
not complain about it then either. He handed it to her, and she began drinking it despite the
awful taste. The mint did nothing to disguise the bitterness, and she suspected honey could
not even make it more palatable.

“Will she be okay?” asked Zuko anxiously.

“She and the baby will be fine.”

Zuko froze and his breathing seemed to cease until he realized Chiara was coughing as she
choked a bit on her tea after comprehending Nersala's words. He put his hand on her back
gently rubbing it.

“B-baby?” His wide golden eyes were fixed on Nersala.

“Yes, yes, your wife is with child.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Of course. I can see it in her eyes.”

That they were going to have a baby filled him with excitement, but Nersala's words had
worried him.

“But-but you said 'this is not good.' What did you mean?” he asked.

“Look at her; she is malnourished. She's not eating enough for one much less two. The tea
will help strengthen her and help with the dizzy spells. Otherwise, she needs to eat.”

“What about the nosebleeds?”

“That can be normal as her body is carrying and nourishing a growing child.”

Chiara was instantly filled with mixed emotions. The joy she immediately felt at carrying
new life was mixed with worry over the upcoming war and the danger to their child. Tears
fell down her cheeks, but Zuko took her in his arms and held her.

“Don't worry,” he said knowing what she was thinking.

“But the war...”

He released her and tenderly wiped away her tears and caressed her face. “I will do
everything to protect you both.” He pulled out a small bag of gold and held it out to Nersala.
“Thank you.”

“The gold of Prince Zuko is no good here.”

Both Zuko's and Chiara's hearts stopped, and he took her hand again.

“Do not worry, Prince Zuko,” said Nersala, sensing their anxiety. “I promise, you and the Fire
Princess are safe here.”

“Why would you protect us?” he asked.

“It was Princess Chiara who saved my son at Boiling Rock.”

Zuko looked at Chiara.

“He was a guard,” Nersala explained, “and he was injured after an attack from a prisoner. We
were told that it was likely he would die from his injuries.”

“Rizin,” said Chiara softly.

“You remember him,” Nersala smiled gently.

“He was my first patient in the infirmary.”

“He returned home shortly after his recovery, but your deeds in the prison are renowned, and
the benevolence of the Fire Princess has not been forgotten. No one in this village or on this
island is your enemy.” Her sincere smile was as comforting as her words. “And I must say,”
she continued, “the rumors of the prince's love for his princess are quite true.” She fixed her
eyes on the prince. “May I?”

He knew she wanted to see his scar, so he nodded before removing the eye patch.

She placed her finger under his chin and lifted it up to look closely at the scar tissue. “What
kind of father challenges his young son to an Agni Kai?” she asked darkly, disgusted by the
thought.

“My father,” said Zuko, his voice full of bitterness.

“If a man cannot love his own child, how can he love his people? The love you have shown
for your wife and your uncle prove that you should be leading this Nation.”

Even after his experience with his allies at Boiling Rock, Zuko still struggled with genuine
praise, and he had no words.

She stood up. “Come. You two will eat, especially you, Princess Chiara.”

Zuko got to his feet and helped Chiara stand, and they followed Nersala out of the room and
to a table where she had them kneel. After ladling stew into a bowl, she placed it in front of
Chiara who immediately got up.

“Let me help,” she said.

“No. You will sit,” ordered Nersala.

Chiara obeyed, and after Nersala set a bowl in front of Zuko, two men and a woman with a
little girl in her arms entered the house. When the younger man saw Chiara, his eyes lit up,
and looking at Zuko, he instantly recognized him and sank down on one knee before him.

“Prince Zuko, I am honored to serve.”

Zuko nodded to him.

“Rizin, how are you doing?” Chiara asked him.

“I'm alive and well, and I owe that to you.” He turned and beckoned the woman that came in
with him. “This is my wife, Sora, and our daughter, Sara,” he said. He looked at his family.
“This is Prince Zuko and his wife, Fire Princess Chiara.”

“I'm honored to meet you, Prince, Princess,” said Sora kneeling down next to her husband.
Her eyes met Chiara's. “I'm so thankful for what you've done for my husband, Princess.”

“I'm glad I could help.” She smiled at the little girl. “How old is your daughter?”

“She's four,” said the mother.

“She's so adorable,” said Chiara.

The older man that had entered with them knelt down before Zuko.

“Prince Zuko, I am Shiza; Nersala is my wife. You honor us with your presence in our
home.”

“It's an honor to be here. Your wife has done mine a great favor.”

“Princess Chiara,” said Shiza, “our family owes you a great debt for giving us our son back.”

“There's no debt,” she said. “It was a gift.”

Nersala set more bowls on the table, and they all knelt around it and ate together.

“We heard of the breakout at the prison,” said Rizin. “I wish I had been there to see it. They
say you created a ring of fire.” His curious eyes were focused on Zuko.

A shy smile graced the prince's face as he nodded bashfully.

“He was amazing,” said Chiara. “I've never seen firebending like it.”

“Tell me, Princess Chiara,” said Nersala, “is healing a gift of all waterbenders?”

“No. In the Northern Tribe, only the women are trained in healing.”

“They don't allow women to fight?” asked Shiza.

“No.”

“But they say you fought during the escape from Boiling Rock,” said Rizin.

“General Iroh arranged for an exception to my training.”

She took the water from her cup and created a small dragon out of ice and held it out to Sara
who squealed with delight as she took it.
“Cold,” said the little girl, still smiling as she held the now melting dragon in her small
hands.

“So the rumors that say you are the adopted daughter of General Iroh are true?” asked Shiza.

“Yes.”

“How did that come about that he adopted a waterbender?”

“My village was destroyed. The General found me, the only survivor, and he took pity on
me.”

“How was your village destroyed?” asked Sora.

“A Fire Nation raid,” she answered truthfully.

“And-and that doesn't bother you to have lived in the Fire Nation?” she asked.

“When the General found me, I understood that his people had killed my family, but...but he
seemed different. I think his decision to take me into his home was his way of trying to repair
the damage that was done. I do love the Fire Nation. Most all of my memories are of my life
here, and it's where my heart lies,” she added, her eyes meeting Zuko's gold ones.

His heart started beating fast at her words, and he smiled at her.

Nersala was delighted to see their sweet exchange. “Did Prince Iroh know of your gift?”

“He did, but he never told anyone, and he forbade me from waterbending around others, even
after he allowed me to be trained.”

“Why would he allow you to train then?” asked Sora.

“He said that, like firebending, waterbending was a gift that should be nourished. He would
allow me to practice in privacy, but he said it would be dangerous for me if anyone were to
find out about it.”

“Yes, it would have,” said Shiza, “a waterbender raised in the Fire Nation Capital.”

“Even I didn't know, and we grew up together,” said Zuko.

“When did you find out?” asked Rizin.

“When we were refugees in Ba Sing Se.”

“The Prince of the Fire Nation, a refugee in the Earth Kingdom?” asked Nersala.

“I failed to capture the Avatar,” he said. He fixed his eyes on Chiara. “But...it worked out
better this way.”

Now it was her heart that was beating faster.

“There is talk of defeating the Fire Lord,” said Shiza. “You will take the throne then?”

“I don't want it,” said Zuko. “If Chiara can't be by my side, I don't want the throne. I'll help
the Avatar any way I can to bring peace to the Nations, but I'm hoping my uncle will take his
rightful place as Fire Lord.”

“The General doesn't want to rule,” said Chiara softly as she looked down. “He believes you
should do it.”

“I won't do it without you,” he insisted.

“There's no reason you can't be Fire Lord with your wife by your side,” said Nersala.

“My uncle doesn't believe the Fire Nation will accept her as the Fire Lady.”

“Many have already accepted her as the Fire Princess,” said Shiza.

“He's right, Prince Zuko,” said Rizin. “And ours isn't the only island.”

“There are many who have come to love Princess Chiara,” said Nersala. “And it would be a
blessing for our Nation to have such a worthy and benevolent family as its guide.”

Zuko and Chiara were both at a loss for words as neither had been prepared for such
acceptance.

--------------------

Though their meal had long been finished, the men continued talking to Zuko about the
future of the Fire Nation. He learned that many of the allied guards from Boiling Rock had
families on the island and nearby islands, and most were now serving in the Fire Nation Air
Force. Some of the older members in the service were stationed in Ba Sing Se. There were
even a few on the islands that survived the Siege of the North, as well as some who never
returned. Shiza's family was interested, yet appalled, to learn the truth of the Siege and the
dishonorable acts of Admiral Zhao.

While the men were talking war and politics, Chiara tried to help Nersala clean up, but the
elder woman would not allow her to work, so Chiara stepped outside. Zuko, who had rarely
let her out of his sight in weeks without knowing where she was, was absorbed in the
conversation and did not realize she had left the house. Standing outside, she was now alone
with her thoughts. That she was with child was still sinking in, and as much as she wanted to
focus on the joy of having a baby, she could not push aside her worry over the inevitable
battle before them.

Soon the quiet village was filled with noise as the local kids came out of the little
schoolhouse during their midday break, and they began running around playing. Chiara
enjoyed watching them, and she was reminded of Zuko, Azula, and herself running around
the gardens when they were younger, but her smile faded away when she felt a slight stinging
pain from a scar on her back. She tensed up trying to focus her attention back on the happy
children.
“Your hair is so long.”

Chiara looked to her right to see a young girl staring at her.

“May I touch it?”

Chiara gave her a gentle smile. “You may,” she said before walking towards her and kneeling
down.

The little girl reached out and carefully lifted up a long curl. She moved her fingers over the
strands. “It's so soft.”

“What's your name?” Chiara asked her.

“I'm Kiyi.”

“How old are you, Lady Kiyi?”

Kiyi giggled at her address. “I'm four. What's your name?”

“I'm Chiara.”

“Are you new here?”

“I'm visiting.”

Kiyi gently pulled the curl straight, smiling as it coiled up again. Chiara laughed to herself as
Kiyi's smile reminded her of Zuko who had done the same when he was younger.

“You should feel this, Nya,” said Kiyi.

Chiara spotted another little girl peeking around the corner of a house watching them. As the
young girl slowly approached them, she saw that her eyes were clouded over.

“Feel this, Nya,” said Kiyi.

Nya cautiously edged closer, and when she reached out, Kiyi placed the lock of hair over her
hand.

“It is soft.”

“Nya's a pretty name,” Chiara smiled. It made her think of Nai. “How old are you, Lady
Nya?”

She smiled shyly. “Six.”

“How long have you had no sight?”

“Since I was a baby,” she said softly. “It happened when I was sick. My mom took me to the
healers, but they couldn't fix my eyes.”
“She's my best friend,” said Kiyi. “I help her see sometimes.”

“I have a good friend who's blind, too,” said Chiara.

“Really?” asked Kiyi.

“Yes. And she's one of the most powerful earthbenders I know.”

Nya was excited at the possibility of bending without her sight.

“Wow, she can earthbend without seeing?!” she asked.

“She uses her earthbending to sense what's around her.”

“I wonder if I could do that if I was a firebender,” she said thoughtfully.

“It's possible,” said Chiara. “Some firebenders have the ability to detect temperature changes
around them and fight blindfolded.”

Her clouded eyes grew large. “I wish I was a firebender.” Her excitement died down when
she realized she would be unable to “see” through bending. “I guess I'll never be able to do
those things.”

Chiara glanced up at the sky. “Can you tell if the sun is shining right now?”

Nya thought about it. “Yes.”

“How do you know?”

“I can feel it,” she said.

“Even though you can't see it, you're still living in the light. It sees you and surrounds you
with its warmth.”

“But I overheard my mom say it was my destiny to live in darkness.”

Chiara was filled with sympathy for her, but she was reminded of someone. “Did you ever
hear the legend of the Fire Prince and His Destiny?”

“No,” said the girl. “But I like stories.”

“I do too,” said Kiyi.

“Well, there's a great Fire Prince of the Fire Nation, and one day he attended a meeting, but
during that meeting it was decided that many people would be sacrificed.”

“Why would the Prince sacrifice the people?” Kiyi asked innocently.

Chiara smiled. “The Prince didn't sacrifice the people. In fact, the honorable Prince was the
only one in the room who tried to protect them, but because he defended them, he was
punished.”
“Who punished him?”

“Someone who can see with his eyes, but whose heart is blind,” she answered.

“What happened to the Prince?” asked Nya.

“He was blinded in one eye and forced to leave the Fire Nation.”

“So he couldn't see out of it, kind of like me?”

“Yes, but the Prince was given a very special gift.”

“What was it?”

“He was given his sight back.”

“So he wasn't blind anymore?” asked Kiyi.

“I wish I wasn't blind anymore,” said Nya sadly.

“He did receive his sight back, but his banishment made his heart blind to his true destiny. It
took him many years to understand that even though he could see with his eyes, he was still
in darkness because he saw that darkness as his destiny.”

“Like darkness is my destiny.”

“Darkness is no one's destiny,” said Chiara. “And when the Prince finally realized this and set
out on the right path, his sight had truly been returned, and he wears a badge of honor over
the eye that had once been blind.”

“But I'm still blind, so darkness must be my destiny.”

“Though you may only see darkness, it doesn't have to be your destiny. You love your family,
right?”

“I do. I love my father and my mother, and Kiyi is like my sister.”

“Then your heart isn't blind, and that's the most important thing. Unlike our eyes, we will
never lose the sight in our hearts unless we choose to.”

Chiara saw Nya's face light up as she smiled.

She uncapped her water skin. “Tell me, what does water look like to you?” she asked.

“In the sea when I'm swimming it feels like a thick, cool blanket when it surrounds my
body.”

Chiara softly laughed. “Hold out your hands.”

Nya obeyed, and Chiara looked at Kiyi and put her finger to her lips before pouring water
onto Nya's hands, but she kept the water from falling to the ground. The little girl giggled, but
Kiyi's eyes grew at the sight of the suspended water.

“How does that feel?” she asked.

“It tickles,” said Nya.

Chiara gently smiled as she took some of the water and moved it over her eyes. The water
glowed, but she was unsure if she could restore the girl's sight.

“How does it feel now?”

“It...tingles.”

She started blinking as the water was pulled away. Chiara saw that the cloudiness that had
covered her eyes had cleared up, and the little girl gazed around in awe as the light entered
her big brown eyes.

“It's so bright!” she said looking up at Chiara. “Everything's so bright!” She got up and yelled
for her mother.

The other kids stopped running around and looked at the blind girl amazed that she could see
where she was going as she kept calling for her mother.

“How did you do that?” asked Kiyi.

“Sometimes water has the ability to heal.”

“Mommy! Mommy!” Nya continued yelling.

“What is it, Nya?” asked her mother as she ran out to her. “Did you get hurt?”

“I can see you! I can see everything.”

Her mother picked her up hugging her close, and she started crying with joy while others
came running up to see what was going on. Hearing the commotion, Zuko looked around for
Chiara and realized that she was not in the house. He immediately went outside followed by
Nersala and her family. They saw the people gathered around Nya still in her mother's arms.

“Kiyi!” called another woman as she ran to her. “Are you okay? What happened?” She took
her daughter up in her arms.

“Nya can see. She held glowing water over her eyes,” she said pointing to Chiara who stood
up, “and Nya can see now.”

“Are you a healer?” asked the woman.

“I am.”

“Her name's Chiara,” said Kiyi.

“I'm Noriko,” said the woman. “You really healed Nya's eyes?”
“Chiara...” Zuko who ran up to her.

Kiyi pointed at him. “It's the Fire Prince, Mommy!”

Noriko looked shocked, as did Zuko. “I'm sorry,” she apologized to him. “Kiyi, you shouldn't
assume such things.”

“Fire Princess!” called Rizin.

He and his family approached her and knelt down before her.

“Thank you,” said Rizin.

“She's been blind since she was an infant,” said Nersala.

Nya's family walked over to them.

“She's the one,” said Nya. “She's the beautiful girl I saw.”

“This is Princess Chiara,” said Rizin, still kneeling, “the wife of Prince Zuko.”

Noriko gasped before going to her knees before them. “Forgive me, Prince Zuko.”

The other villagers had also knelt before them as they all knew of Rizin's healing in the
prison. Zuko and Chiara were overwhelmed by the villagers' acts of reverence.

“Thank you, Fire Princess,” said Nya's mother with tears of joy still flowing down her
cheeks.

Suddenly, Nya pointed at Zuko. “The Fire Prince! He does have a badge of honor!”

Zuko's jaw dropped when he heard her speak those words, and he raised an eyebrow at
Chiara.

“Kids say the cutest things,” she said softly.

“We are honored to serve you, Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara,” said Nya's father.

The crowd around them continued growing.

“Noriko!” called a man through the crowd.

“Noren, over here.” Noren walked up to his wife. “The prince and princess are here...”

“The princess fixed Nya's eyes,” said Kiyi.

“She did?” he said.

“Yes. She did it with glowing water. Nya can see now.”
 Noren watched the young couple speaking to the throng of villagers surrounding them. He
glanced down at Noriko whose eyes were fixed on the prince and princess. He wondered to
himself if he should reveal what was hidden—a mother so close to her son.

As news of Nya's healing quickly spread, soon, everyone in the village came out to see
Chiara. She took her time healing others who were ill or injured while Nersala stayed by her
side fascinated by her gift. Zuko was not far from her as the men of the village conversed
with him about the war and General Iroh.

Though Zuko and Chiara had been worried about the loss of their anonymity, they both
relaxed as it became clear that they were among allies.

It was not the right time, Noren finally decided. It would be impossible to speak to the prince
apart from the crowd, let alone convince him of his mother's fate. And he knew that both the
prince and princess were considered criminals by the Fire Lord. To break such news to Ursa's
son, now, in the middle of a war and with a bounty on his head might add to the young man's
already heavy burden. Of course, he would never want to take the chance of endangering his
own wife and daughter either. He would wait. Maybe one day if the war ever came to an end
and Ozai was removed from the throne...maybe then...

Chapter End Notes

For those who may not be familiar with the comics (SPOILER ALERT): Hira'a is the
village where Zuko's mother is from, and of course, Noriko is Ursa after she had her
face changed and memories removed by the Mother of Faces in Forgetful Valley. Noren
is Ikem, Ursa's love from her youth, and Kiyi is their daughter and Zuko's half-sister.
 Another Startling Surprise
Chapter Notes

I've been hesitant to post this chapter and considered just rewriting everything from this
point, but time is so, so limited. I decided to leave the new development in this chapter
as originally written, and I know I'm probably going to get severely upbraided for it,
but...you know...just go with it. I did write this for fun and it is fiction after all....so here
it goes...

Zuko and Chiara spent hours with the villagers during which all the injured and ill had
benefited from Chiara's healing. Others paid homage to the couple and tried to present them
with gifts, but Zuko insisted they could not accept them as they had no means to carry them.

As much as Zuko and Chiara enjoyed spending time with the villagers, it was growing late,
and Zuko knew they had to return to Ember Island. When there were no more who needed
healing, he made it known that they would have to leave. Everyone in Hira'a wanted the
prince and princess to remain with them for a few days, and though Zuko trusted them as
allies, he did not want word of his presence in the village to reach the Capital. He was sure
Ozai would punish every single villager if it was known that the banished prince had been
there, welcome or not.

Shiza disappeared to get a dragon moose-drawn cart to take them to the docks so they would
not have to walk the long path to the shore, and while the couple was waiting, Nersala gave
Zuko a container of tea that would help Chiara with her dizzy spells. At the first opportunity,
Zuko secretly offered Rizin the bag of gold that Nersala had refused. Rizin, however, did not
want to take it after all Chiara had done for them, but Zuko convinced him to use it to help
his parents and anyone else in need in the village.

While Nersala was talking to Chiara, Nya ran up to the princess and wrapped her arms
around her waist.

“Thank you, Princess Chiara.”

“Aww,” she softly laughed as she knelt down to better return her embrace. “It was an honor
to serve you, Lady Nya.”

Zuko, who had just turned away from Rizin, immediately felt arms around his waist too. He
looked down to see Kiyi holding onto him. Noren and Noriko were horrified by their
daughter's lack of respect for the royal family.

“Kiyi...,” said Noren.

Noriko placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. “I'm so sorry, Prince Zuko. Please
forgive her...”

Zuko just smiled at them and shook his head. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

When Kiyi released him, he saw that she was holding a bouquet of flowers.

“I'm glad you got your sight back, Fire Prince.”

He smiled at her as he knelt down. “Do you know about the Dark Water Spirit in Love
Amongst the Dragons?” he asked her.

“Yes. Daddy directs that play. He even has the scary mask.”

“Well, I've never met a Dark Water Spirit, but it was a beautiful water goddess in human form
that gave me my sight.” His eyes moved to Chiara a short distance away as she was still in
Nya's arms.

Kiyi looked in the same direction and she gasped. “She's a water goddess?”

“She is.”

She pulled a few blooms from her bouquet and handed them to Zuko. “These are for you.”

He took them from her and chuckled as he watched her run towards Chiara and wrap her
arms around her and Nya.

“Kiyi,” called Noriko. “You shouldn't touch the royal family...”

“It's okay, really,” said Zuko standing up. “Chiara loves kids.”

“Our daughter certainly seems to love her, and you as well.”

Seeing the girls hanging on Chiara made him smile, especially as more children began
crowding around her.

“You've probably been asked by everyone already...,” started Noren pulling Zuko's attention
away from the beautiful scene he was admiring, “...but when the war is over, will you be Fire
Lord?”

“No. I'm hoping my uncle will take the throne. It's rightfully his.”

“What will you do?” asked Noriko.

“Hopefully, Chiara and I will find a quiet little place to raise our family.”

Both Noren and Noriko smiled at the prince's humble desire.

“Hira'a's a quiet place,” suggested Noriko. “And the theater is one of the best in the Fire
Nation.”
“The best in the Nation, eh? Now how would you know that, my love?” Noren asked her.

She looked up at him. “Because it has the best director in all the Fire Nation.”

He smiled at her placing his hand gently on her back. “You may be the only one who believes
that. But then, what you believe is all that matters to me.”

Their love for one another brought a smile to Zuko's face.

Kiyi let go of Chiara and Nya. “The Fire Prince said you're a water goddess in human form.”

Chiara giggled at her words. “He did, did he?” She glanced up at Zuko who was talking to
Noren and Noriko.

Kiyi held the bouquet out to her. “Thank you for healing my friend.”

She smiled as she took the flowers. “It was my pleasure to do so, Lady Kiyi.”

Shiza rode up with the cart, and as Chiara stood up, the girls clung to her.

“Don't leave, Princess Chiara,” said Nya.

“You and the Fire Prince can stay here,” said Kiyi. “You can live with us.”

“Aww...I would love to, but I can't.”

“Please stay, Princess,” said another girl in the group.

Suddenly, all the kids were begging her to stay, including Rizin's daughter Sara. Nya's mother
and Noriko walked over to pry their girls from the princess while the other mothers were
coaxing their own children away.

“Come on, Kiyi,” said Noriko. “The princess can't stay.”

“Prince Zuko...,” said Noren softly before the prince could walk away. “...I...I need to tell you
something...”

Zuko took a step towards him, puzzled by his low, secretive tone.

“Uh...Noriko...she's...um...” He was having trouble speaking the words. “...uh...she...and I

would love to have you visit...soon.” He could not say it. “I...I'll put on a special production
of Love Amongst the Dragons for you and the princess.”

“We would love that,” he said sincerely, though unsure of what the future held for them.

They turned towards the women.

“It seems our daughter doesn't want you to leave,” said Noren.

Zuko was chuckling as he watched the mothers pulling the girls away from Chiara. He
walked up to her and took her hand.
“Prince Zuko, please take this food for your journey,” said Sora handing him a small box.

“Thank you.” He looked at the others who were standing around them. “And thank you all
for your hospitality.”

“It was an honor to have you here, Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara,” said Rizin.

Zuko helped her onto the cart, and they were soon leaving Hira'a while the kids ran behind
them waving goodbye. It was late in the afternoon when they left the village, now with more
allies. Shiza left them at the dock, and they returned to the boat where Izin greeted them.

“Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara,” he bowed.

“Izin,” greeted Chiara.

His temptation to learn her condition got the better of him especially as she seemed sad, and
not following the rules of etiquette, he did not hold back his question.

“Was the doctor able to help, Princess?”

She wondered how to answer him, and she thought for a second. “Yes. She said I need to eat.
Thank you for recommending her.”

“It's good you were able to get help then without being recognized,” he said.

“Actually...,” started Zuko, “...everybody recognized us.”

Izin froze. “I'm sorry, Prince Zuko...”

“Don't apologize, Izin. They're allies...all of them.”

Izin seemed to relax. “That-that's good to know.”

Zuko looked at Chiara. “You should lie down. You look pale.”

“Yes, Prince Zuko.”

He took her below where he had her lie down and he knelt facing her holding her hand.
Neither had much time to deal with the knowledge of the pregnancy when they were at the
village as they had been kept busy, and it was not brought up outside of Nersala's room, but
now that they were alone and it was quiet, it occupied their minds.

“I didn't think it was possible that that day in the cave could have been more special,” he said
softly.

She was gently touching the petals of the bouquet still in her hand, but he could see the
sadness in her eyes.

“It'll be okay,” he tried to assure her. “I'm going to do everything I can to keep you and the
baby safe.”
“I know.” She looked down. “I'm so sorry.”

“For what? For carrying my child? Chiara, this is what we've been wanting.”

“I know, but I don't know how this is going to affect my ability to fight.”

“You don't need to fight...”

“But the Avatar still has to find a way to stop Ozai, and we have to find a way to stop his
army...”

“No, not 'we'. I have to find a way to stop his army. You are a master waterbender and a
powerful ally, but when we're ready to fight Ozai, I don't want you there. I've been thinking
about it for a while.” This revelation surprised her. “Before the battle I want you to go to the
Northern Water Tribe. You'll be safe there until I return. And if I don't...survive...you can
safely raise our child with your relatives.”

She hated the thought of losing him, and she sat up and held onto him.

“I don't want to lose you,” she said.

He hugged her tightly. “I'm going to do everything I can to return to you,” he said. He
released her. “And because of you, I have more allies in the Fire Nation than I ever thought
possible. For years everyone thought I was a traitor, but you spend a month in a Fire Nation
prison and suddenly I hear, 'I'm honored to serve you,' over and over again.”

“But that wasn't just me,” she said. “A lot of people have a great deal of respect for the
General, and you accepting exile to save him...they really respect you too.”

“I never would've been able to gather them without you though. You've not only healed
people's injuries, Chiara, but you've healed their hearts. You've given us a better chance at
winning this war just by your compassion.” He caressed her head.

She placed her hand over his. “Do we tell the others?”

“I...I don't know.” He looked at her. “What do you think?”

She thought about it. “I think we should. I don't want to keep secrets from them. And it
would be best if they knew there's another...addition to the group.”

He nodded his head, but before he could respond, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” said Zuko.

Izin entered carrying a bowl of fruit. “I'm sorry to interrupt, but I thought you might be
hungry.”

“Thank you, Izin,” said Zuko. “The doctor said she's not eating enough.” He took the bowl
and gave it to Chiara, and then he removed the lid of the box Rizin's wife had given them to
reveal meat and cheese.
“You should eat too,” she said.

“I will, but I need to talk to Izin right now.” He kissed her hand. “You eat and rest.”

He and Izin went up on deck.

“Is everything okay, Prince Zuko?” Izin asked as Zuko seemed worried.

“Chiara is pregnant.”

Izin was in shock. “Uh...uh...that...that is great news.”

“She's worried because of the war.”

“I will protect her...uh...them...with my life.”

Zuko looked at Izin appreciating his devotion to her.

“I'm sure she would never want you to sacrifice your life for hers...”

“But now she is with child, an heir to the throne of the Fire Nation,” said Izin.

Zuko never thought about his child being heir to the throne. Except for a brief time in the
Crystal Catacombs, he had given up any hope of becoming Fire Lord when he took Chiara
for his wife. Even since Boiling Rock when so many Fire Nation citizens offered to serve him
and Chiara, he still did not give it serious consideration. And now hearing it spoken out loud
sent conflicting feelings through him. It was exciting to know that if he did become Fire
Lord, or even if he died in the battle, their child would be the true heir to the throne, and he
wondered if he had enough allies in the Fire Nation that would recognize that. But his
excitement was tempered by the troubling thought of their child being burdened with
something he himself no longer desired.

“Before the battle begins, I plan on sending her to the Northern Water Tribe. If I don't
survive, she'll raise our baby there among her people.”

“How would you have me serve her?” asked Izin.

Zuko looked puzzled wondering what he meant.

“Would you have me stay with her and serve her in the North, or do you wish that I fight here
in the battle?”

Zuko thought about it. He knew that Izin would take care of her and protect her, but he also
knew that he would be a valuable soldier in the war. He thought about Nai, and he wished she
was there to help Chiara.

“I don't know,” said Zuko. “I need to think about it. But for now, Chiara needs to eat more.
She hasn't been eating enough; that's why she's been passing out.”
“In the prison she was always generous with her rations, even when she was only given half
when she first arrived.” Zuko loved her for her charity but also worried about her health.
“She often gave her food to the sick, but also to the strong men. She said because we labored
so hard we needed the energy. I never took from her when she offered, but my bowl always
looked more full after she walked away.”

Zuko smiled to himself as he thought about Chiara's cunning generosity.

--------------------

It was late when they arrived back at Ember Island that evening, but when they walked up to
the beach house, the others were there to greet them anxious to learn if they were able to find
help for Chiara.

“How are you feeling?” asked Aang.

“A little better,” she said.

“You found a doctor then?” asked Katara.

“Yes.”

“And we have some good news and some great news,” said Zuko.

“So what's the news?” asked Sokka.

“The good news is that we have more Fire Nation allies. The island where the doctor lives is
on our side thanks to Chiara.”

“Really?” asked Aang.

“How'd you manage to un-brainwash them?” Toph asked Chiara.

“Boiling Rock Prison,” answered Zuko. “The doctor's son was a guard at the prison and
Chiara saved his life. The doctor said that 'Princess Chiara's deeds in the prison are renowned
and her benevolence hasn't been forgotten',” he said not forgetting Nersala's words and
feeling proud of his wife.

“That's incredible,” said Katara.

“She really helped nearly everybody in that prison,” said Izin. “Both guards and prisoners.”

“And we can really use their help now,” said Sokka. “If they round up more allies, we should
have no problem defeating the Fire Lord.”

“If that's the good news, then what's the great news?” asked Suki.

“Chiara's pregnant,” said Zuko.

“Really?!” asked Katara excitedly. She hugged her. “Oh, Chiara, that is great. So that's why
you've been passing out?”

“The doctor said I wasn't eating enough,” she answered.

“We already started force-feeding her,” said Zuko.

“How far along?” Katara asked them.

Zuko and Chiara looked at each other. Having been thrilled at being reunited and out of
Boiling Rock Prison, what had started out as an innocent picnic in the cave became the one
and only time they did not tame their passion.

“A-a few weeks,” said Zuko softly.

A big smile grew across Sokka's face. “So no romancing your wife in the prison, huh?”

“We did not...! Our child is not a prison baby!” snapped the prince, sounding offended.

“Sounds to me like that time evading your Imperial Firebenders really paid off,” Toph
chimed in. “You're welcome.”

Suki covered her mouth as she giggled, but Zuko and Chiara both turned red.

“Look, can we not talk about this,” said Zuko. “We have a lot of work to do. I would like the
world to be at peace when our child arrives.”

“You're right, Hotman,” said Aang. “We need to make sure Zuko Junior has a better world to
come into.”

“Or Little Chiara,” said Katara.

“Hey, there's no reason he can't be named after his Uncle Sokka.”

“That's hardly fitting for their daughter,” said Katara. “She should have a beautiful Water
Tribe name.”

“Toph would be a good name, after her Aunt,” offered Toph joining in the name argument. “I
mean, I did play a role in this.”

“So did I,” added Suki. “So Suki sounds like a pretty good name for her.”

“I still think he's a prison baby,” said Sokka causing Zuko to roll his eyes. “And since I
played a role in that, it's only fair that he's named after me. Then there could be a Fire Lord
Sokka some day.”

Zuko looked at Chiara as the others continued their squabble. “It's time for your tea.”

“And you should eat something, Princess,” said Izin.

Zuko took her hand and led her towards the kitchen as Izin followed.
“Ooh! Ooh! What about Aang?!” they heard him saying excitedly as they were leaving the
room. “You know, since I'm the Avatar...”

--------------------

Later that night after everyone had settled down and before going to bed, Zuko called Katara
to another room to talk privately to her.

“Katara, do you think the Northern Water Tribe would take Chiara?”

“What?! You're going to abandon your wife?!”

“No, no,” he said softly, glancing at the door hoping no one heard her. He sighed. “She's
worried about the baby because of this war, and she's right to be worried. If my sister or my
father get hold of her and find out she's carrying my child, I don't even want to imagine what
they'll do to them.”

Katara understood what he meant and just the thought of it made her feel sick.

“I want her to be somewhere safe when this battle begins, and if I don't make it back to her, I
want to know she'll be able to safely raise our child.”

She was impressed by his love and concern for Chiara and their baby.

“Of course they'll take her.”

“Even though...even though he's...my child?”

“That doesn't matter. She's part of the Tribe and so is the baby. They'll protect them.”

He felt reassured by her words.

“And if I don't make it through this, can you guys check on them, make sure they're doing all
right?” he asked.

“Are you kidding? Everyone's already practically adopted your little one. Aang can't wait to
take him for a ride on Appa. Sokka's talking about how he's going to teach him how to throw
a boomerang. Toph promised her front row seats at all the future Earth and Nation Rumbles,
and Suki's said she's going to teach her how to be a Kyoshi Warrior.”

Zuko smiled feeling relieved that his family would be taken care of.

The next day as Zuko was practicing with Aang and Izin, Chiara practiced with them. She
had felt better with the extra nourishment, and Zuko made sure she was drinking her tea from
Nersala in the morning and evening.

By midday, she left the guys to help Katara with lunch. They served the food on a table out
on the veranda where everyone gathered to eat.
“You shouldn't push yourself,” said Katara when Chiara was busy filling everyone's cups.

“I feel fine,” she said.

Izin took the ewer from her and finished pouring the water.

“The doctor told me as long as I eat well I could continue exercising,” she said as Zuko took
her hand and pulled her to a seat. “She even said it would be good for the baby,” she added.

“Exercise is one thing, but I think you're overdoing it,” he said.

“I'm just happy to be able to work again,” she said. “Sitting around watching everyone else
work is worse than torture.”

Zuko sat next to her and placed a cup of chamomile and mint tea next to her plate.

“So...do you think the little one's going to be a waterbender or a firebender?” asked Sokka.

Toph turned her head in his direction. “What if she can't bend at all?”

“Or what if she can bend both?” Suki chimed in.

“Yeah,” said Toph. “And if she marries an earthbender and their child can bend all three
elements, there'll almost be another Avatar.”

They were laughing, and even Zuko was laughing to himself as he listened to them talking
about his child. It also made him wonder if the baby would be a waterbender or a firebender
or even a non-bender. He would be proud no matter what, and though he loved the idea of
teaching his children to firebend, he could also teach a waterbender waterbending moves and
a non-bender to fight with swords.

A week later, Zuko was busy brewing Chiara's tea that Nersala had given them while Chiara
was making breakfast for the Gaang as was her after-meditation routine. Katara had been
forcing herself to get up earlier than usual to help with breakfast since she did not want
Chiara working by herself. Izin was setting the dining room table when everyone was making
their way to their usual seats. Chiara came out of the kitchen to set a plate of kimodo
sausages on the table when Toph arrived. Toph froze next to her and then grabbed her wrist
before she could walk away.

“Wait, Princess.”

She placed her hands flat on the floor next to Chiara. Zuko looked at them wondering what
was going on.

“I can feel the baby's heartbeat,” said Toph.

Chiara looked up at Zuko who smiled at her. Toph even smiled as she continued feeling the
rapid heartbeat of the child amid Chiara's steady one.
“You couldn't feel it before?” asked Sokka.

“Obviously not, or I would've said something.”

“What's it like?” asked Zuko.

“It's fast, faster than Chiara's.”

Aang walked over to them and knelt next to Toph placing his hands on the floor.

“I don't feel it,” he said.

“It's overlapping hers,” said Toph. “Two heartbeats from the same spot—one strong one and
one...smaller, faster one.”

“That's incredible, Toph,” said Katara.

“Yep, that's me,” she said.

--------------------

That day, Zuko and Izin were practicing with Aang. Chiara also joined in going through the
motions of firebending. They had been training for hours, and it was on the final step of one
of their katas that four streams of fire shot out.

“Whoa! Chiara...,” said Zuko who had been next to her.

“Did you just shoot fire?” Aang asked her.

Chiara understood immediately. She placed her hand on her stomach. “He's a firebender,” she
said looking at Zuko.

He felt excited as he understood, but at the same time, he was amazed that Chiara just
controlled the fire herself.

“But...but you were just firebending.”

“I felt the warmth inside, and I knew I could direct it, but it's not my flame. It's not coming
from me.”

“Let's try it again,” he said.

He started with basic katas which she followed, and she mimicked him creating flames even
as he progressed through more advanced moves.

“This is incredible,” he said.

“No way!!” yelled Sokka as he and Suki were walking into the courtyard. “How did you
learn to firebend?”
“Wait a minute,” started Zuko, “why is it when she firebends, you say 'firebend,' but when
Aang or I do it, it's 'jerkbending'?”

“Because, your Highn-ass, it's Chiara, who is not a jerk. So she can't possibly jerkbend.” He
looked at her. “So as a normally non-firebender, how did you learn? And...can you teach
me?”

She was giggling at his request. “The baby's a firebender.”

Sokka crossed his arms. “So little future Fire Lord Sokka's a firebender.”

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. “Can you not call him that? It-it's just wrong.”

“Hey, I played a part in making the prison baby...”

Suki hit him on the arm. “Sokka!”

“You didn't have anything to do with making him,” said Zuko.

“Okay, that came out wrong...”

“And he's not a prison baby.”

“It still isn't a bad idea to name him after his Uncle Sokka.”

“Ugh...,” groaned Zuko.

“So any tips on how to firebend?” Sokka asked Chiara.

“Get pregnant by a firebender?” she answered sounding uncertain.

Sokka raised his eyebrows and he looked at Zuko.

“Don't look at me,” said Zuko holding his hands up as he took a step back. “I-I'm taken.”

“I'm going to work on lunch,” said Izin before quickly disappearing inside the house.

“I don't think that's going to work for you, Sokka,” said Aang.

“Yeah, I got that,” he said, sounding disappointed.

“Show us what you can do,” said Suki wanting to see her firebend again.

While Chiara was demonstrating her skills, Sokka ran off to get Katara and Toph.

“You guys aren't going to believe this,” he said. “Chiara's firebending.”

“What?” asked Katara with skepticism while Toph cocked her head curiously.

“She's firebending. You've got to see it.”

“He definitely believes what he's saying,” said Toph.

“Come on,” he said pulling them along.

They ran out to the courtyard where Katara stood dumbfounded watching Chiara send out
streams of fire. Toph, too, was astonished as she could sense her firebending.

“That's amazing,” said Katara. “How are you able to do that?”

“She said the baby's a firebender,” said Suki.

“I've never heard of such a thing.”

They continued watching her firebend with Zuko and Aang until Izin brought lunch out to the
veranda.

“That really is amazing,” Katara said when they all sat down to eat. “I didn't think that was
possible except for the Avatar.”

“Could it be because you grew up in the Fire Nation?” asked Sokka.

“I don't know,” said Chiara.

“You always trained with me,” said Zuko. “You know all the moves of a firebender.”

“She can help Aang when he goes against the Fire Lord,” said Toph.

“No,” said Zuko. “She's not fighting Ozai.”

“What?” said Toph. “Are you kidding? She's like half an Avatar.”

“I won't let her fight him. I'm not going to put my wife and baby on the front lines.”

“You know she's a waterbending master,” continued Toph. “And now Princess Sparky can
fight with fire too. We need her.”

“I think Zuko's right,” said Katara.

“Well, that's a first,” said Toph dryly.

“She's good, but she can't risk putting their child in danger.”

“Do you think you'll still be able to bend fire after the baby's born?” Suki asked Chiara.

She smiled and shook her head. “No. It's not my flame. It feels like it's coming from the baby.
It's his fire and I'm just directing it. When he's born, I'm sure I won't have it anymore.”

Zuko put his arm around her. “I could just keep you pregnant,” he said half-jokingly as
everyone laughed.
“Our own little Fire Nation,” she said reminding him of his words to her when they were
hiding in the Earth Kingdom.

His smile grew. “That's right. I told you we would make our own little Fire Nation.”

“So what happens when she's carrying a waterbender?” asked Suki.

“Will that make you a stronger waterbender?” asked Toph.

“I don't know,” said Chiara. “Do you know, Katara?”

“I'm not sure,” she answered. “None of the women I helped Gran-Gran with during childbirth
had waterbenders.”

“Guess we're going to have to try for a waterbender next,” said Zuko.

Toph punched him in the arm. “Good luck sneaking away from your Imperial Firebenders
without us.”

The others started laughing while Zuko and Chiara blushed.

One afternoon Aang, Zuko, Chiara, and Izin had been practicing firebending while Katara
and Toph sat on the steps watching them. Just as the firebenders sat down to take a break,
Sokka and Suki came running into the courtyard.

“You guys are not going to believe this!” said Sokka. “There's a play about us.”

The others were puzzled as they looked at them wondering what they were talking about.

“We were just in town and we found this poster,” said Suki as Sokka unrolled it to show
them.

“What?” asked Katara as she walked up to take a closer look at it. “How is that possible?”

“Listen to this...,” started Sokka. “'The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from
acclaimed playwright Pu-on Tim, who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar,
from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources include singing nomads,
pirates, prisoners of war, and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage.'”

“'Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players,'” added Suki.

Zuko and Chiara looked at each other and started laughing.

“Yeah, they're critically acclaimed all right,” said Chiara.

“Ugh!” said Zuko. “My mother used to take us to see them. They butchered Love Amongst
the Dragons every year!”

“Our version was so much better,” said Chiara as Zuko nodded.

“But this is a play about us!” said Sokka excitedly.

“Sokka,” said Katara, “do you really think it's a good idea for us to attend a play about
ourselves?”

“Come on, a day at the theater?” he said. “This is the kind of wacky time-wasting nonsense
I've been missing.”
 The Acclaimed Ember Island Players
Chapter Notes

This chapter is the longest yet, but my family got involved in this one. Apologies in
advance if it's painful to read, but it was definitely fun to write.
If it gets too tedious, boring, annoying, or all three, feel free to skip it. It doesn't add
much more to the story than the original episode did, though I know there are a few
references to it in the future—nothing that's necessary to the story.

Kudos to anyone who can identify all the sources (you'll understand what this means at
some point), but some are pretty obscure and even old (but classic). It'll start with Actor
Zuko's first line.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Early in the evening the Gaang left the beach house to walk to the theater. They chose to sit
in the balcony far from the stage so as not to be recognized. Toph was sitting on the end with
Katara on her left, Aang next to her, then Zuko, Chiara, and Izin, while Sokka and Suki sat
behind them.

“Why are we in the nosebleed section?” asked Toph. “My feet can't see a thing from up
here.”

“Don't worry, I'll tell your feet what's happening,” Katara assured her.

They watched as the curtain on the stage rose to reveal a set of the South Pole seas while a
full-figured Actress Katara and a tall, lanky Actor Sokka were rowing their boat. Katara was
thrilled to see herself on stage, and Sokka leaned towards her excitedly pointing at
themselves and then at the stage.

“Sokka, my only brother,” said Actress Katara dramatically, “we constantly roam these icy
South Pole seas, and yet never do we find anything fulfilling.”

“All I want is a full feeling in my stomach,” spewed Actor Sokka. “I'm starving!”

The audience was laughing, but Katara and Sokka looked at each other stunned by their
portrayal on stage.

“Is food the only thing on your mind?” asked Actress Katara.

“Well, I'm trying to get it out of my mind and into my mouth. I'm starving!”

The audience laughed again.

Sokka leaned forward over Katara's shoulder looking unamused. “This is pathetic. My jokes
are way funnier than this.”

Toph was laughing. “I think he's got you pegged.”

“Every day, the world awaits a beacon to guide us, yet none appears,” moaned Actress
Katara. “Still, we cannot give up hope. For hope is all we have. And we must never
relinquish it, even...even to our dying breath!” She leaned over the side of the canoe and
began sobbing overdramatically.

Suki covered her mouth as she and Sokka were laughing.

“Well, that's just silly,” said Katara, clearly annoyed. “I don't sound like that.”

“Oh man, this writer's a genius,” laughed Toph.

Suddenly, a light appeared above the stage where an iceberg could be seen with a silhouette
of a boy behind it. The actors stood up in the canoe to get a closer look.

“It appears to be someone frozen in ice, perhaps for a hundred years,” said Actress Katara.

“But who?” asked Actor Sokka. “Who is the boy in the iceberg?”

Aang was smiling as he leaned forward in expectation of his character who was about to
make his appearance.

“Waterbend! Hi-yah!” said Actress Katara making a chopping motion towards the iceberg.

Chiara and Zuko were snickering at the fake waterbending.

When the iceberg split in half, an actress portraying Aang sprang out and winked at the
audience. Aang leaned further over the balcony as his eyes grew wide.

“Who are you, frozen boy?” asked Actress Katara.

Actress Aang giggled. “I'm the Avatar, silly.” She twirled around. “Here to spread joy and
fun.”

“Wait...,” started Aang. “Is that a woman playing me?”

Behind the actors, a replica of Appa appeared. Three actors inside the costume jumped down
to the stage and circled the iceberg.

“An airbender!” Actress Katara gasped. “My heart is so full of hope that it's making me
tearbend!” She began crying dramatically as she clung to Actress Aang's leg.

Chiara shook her head softly laughing at the horrible acting, but 'tearbend' made Zuko think
about her in the Prison Tower when she used her own tears to help him relax. He took her
hand in his and kissed it. She looked at him, his tender kiss bringing a smile to her face and a
flutter in her chest.
“My stomach is so empty, that it's making me tearbend,” whined Actor Sokka who hung on
Actress Aang's other leg while crying dramatically. “I need meat!”

“But wait!” said Actress Aang pointing into the distance. “Is that a platter of meaty
dumplings?”

“Ooh, where, where?” asked Actor Sokka excitedly, looking around.

“Did I mention that I'm an incurable prankster?” said Actress Aang while crossing her legs.

“I don't do that!” complained Aang, upset by his portrayal. “That's not what I'm like! And I'm
not a woman!”

Toph started laughing. “Oh, they nailed you, Twinkle Toes.”

Down on the stage a Fire Nation ship prop entered with Actor Zuko standing on the bow
looking through a telescope. He wore a headpiece with a phoenix tail and a scar over his right
eye. A corpulent Actor Iroh stood at the helm of the ship while Actress Chiara, wearing a
long, thick wig and a gaudy tiara on her head that looked nothing like the diadem she wore,
stood nearby.

Chiara looked up at Zuko. “I guess it's our turn,” she said.

“Snow, snow, bloody snow!” yelled Actor Zuko. “I hate the bloody sight of it!”

Actress Chiara presented Actor Iroh with a tray holding tea and cake.

“Prince Zuko, you must try this cake Chiara made,” said Actor Iroh. “And this tea—it's
perfectly balanced.”

“I don't have time to stuff my face!” spouted Actor Zuko rudely.

Zuko leaned towards Chiara. “That's not true. I always made time for your desserts,” he
whispered, making her giggle.

Actor Zuko turned to Actor Iroh. “I must capture the Avatar to regain my honor!”

“Well, while you do that, maybe I'll capture another slice,” said Actor Iroh before eating the
cake.

“Full steam ahead!” called Actor Zuko.

“It's no good, Prince Zuko,” said Actor Iroh. His hands were stretched in front of him futilely
reaching for the ship's wheel beyond his rotund figure. “I cannot reach the controls.”

“You sicken me!” Actor Zuko yelled at him.

Chiara gasped. Zuko knew she was offended by the way Actor Zuko spoke to Actor Iroh, and
he was sure if it were not so dangerous to do so, she would be reprimanding both the actor
and writer.
Though he was sure it was less than her, he also took offense at his portrayal. “They make me
look totally stiff and humorless.”

Katara leaned over and looked at him. “Actually, I think that actor's pretty spot on.”

“How could you say that?” Zuko asked her.

“Let's forget about the Avatar and get massages,” said Actor Iroh on stage.

“How could you say that?!” yelled Actor Zuko.

Zuko slumped back in his seat.

On stage the ship crashed into an iceberg causing part of the bow to break off and topple to
the stage floor. Actress Aang was standing on the ice nearby with Actors Sokka and Katara.

“It's the Fire Nation!” said Actress Katara.

“Well, there goes the planet,” moaned Actor Sokka.

“Help us, O Avatar,” cried Actress Katara. “You're our only hope.”

“It's the Avatar!” Actor Zuko called out as he jumped off the ship. He pointed at Actress
Aang. “I will take you back to my father and regain my honor!”

“Honor? That doesn't sound like fun,” she replied airily. She bounced across the ice. “Now
tiger seal sledding sounds like fun.”

“Get him!” Actor Zuko ordered his men.

Soldiers grabbed hold of Actress Aang and took her onto his ship.

“Now I can return to the Fire Nation...for my honor,” declared Actor Zuko.

After he left the stage, Actress Chiara appeared and stealthily crept towards Actress Aang.

“I'll help you, Avatar,” she said.

While she moved her arms in a wave-like motion, stage hands moved props across the stage
resembling ice that covered the guards, freezing them in place, and then she removed the
“Avatar's” restraints.

“You're a waterbender?” asked Actress Aang.

“Shhh...I'm undercover from the Water Tribe,” she “whispered.”

Chiara rolled her eyes.

“What are you doing?!” yelled Actor Zuko who caught them. “I need to capture the Avatar
for my honor!”
“Well, I don't care about your honor,” said Actress Chiara, dramatically flinging her long hair.
“I'm going to help the Avatar.”

“You traitor!” he yelled at her. “Guards, take her to the brig!”

More Fire Nation soldiers appeared and dragged Actress Chiara off stage.

Aang looked up at Zuko. “Did you really put her in the brig?”

“Pretty much,” he said sadly.

Katara leaned forward with an appalled expression ready to pour out a verbal chastisement.

“No, he didn't,” said Chiara defensively.

“I confined her to her quarters,” said Zuko softly.

“How could you do that?” scowled Katara. “That's terrible.”

Chiara tenderly caressed Zuko's hand in comfort, but it did not diminish the guilt he felt for
how he had treated her.

Back down on stage Actors Sokka and Katara were waiting on an Appa replica. Actress Aang
climbed onto its head. “Up, up, and away!” she cried.

The bison was lifted up off stage by wires leaving the damaged ship behind.

“Quickly!” yelled Actor Zuko. “After him!”

The ship slowly crept across the stage.

“Faster!!” he demanded.

“I'm giving her all she's got, Captain,” called the helmsman.

As the ship moved slowly off the stage, the scene was changed to represent the Southern Air
Temple where Actor Sokka was asleep inside his sleeping bag.

“Wake up, Sokka.” Actress Aang playfully poked at him. “There are spider-snakes in your
sleeping bag!”

Actor Sokka jumped up stuck inside, and he started yelling as he bounced around to Actress
Aang's amusement. “Aaahhh! Spider-snakes! Get it off! Get it off!”

As Katara watched the actor hopping around the stage, she giggled at the memory of Aang
teasing Sokka about the prickle snake.

“I was just kidding,” laughed Actress Aang. “Gee, ain't I a stinker?”

Actor Sokka flopped to the ground. “Spider-snakes...why'd it have to be spider-snakes?”

Actress Aang started looking around. “Hey, look,” she said. “I think I found something.” She
tiptoed over to a bush as the other two looked puzzled.

“I hope it's something to eat,” said Actor Sokka rubbing his stomach.

Stepping back, Actress Aang had a puppet on her shoulder. “It's a flying rabbit-monkey,” she
said. “I think I'll name him Momo.” The actress moved her hand inside the puppet, clearly
speaking for it. “Hi, everybody, I love you.”

“Ugh,” groaned Aang rubbing his temple thoroughly disgusted by his portrayal.

The “Gaang” flew on to Kyoshi Island where Actress Suki appeared on stage with two fans.
Actor Sokka walked out wearing the Kyoshi Warrior uniform.

“What's up, my glip glops?!” he said while waving his fans around.

“I don't talk like that,” said Sokka. “What does that even mean?”

Actor Sokka backed up towards Actress Suki. “Does this dress make my butt look fat?”

The audience burst out in laughter as did Suki and Chiara who looked back at Sokka.

“You got to train with the Kyoshi Warriors?” she asked softly.

“Yes,” he answered. “And I can tell you, I looked a lot better than he did.”

She was laughing trying to imagine it.

“No, he didn't,” Zuko whispered loud enough for Sokka to hear.

“Says the angry jerkbender who burned down the village,” Sokka replied.

“Yeah,” said Zuko guiltily. “Sorry about that...again.”

After their crazy adventure with King Bumi in Omashu, Actress Aang was caught by Actor
Zuko and tied to a platform surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers.

“The Avatar is mine!” yelled Actor Zuko triumphantly. “Wait, who's coming?”

Suddenly, the Blue Spirit entered the stage with a large mask and holding two swords.

“I'm the Blue Spirit, the scourge of the Fire Nation, here to save the Avatar!”

Actress Chiara briefly peeked out from behind the mask and gave a big wink to the audience
before walking across the stage wielding the swords.

Chiara covered her mouth as she giggled while Zuko just shook his head as he put it in his
hand.
“You were the Blue Spirit?” Sokka asked Chiara as Izin looked at her wondering the same
thing. Even Katara peered over at her.

She laughed and shook her head. “I wish.”

As the Blue Spirit waved its swords, the guards fell down, and Actor Zuko ran to the other
side of the stage.

“I cast fireball!” he yelled as he threw an orange streamer representing flames.

The Blue Spirit went towards him to attack, but he ran off.

“My hero!” cried Actress Aang.

She jumped on top of the Blue Spirit's mask, and the Blue Spirit walked off stage as Chiara
giggled, but Zuko and Aang exchanged an awkward glance.

“I guess the rumor about Aang being the Blue Spirit didn't spread,” Chiara whispered to
Zuko.

He snickered as he remembered her suggesting that to Zhao in what he was now sure was an
attempt to throw the admiral off his trail. With all that had been happening at the time and
since then, he never really appreciated what she had tried to do, and he felt a renewed
gratitude for her looking out for him.

The stage hands quickly changed the scene to a port where Actors Aang, Katara, and Sokka
were walking while looking over a scroll.

“With this waterbending scroll, I can learn how to waterbend,” said Actress Aang cheerfully.

“Holy buccaneers, Aang!” cried Actor Sokka pointing ahead of them. “Pirates!”

“Oh, barnacles,” whined Actress Aang. “This way...”

She turned and ran as the others followed her across the stage, but they found themselves
caught in a net thrown by Actor Zuko.

“I'm getting real tired of you ducking me, Avatar!” he bellowed. “But I have you now. It's
time to get my honor back.”

“Avast, matey, that scroll be ours,” said the pirate captain.

“What, this worthless scroll?” asked Actor Zuko as he took it from Actress Aang.

“Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate. And we'll be taking that Avatar as well.”

“The Avatar is mine,” said Actor Zuko.

A fight suddenly broke out between the pirates and Actor Zuko. While he was distracted,
Actress Chiara appeared on stage and moved with melodramatic stealth towards him and
stole the waterbending scroll. Tiptoeing over to “Team Avatar,” she set them free before
handing the scroll to Actress Katara.

“From one waterbender to another,” Actress Chiara “whispered.”

Zuko leaned towards Chiara. “Did that really happen?”

“That is not an accurate depiction of events,” she said annoyed by the play. “I never stole the
scroll...though I might've helped them get free of the pirates,” she added somewhat hesitantly.

Though it had been a long time ago, she was worried that he might be hurt to learn she had
freed them, but she was surprised, and relieved, to hear him softly laughing.

Down on the stage, more pirates attacked, but Actress Chiara threw an orange streamer at
them simulating firebending.

“I thought you were a waterbender,” said Actress Katara.

“I am, but I'm also the Dragon of the North, so I can breathe fire too,” Actress Chiara said
proudly while tossing her head back, her hair flying around.

“You can bend water and fire?” asked Actress Aang.

“Well, there's one thing they got right,” whispered Sokka making the others laugh.

“That just gives me so much hope!” cried Actress Katara dramatically in tears as she hugged
Actress Chiara making the real Katara roll her eyes.

“You should come with us to the North Pole,” said Actress Aang.

“That's where I'm headed to help the Water Tribe bring down the Fire Nation.”

Chiara leaned back in her seat feeling downhearted at being portrayed as a traitor. “Welcome
to my nightmare,” she said softly.

Zuko caressed her hand in comfort.

“And then we can go tiger seal sledding together,” said Actress Aang excitedly.

“I knew it was my destiny to be with you, Avatar,” she said leaning up against the other
actress and batting her eyes.

Chiara rolled her eyes before leaning towards Zuko. “I prefer being the Blue Spirit,” she said.

Suddenly, three men representing the Rough Rhinos stormed the stage.

“Avatar, you are under arrest by order of Admiral Zhao!”

“Oh, no!” cried Actress Aang. “I'll never get to the North Pole now.”
“Don't worry, Avatar, I'll save you,” said Actress Chiara flinging her hair. “You go on without
me. I know we'll meet again.”

The “Gaang” ran off while Chiara disappeared behind a prop tree and then reemerged as the
Blue Spirit behind the Rough Rhinos. The three men turned around, and seeing the Blue
Spirit, they dropped their weapons and started running away as the Spirit chased them off
stage.

Chiara and Zuko could not help giggling at the scene, but their minds drifted back to the fond
memory of that night. As the play continued on stage, Chiara replayed that night in her mind
remembering how each of the Rough Rhinos disappeared into the woods, the warm embrace
of the Blue Spirit, his soft, warm lips pressed against her own...

“That's Jet,” whispered Zuko, breaking her out of the more enjoyable scenes in her mind.

She focused on the stage. “The guy from the ferry to Ba Sing Se?” she whispered back.
“Wasn't he the one who attacked you at the tea shop?”

“Yeah.”

Actress Katara was crying dramatically.

“Don't cry, baby,” said Actor Jet. “Jet will wipe out that nasty town for you!”

A blue banner representing water was pulled across the stage.

“Oh, Jet, you're so bad,” said Actress Katara as they were being lifted up above the stage.

Toph started laughing, but Katara looked embarrassed.

“Did he really destroy a town?” asked Chiara.

Sokka leaned towards her. “You know how Aang's supposed to be the symbol of peace and
save lives and all?”

“Yes.”

“Well, in that case he didn't.”

She gasped.

“I warned the town and everybody got out before it was flooded,” he finished proudly.

Aang grimaced at him, but Chiara was relieved to hear no one had been hurt.

Soon the “Gaang” arrived at the North Pole where Actress Chiara ran towards Actress Aang.

“Avatar, you made it! You can help us destroy the Fire Nation.”
“And just in time too,” said Actress Aang. “My Avatar powers are tingling.”

Aang huffed watching his portrayal.

“Holy sideburns, Aang!” said Actor Sokka. “It's Captain Zhao!”

Actor Zhao strutted towards them bearing comically enormous sideburns. “Dang it, boy, I'm
an admiral not a captain,” he said in a haughty tone as he looked indignantly at Actor Sokka.

“Well, excu-u-use me,” retorted Actor Sokka.

Actor Zhao scowled at him before rounding on Actress Aang. “And now, Avatar, today is a
good day to die...for you!” He turned to his soldiers. “Firebenders, exterminate!!”

A fight broke out among the Water Tribe and Fire Nation during which Actor Zhao shot a
“fireblast” towards the moon which dropped down to the stage. As the battle waged on, Actor
Sokka and Actress Yue ran over to the fallen moon.

“Don't go, Yue,” said Actor Sokka. “You're the only woman who has taken my mind off of
food.” He kissed her. “Wait...did you have pickled fish for dinner?”

“Goodbye, Sokka,” said Actress Yue. “I have important moon duties to take care of.” She
was lifted above the stage as the moon was pulled up by wires. “And yes, I did have pickled
fish.”

Suki was laughing. “You never told me you made out with a moon spirit.”

“Shhh!” said Sokka. “I'm trying to watch.”

“Did you know her?” Zuko whispered to Chiara as he thought about those events.

“Yes. We were friends.”

“I'm sorry,” he said wishing he had been more attentive to her sorrow during that time.

“I was saddened to learn of her death but impressed by her sacrifice. If I could've stopped
Zhao, she wouldn't have had to give up her life,” she said sadly.

He could hear the regret in her voice.

“Destiny is a funny thing,” he whispered to her before tenderly kissing her.

“Hey, we're trying to watch a play,” Sokka hissed at them.

“Don't let us stop you,” said Zuko before kissing Chiara's hand.

“This isn't a prison,” continued Sokka. “Do that somewhere else.”

“Avatar powers, activate!” they heard Actress Aang saying. “Form of a koi!”

They looked down to see Actress Aang wearing a Koizilla costume and holding a Zhao doll.
“The Avatar is back to save the day! Yay!” She stomped around and kicked miniature Fire
Nation ships on the stage.

“Ugh!” groaned Aang disgusted by the scene.

Chiara leaned against Zuko; both were saddened by their memories of the Siege—the bloody
warriors and the dead soldiers flashing through their minds.

They were all relieved to see the curtain drop down on the stage.

“Finally,” said Zuko as they stood up.

They left the balcony to stretch their legs.

“So far, this intermission is the best part of the play,” said Zuko leaning against the banister
while holding Chiara who rested against him.

“Apparently, the playwright thinks I'm an idiot who tells bad jokes about meat all the time,”
said Sokka just before biting into a strip of komodo rhino jerky.

“Yeah, you tell bad jokes about plenty of other topics,” Suki smiled.

“I know!” he said.

“At least the Sokka actor kind of looks like you,” said Aang. “That woman playing the
Avatar doesn't resemble me at all.”

“I don't know,” said Toph, “you are more in touch with your feminine side than most guys.”

“Argh!” grunted a frustrated Aang.

“Relax, Aang,” said Katara. “They're not accurate portrayals. It's not like I'm a preachy
crybaby who can't resist giving overemotional speeches about hope all the time.”

Everyone was looking at her.

“What?”

“Yeah, that's not you at all,” said Aang sarcastically.

“Listen, friends,” started Toph, “it's obvious that the playwright did his research. I know it
must hurt, but what you're seeing up there on stage is the truth.”

“Is...is that what really happened at the Siege?” Izin asked softly.

The others looked at him.

“It's...it was more complicated than that,” said Zuko.

“I heard rumors of a...a spirit.”

“That murderer Zhao killed the moon spirit,” said Sokka. “So the ocean spirit took out the
Fire Nation fleet.”

“And then Princess Yue gave her life back to the moon spirit,” said Chiara sadly.

“Okay, maybe it wasn't that much more complicated,” said Zuko softly after hearing her and
Sokka sum up exactly what the play just portrayed.

Izin nodded. “Survivors I met were told by their superiors that there was no spirit, but it was
a trick of the waterbenders...”

“That's not true!” yelled Katara making everyone tense up. “When Zhao killed the moon
spirit it took away our waterbending,” she said in a low, but angry voice.

“I'm not defending them,” said Izin calmly. “The witnesses I spoke to knew their superiors
were lying, but they were threatened if they spoke out against the propaganda. I know most
of you were there, and I trust you would speak the truth about what happened.”

“I'm sorry, Izin,” she spoke more composed. “I didn't mean to yell at you. I just really hate
that lies are being spread.”

“When Ozai is defeated,” started Zuko, “the truth will be spread and written in the history
books.”

An appreciative smile lit up Katara's face as she felt hopeful for the future of the Fire Nation.

After intermission, they returned to the balcony to see the stage set up as the Earth Kingdom.
Everyone but Toph and Suki sat in their seats with a lot less enthusiasm than before Act I.

“Well, here we are in the Earth Kingdom,” announced Actress Katara.

“I'd better have a look around to see if I can find an earthbending teacher,” said Actress Aang
opening her small air glider.

As the wires lifted the actress up and took her around the theater, Zuko hid his face.

“This is it,” said Toph excitedly. “This must be where I come in.”

Actress Aang landed back on stage. “I flew all over town, but I couldn't find a single
earthbending master,” she whined.

Toph was sitting anxiously on the edge of her seat. “Here it comes.”

A huge buff actor dressed liked Toph with hair hanging down over his eyes emerged from a
trapdoor beneath a boulder which he held above his head. “You can't find an earthbending
master in the sky, you have to look underground,” he said in a deep rough voice as he hurled
the boulder.

Zuko looked stunned as he dropped the paper he was using to hide behind, and everyone else
was laughing. Izin peered down at Toph to see her reaction and was surprised to see her still
looking excited.

“Who are you?” asked Actress Aang.

Actor Toph spit. “My name's Toph because it sounds like tough,” he said flexing his muscles.
“And that's just what I am.”

“Wait a minute...,” started Toph. “...I sound like...a guy. A really buff guy.”

“Well, Toph,” said Katara smugly, “what you hear up there is the truth. It hurts, doesn't it?”

“Are you kidding me?” said Toph. “I wouldn't have cast it any other way. At least it's not a
flying bald lady.”

Zuko did not realize it was possible for Aang to scowl any harder.

“So, you're blind?” asked Actress Aang as she waved her hand in front of him.

Actor Toph laughed. “I can see you doing that. I see everything you see, except I don't see
like you do. I release a sonic wave from my mouth.” He opened his mouth letting out a yell
that echoed around the theater. “There. I got a pretty good look at you.”

After Actress Toph joined the “Gaang,” Actors Zuko, Iroh, and Chiara walked on stage.
Actor Zuko was now sporting a head full of hair.

“Zuko,” started Actor Iroh, “it's time we had a talk...” He pointed to his head. “...about your
hair. It's gone too far! It's getting worse than Chiara's.”

Actress Chiara flung her mane back. “Hey...,” she said sounding offended.

“Maybe it's best if we...” Actor Zuko flung his hair imitating her. “...split up!”

“Zuko, I've got one thing to say to you,” said Actor Iroh. “Never forget who you want to
become.”

Actor Zuko dramatically turned from them and walked away. After they exited the stage, the
scene was quickly changed to show Tu Zin village where Actress Azula came running on
stage being pursued by the Team Avatar actors. Actor Zuko and Actors Iroh and Chiara came
running towards them from opposite sides of the stage.

“Azula, my sister, what are you doing here?” asked Actor Zuko dramatically.
“You caught me,” she said.

“Team Avatar, assemble,” said Actress Aang.

They all stood ready to attack Actress Azula.

“Wait...what's that?” she said pointing into the distance. “I think it's your honor!”

“Where?” asked Actor Zuko as they all turned around to look.

Actress Azula escaped through a door. The others turned back to see her gone.

“She escaped, but how?” asked Actress Katara.

“Team Avatar” was now trudging across the Si Wong Desert.

“We'll never make it out of this desert without my flying buffalo,” said Actress Aang.

“But we must get to Ba Sing Se to warn the Earth King of the eclipse,” moaned Actress
Katara. “Or how ever can we hope to defeat the Fire Nation?”

“I just hope we find something to eat,” said Actor Sokka.

“This is a desert,” said Actor Toph gruffly. “Nothing grows out here. Nothing's gonna grow
out here.”

“Except...,” started Actor Sokka running across the stage. “...a cactus!” He broke off part of
the cactus prop and began drinking from it.

The actor swayed on his feet as his eyes started following two small roasts with wings being
dangled in front of him.

“Momos?” He pointed at them. “Look, the Momos roasted themselves for us so we'll have
meat.” He stumbled forward towards the flying roasts. “Come here, Momos. I have two
chopsticks,” he said pulling them out. “One for each of ya.” The roasts flew off stage.
“Wait...come back...I want to eat you!”

The audience laughed as he fell over trying to chase his cactus juice induced hallucinations.

“I can't say I don't think about doing that,” said Sokka to the others' giggles.

“Which one...drinking cactus juice or eating Momo?” Katara asked him.

“Meh, a little of both.”

“Look!” said Actor Sokka. “Rabaroos!”

The “Gaang” turned around to see sandbenders approaching them.

“What's that, giant talking rabaroo?” said Actor Sokka. “You want us to eat you?”

“Where's my flying buffalo?” asked Actress Aang.

“We didn't steal him if that's what you're implying,” said one of the sandbenders.

“You're a phony!” yelled Actor Toph. “Hey, this guy's a great big phony!”

Actress Aang pointed her staff at the sandbender. “My name is Aang. You took my flying
buffalo, prepare to be blown away!”

She spun her staff around.

“Wind scar!”

Behind the scenes men were cranking manual fans that created a wind and the sandbenders
were all “blown” off the stage.

“Noo,” cried Actor Sokka still wasted on cactus juice. “Come back, giant meaty talking
rabaroos!”

The characters continued their journey until they arrived at the outer wall of Ba Sing Se
where they saw Actress Azula standing on top of the drill.

“First thing we have to do is take away their sense of peace,” declared the “princess.” “Tear
down the wall!”

Actress Aang flew up to the top of the wall where the drill proceeded to bore through.

“If she continues drilling, this wall will come down for sure,” she said.

She tossed a rock towards Actress Azula who blocked it.

“Haha, yes!” said Actress Azula. “Continue drilling. The city of Ba Sing Se can hide no
longer! Resistance is futile!”

Actress Aang continued throwing rocks, but the drill continued breaking through the wall
until it finally crumbled.

“I have done it!” announced Actress Azula triumphantly. “I have succeeded in breaking
through!”

Actress Katara began crying dramatically. “Whatever will we do now?”

“We have to get to the Earth King before Princess Azula,” said Actress Aang.

The “Gaang” ran off stage. While the background was being changed, a small corner of the
stage was lit up showing Actor Jet restrained before four lanterns. A Dai Li agent stepped out
of the shadows.

“Nobody expects the Dai Li inquisition,” said the agent. “And now, you will be assimilated.”
“You will never assimilate me,” cried Actor Jet.

“Tell me,” started the agent, “how many lights do you see there?”

“There are four lights.”

“No. There are five...”

When the “Gaang” returned to the stage it had been transformed into the Earth King's palace
where they were greeted by the same Dai Li agent.

“My name is Fong Leng. I am the assistant manager of Ba Sing Se.”

“Princess Azula of the Fire Nation has broken down the wall,” Actress Aang cried frantically.

“That is not possible,” said Fong Leng. “The walls of Ba Sing Se are impenetrable.”

“Not anymore they aren't,” said Actor Sokka.

“The Earth King needs to send his army out there to fight,” Actor Toph demanded.

“Don't be ridiculous,” said Fong Leng. “There is no war in Ba Sing Se.”

“But the Fire Nation is on their way to the palace,” said Actress Aang.

“Listen here, ya little barnacle, no one, and I mean no one, can ever know about this,” he
threatened. “It'll be the end of you, it'll be the end of me. And worst of all, it'll be the end of
me!”

“I will tell everyone,” threatened Actress Aang. “Everyone will know about the war.”

“Then you leave me no choice,” said Fong Leng. A door slid open. “Why don't you pass the
time by playing a little Pai Sho?”

Upon those words, Actor Jet stepped through the door wearing googly eyes and waving hook
hands as the Team Avatar characters surrounded him.

“No, Jet. What did they do to you?” cried Actress Aang.

“Must...serve...Earth King,” said Actor Jet swiping at Actress Aang and Actor Sokka.
“Must...destroy...”

He flailed his hook hands wildly until a rock prop was dropped down from above and
covered most of the actor.

“Did Jet just...die?” asked Zuko.

“You know, it was really unclear,” said Sokka.

As the “Gaang” began running out of the palace, Actress Katara was caught by Fong Leng
before exiting the stage. Soon the scenery portrayed the Crystal Catacombs where Actor
Zuko was sitting on a rock and Actress Katara was pushed into the catacombs by Fong Leng.
She stood looking at Actor Zuko who growled at her.

“Are you going to keep staring at me because it's ticking me off!” he yelled. “If you got
something to say, say it!”

“Prince Zuko, what ever are you doing here?” she asked.

“Why should you care?” he asked rudely.

She slowly walked towards him. “Well, because I have to admit, Prince Zuko, I really find
you attractive.”

Aang's, Katara's, Chiara's, and Zuko's jaws dropped.

“You don't have to make fun of me,” said Actor Zuko turning his head away from her, putting
his nose in the air.

“But I mean it,” she said as she sat down next to him. “I've had eyes for you since the day
you first captured me.”

“Wait...” He stood up. “I thought you were the Avatar's girl.”

She laughed. “The Avatar?” Standing up she walked towards him. “Why, he's like a little
brother to me,” she giggled. “I certainly don't think of him in a romantic way. Besides, how
could he ever find out about...this?”

The actors embraced and held hands.

“Well, I am attracted to waterbenders,” said Actor Zuko.

Chiara started softly giggling finding the scene comical, but Zuko sank lower in his seat
feeling completely embarrassed.

“That...that's not what happened...we never...”

“You mean you're not attracted to waterbenders?” she whispered, feigning hurt.

“Um...not...not just any waterbender...just you...”

She giggled again and patted his arm. Aang, however, was upset, and he stood up to leave.

“Oh, you're getting up?” Sokka asked him. “Can you get me some fire flakes? Ooh, and fire
gummies.”

After escaping the catacombs, Actor Zuko was stopped by Actress Azula just as Actor Iroh
and Actress Chiara ran out on stage.
“Well, my brother, what's it going to be? Your nation? Or a life of treachery?” asked Actress
Azula.

“Choose treachery, it's more fun,” said Actor Iroh.

“We can help the Avatar bring down the Fire Nation,” said Actress Chiara flinging her hair.

“Sometimes I do feel like I'm a failure,” Actor Zuko spoke solemnly. “Like there's no hope
for me.”

He approached Actor Iroh and Actress Chiara.

“No way!” cried Actress Azula.

“But even so, I'm not gonna give up. Ever!” he said before throwing a “fire blast” at Actress
Chiara who fell to the ground, and then he pushed Actor Iroh over and stood next to Actress
Azula.

Zuko felt bad as he watched the scene remembering his regret in not defending Chiara. He
lifted her hand and kissed it.

“I hate you, Uncle!” yelled Actor Zuko. “I hate you, traitor!” he yelled at Actress Chiara. “I
hate you for all time!”

Zuko's feeling of guilt reached a new depth. Katara looked at him.

“You didn't really do that, did you?” she asked.

“I might as well have,” he said sadly.

On stage Actors Zuko and Azula ran towards Actress Aang to attack her.

“Avatar State, yip, yip!” she said.

The actresses “tattoos” were glowing in the light as she was lifted above the stage.

“Not if my lightning can help it!” said Actress Azula as she sent a lightning streamer towards
Actress Aang who was lowered to the ground. “The Avatar is no more!” Actress Azula
announced.

Everyone in the theater cheered to the Gaang's dismay. Zuko covered his face with his hand
disgusted by the scene and the memories of his betrayal.

When the curtain dropped, they were again relieved by another intermission. Zuko felt down
after watching how some of the most regretful moments of his life were depicted on stage
and portrayed so inaccurately. He held Chiara's hand as they walked out to the hall where he
slid down the wall and sat on the floor. She knelt down next to him.

“Prince Zuko, Princess,” whispered Izin, “is there anything I can get you?”
“No,” said Zuko, looking down.

“No thank you,” said Chiara.

He bowed before walking off.

“It seems like every time there's a big battle, you guys barely make it out alive,” said Suki
walking out into the hall. “I mean, you guys lose a lot.”

“You're one to talk, Suki,” said Sokka. “Didn't Azula take you captive? That's right, she did!”

“Are you trying to get on my bad side?”

“I'm just saying...”

Katara walked up to the group. “Does anyone know where Aang is?”

“He left to get me fire gummies, like, ten minutes ago, and I'm still waiting,” said Sokka.

“I'm going to check outside,” she said before walking away.

A young boy dressed like Aang came running around the corner and went flying down the
hall.

Sokka turned to Suki. “Suki, what are the chances you can get me backstage? I got some
jokes I want to give to the actor me.”

“I'm an elite warrior who's trained for many years in the art of stealth,” she said seriously. “I
think I could get you backstage,” she added in a lighter tone before they walked off together.

“Geez,” said Toph standing on Zuko's left. “Everyone's getting so upset about their
characters. Even you seem more down than usual, and that's saying something.”

“You don't get it,” he said. “It's different for you. You get a muscly version of yourself taking
down ten bad guys at once and making sassy remarks.”

“Yeah, that's pretty great,” she said.

“But for me, it takes all the mistakes I've made in my life, and shoves them back in my face.
My uncle and Chiara, they've always been on my side. Even when things were bad they were
there for me. And Uncle taught me so much, and even entrusted me with his daughter.”
Chiara felt touched by his words. “And how do I repay them? With a knife in their backs. It's
my greatest regret. And this last time he was in prison, I wasn't even able to get to him in
time.”

Chiara put her arm around his back as Toph sat down next to him.

“Your uncle really cares about you,” said Toph. “I once had a long conversation with the guy,
and all he would talk about was you.”
“Really?” he asked as he took off his hood.

“Yeah, and it was kind of annoying,” she said.

“Oh, sorry.”

“But it was also very sweet. All your uncle wanted was for you to find your own path and see
the light. Now you're here with us. He'd be proud.”

She punched his upper arm.

“Ow!” he said rubbing the spot she hit.

“Yeah...I know you don't like being hugged.”

He shrugged. “From you...it's not so bad.”

The moody prince, or “angry freak with a ponytail” as Sokka once described him to her, just
caught her off guard with something that sounded almost sweet to her, but she would never
admit it.

“Uh...well...uh...” She finally managed to collect herself after a rare loss of composure.
“...who says I want to hug you?”

Zuko was softly laughing. “Oh, did I manage to move the solid rock of Tough slightly?”

“Not a chance, Sparkles.”

Chiara was quietly giggling at their banter.

The young boy wearing the Aang costume came running by again, and he stopped in front of
Zuko.

“Your Zuko costume's pretty good,” he said. “But your scar's on the wrong side.”

He ran off.

Zuko yanked his hood back over his head, the lighthearted feeling suddenly crushed. “The
scar's not on the wrong side,” he groaned.

“Prince Zuko,” said Chiara softly with her left arm still around his back and her right hand on
his arm. “You said it earlier, they butchered Love Amongst the Dragons every year. Would
you expect this to be any better?”

“But it's not like it's completely untruthful,” he said. “I didn't trust you and Uncle. I should've
fought with you.”

“And if you had, you might've ended up in the prison too, with no chance of helping either of
us.”

“Wow, it's like having your uncle with you,” said Toph.
Zuko's eyes brightened again, and he placed his hand on Chiara's.

“And I think your Zuko costume's perfect,” she said making him chuckle.

After the intermission ended, everyone but Aang slowly returned to their seats to see the
stage set as a Fire Nation cave with “Team Avatar” dancing while several extras stood
around.

“Come on, everyone,” said Actress Aang. “Dancing is fun!”

She bounced around on stage as the others joined her.

“If that looks half as funny as it sounds, Twinkle Toes really needs to see it,” laughed Toph.

Katara was relieved he was not there to see the exaggerated effeminate dance moves Actress
Aang was currently displaying on stage. After their awkward moment on the balcony during
intermission, she was sure this scene would not help Aang's mood.

The headmaster burst into the cave. “What is going on here?” he demanded. The kids looked
up at him. “Dancing is forbidden!”

He reached for Actress Aang, but she eluded him as the other dancers crowded around the
headmaster. “Team Avatar” escaped out the back of the cave and flew off behind the scenes
while the stage was changed to reflect the military factory in Jang Hui.

“Stealing this medicine will cause trouble for the Fire Nation,” snickered Actress Aang as
they were leaving the factory carrying bags.

“And stealing this food will fill the empty hole in my stomach,” said Actor Sokka before
taking a bite out of a meaty bone.

Actor Toph punched his left palm with his right fist. “And now, time to take down this
factory.” He ripped off part of the “metal wall.”

Actress Aang looked worried. “Are you sure there isn't another way to...”

“Too late,” said Actor Toph tearing off another piece. “This is more fun.”

Fire Nation soldiers came running out on stage.

“Stop right there!” yelled Actor General Mung.

“Bite my shiny metal missile!” yelled Actor Toph as he balled up the “metal” and hurled it at
the soldiers.

They dodged the projectile, but before they could attack, Actress Katara slowly appeared on
stage dressed as the Painted Lady.
“Geeettt...ooouuut!” she said in a dramatic attempt to sound eerie.

“It's the Striped Lady!” yelled one of the men.

They all ran off frightened by what they thought was a spirit.

Zuko leaned over to Katara. “Did you guys really do that?”

“Well, yes, but it wasn't for that reason,” she whispered. “There was a fishing village on the
river, and because of the factory the water was polluted and the villagers were sick and
hungry.”

He grinned at her explanation. “Thank you,” he said, appreciating what she had done for his
people.

She was not expecting his gratitude but it made her feel even more hopeful about the future
for all the Nations if Zuko were to become Fire Lord.

Aang returned to the balcony long after intermission and flopped down next to Sokka.

“Here's what you missed,” said Sokka. “We went to the Fire Nation, and you got better, and
Katara was the Painted Lady, and I got a sword. Oh, look, the Invasion's about to start!
Shhh!”

Actresses Katara and Aang were standing atop a submarine as it sailed towards the Fire
Nation.

“I just wanted to let you know, Aang, that I'll always love you,” said Actress Katara. “Like a
brother.”

“I wouldn't want it any other way,” said Actress Aang.

They shook hands before Actress Aang opened her staff and was lifted off the stage.

Aang pulled his hat down over his eyes disgusted by the re-enactment.

Actors Toph and Sokka joined Actress Katara on top of the submarine.

“Hey, Toph,” said Actor Sokka, “would you say you and Aang have a 'rocky relationship'?”

Sokka started laughing and looked at Aang. “I told him to say that!”

“I hope everyone's ready for the Invasion! Slap-a-pow!”

The audience laughed, as did Sokka, excited that the actor used his lines.

After the invasion force landed, the scene was changed to show the Royal Palace, and Actress
Katara and Actors Toph and Sokka ran onto the stage while Actress Aang dropped down
from above.

“Time for the Fire Lord to go down,” said Actor Sokka.

“Go Team Avatar!” cried a bubbly Actress Aang.

She raised her hands as if about to send a powerful wind towards the palace, and then she
gently knocked on the door.

When a servant opened it, Actress Aang had a big smile on her face. “We're here for Fire
Lord Ozai,” she said enthusiastically.

“No, no,” said the servant. “Meester Fire Lord no here.”

“But he has to be here,” said Actress Aang now looking disappointed.

“No, no...”

“Enough of this!” yelled Actor Toph. “Toph smash!!” He hurled a boulder at the palace wall
smashing a hole through it.

“Cowabunga!” yelled Sokka as he ran inside with his sword drawn.

They looked around to see it empty.

“We finally made it to the Royal Palace, but no one's home!” said Actress Aang.

“Actually, I'm home,” said Actor Zuko pulling Actress Chiara by her hand. “And my wife
and I want to join you!”

“Your wife?” said Actress Katara looking affronted.

“I told you I'm attracted to waterbenders,” he said.

Chiara softly giggled and shook her head, but Zuko was turning red.

“I guess we have no choice,” said Actor Sokka.

“I finally get to help the Avatar,” said Actress Chiara as she walked up to Actress Aang
fluttering her eyelashes at her.

Actor Zuko yanked her away behind him where Fire Nation soldiers quickly grabbed hold of
her and took her off stage.

“Oh, no!” said Actor Zuko. “My wife has been taken to Boiling Rock Prison. I need your
help to rescue her,” he emoted overdramatically to Actress Aang.

They ran off stage while the scene was changed to depict Boiling Rock. Actress Chiara was
now standing in the center of a group of inmates.
“I can heal you,” she said as she threw blue glitter on one of them. “And I can heal you...and
you...and you.” She threw blue glitter at each one she “healed.” “Who would've thought
prison could be so much fun?”

Chiara looked up at Izin who looked at her and rolled his eyes. She nodded in agreement.

Actor Zuko and Actress Aang climbed over the prison wall dressed as guards.

“Chiara, I have come to rescue you!” Actor Zuko announced dramatically.

“Oh, the Avatar is here to save me,” she said dreamily as she gazed beyond him at Actress
Aang. She started walking towards them, but then she stopped. “But, wait...we can't leave all
these violent prisoners here. We must help them escape too.”

Prison guards came running onto the stage and surrounded them. Actress Aang and Actor
Zuko began fighting them with orange streamers while Actress Chiara continued throwing
blue glitter around. After Actor Zuko was defeated by one of the guards and taken prisoner,
Actress Aang twirled around throwing all the prison guards back by a mighty “fire”
reminiscent of Zuko's real fire blast that allowed him to save Chiara. Then the “Avatar” blew
a hole through the prison wall and they all ran out. When they made it outside the prison,
Actress Chiara turned to Actress Aang.

“The Avatar is my hero!” she said before hugging her.

Aang put his head down feeling embarrassed as Zuko just stayed slumped back in his seat.

“You know you're my real hero,” Chiara whispered to him. “That's all that matters.”

All the actors ran off the stage as Sokka stood up and stretched.

“I guess that's it,” he said. “The play's caught up to the present now.”

“Wait, the play's not over,” said Suki.

“But it is over,” said Sokka as he sat down. “Unless...this is the future!”

The scene on stage showed the Royal Palace as Actor Ozai walked out.

“With the energy harnessed from that comet, no one will be able to stop the Fire Nation,” he
said dramatically.

Actress Azula walked onto the stage. “Father, Zuko and the Avatar are at the Palace. They are
trying to stop you!”

“You take care of Zuko. I shall face the Avatar...myself, and I shall make him an offer he can't
refuse!”

Smoke billowed around him and he disappeared.

Actor Zuko and Actress Aang appeared on stage.

“Aang, you find the Fire Lord, I'll hold her off,” said Actor Zuko.

Actress Aang left the stage.

“You are no longer my brother. You are an enemy!” said Actress Azula.

“No! I am the rightful heir to the throne.”

“We'll see.”

She threw a blue streamer towards him which he dodged as he counterattacked with his own
orange streamers. She leaped over him and raised her hand while paper flames rose from the
stage, the last one engulfing Actor Zuko.

“Honor!” he yelled before disappearing below the stage.

Actress Azula bowed to the audience who began cheering. Zuko looked worried, as did the
rest of Team Avatar as they looked at him, and Chiara had a tighter grip on his hand.

On stage paper flames appeared as Actress Aang walked towards the center.

“It's a brand new day, Avatar.” Actress Aang stopped upon hearing Actor Ozai's voice. Lights
lit up the throne where he was sitting as a prop comet moved overhead. “You and I have
unfinished business.”

“Fire Lord, you ain't kidding,” said Actress Aang.

“You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?'” said Actor Ozai deeply. “Well,
do you, punk?”

“Of course I'm lucky. I'm the Avatar...and you're going down!” she pointed at him.

“You pitiful fool! My life is not for any Avatar to give or take!” Actor Ozai stood up. “You
see, you are too late. The comet is already here, and I'm unstoppable!”

Aang watched the scene anxiously.

Actor Ozai spun his fire streamers attacking Actress Aang who twirled her staff while
dodging his attacks. He swung his streamers towards her, but she leaped over him, and they
turned to face each other again. Actor Ozai now threw multiple streamers at Actress Aang as
she flew over his head.

He raised his arms in the air. “I have the power!” he yelled summoning the power of the
comet.

A large sheet of “fire” moved across the stage and wrapped around Actress Aang.

“Noooo...!” she cried as she descended to the stage engulfed in the “flames.”

“It is over, Father. We've done it,” said Actress Azula.

“Yes, we have done it. The dreams of my father, and my father's father, have now been
realized! The world...is...mine!”

The entire audience, except Team Avatar, stood up cheering. Zuko and Chiara gave each
other a worried look.

They finally stood up and quietly left the theater while the audience was still cheering. They
started their walk back to the beach house.

“That...wasn't a good play,” said Zuko as he was holding Chiara's hand.

“I'll say,” said Aang.

“No kidding,” said Katara.

“Horrible,” said Suki.

“You said it,” said Toph.

“But the effects were decent,” added Sokka.

Chiara looked up at Zuko. “I think we can do it better,” she said. “We always did before.”

He could not help but chuckle at her optimism.

“What does that mean?” said Katara.

“We used to reenact the plays we watched,” said Chiara. “I think we can give it a better
ending.”

“Like the new ending we gave Love Amongst the Dragons?” asked Zuko.

She giggled.

“What was that?” asked Aang.

“My mother would take us to see Love Amongst the Dragons, and the Ember Island Players
did a terrible job, so afterwards, we would reenact the play when we got home. Azula always
made me play the Dark Water Spirit while she played the Dragon Emperor.”

“I always wanted to play the Water Spirit,” said Chiara, “but I thought it might be awkward
for you and Azula to play the other parts.”

“Ugh,” groaned Zuko. “She probably would've made me play the Dragon Empress.”

The others started laughing.

“One time I suggested we give it a different ending,” said Chiara. “Poor Prince Zuko was
stuck being the Water Spirit, so after Dragon Emperor Azula defeated him, I said that the
Dragon Empress should fall in love with the Water Spirit.”
 “Azula hated it,” said Zuko. “So Chiara started acting out the part.”

“'Oh, Water Spirit, your bravery in battle has won my heart and devotion,'” she said. “Or
something like that.”

“Azula insisted that I was dead,” said Zuko. “So I replied, 'But your love for me has brought
me back to life, and I give you my heart in return.'”

“You two rewrote it so that the Water Spirit ended up with the Dragon Empress,” said Toph
thoughtfully. “It sounds like you guys reversed it in real life.”

Zuko and Chiara grinned at each other.

They continued their walk back to the beach house, but the play still weighed heavily on their
minds.

Chapter End Notes

So instead of just adding a few extra Chiara scenes to the Ember Island play, I thought
I'd spice it up a bit with catch phrases from several sources (some obviously altered to fit
in). It was a family endeavor, and a few might be obscure. Everyone was trying to come
up with lines I could work into the story.
I'll post the list of sources in the next chapter, but I will add that in the show the voice of
Long Feng was performed by Clancy Brown who was also the voice for Risotto
Groupon on Rick and Morty (“The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy”), and he's also the voice of
Mr. Krabs on Spongebob. Some of Fong Leng's lines in this chapter are based on those
two characters. And Actor Toph was voiced by John DiMaggio who voices Bender on
Futurama, so I added a couple (altered) Bender lines.
 Avatar Training
Chapter Notes

Here's the list of sources from the previous chapter in order of their first 'appearance':
The Young Ones, Spiffing Brit, The Simpsons, Spaceballs, Star Wars, Superman, Star
Trek, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Bugs Bunny, Rick and Morty, D&D, Batman, Spongebob,
Family Guy, Pirates of the Caribbean, Alice Cooper, Spiderman, Steve Martin, Star
Trek: TNG, Doctor Who, Wonder Twins, Avengers, comedian Sam Kinison, Tombstone,
The Princess Bride, Inuyasha, My Hero Academia, Pink Floyd, Monty Python, The
Manchurian Candidate, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Futurama, Venture Bros., Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Godfather, The Walking Dead, Kill Bill Volume 2, Dirty
Harry, Flash Gordon, He-Man

If you're not sure who said what and would like to know, leave a comment.

The day after their disappointing trip to the theater, which, in their opinion, was more than
wacky time-wasting nonsense, Aang, Zuko, Chiara, and Izin were practicing firebending
katas in the courtyard. During a break, Chiara disappeared and returned carrying a tray with
cups and a ewer of water for them. When Zuko saw what she was doing, he stood up and
took the tray from her.

“Chiara, you shouldn't be working. You've been training with us all morning; you don't need
to be serving us too.”

“I feel fine,” she said.

He set the tray before Aang and Izin, and she picked up the ewer and started pouring water.
Zuko took the pitcher from her and handed it to Aang.

“Working keeps my mind occupied,” she said.

He took her hand and started leading her inside.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“I'm going to make you tea.”

“You made my tea this morning.”

“And now I'm going to make you chamomile with lavender,” he said.

“Lavender, huh? Are you implying something?”

“Yep. I'm implying that you need to relax.”

They entered the kitchen.

“Sit,” he demanded.

She sat down while he began preparing her tea.

“You're so precious,” she said.

Sitting there quietly, her mind drifted to the play. The ending had troubled her, and with the
comet arriving in a week, she was feeling apprehensive.

“Are you okay?” he asked her setting a cup and steaming teapot on the table.

His voice drew her out of her thoughts, and she looked up at him taking in the brightness of
his golden eyes that she had adored since she first saw them.

“I don't want to go to the North Pole,” she admitted bluntly.

The golden luster dimmed slightly.

“But...but what about the baby?” he asked.

She was not in the final battle scene of the play, and she knew she did not want to leave him
to fight the real fight on his own.

“I can't run away from this; not when I can help.”

“I'm not comfortable having you go into battle.”

“If not battle, I can help heal others.”

“Except yourself,” he said softly.

“We're lucky we have Lady Katara then.”

He hated the thought of her getting injured or worse.

“We need to get Aang safely into the palace before the comet, and I know some of those
passages just as well as you,” she said.

He knew she was right. Having more than one person who knew their way around Capital
City and the palace would increase their chances of success.

He sighed. “On one condition then.”

“And that is?”

“You are not my Imperial Waterbender or Firebender..."

"..."

"...or Aang's...," he said before she could interrupt him.

“But...”

“There are no 'buts,'” he cut her off. “You can't argue with me on this. I don't care how much
the world needs the Avatar, you will not put yourself between us and our opponents.”

She had always been ready to give her life to protect Zuko, and even the Avatar, but as a
mother, protecting her child had become priority. “I understand.”

“It also means that I'm your and the baby's Imperial Firebender. You two come first. And
anything other than you agreeing with me will result in you finding yourself at the North Pole
because I'm quite sure everyone will side with me on this, except maybe Toph,” he added in
an undertone. “And I know Izin will be more than happy to make sure you get there safely
until after the battle.”

She dropped her head in defeat. “Yes, my Prince,” she agreed softly.

He loved her sweet address for him, and he gently lifted her chin and kissed her before
pouring her tea.

“That sounds really cute,” she said with a small smile. “We're the baby's first Imperial
Benders.”

He grinned at her.

A few days later, Zuko was outside training Aang while Sokka, Suki, and Toph were
lounging out on the steps and Katara was preparing watermelons.

“More ferocious!” Zuko directed Aang. “Imagine striking through your opponent's heart!”

“I'm trying,” he said feeling frustrated.

“Now let me hear you roar like a tigerdillo!”

Aang gave a mild roar as fire came from his hands and mouth.

“That sounded pathetic!” said Zuko.

“Feed him a baby rabaroo,” said Chiara casually as she was walking by carrying clean
laundry.

He lost his focus on Aang as he comprehended her words, and he pinched the bridge of his
nose at her comment trying not to laugh at the memory of their trip to the Ba Sing Se Zoo.

“Feed me what?” asked Aang.

The Avatar’s voice drew him back to the present. “I said roar!” he demanded.

Aang roared louder as stronger flames came from his hands and mouth causing Momo to run
and hide behind Zuko's leg. Zuko nodded his head in approval.

“Who wants a nice cool glass of watermelon juice?” asked Katara holding up watermelons.

“Ooh, ooh! Me, me, me!” said Aang as he ran towards her.

Zuko grabbed hold of Aang's robe. “Hey! Your lesson's not over yet. Get back here.” He
lifted him up off the ground.

“Come on, Zuko,” said Suki. “Just take a break. What's the big deal?”

“Fine!” said Zuko letting go of him. “If you want to lounge around like a bunch of snail
sloths all day, then go ahead.”

He turned and walked away.

“Maybe Zuko's right,” said Sokka. “Sitting around the house has made us pretty lazy. But I
know just the thing to change all that.” He stood up. “Beach party!!” he yelled as he tore off
his tunic.

He ran down to the beach and dove into the water. Katara, Suki, Aang, and Toph followed
him.

Chiara had been inside the house folding the clean laundry with Izin helping her. Hearing
loud noises on the roof, they stopped what they were doing and stared up at the ceiling.

“Stay here, Princess,” said Izin before running upstairs to check it out.

He returned a few minutes later.

“Uh...Princess, Prince Zuko is attacking the Avatar.”

“What?!” She stood up.

They heard the others yelling outside, so they ran out there to see Zuko land on the ground
having been thrown out of an upper window.

“Prince Zuko,” she said, running to his side.

“What's wrong with you?” Katara asked him angrily. “You could have hurt Aang!”

“What's wrong with me?” he asked as Chiara helped him to his feet. “What's wrong with all
of you?! How can you sit around having beach parties when Sozin's Comet is only days
away?!”

Chiara was surprised that they were so lax considering what lay ahead of them. “Seriously, a
beach party now?”
Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Suki were staring at them.

“Why are you all looking at us like we're crazy?” said Zuko.

“About Sozin's Comet...,” started Aang. “...I was actually going to wait to fight the Fire Lord
until after it came.”

“After?” he asked.

“I'm not ready,” said Aang. “I need more time to master firebending.”

Toph crossed her arms. “And frankly, your earthbending could still use some work too.”

“So you all knew Aang was going to wait?” asked Zuko.

“Honestly, if Aang tries to fight the Fire Lord now, he's going to lose,” said Sokka. “No
offense,” he said to Aang.

“The whole point of fighting the Fire Lord before the comet was to stop the Fire Nation from
winning the war,” said Katara. “But they pretty much won the war when they took Ba Sing
Se. Things can't get any worse.”

“You're wrong,” said Zuko darkly. “It's about to get worse than you can even imagine. When
I returned to the Fire Nation from Ba Sing Se, Ozai asked me to attend an important war
meeting. It was what I dreamed about for so many years. My father had finally accepted me
back. As I sat there I was astonished at his plans to destroy the Earth Kingdom. With Sozin's
Comet he said firebenders will have the strength of a hundred suns. He plans on using the
comet to burn down the Earth Kingdom from airships and become the supreme ruler. I
wanted to speak out against this horrifying plan, but I'm ashamed to say I didn't.” He looked
down. It was not lost on the others the consequences of the first time he had spoken out at a
war meeting. “My whole life, I struggled to gain my father's love and acceptance, but once I
had it, I realized I'd lost myself getting there. I'd forgotten who I was.”

“I can't believe this,” said Katara sinking to her knees.

“I always knew the Fire Lord was a bad guy, but his plan is just pure evil,” said Sokka.

“What am I going to do?” asked Aang.

Zuko walked over to him. “I know you're scared, and I know you're not ready to save the
world, but if you don't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to
save anymore.”

“Why didn't you tell me about your dad's crazy plan sooner?” he asked.

“I didn't think I had to. I assumed you were still going to fight him before the comet. No one
told me you decided to wait.”

“This is bad,” said Aang. He sank to his knees. “This is really, really bad.”
“Aang, you don't have to do this alone,” said Katara.

“Yeah, if we all fight the Fire Lord together, we got a shot at taking him down,” said Toph.

“All right!” said Sokka. “Team Avatar is back! Air. Water. Earth. Fire.” He looked at Chiara.
“Double water and fire...” He looked at Izin. “Fire again. And fan and sword!” he added
picking up palm leaves for him and Suki.

“Fighting the Fire Lord is going to be the hardest thing we've ever done together, but I
wouldn't want to do it any other way,” said Aang.

Sokka, Katara, Toph, and Suki walked over to Aang and they hugged each other.

“Yeah,” said Toph.

“All right,” said Sokka.

Katara looked over at Zuko, Chiara, and Izin.

“Get over here, you guys. Being part of the group also means being part of group hugs,” she
said.

Zuko looked at Chiara and rolled his eyes and shrugged, and then they walked over and
joined in. Appa, not wanting to be left out, flew in and knocked them all to the ground.

Since learning they would need to stop Ozai before Sozin's Comet arrived, Sokka, Izin, Toph,
and Suki left to go to the market to get supplies they would take with them to the Caldera.
While they were gone, Aang and Zuko were training again in the courtyard as Chiara
practiced with them while Katara watched from the steps.

“There's one technique you need to know before facing the Fire Lord,” said Zuko. “How to
redirect lightning.” Aang smiled. “If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning
will follow it.” He and Chiara did the movements. “You turn your opponents' energy against
them.”

“That's like waterbending,” said Aang as he joined in practicing the movements.

“Exactly. My uncle invented this technique himself by studying waterbenders.”

“So, have you ever redirected lightning before?” Aang asked him.

“Once,” he answered. “Against Ozai.”

“What did it feel like?”

Zuko stopped practicing. “Exhilarating...”

Chiara giggled and they both looked at her. “That's exactly how the General described it after
he redirected lightning the first time.”
“Were you with him?” asked Aang.

“Yes. We were on the ship during a big storm. I was right behind him when it happened.”

“He redirected lightning then?” asked Zuko.

“Yes. You were dealing with the helmsman when the General prevented the ship from being
struck. When I asked him if he was okay, he said it felt exhilarating.”

Aang looked excited.

“Yes, but it's also terrifying,” said Zuko. “You feel so powerful holding that much energy in
your body, but you know if you make the wrong move, it's over.”

“Well, not over over,” said Aang. “I mean there's always Katara and a little Spirit Water
action.” He looked at her. “Am I right?”

“Actually, I used it all up after Azula shot you,” she said.

“Oh,” said Aang in disappointment. “I suppose you wouldn't happen to have any Spirit Water,
Chiara?”

“No,” she said shaking her head.

“You'll have to take the Fire Lord's life before he takes yours,” said Zuko.

“Yeah, I'll just do that,” said Aang sadly.

Zuko took Chiara's hand and they walked off. He started leading her down towards the beach.

“I'm concerned about Aang,” she said as they walked along the shore where the waves
washed over their feet.

“What about him?”

“I don't think he's going to be able to take Ozai's life.”

“He's not going to be able to stop him unless he does.”

“I understand," she said softly. "There'll be no restraining Ozai, but I don't think Aang'll be
able to do what needs to be done.”

As they walked, she drew up water moving it along with them. He enjoyed watching her
waterbend and he began copying her motions. He had been so busy teaching Aang, he had
not had time to practice waterbending moves with her. She stopped walking and began more
complicated movements guiding the water which responded to her control. After indulging
himself, enjoying her flowing movements, he joined her again. She changed her pattern
moving the water to follow his movements making it appear as though he were
waterbending.
“My great Water Spirit,” she smiled making him chuckle.

“I know you practiced the movements with me and Uncle, but do you think you could
redirect lightning?” he asked as he continued the waterbending moves.

“I think I could, but I won't know for sure unless I try it.”

“I hope it doesn't come to that,” he spoke softly.

He stopped the movements and took her hand. The water dropped to the sand as he pulled her
up the beach away from the sea.

“Stand here,” he said.

He walked a short distance from her before turning to face the sea. He took smooth, deep
breaths and let them out. She was puzzled and wondered what he was doing until she saw
him moving his arms in an arcing motion. Her eyes grew wide as she watched the lightning
he was generating following his movements before he released the bolt off into the distance
where it struck the beach.

“You're amazing!” she said as she ran towards him. She wrapped her arms around his neck
and held him tightly. He was laughing at her excitement. “How'd you know you could do it?”

“I wasn't totally sure I could.”

“But you did it,” she said looking in his fiery eyes that seemed to spark like the electricity he
just generated. “That's incredible...you're incredible.”

“I remembered Uncle saying my turmoil was preventing me from generating lightning,” he

said. “But even without knowing what's going to happen with this war, I've never felt more at
peace with who I am.”

Her eyes lit up and she embraced him again as he held her tightly.

“Are you going to teach Aang?”

“Now that I know I can do it, I will,” he said.

The next day, the group went out to the cliffs near the beach.

“Gather round, Team Avatar,” said Sokka. He placed a carved melon on an imitation body.
“In order to take out the Fire Lord...or in this case, Melon Lord...our timing has to be
perfect.” He knelt down and began drawing their attack plan on the ground. “First, Suki and I
will draw his fire. Then, Katara, Izin, and Zuko charge in with some liquidy hot offense. And
while the Melon Lord is distracted, Aang swoops in...and bam! He delivers the final blow.”

“Uh...what about me?” asked Toph.

“For now, you and Chiara are the Melon Lord's forces.”
“So I get to chuck flaming rocks at all of you?”

“Whatever makes the training feel more realistic.”

“Sweetness.”

They all went to their positions after setting up boulders covered in grease.

Toph stood at the top of the cliff. “Mwah-ha-ha-ha!” she laughed evilly.

Next to her, Chiara stood holding an orb of fire. Sokka gave the signal and they all started
their offensive. As Sokka and Suki began running towards the top of the cliff, Toph raised
rock soldiers from the ground. Sokka took one down with his sword while Suki kicked
another one. At the top of the cliff, Chiara set one of the boulders on fire before Toph sent it
hurling down towards them nearly striking Sokka.

“Watch it, Toph!” he yelled.

“I am not Toph. I am Melon Lord! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!”

Chiara lit another boulder on fire which Toph sent flying towards Zuko, Katara, and Izin as
they were running up the cliff. The three of them dodged it, but found themselves surrounded
by rock soldiers to which Chiara added a few fire blasts to simulate firebenders. They
defeated their stone enemies before continuing their ascent.

“Now, Aang!” yelled Sokka.

Aang jumped down getting ready to strike the Melon Lord with his staff, but as he landed
before it, he stopped his attack unable to do it.

“What are you waiting for?” asked Zuko. “Take him out!”

“I can't,” said Aang looking down.

Sokka walked up to him. “What's wrong with you? If this was the real deal, you'd be shot full
of lightning right now.”

“I'm sorry, but it just didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself.”

Sokka took his sword and lopped off the top of the Melon Lord's head.

“There, that's how it's done,” he said.

The top of the watermelon fell to the ground where Momo quickly attacked it eating the
sweet, juicy flesh. Aang looked unnerved by the ease with which Sokka dispatched the
Melon Lord.

“Okay, let's try it again,” said Sokka.

They spent the rest of the morning training, but Aang always refused the fatal blows.
 --------------------

After lunch, Zuko took Aang back up to the cliff.

“What are you going to show me now, Sifu Hotman?”

Zuko let out a low sigh but ignored the title. “How to generate lightning.”

Aang's eyes grew bigger. “Wh-what? I thought you said you couldn't do that.”

“I couldn't before, but now I can.”

“But how?”

“Generating lightning requires peace of mind—something I didn't have when my uncle tried
to teach it to me.”

“And now you do?” asked Aang.

Zuko smirked and nodded. “Now I do.”

Aang looked excited.

“There's energy all around us,” said Zuko. “Positive and negative energy. These energies can
be separated which creates an imbalance. When they come back together you create
lightning, and you guide it through your fingertips.”

Zuko stepped away from Aang, and after taking a few deep breaths he began moving his
arms in a circular motion. Aang watched in awe as the lightning sparked around Zuko who
expertly guided it before sending it off into the distance.

“Wow! That was so cool, Hotman!” said Aang excitedly.

“As far as I know, Ozai doesn't know how to redirect lightning since Uncle invented that
technique. If you can learn to create it, you'll be able to defeat him quickly.”

The excited look on Aang's face changed to one of apprehension.

“Now, it's your turn,” said Zuko. “And remember, you're not controlling the lightning, but
guiding it.”

Aang took his stance, but not with near the amount of enthusiasm he felt when he was
watching Zuko.

“Take a few deep breaths.”

Aang followed his instructions, and after moving his arms in a similar circular motion, he
went to release the lightning. A loud explosion threw him backwards in the same way it had
Zuko on his first try.

“You need to relax, Aang.”

“I-I am relaxed.”

“Okay. Try it again.”

Each attempt resulted in an explosion.

“I don't understand,” said Zuko. “You of all people shouldn't be having trouble generating
lightning.”

He was racking his brain trying to discover if he missed something in his explanation of the
technique. He went through the motions and then studied Aang's movements watching as the
Avatar created another unintentional explosion. He could not understand what was causing
Aang to fail at creating lightning.

--------------------

They returned to the beach house, where Zuko took Chiara to the kitchen to prepare her tea.

“How'd it go?” she asked him now that they were alone.

“Not good,” he said softly. “He wasn't able to generate lightning at all.”

Chiara silently thought about it.

“I would've thought the Avatar would be able to do it,” he said. “But he reminded me of
myself when I was first learning. Every try ended in an explosion.”

“I think he's having trouble with the idea of taking out Ozai,” she said.

Zuko thought back to the training session recalling the change in Aang's demeanor after he
had mentioned Ozai. It had never occurred to him that something could be troubling the boy.

-------------------

Aang had been quiet and reserved the rest of the day; and during dinner, when most of the
group was sitting in the courtyard eating, he sat at a distance with his back to them unable to
even eat the meal in front of him. Katara walked up to the group holding a scroll.

“I have a surprise for everyone,” she said excitedly.

“I knew it,” said Toph. “You did have a secret thing with Haru!”

Everyone looked at Toph.

“Uh, no...,” said Katara.

“Not another play I hope,” said Chiara dryly.

“Ugh...,” groaned Zuko at the thought.

“No,” said Katara. “I was in the attic, and I found this!” She unraveled the scroll to show a
painting of a baby. “Look at baby Zuko. Isn't he cute?”

Chiara looked up at Zuko who looked back at her while the others were laughing.

“Oh, lighten up,” said Katara. “I'm just teasing.”

“That's not me,” he said. “It's Ozai.”

“But he looks so sweet and innocent,” said Suki.

“Well, that sweet little kid grew up to be a monster and the worst father in the history of
fathers.”

“But he's still a human being,” Aang spoke with his back still to them.

“You're going to defend him?” asked Zuko.

“No. I agree with you. Fire Lord Ozai is a horrible person,” he said turning towards them.
“And the world would probably be better off without him, but there's got to be another way.”

“Like what?”

“I don't know. Maybe we can make some big pots of glue, and then I can use gluebending to
stick his arms and legs together so he can't bend anymore,” he said with a smile.

“Yeah,” said Zuko sarcastically. “Then you can show him his baby pictures, and all those
happy memories will make him good again.”

Sokka and Suki were laughing, but Chiara tenderly placed her hand on Zuko's arm.

“Do you really think that would work?” asked Aang hopefully.

“No!”

“This goes against everything I learned from the monks.”

“When we visited the Southern Air Temple, there was a monk surrounded by Fire Nation
soldiers,” said Chiara. Aang, Sokka, and Katara stared at her with their mouths open. Zuko
remembered the scene. “I couldn't bring myself to bury them because I thought that scene
alone was a monument to that monk's bravery. I hoped I could be as fearless and determined
in defending my family as he was.”

“That's the one where you left your braid,” said Zuko.

Chiara nodded. “I ran out of hair ribbons, so I braided some of my hair and left it on the stone
monument outside his hut.”

The others looked at each other.

“What?” asked Chiara realizing they knew something.

“Monk Gyatso was my mentor,” said Aang sadly.

“I'm...I'm so sorry, Aang,” said Chiara.

“I saw inside his hut, and I saw your monument. Thank you.”

“I understand you don't want to kill the Fire Lord,” she said. “It's such a great responsibility.
But your mentor fought 'til the end. And...” She was hesitant to share her thoughts and
regrets. “...and I was in the same place with Zhao that you are now.” They looked puzzled as
they wondered what she meant. “I had an opportunity to prevent his attack on the Water
Tribe.”

“Chiara,” started Zuko, “that's not the same.”

“It's not what you're thinking,” she said softly knowing he believed she was referring to her
offer to Zhao. Now he looked curious. “On his ship as I sat across from him listening to him
talk about exterminating the Tribe...I considered...” She was not sure whether to feel ashamed
for thinking it or for not following through. “...I thought about leaping across his desk and
cutting his throat before he even realized what happened.”

Zuko's jaw dropped, as did everyone else's.

“Whoa there, Princess, that's pretty dark,” said Toph.

“Why didn't you?” asked Sokka deeply, wishing she had.

“My first thought was that it would hurt the General and Prince Zuko. I hesitated for my own
personal reasons, and now I live with blood on my hands. The blood of the Warriors and even
the Fire Nation soldiers.”

“Chiara, that wasn't your fault,” said Zuko.

“But it was. If I had taken out Zhao before the Siege...”

“Someone else would've taken his place and the Siege would've happened anyways,” he said.

“He's right, Princess,” said Izin. “There would've been another admiral to lead it.”

“The Avatar was the only one who could put a stop to that invasion,” said Zuko. “And Aang,
you're the only one who can stop Ozai's attack on the Earth Kingdom.”

“And I'm not sure there's any prison that can hold the Fire Lord,” said Izin. “It would only
take one determined supporter to help him escape.”

“If he's not defeated before the comet,” said Chiara, “then there's no hope for the Earth
Kingdom.”

“I can't just go around wiping out people I don't like,” said Aang.
“Sure you can,” said Sokka. “You're the Avatar. If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm
pretty sure the universe will forgive you.”

“This isn't a joke, Sokka!” said Aang angrily. “None of you understand the position I'm in.”

“Aang, we do understand,” said Katara. “It's just...”

“Just what, Katara?! What?!”

“We're trying to help!” she said.

“Then when you figure out a way for me to beat the Fire Lord without taking his life, I'd love
to hear it.”

He started walking away.

“Aang, don't walk away from this,” said Katara as she went to go after him.

“Let him go,” said Zuko stopping her. “He needs time to sort it out by himself.”

Katara looked worried, but she quietly sat down with the others. Zuko seated himself next to
Chiara again.

“You were right about what was troubling him,” he said.

She nodded.

There were times when Aang appeared to be as light as his element, and he rarely seemed
troubled by anything. Zuko never imagined that the Avatar could suffer from inner turmoil as
he himself had struggled with for years.

--------------------

That evening, long after dinner, Zuko realized that Chiara had never returned to the courtyard
after helping Katara in the kitchen. Searching for her, he eventually found her standing on the
balcony of their bedroom gazing up at the moon. Its bright light shone down on her making
her skin softly glow, and he felt drawn to her. He slowly approached her reaching out to run
his fingers down her arm enjoying the softness of her skin under his fingertips.

“Are you okay?” he asked seeing the sadness in her eyes.

“I'll be fine.”

He gently turned her towards him. “Look at me, Chiara.” Her eyes dropped from the
luminous celestial orb to meet his golden gaze. “You're not to blame for the Siege,” he said
softly. “You can't keep carrying that inside.”

“But even if I couldn't stop the invasion, I could've stopped Zhao from destroying the moon
spirit...”
“Zhao had been planning that invasion for too long,” he said. “And nothing was going to stop
it except the Avatar. And for as much as you're part airbender...” She could not help a small
smile at his teasing, and he felt his heartbeat quicken knowing that he caused it. “...you're not
the Avatar. It's Aang's responsibility to bring balance.”

“But if he can't kill Ozai...”

“That's why I'm going to be with him. If he can't do it, I'll have to. Ozai needs to be stopped.”

She stared back out over the sea as she leaned against him. They quietly watched the water
sparkle in the moonlight and listened to the soft sound of the waves flowing and ebbing
against the shore. They had missed Ember Island, and though it was difficult when they first
arrived on the island, they both felt they were going to miss it again after leaving in the
morning.

“I'm going to miss it here,” she said, voicing her thoughts aloud.

He took her in his arms and held her. “I'll miss it too.”

“There are so many wonderful memories. Coming back here, it was hard, but leaving, it's just
as hard.”

“I understand,” he said, feeling the same way.

He released her and gazed into her eyes as he tenderly caressed her cheek.

“Here's another wonderful memory we can add.” He pressed his lips against hers.
 Tracking the Avatar...Again

It was their last morning on Ember Island, and Zuko and Chiara followed their morning
routine. They were a little quieter than usual, both feeling down about leaving the beach
house. During breakfast, Zuko, Sokka, and Izin studied a map of the main island discussing
last minute plans of where they wanted to land and where they would infiltrate Capital City
under ground. Once inside the city, they would work their way towards the palace to get to
Ozai before Sozin's Comet arrived. Zuko was hoping they might have the help of the White
Lotus cell in the Capital, but they made their plans without them since they were unsure of
the Order's current status.

After breakfast the Gaang packed up to leave Ember Island.

“Okay,” said Sokka after loading the last bag onto Appa, “that's everything.”

“No, it's not,” said Toph. “Where's Aang?”

They all looked around. Everyone had been so busy, no one had noticed that Aang was not
there.

“Has anyone seen him today?” asked Katara.

They shook their heads.

“We've been looking at maps all morning,” said Sokka.

“I didn't see him at breakfast,” said Chiara.

They all returned inside the beach house.

“Aang?” called Zuko as they entered. “Aang!”

“Come on, lazy bones, let's go,” said Toph.

Splitting up they checked all the rooms but there was no trace of the Avatar.

Izin walked up to Zuko. “He's not in any of the rooms on this side, sir.”

“Let's find the others,” he said as they started up the stairs.

Sokka returned to Aang's bedroom, and this time he stepped out onto the balcony. Looking
around puzzled by the Avatar's disappearance, he spotted his staff leaning against the railing.

“He left his staff,” he said picking it up as Suki and Katara walked out. “That's so strange.”

“Aang's nowhere downstairs,” said Zuko as he, Chiara, Toph, and Izin stepped outside with
the others.
“We checked all the bedrooms and the attic,” said Katara.

Zuko was looking out at the sea. “Let's check the beach.”

They headed down the path towards the shore.

“Look, there's his footprints,” said Sokka spotting Aang's prints in the sand.

They followed them down to the water.

“The trail ends here,” he said as they stood at the edge of the shore.

“So, he went for a midnight swim and never came back?” asked Suki.

Katara was worried it might be something more sinister. “Maybe he was captured.”

“I don't think so,” said Sokka studying the prints. “There's no sign of a struggle.”

Toph squatted next to him. “I bet he ran away again.”

“Uh-uh,” he disagreed. “He left behind his glider and Appa.”

“Then what do you think happened to him, oh sleuthy one?” she asked.

“It's pretty obvious. Aang mysteriously disappears before an important battle? He's definitely
on a spirit world journey,” he said with confidence.

“But if he was, wouldn't his body still be here?” asked Zuko.

“Oh, yeah.” Sokka looked dejected. “Forgot about that.”

“Then he's got to be somewhere on Ember Island,” said Katara. “Let's split up and look for
him.”

Toph grabbed Zuko's and Chiara's arms. “I'm going with Zuko and Chiara!” she said
enthusiastically.

Though she could not see everyone staring at her, she sensed it by their silence.

“What? Everyone else went on a life-changing field trip with them.”

“I don't care what that play showed,” said Chiara. “Prison was not a field trip.”

“Maybe not the way Princess Sparkles portrayed it on stage, but I'm sure Suki and Izin will
agree that it was definitely life-changing for them and for the other prisoners you helped.”

“And guards,” added Izin, to which Suki nodded in agreement.

Both Chiara and Zuko were moved by Toph's comeback.

“And now it's my turn to hang out with you guys,” said Toph.
Zuko shrugged. “Izin, you go with Sokka.”

Izin, feeling he should be the one to guard the prince and princess, was hesitant to part from
them. “Are you sure, Prince Zuko?”

“Don't worry, Izin,” said Toph. “I'll make sure these two don't sneak off on one of their
private excursions and...”

“We have an Avatar to find!” interrupted Zuko, he and Chiara turning red.

“Not that their private excursion would matter much now anyways,” said Sokka. “You
know...since they're already...”

“Yes, we get it, Sokka,” said Zuko. He took Chiara's hand and started walking off. “We'll
check the beach,” he said, anxious to get away from the conversation.

Toph ran to catch up with them while Izin and Sokka headed back to the beach house to get
Appa, and Suki and Katara started towards the town.

--------------------

Zuko, Chiara, and Toph walked along the shore, but they found no more evidence that would
indicate Aang had been in the area. They continued walking until they reached the massive
boulders that separated the Fire Lord's private beach from public access.

“We're going to have to climb over them,” said Zuko.

Toph cracked her knuckles. “Uh...remember me, Sparkles?”

He sighed. “Trust me, I can't forget you,” he said with playful animosity.

She smirked. “I think I can handle a few pebbles on the beach.”

“The pebbles aren't the issue. It's the people that might be on the other side who won't be
expecting moving boulders.”

“Ah. I see your point.”

After scaling the boulders, they continued walking up the beach where they soon reached a
populated area. Zuko pulled his hood over his head to hide his scar. He and Chiara scanned
the beach and water looking for Aang among the kids building palaces in the black sand,
teenagers playing kuai ball, people lying in the sun, and surfers riding the waves.

“Do you see him anywhere?” asked Zuko.

“No,” said Chiara.

“What about you, Toph?” he asked. “You sensing any of Aang's hyperactivity?”

“Nope. Just the other action going on around here.”

They heard a gasp and soft scream as a teenage girl carrying a runaway kuai ball did a
double-take. She ran towards them, her eyes on Zuko.

“I can't believe you're here!” she squealed excitedly.

The three of them froze, each going through a different battle strategy involving three
different types of bending.

“Can I have your autograph?” she asked him.

Zuko and Chiara were confused by the girl's reaction. Considering Ember Island was the
vacation spot for the families of nobles and high ranking officers of the Fire Nation, they
were quite sure this was not another Hira'a situation.

“You were so good on stage at the theater,” she continued. “And you're still wearing your
costume.”

The misunderstanding sent a wave of relief through all three of them, but before they could
say anything, the problem escalated as the girl looked away.

“Hina! Kin!” she called waving towards her friends. “It's Prince Zuko from the theater last
night!”

In their mix of confusion followed by understanding and downright shock at what was taking
place before them, they still had not been able to formulate an escape plan. And now all the
girls within earshot came running over, and they were quickly being surrounded by a growing
group of young groupies.

“What's it like being an actor?” asked one girl.

“How does it feel playing the traitor prince?” asked another.

“Have you ever met the real Prince Zuko?” asked a third.

“Wasn't your scar on the other side?” asked a fourth.

“Wow, you're a lot better looking up close than when you were on stage,” said a fifth girl
setting all the girls to giggling and making Chiara raise her eyebrows and causing Zuko to
blush.

“Ladies, stand back,” started Toph finally intervening as she pushed her way through them so
she could stand in front of Zuko.

“Aww, are you his little sister?”

“We're his bodyguards...,” she started.

“And what a body,” giggled another girl.

This set off all the girls again.

“How do I get to be one of his bodyguards?”

“He doesn't look like he needs protection.”

“I don't know...being that good-looking, he might need a bodyguard.”

“I bet he's all muscle under there.”

Chiara was finding it difficult to maintain her self-control, and she was tempted to freeze all
their eyes and mouths shut, but knowing that would give away their identity, she had no
choice but to put up with it until they could find a way out of their dilemma.

“Ooh, yeah,” squealed another. “Why don't you remove your costume?”

Chiara took a step closer to Zuko. The waves behind them growing dangerously closer and
larger went nearly unnoticed.

“Hey!” said Toph firmly to the girls, sensing Chiara's growing agitation. “It's kind of difficult
to protect his body if you're all crowded around him.”

“How can you be his bodyguard?” asked one of the older teens. “You're just a kid.”

Zuko held his breath, worried about Toph's reaction to what he was sure she would take as an
insult.

“My associate is a firebender,” she said calmly, pointing to Chiara who produced a flame in
her hand, relieved she could do something to release the steam growing inside her. “And I
can drop you to the sand before you can even touch my client,” Toph continued with an air of
confidence.

Zuko could not help being impressed by Toph's level-headed control of a situation that could
easily turn into a major crisis by the wrong reaction.

The older girl, skeptical of Toph's claim, laughed. “It's okay, little sis, I'm sure your big
brother won't mind.” She reached a hand out towards Zuko. He took a step back, but it was
unnecessary as Toph had the teen on her back on the sand before she even got close to him.

“Anyone else need a a demonstration?” asked Toph.

All the girls stepped back, but they showed no sign of wanting to leave.

“Can we get an autograph?” asked one of them.

“Autographs will have to wait until after the next show,” said Toph. “If you want a good
performance, he's got to remain in character, which means giving him his space to play the
moody prince right now.”

Zuko rolled his eyes at Toph's little jab, unintentionally adding to his moody prince persona
and making the girls giggle. He was feeling overwhelmed by the attention. Discussing the
war and battle strategy with the men on Hira'a he could handle, but being swarmed by a
bunch of tittering young girls saying he was better looking than the guy who pretended to be
him that they mistook him for—it was uncomfortable to say the least.

And Chiara was feeling just as uncomfortable with their situation. Watching a group of
teenage girls flocking around and ogling her husband was frustrating enough, but the
possibility of him being properly identified as the real Prince Zuko posed an even greater
threat, and she knew they had to break away from the crowd.

“We need to get you to rehearsal,” she said taking his arm anxious to get him out of there.

“Oh...,” whined the girls in unison.

“Can you say one of your lines for us before you go?” one of the girls asked.

“Yeah!” said the others.

Zuko was slowly shaking his head.

“Aw, come on,” a few whined.

“Just one,” said another.

“Okay, one line,” said Toph to his dismay. “Then we have to get him back to the theater.”

He glared at her for putting him on the spot.

“Give the ladies what they want, your Highness,” she said to him making him scowl at her
even more.

Of course, the girls saw his reaction as part of his character.

“Ooph,” he gasped softly as Toph “gently” elbowed him in the stomach. The force she put
behind her little nudge was as solid as she was.

“Come on. We don't have all day,” she said.

“I will get you, Avatar,” Chiara softly whispered a line to him.

“Uh...I will...uh...get you...Avatar,” he sputtered pathetically. It was nothing like re-enacting

plays with Chiara and Azula.

The crowd of teens looked disappointed.

“See?” said Toph to the girls. “You stressed him out and made him mess up his character.”
She turned to Zuko. “Back to rehearsals with you.”

She started pushing a path through the group while Chiara “escorted” him.

“A little practice and Prince Zuko will be good as new for tonight's show,” said Toph.
The girls were waving goodbye and assuring him that they would be lined up for autographs
at the theater after that evening's performance of The Boy in the Iceberg.

“Let's just go back,” said Zuko after they broke away from the crowd. He had never been so
anxious to leave the beach. “I don't think Aang's here.”

They gave up searching for him and started their trek back to the beach house.

“You really need to brush up on your acting skills, Sparky.”

“But I'm not an actor,” he said dryly.

“You're undercover in the Fire Nation,” she said. “Acting skills are necessary to hide your
identity. How'd you ever make it through the Earth Kingdom, Lee?”

“All I had to do was pretend I wasn't me. I didn't have to pretend to be a specific person.”

“A specific person whose acting skills you just surpassed in badness—which I didn't think
was possible. Even Princess was able to pull off a convincing role despite her being ready to
use their heads to play whatever ball game they were playing.”

“What?” asked Zuko wondering what she was talking about.

“In case you hadn't noticed, the waves were nearly touching our feet,” Toph explained. “And
not because of the tides.”

“Sorry,” mumbled Chiara.

Zuko looked at her. “Really?”

“It was unintentional.”

Toph laughed. “Yeah, well unintentional was about to drown everyone on the beach.”

“I didn't realize you were so upset,” Zuko said to Chiara.

“Guess you didn't notice with that pack of shrieking girls swarming you,” said Toph. “It's not
like getting jealous over a single Water Tribe peasant,” she added. “Her husband was being
gawked at and nearly probed by a bunch of teenage fans who obviously think you're a great-
looking guy. How would you feel if it were the other way around?”

Images of the men on his ship ogling Chiara back in the day flashed through his mind and
sent a fire up his spine.

Sensing his ire, Toph smirked. “So you already know how it feels.”

He never imagined Chiara would have a reason to be envious over him—the burned,
banished, disgraced former Prince of the Fire Nation—and a part of him, he would never
admit out loud, enjoyed the feeling. But he knew it was all under false pretenses.
“It wasn't really me they were gawking at,” he said. “They were interested in some actor. If
they knew who I really was, they would've...well, it wouldn't have been a bunch of girls that
had gathered around. It would've been a group of firebenders trying to take us down instead.”

“Hey, at least they thought you were better looking than that ham on stage.”

Even Chiara could not help grinning at that.

--------------------

When they arrived at the beach house, they sat on the steps waiting for the others to return.

“No luck?” asked Katara when she and Suki arrived.

“No,” said Zuko.

“No sign of Aang,” said Toph, “but it didn't help when Smoky here was recognized.”

“What?” asked Katara. “So people know you're here?”

“Recognized might not be the right word,” said Chiara.

Toph was laughing. “His little fan club from his performance at the theater nearly smothered
him at the beach.”

Suki grinned as she got Toph's meaning. “They thought he was the actor from the play?”

“Yep,” she said. “And if we had to rely on his acting skills, we might be missing right now
too.”

Zuko's sigh at Toph's ridicule made her smile.

“There's no shortage of adventure with you two,” she said.

The five of them continued sitting on the steps feeling anxious and hoping that Sokka and
Izin had better luck then they did.

--------------------

“Judging by the looks on your faces, I'm guessing you guys didn't find Aang either,” said
Sokka after landing Appa.

“No,” said Zuko. “It's like he just...disappeared.”

“Hey, wait a minute,” said Toph, sitting up. “Has anyone noticed that Momo is missing too?”

“Oh no!” said Sokka. “I knew it was only a matter of time!” He jumped off Appa. “Appa ate
Momo!” He opened Appa's mouth. “Momo, I'm coming for you, buddy.”

“Sokka, Appa didn't eat Momo,” said Katara. “He's probably with Aang.”
“That's just what Appa wants you to think,” said Sokka climbing inside Appa's mouth.

“Appa's really tolerant,” said Chiara softly.

“Get out of the bison's mouth, Sokka,” said Zuko. “We have a real problem here. Aang is
nowhere to be found and the comet is only a few days away.”

“What should we do, Zuko?” asked Katara as her brother slowly oozed out of Appa's mouth
covered in bison saliva.

Everyone was looking up at Zuko expectantly, even bison drool-covered Sokka.

“I don't know,” he said as he stood up. He had trouble understanding why they were
expecting him to solve the problem. “Why are you all looking at me?”

“Well, you are kind of the expert on tracking Aang,” said Katara.

“Yeah, if anyone's got experience hunting the Avatar...it's you,” said Toph.

Chiara smirked at him. “They do make a good point.”

Zuko thought about it and an idea came to him.

“Let's go,” he said. He took Chiara's hand and led her to Appa where they climbed onto his
head.

After the others were settled in the saddle, Zuko took the reins and they left Ember Island
flying northeast.

“Zuko, I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but why are we heading towards the Earth
Kingdom?” asked Sokka. “There's no way Aang's there.”

“Just trust me.”

They continued flying throughout the day.

--------------------

By sundown, they arrived at a tavern. Recognizing where they were, Chiara now knew
exactly what Zuko had in mind.

As the only adult, Izin was not comfortable escorting a group of teenagers, and especially the
prince and princess, into a rowdy saloon. “Are you sure you're at the right place, Prince
Zuko?”

“I'm sure.”

“It's not an appropriate place to bring the princess, sir,” he said in a low voice.

“It's okay. She's been here before.”

The look of shock on Izin's face made Chiara smirk.

“Don't worry, Izin, I know what he's up to.”

They entered the saloon.

“And the reason you've brought us to a seedy Earth Kingdom tavern is what now?” asked
Katara.

Zuko pointed ahead. “June.”

They watched as the bounty hunter fought off a couple of drunks.

“Oh, yeah, that weird bounty hunter with the giant mole,” said Sokka.

“Mole?” asked Suki. “Her skin is flawless.”

“No, she has this giant mole creature she rides around on.”

“A shirshu,” said Chiara.

“It's the only animal that can track Aang's scent anywhere in the world,” said Zuko. “It's the
one shot we have of finding him.”

One of the drunks June was brawling went flying across the room and crashed over a table.

“I don't know who this June lady is,” said Toph as she heard and felt the fight, “but I like
her.”

“Hey, I remember her! She helped you attack us,” said Sokka indignantly to Zuko.

“Yup,” said Zuko as he started walking towards her. “Back in the good old days.”

“Oh great,” said June spotting them, wondering what boring job they expected of her. “It's
Prince Pouty and his little sister. Where's your creepy grandpa?”

“He's my uncle,” he said dryly. “And he's not here.”

Her eyes moved to Katara. “I see you worked things out with your girlfriend.”

Zuko and Katara were mortified.

“I'm not his girlfriend,” she cried outraged.

“She's not my girlfriend,” spouted Zuko at the same time. He grabbed Chiara's hand. “This is
my wife.”

June's eyebrows went up. “You married your sister? Your family's creepier than I thought.”

“She's not my sister!” he snapped.

“Okay, okay. Sheesh. She just looks a little too young to be your wife.”

“If you thinks she's too young for that,” started Sokka, “then wait 'til you find out...”

“Shut up, Sokka,” growled Zuko in a low, deep voice.

“So what do you want?” asked June.

“I need your help finding the Avatar.”

Her initial suspicions were confirmed. “Hmm. Doesn't sound too fun.”

Zuko leaned towards her. “Does the end of the world sound like more fun?!” he snapped.

June quietly contemplated it. “Whatever,” she said indifferently. “Let's go.”

They followed her outside where she led them to Nyla who just suffered from being licked by
a giant bison.

“Nyla,” she called sweetly. She threw it a piece of meat. “Who's my little, hmm, snuffly-
wuffly?” she said caressing its head before quickly dodging it's tongue. “Whoa! Careful
there.” She looked at the others. “Okay, so who's got something with the Avatar's scent on
it?”

Katara was rooting around Appa's saddle. “I have Aang's staff,” she said pulling it out.

June took it holding it in front of Nyla who sniffed it, and then the shirshu started walking
around in circles trying to find the scent. Eventually, it lay down and covered its nose.

Zuko crossed his arms. “Well, what does that mean?”

“Means your friend's gone,” said June.

“We know he's gone,” said Toph. “That's why we're trying to find him.”

“No, I mean he's gone gone. He doesn't exist.”

“What do you mean Aang doesn't exist?” asked Sokka. “Do you mean he's...you
know...dead?”

“Nope,” said June petting Nyla. “We could find him if he were dead. Wow, it's a real
headscratcher. See ya.” She turned to climb on top of her shirshu.

“Helpful. Real helpful,” said Toph sarcastically.

“Wait,” said Zuko. “I have another idea. There's only one other person in this world who can
help us face the Fire Lord.”

Chiara's eyes brightened as she smiled knowing about whom he was talking.

“I'll be right back with a smell sample,” he said.

Zuko disappeared and then reappeared with a sandal.

“You saved your uncle's sweaty sandal?” said Sokka. “Ugh!”

“I think it's kind of sweet,” said Toph.

Nyla sniffed the sandal and then picked up the scent.

“Let's do this,” said June as Nyla began running off.

“Hey! Wait up!” said Zuko.

They all quickly climbed onto Appa and followed the bounty hunter. They traveled across the
Earth Kingdom throughout the night and the following day, and by nightfall, they could see
the outer wall of Ba Sing Se growing larger. Zuko heard a soft gasp from Chiara as they
approached the large breach in the enormous wall. It had been years since she had been there.
Zuko, seeing the sparkle of the tears filling her eyes, now knew what this spot was. They
continued following June, and flying through the breach, they arrived at a mound of debris
where Nyla began digging.

“We're going to Ba Sing Se?” asked Zuko.

“Your uncle's somewhere beyond the wall,” said June. “Nyla's getting twitchy so he can't be
too far. Good luck.”

She pulled at the reins and took off.

Zuko and Chiara were both anxious to find Iroh, especially knowing they were so close to
him, but Zuko decided to give everyone a break.

“It's been a long day,” he said. “Let's camp and start our search again at dawn.”

They climbed off Appa and set up camp. Zuko made Chiara her tea while she helped Katara
make dinner for the group.

After eating, they all settled down on Appa and fell asleep, except for Toph who made her
makeshift stone tent and slept connected to her element.

It was after they were all sound asleep that Toph felt vibrations coming from the earth
beneath her. No sooner had she stood up and dropped her shelter, they all found themselves
suddenly surrounded by a ring of fire. Jumping off their bison bed, they suspected they had
been caught by the Fire Nation.

Relief flooded through most of them when by the light of the flames, they recognized
Piandao, Jeong Jeong, Pakku, and Bumi standing above them.

“Well, look who's here,” said Bumi laughing.

Jeong Jeong extinguished the fire and the masters descended the wreckage to stand before
them.

“What's going on?” asked Toph. “We're surrounded by old people.”

“Not just any old people,” said Katara as she walked towards Pakku. “These are great masters
and friends of ours.” Izin, Suki, and Toph stood down from their defensive positions as
Katara was bowing to the waterbending master. “Pakku.”

“It is respectful to bow to an old master, but how about a hug for your new grandfather?” said
Pakku holding his arms out.

“That's so exciting,” said Katara as Sokka let out a scream. “You and Gran-Gran must be so
happy to have found each other again!” she said hugging him.

“I made her a new betrothal necklace and everything.”

Sokka in his excitement ran up and hugged Pakku. “Welcome to the family, Gramp-Gramp!”

Pakku gently pushed him away. “You can still just call me Pakku.”

“How about Grand-Pakku?” he said with a big grin.

“No,” he said stiffly.

As Katara and Sokka were talking to Pakku, Chiara had walked up to her favorite sword
master.

“Master Piandao,” she said as she bowed to him.

“Princess Chiara,” he said to her surprise as he returned the bow. “I'm pleased to see the
rumors of your survival are true.”

“I have Prince Zuko to thank for that.”

Piandao bowed to him. “Honorable Prince Zuko, it's good to see you again.”

“Master,” he said bowing in return.

“Congratulations on your marriage. You two always fought so well together. And I heard
you've both shown great skill with your swords.”

“Only because we had the best teacher in all the Nations,” said Chiara.

Piandao chuckled at her praise.

“Master Piandao,” said Sokka bowing before him.

“Hello, Sokka.”

Katara stood before Jeong Jeong. “This was Aang's first firebending teacher.”
“Jeong Jeong,” he said bowing to them.

Izin had been humbled to be in the presence of the legendary swordmaster, but now he found
himself just as humbled to stand before the legendary firebending master.

“King Bumi,” said Chiara as she bowed to him. “It's been many years.”

“Young princess, so grown up now I see.”

Chiara turned to Zuko. “King Bumi, the King of Omashu.”

Zuko bowed to him respectfully, and then they moved on to the next master. Chiara bowed to
him as did Zuko who stayed by her side.

“Master Jeong Jeong, it's an honor to see you again,” she said.

“Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara,” he said as he bowed. “It's good to see you reunited with
family and that the young prince has finally chosen the right path.”

She was smiling, recalling a previous conversation between them, but Zuko was astonished
to learn that the old firebending master had been concerned with his 'path.'

Finally, they stood before Pakku. “Master Pakku,” she greeted him as she bowed.

“Princess Chiara, it's been a long time,” he said bowing to her.

“It has, Master.” She looked at Zuko. “This was one of my waterbending masters.”

Zuko bowed to him.

“So the Prince of the Fire Nation is your husband now,” he said to Chiara. “I know several
young men who will be quite disappointed.”

Zuko's eyes got wide and he opened his mouth to speak.

“So wait,” said Suki to the masters. “How do you all know each other?”

“All old people know each other,” said Bumi. “Don't you know that?”

“We're all part of the same ancient secret society,” said Piandao. “A group that transcends the
divisions of the four Nations.”

Zuko's mind became distracted by the new topic. “The Order of the White Lotus.”

“That's the one,” said Bumi.

“The White Lotus has always been about philosophy and beauty and truth,” said Jeong Jeong.
“But about a month ago, a call went out that we were needed for something important.”

“It came from a Grand Lotus,” said Pakku looking at Zuko. “Your uncle, Iroh of the Fire
Nation.”
Zuko and Chiara smiled at each other.

“Well, that's who we're looking for,” said Toph.

“Then we'll take you to him,” said Piandao.

“Wait!” interrupted Bumi. “Someone's missing from your group. Someone very important.”
He looked around. “Where's Momo?”

“He's gone,” said Sokka. “And so is Aang.”

“Oh well,” said Bumi. “As long as they have each other, I'm sure we have nothing to worry
about. Let's go.” He hit the ground launching himself into the air.

The other masters began leading the way to the camp as the Gaang followed.
 Reunion
Chapter Notes

One of the things I found disappointing in the show was poor Toph expecting to have an
exciting “field trip” with Zuko and then being completely let down. The purpose of the
beach scene in the last chapter was to give her a small adventure where she could take
control, mess with Sparky, and have a little fun.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

The Gaang was walking with the masters as they made their way to the White Lotus camp.

“So, Bumi,” started Sokka, “how did you end up escaping your imprisonment in Omashu?”

“Escape?” he said. “I didn't escape. Everybody else escaped. There I was back in Omashu
waiting for just the right moment. I didn't know what or when, but I knew I'd know it when I
knew it. It was during the eclipse. I was able to break free from my cage and the firebenders
were powerless to do anything about it.”

Chiara softly chuckled as she imagined the Fire Nation fleeing Bumi's wrath.

“I destroyed their buildings and removed the Fire Lord's statue....”

“Wow!” said Suki. “You took back your whole city all by yourself!”

“So what about you guys?” asked Bumi. “Did you do anything interesting on the day of the
eclipse?”

Sokka and Zuko looked at each other.

“Nah,” said Zuko.

“No, not really,” said Sokka.

“Master Pakku,” started Katara, “you never told me you trained another girl.”

“Our customs forbade women from learning waterbending, but Chiara's circumstances...they
were...uh...unique,” he said.

“Unique how? Because she lived in the Fire Nation?” asked Katara.

“Mostly because I lost a Pai Sho game to Grand Lotus Iroh,” he admitted in a lowered voice.

The others started laughing. Chiara grinned, remembering Iroh telling her that her training
was discussed over a game of Pai Sho.
As they continued walking, Chiara's hand on Zuko's arm, he slowed down a little bit so they
trailed behind the others.

“So, several disappointed young men?” he asked her softly, not forgetting Pakku's comment.

She smiled. “I'm sure he's exaggerating.”

“Or you are.”

She softly laughed.

“So what young men is he talking about?” he persisted.

“None that matter any more.”

“It matters to me,” he said.

“Why does it matter to you?” she asked.

“Men being interested in my wife matter to me.”

“This coming from someone who was just mobbed by a gang of zealous teenage girls
wanting him to strip...”

“Okay, okay...that's not...” He sighed. “Don't change the subject.”

She giggled. “It was a long time ago, my Prince.”

“So he wasn't exaggerating! When?!”

Katara and Sokka looked back at him startled by his raised voice.

“Hey, Z,” said Sokka, “you okay there, buddy?”

“Fine,” he said flatly. He leaned closer to Chiara. “When?” he repeated in more of a whisper.

“Before the General and I left the Northern Water Tribe.”

“And how many is several? Like three? Ten? Fifty?”

“Seriously?” she laughed. “I hardly think it was that many. He only mentioned that there had
been a few offers of marriage, and he thought it would be wise to choose from the Water
Tribe.”

He thought about all they had been through.

“I'm really glad you didn't,” he said softly.

“Me too,” she smiled.

-------------------
It was hours before sunrise and the group was still following the four masters down a path
that finally ended at a large boulder.

“Well, here we are,” said Bumi as he dropped the large rock beneath the earth. “Welcome to
Old People Camp.”

They were surprised to see a large encampment with numerous tents. Zuko and Chiara
anxiously looked around searching for Iroh, but it was still dark and the camp looked empty.

“Where...where is he?” Zuko asked.

“Your uncle's in there, Prince Zuko,” said Piandao as he pointed ahead of them.

Chiara started running towards the tent pulling Zuko along with her in her excitement to see
Iroh. Suddenly she stopped at the door of the tent and hesitated.

“What?” said Zuko. “What is it?”

She lifted her eyes to meet his. “The baby,” she said. “I'm kind of afraid to tell him since we
promised...you know.”

It just occurred to Zuko that Iroh did not know about the little surprise. “He's going to kill
me,” he whispered.

“I-I don't think it'll be that bad.”

“He'll either burn me to a crisp or throw me to a goat gorilla.”

She covered her mouth wanting to laugh.

“Okay...,” he said trying to muster up courage. “After what we went through at Boiling Rock,
I'm sure he'll understand.” He did not sound so sure. “I hope,” he added, sounding less sure.

They stared at the tent, and after taking a deep breath and letting it out, Zuko pulled the door
aside allowing Chiara to enter first before following her inside.

“Uncle?” he said.

They both stopped when they saw Iroh sound asleep with his back towards them. Chiara's
eyes filled with tears as she was reminded of when she had visited him after Lu Ten's death.
She walked over to his sleeping form. Picking up a blanket, she carefully laid it over him
before leaning against his back and resting her head on his upper arm just as she had done
years ago. Zuko quietly knelt down nearby.

When the sun began lighting up the sky and drawing Iroh out of his slumber, he felt
something soft against his arm and hand. Looking down, he saw long ebon curls flowing
down in front of him. He rolled onto his back and wrapped his arms around Chiara holding
her to his chest.
“Am I dreaming?” he asked.

“I hope not this time,” she said.

“I am so happy you're here.” He held her tightly, tears in his eyes. “For so long I thought you
were...”

“I know.”

He released her and sat up with her help. After his eyes scanned over her to make sure it was
really Chiara, he took her in his arms and hugged her again, tears of joy rolling down both of
their cheeks.

“You were alive all that time.”

“Azula kept me alive for her sadistic entertainment...”

His body stiffened, and he released her before touching her face searching for injuries. “I
wish I had known.”

She could see the distress expressed in his eyes at the thought of what she must have endured
at the hands of his niece, and she put her hands on his in comfort.

“I wouldn't have left without you...,” he said sadly.

“I know you wouldn't. But it's all good now. Prince Zuko found me.”

His eyes softened before they moved to Zuko who quietly sat nearby, his golden eyes
lovingly watching their reunion. Before the young prince realized it, he was wrapped in Iroh's
arms.

“It was no mistake when I gave her to you for your wife,” Iroh said to him.

Zuko felt touched by his words, and he relaxed as he held on to his uncle.

“I'm so relieved you're safe, Uncle. We were so worried about you.”

Iroh released him.

“It's so good to be together like this again,” said Iroh. “I have missed both of you so much.”

“We missed you too,” said Chiara.

“How did you find her?” he asked Zuko.

“On the day of the eclipse, I went to the prison to rescue you but you were gone...”

Iroh nodded, smiling. “I heard that you had planned on coming for me, and I knew we would
meet again, but that was not the time.”
“Before I left the prison a guard told me about a hidden passage,” he continued. “I thought
you might be waiting for me there, but instead I found Chiara.”

“Wonderful,” grinned Iroh. “It seems you were meant to find something...someone better.”
He looked at Chiara. “I only found out recently you were alive. I heard about Boiling Rock.
They have spoken of your compassion. And of your bravery,” he said to Zuko. “You've
drawn quite a following. You must tell me about it.”

“It was all Chiara,” said Zuko. “Almost everyone loved her. She took care of them all.”

“I just helped whoever needed helping,” she said.

“How did you end up in Boiling Rock?” he asked.

“I was with Katara and Sokka at the Western Air Temple, and we were attacked by Fire
Nation soldiers who said they were looking for me. I thought I'd be taken to Azula and
executed, but Warden Idem told me he was going to hold me for a while.”

“Idem,” growled Iroh, fire in his eyes. “How long were you there?”

“About a month.”

“A month in Boiling Rock!” He was both amazed and outraged. “How did you find her?” he
asked Zuko.

“At first I thought they took her back to the Prison Tower,” he said. “I'm sure Yuzo thinks I'm
crazy,” he added softly. Iroh chuckled at this. “But he searched for her, and Sokka and Katara
went undercover and couldn't find any evidence that she was there. It was after we checked
the outer colonies that Captain Tezam told me she was at Boiling Rock.”

“Ah, Captain Tezam,” said Iroh nodding his head. “I know him well. I'm quite sure he
remembers Chiara.”

“By then she had been in prison for weeks. Sokka and I disguised ourselves as guards and
went in. Some of the guards we spoke to said that she was the best thing to happen to the
prison. She didn't even want to leave.”

Iroh raised his eyebrows as he looked at her. “You didn't want to leave?”

“There were so many sick and injured that needed care.”

He tenderly caressed her head. “You've always been such a compassionate young woman.”

“The guards on our side planned a breakout so we could rescue everyone,” said Zuko. “But
then I nearly got Chiara killed,” he added ashamedly.

“What happened?”

“One of the guards was always yelling at her, making her scrub the floor or haul rocks, and
when I saw him beat her, I couldn't control myself.” His voice grew deep as he spoke of it. “I
blew my cover when I attacked him, so the warden decided to execute her.”

“I was told about your ring of fire,” said Iroh with a smile.

“He performed the most amazing firebending,” Chiara bragged.

Zuko felt proud of her compliment and was moved by the tone of awe in her voice.

“You would've been so proud,” she said to Iroh.

“What else did you do?” he asked Zuko.

“I...I don't know really,” he said. “All I know is that they were about to kill her and I
just...reacted.”

“He melted the shackles around his wrists,” she said. “And the fire he produced threw
everyone around him off their feet. He was incredible.”

“Quite impressive,” said Iroh.

“After that we all escaped the prison,” said Zuko.

“And now your amazing nephew can bend lightning,” she added.

Zuko turned slightly red, embarrassed by her praise.

Iroh's mouth opened. “Is that so?”

He humbly nodded.

“I'm so proud of you...of both of you.”

Zuko glanced at Chiara and then he looked down. “You might not be so proud of us when
you hear the...the news.”

“News?”

Chiara averted her eyes as well.

“Umm...” Zuko hesitated.

Iroh was puzzled by their apprehension. “After breaking into and out of two Fire Nation
prisons, I can't imagine what you could have done that would be so bad.”

“I wouldn't call it 'bad',” said Chiara.

“Do I need to be concerned?”

“Well...,” started Zuko rubbing the back of his neck nervously, “...maybe just a little...?”
“Considering how much trouble you're both having speaking of it, it has me quite
concerned.”

“You're a grandfather,” Chiara finally spoke softly, but bluntly.

The silence that followed was unnerving to the young couple.

“A grandfather?” Iroh repeated in a whisper as the news sank in.

Zuko's and Chiara's eyes were still downcast when he grabbed hold of them hugging them
both.

“A grandfather!” he exclaimed, excitement in his voice.

When he let them go they were surprised by his enthusiasm.

“You're...you're not mad? Or ashamed?” asked Zuko.

“How could I be ashamed of having a grandchild,” he said as he tenderly touched their faces.

“But...we promised to...to wait,” said Chiara.

“It's just that after Boiling Rock, we were so happy to be together again,” explained Zuko.

“I understand,” said Iroh, his face still lit up.

“So no...you know...goat gorilla?” asked Zuko.

Iroh started laughing. “Of course not, Nephew. How else will I get more grandchildren? This
is such joyous news,” he said excitedly as he hugged them again. “How far along is the little
one?”

“About two moon cycles,” said Chiara.

“You should also know something else,” Zuko said to him.

“What else could there possibly be?”

Zuko and Chiara looked at each other and smirked. She held out her hand and produced a
flame which she held out to Iroh. His amber eyes grew wide.

“How is this possible?” he said examining her fire.

She smiled. “The baby's a firebender.”

“I...I've never heard of such a thing.” He was still studying the small flame. “You can still
waterbend too?”

“Yes.”

His eyes met hers. “So you can do both, like the Avatar.”
She nodded.

“Astounding,” he said in a tone of awe.

“The only thing we can think of is that she trained with us for years,” said Zuko.

“But it's the baby's gift,” she said. “I can tell it's coming from him, from his flame.”

“Can you do more than this?” he asked.

“She's kept up with everything Aang and I have been doing,” said Zuko.

“This is quite extraordinary,” said Iroh.

They told him all their adventures after leaving the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun,
including the visit to the Sun Warriors and the firebending masters, and after Iroh told them
what he had been doing since leaving the Fire Nation, they joined the others outside as the
sun was ascending.

--------------------

The rest of the Gaang were sitting around a fire eating breakfast. When Izin saw Iroh, Zuko,
and Chiara approaching, he stood up.

“General,” said Chiara, “this is Izin. He saved me often in Boiling Rock.”

Izin bowed to Iroh. “General Iroh, it's a great honor to meet you, sir, but I must correct the
Princess. It is she who saved me often in the prison along with many other prisoners.”

“I heard of her deeds in the prison,” said Iroh. “I'm very proud of her.”

More were approaching them.

“Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara,” bowed Kaito.

“I'm glad you made it here,” said Zuko. “How are the others?” he asked before Sokka and
Katara could inquire about their father.

“The young Earth kids are here in the camp, and Ezo and Shin are currently undercover with
Chief Hakoda.”

“Undercover?” asked Sokka.

“They left for the outer colonies where they joined the air force.”

“So Dad's joined the Fire Nation Air Force,” said Sokka thoughtfully.

“I guess joining the Fire Nation military runs in the family,” said Katara.

Sokka was nodding.

“Captain Sozoh, Zaro,” greeted Chiara as she and Zuko bowed to them when they joined the
group. “How are you doing?”

“Good,” said Zaro.

“It's good to see you and Prince Zuko are safe,” said Sozoh.

“And you as well,” said Zuko.

“We've been in contact with the rest of the prisoners and a few of the guards from Boiling
Rock,” said Sozoh. “Most of the guards have been stationed on the airships that will be
launching the attack.”

Zuko and Chiara looked at each other with a look of hope.

“They'll be working to prevent the air assault,” said Zaro.

Izin held out a bowl of food to Chiara.

She smiled. “Thank you, Izin,” she said taking it from him. She looked at Iroh. “He takes
good care of me.”

“It's good to see you again, Izin,” said Zaro.

“Zaro, Sozoh,” he greeted them.

“Have you heard the good news?” Iroh asked them. “I'm a grandfather.” He put his arms
around Zuko and Chiara.

Sozoh's and Zaro's eyes grew wide.

“Congratulations,” they took turns saying.

“Congratulations, Iroh,” said Piandao as he and Pakku heard his announcement. “This is
great news.”

“A child of the Water Tribe and Fire Nation,” said Pakku.

“It is a sign of peace and hope for our world,” said Iroh to Zuko and Chiara's surprise.

“Grand Lotus, after breakfast we will have a meeting,” said Piandao.

Iroh nodded. “There is much that needs to be discussed.”

Zuko and Chiara sat down by the fire where he began making her tea.

“What kind of tea are you making?” Iroh inquired.

“I'm not sure,” he answered. “It was given to us by a doctor for Chiara. Before we knew she
was pregnant, she was passing out.”
Iroh tensed up with a concerned expression. “Passing out?”

“The doctor said she wasn't eating enough.”

“But I'm fine now,” she assured Iroh still looking worried. “Prince Zuko and Izin have been
taking good care of me, everyone has.”

“The doctor said the tea would help her,” said Zuko. “But it's definitely no ginseng.”

--------------------

After everyone had eaten, they all met together to discuss the plans for the upcoming battles.

“According to our intelligence, we have learned that Ozai will be leading the air force to Ba
Sing Se,” said Piandao.

“And now he calls himself the Phoenix King,” huffed Jeong Jeong.

Zuko was puzzled. “The Phoenix King?”

“It's the title he has chosen in his quest for world domination,” explained Iroh.

The Gaang looked appalled.

“Azula will soon be crowned Fire Lord of the Fire Nation,” added Piandao.

“So what's the plan?” asked Sokka. “How do we stop them?”

Piandao turned to Zuko and Chiara. “Thanks to Prince Zuko and Princess Chiara, many of
the guards from Boiling Rock will be on the airships heading towards the Earth Kingdom,
and they're coordinating plans to prevent the attack.” He turned to Sokka. “That's where
Chief Hakoda chose to fight the battle.”

“What about Ozai?” asked Zuko. “Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who
can possibly defeat him. We need you to come with us.”

“No, Zuko, it won't turn out well,” he said.

“You can beat him! And we'll be there to help.”

“Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't know that I could, it would be the wrong way to end
the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to
grab power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat Ozai.”

“And then...then you would come and take your rightful place on the throne?” asked Zuko.

Iroh sat in quiet thought. He considered his nephew and the peace he had found after so much
searching.

“I will take the throne...,” he started in a soft voice.

He was not ready to burden the young prince with the weight of running the country,
especially after a war. Zuko and Chiara were excited that he would be Fire Lord.

“...but I will need an heir...,” added Iroh.

“Then we'll have to find you a wife,” said Zuko immediately.

Iroh's eyes grew big, and everyone was trying to stifle their laughter; even the ever-calm
Piandao and humorless Jeong Jeong were trying to hide their own chuckles at the older
prince's expression and the younger prince's seriousness.

“I'm sure there are plenty of women who would love the opportunity...,” continued Zuko.

“No,” interrupted Iroh shaking his head. “I need you to follow me.”

“Me? But...but I won't give up Chiara...our family...”

“You won't have to give her up,” he said.

“But you said the Fire Nation would never accept her as Fire Lady.”

“I was wrong. There will be those who may resist the idea of a Fire Lady from the Water
Tribe, but I have learned that many have come to love Princess Chiara.”

Zuko was not expecting Iroh's change.

“I believe your union will help the Nations heal the wounds of division between them,” he
continued. “And I don't plan on dying on the throne,” he said in a more upbeat tone. “One
day I am going to retire and re-open my tea shop in Ba Sing Se and play Pai Sho every day.”

Zuko and Chiara were smiling.

“But what if Aang doesn't come back?” asked Toph.

“Sozin's Comet is arriving, and our destinies are upon us,” said Iroh gravely. “Aang will face
the Fire Lord. When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only
now do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation so the Earth Kingdom can
be free again.”

“That's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus,” said Suki.

“Yes,” said Iroh. “We will fight the battle here. Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation. It is
up to you to deal with Azula.”

“I can handle Azula,” he said with confidence.

“Not alone,” said Iroh. “You'll need help.”

“You're right. Then I choose the waterbenders.” He gripped Chiara's hand. “Chiara, I won't
force you...”
“Yes,” she answered immediately.

He smiled at her before looking at Katara. “Katara, how would you like to help us put Azula
in her place?”

“It would be my pleasure,” she said.

“So you do have a thing for waterbenders,” Sokka said to Zuko.

Remembering the play on Ember Island, the rest of the Gaang started laughing, except for
Zuko who turned a bit red.

Though Iroh had not been in on the joke, he grinned at Zuko. “It's good to have waterbenders
around, Nephew,” he said. “Kaito will go with you to the Fire Nation too. He has informed
me that there are others among the Imperial Firebenders who are allies. He can help gather
them while you are dealing with Azula and he can also contact the Order as well.”

Zuko nodded.

“If they're going back to the Fire Nation,” started Sokka, “then I want to join my dad.”

“Me too,” said Toph. “Then when Aang does face Ozai, we'll be right there if he needs us.”

“And as soon as we have freed Ba Sing Se from Ozai's tyranny, I will return to the Fire
Nation,” Iroh promised. “We will work on restoring peace and order together.”

--------------------

Later in the afternoon, Zuko and Chiara were in Iroh's tent. It had been months since they had
seen each other, and they were content to spend as much time together as possible before
their separation the next day. After making a pot of tea, Iroh and Chiara began playing a
game of Pai Sho while Zuko watched. He was to play the winner, and Chiara was quite sure
she would be on the side watching the next game.

“Uncle, you don't have to stay here to fight for Ba Sing Se,” said Zuko. “The Order will free
it. You should come back to the Fire Nation.”

Iroh was carefully studying the board contemplating his next move, but he was amused with
Zuko's suggestion.

“I feel it is my duty to liberate Ba Sing Se. It will be my way of atoning for...for my past. But
do not worry, Zuko. I promise I will return to the Fire Nation. I will not let you take up that
burden yet...”

Suddenly, the ground trembled rattling the Pai Sho table.

“What was that?” asked Zuko.

Zuko and Chiara stood up, but Iroh looked down at the board. “Looks like I won!” he said.
Chiara playfully rolled her eyes. “Like you didn't see that coming.”

They stepped outside the tent.

“What's happening?” asked Pakku.

Piandao came running towards them. “Are we under attack?”

“I hope Chey isn't setting off explosives again,” said Jeong Jeong.

“It wasn't me,” said Captain Chey who had just walked up.

Another tremor shook the ground underneath them.

“That's no explosion,” said Iroh.

Jeong Jeong scanned the camp. “Where are the kids?”

“I'll find them,” said Zuko as he took off with Chiara following him.

They slid down the side of the canyon, the others right behind them.

Zuko could not believe his eyes when he saw Bumi and Toph earthbending while a small
group of spectators stood around cheering.

“What the...? Explain yourselves!” he demanded.

“It's the ultimate earthbending showdown!” exclaimed Sokka. “Two opposing styles! Two
opposing age groups! One winner!”

“You've got to be kidding me,” said Zuko.

“It sounds like a battle going on out here,” said Chiara.

“Go, Bumi!” cheered Iroh. “So who's taking the bets?” he asked Sokka.

Zuko scowled at him. “Uncle!”

“I've seen both earthbend,” said Chiara. “It'll be really close”

“Bumi liberated Omashu from the Fire Nation by himself,” said Iroh. “He's quite the master.”

“I still think I'd bet on Toph,” she smirked.

“Chiara, don't encourage him,” Zuko admonished her.

“I don't think this bending battle is such a good idea,” said Pakku. “It could give away our
location.”

“Yeah,” agreed Jeong Jeong. “Aren't we supposed to be hiding?”

“Hmm...,” mused Sokka thoughtfully. “You have a point.” He turned towards Bumi and Toph
who were still in the middle of their earthbending competition, and he tapped on a tiny gong.
“The ultimate bending battle is officially over!” he announced.

The two earthbenders continued their battle.

“I don't think they can hear the bell,” said Sokka.

“Oh, really?” snapped Katara sarcastically.

Pakku looked at Iroh. “We're going to have to put a stop to this.”

Piandao, Iroh, Zuko, Chiara, Katara, Pakku, and Jeong Jeong all raced towards the two
earthbenders.

“This is getting really good!” said Sokka excitedly to Suki.

“Well, Toph wanted a Nation Rumble. Now she's got it.”

Piandao pulled out his sword stopping Toph's stone missiles while Iroh blasted others with
fire.

“All right! Break it up!” said Zuko as he and Chiara held her arms.

On the other side, Katara and Pakku drew up water which Jeong Jeong hit with fire sending it
towards Bumi whose cackling turned into a coughing fit as the steam hit him in the face.

“Show's over!” said Katara.

The two earthbenders reluctantly stopped their battle. As everyone started leaving the
canyon, most were grumbling either about the tournament being shut down without a winner
or about having to shut down a tournament in a secret camp.

“So who won, anyway?” Suki asked Sokka.

“As referee, I have to say it was a draw.”

“Both of you need to start acting your age,” Zuko was scolding Bumi and Toph.

The older earthbender blew raspberries at him.

“We'll just have to have a rematch later,” said Sokka

“Sweet!” grinned Toph.

“Heh heh!” snorted Bumi.

Zuko and Chiara just looked at each other and shook their heads.
Chapter End Notes

The end scene with the Earth Rumble is based on a comic in “The Lost Adventures,”
called “Bumi vs. Toph, Round One.”

Also, I had to laugh at a typo I caught in my final proofreading where Sokka tapped on a
tiny “bong” instead of “gong.” Spelling—it's that important.
 Heading into Battle
Chapter Notes

Anytime I get ready to post a chapter, I have one family member (annoyed with my
typing) telling me to write: “and everyone died. The end.” I imagine everyone's anxious
for this story to be over with, but readers might prefer a better ending than that, so I'll
stick with what I have written.

The next day everyone was saying their goodbyes as they were preparing to separate to
follow their plans. Sozoh and Zaro sat atop one eel hound, and Toph and Suki sat on top of
another. Except for Toph who just wore her Fire Nation reds, they were dressed as Fire
Nation soldiers, though Sokka still carried his trusty boomerang and space sword.

“Nothing runs faster over land or swims quicker than a giant eel hound,” said Piandao. He
handed a map to Sokka. “The airship base is on a small island just off the Earth Kingdom
shore.” Sokka unrolled the map and scanned it. “You should be able to intercept the fleet
within a day's journey.”

Sokka rolled up the map. “Thank you, Master.”

They bowed to each other, and then Sokka hugged Piandao before climbing on the eel hound
with Suki and Toph.

Next to Appa, Iroh took Chiara in his arms and hugged her.

“I wish I could be with you during the comet,” she said to him. “I bet you're going to be
incredible.”

“And you no less incredible with your own firebending,” he said. “But be careful. Azula may
target you in order to hurt Zuko.”

“I'll be careful.”

When Iroh released her, Zuko stepped forward to hug his uncle.

“As soon as I free Ba Sing Se, I will join you in the Fire Nation, Nephew.”

Zuko nodded. “We'll see you then, Uncle.”

He and Chiara climbed onto Appa where Katara, Izin, and Kaito were already waiting in the
saddle.

“Goodbye, General Iroh,” said Katara.

“Goodbye, everyone,” he said. “Today destiny is our friend. I know it,” he whispered.

They all parted.

--------------------

Chiara was sitting on Appa's head with Zuko as they flew over the Earth Kingdom on their
way to the Fire Nation.

“We're going to make Azula play the Dark Water Spirit this time,” said Zuko.

“I don't know...I have fond memories of the Great Water Spirit.”

He smiled at the memories, his cheeks growing slightly red. “Then one day we'll rule as the
Great Water Spirit and the Dragon Empress.”

“Or you can be the Dragon Emperor and I'll be the Water Spirit,” she said.

“All those times we reenacted that play, and you actually were the Great Water Spirit.”

She laughed as she leaned against him. “So are you looking forward to being Fire Lord one
day?”

He thought about it. “For a long time I believed that's what I was meant for—that it was my
destiny to be Fire Lord. But now, not so much. I think I'd be happier just living in our little
cave or in the cabin...or even at the beach house.”

She caressed his arm.

“What about you?” he asked. “Are you looking forward to being Fire Lady?”

“I-I haven't really processed it yet.” It had never been an idea that she considered, or even
wanted to consider. “I guess I won't be able to help out in the kitchen anymore...”

He started laughing. “That's what you're worried about?”

“I enjoyed hanging out with Tai and Amiku and the other staff.”

“You'll be busy with the kids now,” he said.

“Kids,” she smiled. “You're right. I like that. That sounds better.”

He put his arm around her and held her close.

--------------------

It was late in the afternoon when Katara took over at Appa's reins while Zuko and Chiara
went to the saddle where they lay down.

“I can feel the comet getting closer,” she said softly as her head rested on his chest.
“I feel it too,” he said.

“I understand fire being the element of power,” she said. “It feels powerful.”

Zuko's mind drifted towards thoughts of his father—his ruthless father who would stop at
nothing to take over the world. He wondered if Ozai would die that day at the hands of the
Avatar. He thought about how much he himself had changed over the years from a child who
looked up to his father to the young man who believed that the war would not end without his
father's death.

The light of the comet was filling the sky drawing Zuko from his sleep. He could feel its
power coursing through his body, and he was anxious to test it. He carefully sat up so as not
to wake Chiara who was still sound asleep.

“Can't sleep, sir?” asked Kaito.

Zuko looked to the other side of the saddle and saw him and Izin wide awake. He slowly
shook his head. “It's unlike anything I've ever felt before,” he said quietly. “So much power.”

“It's unfortunate we have to use it to fight our own,” said Izin sadly.

Zuko just realized that the only chance he would have to wield his temporary power was in
fighting his little sister. As rough as their past had been, and for as cruel as Azula was, he
hated the thought of how this battle would likely end. He was sure she would never give up,
and though it did not make it any easier, he knew he would have to do whatever it took to
stop her.

“But it's also to protect our own,” said Zuko softly, looking down at Chiara.

Kaito looked down at her too. He still found it unbelievable that she could firebend, and he
had been astonished watching her fight with such expertise when she sparred with Iroh in the
camp the day before. “I'm surprised the princess is able to sleep through this.”

Zuko considered what they were about to go through, and he gently caressed her head. “It's
good that she can.”

Feeling restless and worried as various thoughts began creeping into his mind, he tucked the
blanket around her and then went up front with Katara to take over guiding Appa.

“You didn't sleep long,” she said handing him the reins.

“I'm fine.”

As they flew on in silence, she suspected he was anxious about their encounter with Azula.

“Are you worried about Chiara?”

“I'm always worried about her,” he said softly. “But she's a powerful bender.”
“She is. I know we'll be able to handle Azula.”

He nodded. “We will, but what about Aang? What if he doesn't have the guts to take out
Ozai? What if he loses?”

“Aang won't lose,” she said confidently. “He's going to come back. He has to.”

Two eel hounds were swimming through the water beneath the glowing sky.

“It's weird to say,” started Suki, “but the comet actually looks beautiful.”

“Too bad the Fire Lord's about to use it to destroy the world,” said Toph.

“We won't let him get that chance,” said Sozoh. “Look...” He was pointing ahead. “...there's
the island.”

After landing on the shore, they climbed up the cliff in search of the airship base. Reaching
the top they did not even have to look down into the valley as fifteen zeppelins led by Ozai's
royal airship were ascending before them rising steadily higher.

“We're too late!” said Sokka. “The fleet's already taking off!”

“Then we're taking off, too!” said Toph. “Where's the closest airship?”

“It's right...”

He barely pointed ahead before Toph stomped on the ground propelling all five of them
towards one of the zeppelins. They landed on the deck where Sokka and Suki caught Toph
while Sozoh and Zaro quickly grabbed the railing, their hearts still pounding at the
unexpected flight.

“I'm getting too old for these adventures,” said Sozoh.

“I believe I'm going to bet on you, young earthbender, the next time you go up against King
Bumi,” said Zaro.

They climbed up a ladder and entered the ship.

“Come on,” said Sokka, “the control room should be this way.”

Going down the hall, Sokka and Suki walked in front while Zaro walked next to Toph and
Sozoh walked behind. The few other soldiers they passed in the hallway never even
acknowledged them as they went about their business...at least, not until a lieutenant spotted
Toph as they walked by.

“Private!” he called.

They froze as the lieutenant walked back to them.

“Isn't she a little short to be a soldier?” he asked eyeing Toph.

“Ahem...” Sokka cleared his throat. “I...I was told it was bring your daughter to work day,”
he said in an attempt at an older voice.

“You brought your daughter on a ship headed for battle?!”

“Lieutenant,” said Sozoh in a commanding voice, “do you have some reason to believe we're
going to lose this battle, especially now with the arrival of Sozin's Comet?”

“Of course not, but there are rules against family members being aboard the airship,
especially now...”

A piece of metal flew against him pinning him to the wall.

“Let's go,” said Toph. “It was a boring conversation anyway.”

Suki looked at Sokka as they continued walking down the corridor. “Bring your daughter to
work day?”

“Yeah,” he smiled sheepishly. “It was the first thing that popped into my head.”

She rolled her eyes but could not help softly giggling.

They turned a corner and stealthily approached the bridge.

“So how do we get inside?” whispered Suki.

“Easy,” said Toph. “We knock.”

She stepped up to the door and knocked before anyone could stop her over what they
believed was a terrible and reckless plan. All they could do now was hide themselves and
prepare for an onslaught of firebenders who would soon be attacking them. Sokka and Zaro
quickly stood to one side of the door and Suki and Sozoh moved to the other. They had no
time to wonder about the reactions of the soldiers on the bridge upon seeing Toph because
she did not even wait for an answer. She had already busted down the door and bent it around
her in a suit of armor. Sokka dared to peek inside. He watched as the first fire blast that hit
her did nothing to her armor. Avoiding the next attack she kicked up the floor plating trapping
the firebender against the ceiling. Another firebender sent up a wall of flames. Toph had
lifted the floor to further protect herself, but the blast was so powerful that the others out in
the hallway had to move away from the door. Toph brought a metal pipe down forcing the
soldier against the wall, and she pulled up a plate of metal from the floor to restrain another.
Leaping to the ceiling, she crawled across it like a spiderpede jumping down behind the last
firebender. He turned to send a burst of fire at her, but she blocked it, his arm striking her
solid metal covering and sending the flame crashing through the window. The others watched
his body fly past them through the door and land unconscious against the wall in the corridor.
The ensuing silence seemed to indicate that it was safe to look inside the bridge where they
saw Toph shedding her metal exoskeleton.

“That's how it's done,” she said.

“I think I'll be betting on you too,” said Sozoh as he stared at Toph in awe.

“Good work, Toph!” said Sokka. “Time to take control of the ship. Take the wheel.”

“That's a great idea!” she said. “Let the blind girl steer the giant airship.”

“I was talking to Suki.”

“That would make a lot more sense.”

Suki stepped up to the wheel. “What are we going to do about the rest of the crew?” she
asked.

No sooner had she asked the question, several soldiers stormed the room ready to firebend
which drew them all into defensive stances. The soldier standing in the lead hesitated as she
looked at them suspecting they were not the original bridge officers.

“Who...who are you?”

Sokka relaxed as he recognized the voice. “Nai?”

He took off his helmet, and upon seeing him, she relaxed her own stance allowing her fire to
go out.

“Lee?”

“Sokka, actually,” he corrected.

“When...when did you get on board?” she asked.

“We...uh...hopped on board a little late.”

“It's good to see you, Nai,” said Sozoh taking off his helmet.

She smiled at him. “You too, Sozoh, Zaro.” She turned to the soldiers who were with her.
“Stand down. They're allies from the prison.” Scanning the control room, she noticed the men
who had been restrained with parts of the ship. “It looks like you guys've been busy in here.”

“Yeah,” said Sokka. “You don't want to mess with a metalbender.”

“That exists?” she asked.

“Only if you're me,” said Toph.

Nai looked down at the little earthbender. She raised her eyebrows upon seeing her young
age, but then they furrowed as she realized the girl was blind.

Toph, sensing the firebender's questioning stare, crossed her arms. “Perhaps a
demonstration.” She turned towards the soldier who was pinned to the wall by the pipe and
bent his metal helmet from his head. “Maybe you can tell me who the most powerful
earthbender is.”
“You're not going to get away with...” The pipe tightened around his body causing him to
gasp.

“You didn't answer my question,” she said before slightly loosening the pipe.

“Uh...ahem...um...y-you?” he squeaked.

She turned back to Nai who was clearly impressed.

Zaro leaned towards Nai. “We're betting on her in the next earthbending tournament.”

“I don't bet,” she said. “But I might make an exception for that.”

“Not that I wouldn't rather be judging the ultimate earthbending showdown right now,” said
Sokka, “but we're in the middle of a war here. Do you guys have a plan? 'Cause we were just
sorta wingin' it.”

“We have men on every airship except the Fire Lord's,” she said. “Ezo and Shin suspected
Ozai would keep his most loyal supporters with him, so we're going to take control of as
much of the fleet as we can.”

“Do you know which ship my dad's on?”

She shook her head. “I don't know who he boarded with, but he's not on this one. We've
already got control of the crew, and the rest of our men are in the engine room.”

“What's been done with the unfortunate souls who refused to cooperate?” asked Sozoh.

“They've been restrained in the brig.”

“So what's next then?” asked Sokka.

“Take the ship up just a short distance above the others. Every ship that's been won over will
be higher so we'll know how many we've taken.”

“You mean like that one way over there?” asked Suki pointing out the window to the ship on
the farthest side of the fleet.

Nai smiled. “That's ship one, Dako and Zomi's charge. They did it. We're hoping for at least
six, but eight'll be so much better.”

“There's another one,” said Zaro pointing at the ship in the lead.

“Shin and Ezo's ship. Good.”

“What happens once we get six?” asked Sokka.

“The first three ships will go after Ozai and the others will work on stopping the rest of the
fleet.”

“What happens if we don't get six?” asked Toph.

“We attack anyways,” said Nai. “We'll do whatever we have to to stop Ozai.”

“Wow, I like her,” said Toph.

“There're more ships,” said Sokka. “And there's number six,” he added excitedly as another
rose up.

“Now we go after Ozai,” said Nai.

Sokka looked ahead at Ozai's airship. “Fire Lord Ozai, here we come.” He pushed the throttle
forward.

On the hills outside Ba Sing Se stood the Order of the White Lotus watching the Fire Nation
tanks line up. The masters stood on the hill in front of the others as they looked upon the city.

“Ba Sing Se, the Order of the White Lotus is here,” said Bumi.

“Here to set you free,” said Pakku.

Iroh stood ahead of them focusing on the power from the Comet.

“Only once every hundred years can a firebender experience this kind of power,” he said.

He inhaled deeply creating a ring of fire around them, and with each breath he took, the
flames grew larger. Throwing his arms forward he drew the fire into a large sphere before
launching it into the wall of Ba Sing Se. After the blast broke through the wall, Bumi jumped
and as he landed, the hills upon which they were all standing broke away and they were
propelled forward towards the city. Fire Nation tanks assaulted them with fire missiles, but
with his own powerful bursts of flame, Iroh countered the attacks.

Leading the airships into the Earth Kingdom, Ozai stood outside breathing deeply as he
channeled the power of the comet.

“We're not going to catch up to him in time,” said Sokka looking ahead through a spyglass.

Suddenly, they saw an enormous blast of fire heading towards the earth from Ozai's ship.

“No...,” said Suki as she watched the land being burned.

Nearly everyone in the control room watched with horror the destruction being wrought by
the Fire Lord's power.

“What's going on?” asked Toph.

“We can't catch up to Ozai's ship,” said Suki. “And he's burning everything below.”

“There's something wrong with his ship,” said Zaro. “It's listing to the side.”
“One of the engines is damaged,” said Sozoh now looking through the telescope.

“It looks like flames are coming from the earth,” said Nai.

“Let me see the telescope,” said Sokka.

Sozoh handed it to him. They all watched Ozai's burning ship descend towards the stone
columns of the Wulong Forest.

“Is that...? Is Ozai...flying?” asked Nai.

“He's propelling himself with his own fire,” said Sozoh.

“Firebenders can do that?” asked Toph.

“Powerful ones, yes,” he answered.

“Didn't you see Azula flying...?” started Sokka before he felt a punch to his arm. “Ow!” He
looked down at her. “Oh, right...”

He looked through the telescope again.

“What just happened?” asked Suki.

Sokka saw Ozai standing on top of a column, and beyond him he spotted someone familiar. A
smile grew across his face. “It's Aang!” he said excitedly. “He's back!”

“The Avatar,” said Sozoh.

Zuko and the others finally arrived in the Fire Nation, but they were surprised to find it
looking so empty as they flew over the Caldera.

“Izin, as soon as we land you go with Kaito to find the Imperial Firebenders and the Order
members.”

“Yes, Prince Zuko.”

Flying over the Coronation Plaza, one of the Fire Sages was preparing to crown Azula.

“By decree of Phoenix King Ozai, I now crown you Fire Lord...”

The Sage suddenly paused as he watched the giant bison flying towards them.

“What are you waiting for?” asked Azula angrily. “Do it!”

She turned to see Zuko landing Appa in front of them. When Chiara looked down at Azula,
she had not been expecting her crazed appearance. She had watched the princess grow cruel
over the years even to the point of torture and attempted murder, but it was always in her
words and actions while she maintained her regal image. Now, however, it was as if her inner
malice had broken through her noble exterior.

“Sorry,” said Zuko, “but you're not going to become Fire Lord today.”

He jumped down, Chiara staying by his side while Izin followed Kaito into the city.

“You think it's going to be you?” asked Azula. She let out a light, fake laugh. “You're
hilarious.”

“Uncle Iroh will be crowned Fire Lord.”

“And you're going down,” threatened Katara now standing next to him.

“Something's not right with her,” Chiara was whispering to Zuko.

“Uncle?” scoffed Azula ignoring Katara's threat. “That old fool isn't even here to stop me.”

“That's why I'm here,” he said.

“And then what? You and your Water concubine...concubines...will one day rule the Fire
Nation together? How sweet,” she said blandly.

“The throne belongs to Uncle, Azula,” said Zuko.

The Fire Sage was about to crown her.

“Wait,” she said, stopping him. “You want to stop me from being Fire Lord?” she said to
Zuko. “Fine. Let's settle this. Just you and me, Brother. The showdown that was always
meant to be. Agni Kai!”

“You're on,” said Zuko.

“What are you doing?” asked Katara. “She's playing you. She knows she can't take the three
of us, so she's trying to separate us.”

“I know. But I can take her this time.”

“But even you admitted to your uncle that you would need help facing Azula.”

“He can do it,” said Chiara. As much as she wanted to fight his battle for him and protect
him, she watched him grow in his firebending, and she was confident in his ability.

“And there's something off about her. I can't explain it but she's slipping. And this way, no
one else has to get hurt,” he said, his eyes on Chiara.
 The Final Battle

Ozai stood on a pillar of rock facing Aang. “After generations of Fire Lords failed to find
you, now the universe delivers you to me as an act of providence,” he said deeply.

“Please listen to me,” pleaded Aang. “We don't have to fight. You have the power to end it
here and stop what you're doing.”

“You are right. I do have the power. I have all the power in the world!”

Flames shot from Ozai's hands and mouth. He looked down at Aang who took a defensive
stance. Ozai jumped up and spun in the air before slamming his fist down creating a ring of
fire that spread out towards the Avatar. After leaping over the flames, Aang slammed his
hands and feet onto the stone pillar breaking off a layer and hurling it towards Ozai who
launched himself with his firebending to avoid the crash of rock against rock. The Phoenix
King propelled himself towards Aang who jumped towards him sending out a wave of fire
just as Ozai kicked out a fiery blast of his own and the two attacks collided in an explosion.

“Go, Aang!” yelled Sokka from the airship. “Airbending slice!”

“Shouldn't we be helping him?” asked Suki.

“The Fire Lord is Aang's fight. We need to stay focused on stopping the rest of the fleet from
burning down the Earth Kingdom.”

“Since we don't have to deal with Ozai, we'll go back and help the others,” said Nai.

Suki turned the ship around.

“It looks like there are still nine ships that haven't been taken,” said Sozoh.

“So how do we take them?” asked Sokka.

“You see how those ships are over the others?” Nai pointed.

“They look like they're landing on top of them.”

“Exactly. There's a hatch at the top. We need to get inside and hope we can get control. Our
allies have probably been put in the brig by now, and security's going to be a lot tighter.”

Suki steered the ship towards one of the lower ones.

“I'm going over,” said Nai.

“I'll go with you,” said Sokka.

Suki looked at him. “If you're going, so am I.”

“Sozoh, Zaro, you can keep control of this ship,” said Nai. “Keep it steady over top of the
other one. Rizin, Tadashi, you can come with us.”

“You're not going without me,” said Toph.

The six of them went down to the lowest deck where they watched as their airship moved
closer to their target.

“It looks close enough,” said Nai. “Let's go.”

She, Rizin, and Tadashi stepped outside onto the platform and jumped onto the other airship
beneath them.

“We have to jump, Toph,” said Sokka. “It's not far below us.”

“You ready?” asked Suki.

“No,” said Toph. “But that's not going to stop me.”

Sokka led her out to the platform where the three of them jumped and then followed the
others towards the hatch.

As soon as the Order of the White Lotus arrived at the inner wall of Ba Sing Se, Pakku drew
up a tidal wave of water freezing it over the wall while trapping the non-firebenders in ice
allowing Piandao to slice through their weapons leaving them stuck and defenseless.

Like a badgermole, Bumi went underground. Making his reappearance in one of the streets of
the city, he found himself facing six fire tanks. They unleashed a barrage of fire blasts upon
him, but the King of Omashu drew up a solid wall of rock protecting himself from the
flames. Going on the offensive, he pulled boulders from the ground and sent them hurling
towards the vehicles where they were embedded in the fire cannons. Spinning around he
stomped on the ground sending pillars of rock beneath the tanks launching them into the air
until they fell on top of each other. Bumi laughed madly as he watched the dazed soldiers
inside slowly crawl out of their tank column.

The roads of the city were filled with Fire Nation tanks. Running down one of the streets,
Captain Chey dodged fire from an armored vehicle before throwing an explosive into its
wheel. The explosion blew off its tread destroying its mobility and leaving it stranded.
Ducking fire blasts from other tanks, he continued weaving in and out of them tossing his
homemade grenades beneath them forcing the firebenders within to abandon their now
useless vehicles.

Though everyone with and in the Order was fighting bravely, with the comet overhead, even
more impressive was the firebending master Jeong Jeong. Suspended high in the air by his
own fire, he drew up enormous columns of flames blocking the fiery assaults by the Fire
Nation vehicles. Directing his pillar of fire towards the tanks, it sent them crashing into one
another until they were nothing but a mangled pile of metal.
Grand Lotus Iroh, in a far less sensational display, merely strolled through the city streets as
if he were just on his way to the local teahouse for his afternoon tea. Turning a corner, he was
met by a company of tanks. A smile formed on his face as he stood before them.

“If you stand down, I will be willing to let you walk away from this fight unharmed,” he
called out, his threat hidden behind a pleasant voice.

The response was not so pleasant coming in the form of a burst of fire from the lead tank.
Unperturbed, Iroh calmly redirected the burst around him to the surprise of the soldiers
within the armored vehicles. Again, another burst of fire was sent towards the former general,
but it was not alone this time as all the tanks attacked at once. Still composed, Iroh raised a
wall of fire allowing the volley to crash against it. Dropping his flaming wall, the hidden
dragon now bared his teeth as he quickly sent out heavy blasts of fire, stronger and more
powerful than those from the tanks. Each flame struck its target with such force that the
vehicles were upended. The Dragon of the West calmly continued his stroll through the
wreckage making his way towards the palace.

Zuko, Chiara, and Katara walked to the other end of the Coronation Plaza opposite Azula.
When Zuko stopped walking, Chiara turned to him.

“I love you,” she said before tenderly kissing him.

“Keep your guard up,” he warned. “I have a feeling she might try to attack you.”

She nodded.

Knowing she might likely be a target of Azula's wrath, Chiara did not want to endanger
Katara by standing close to her, so she walked to a spot a short distance away.

Zuko knelt on the ground focusing on the Agni Kai. He was sure the only way to stop his
father was for Aang to end him, and now he suspected it might be the only way to stop Azula
too. He took a deep breath and slowly released it. When he was ready he stood up and turned
to face his little sister just as she was turning towards him.

“I'm sorry it has to end this way, brother,” she said with a smirk dropping her garment to the
ground.

“No you're not,” he said. He was sorry though. He wished it could have been different.

Azula made the first move spinning around sending a large blast of blue flame towards Zuko
who leaped forward countering her attack with his own bright orange fire. The huge flames
collided forming a large wall of fire between them spanning the width of the plaza. Even at a
distance from the blaze, Chiara and Katara could feel its heat. As it dissipated, Azula sent
three more blasts of blue fire towards him which he stopped with his own powerful bursts.
They continued fighting sending blast after blast towards each other while the massive flames
lit the buildings around them on fire as their bending was enhanced by the comet. But no
matter what Azula threw at Zuko, he expertly countered each attack. And though he clearly
did not need the aid, Chiara still desired to jump in and help him as was always her
inclination, but she remained where she was anxiously watching the fight.

As the battle waged on, Azula began growing breathless, unable to defeat her brother who
was calm and steady. After countering another of her attacks, he sent out a powerful blast of
fire towards her throwing her back. Catching herself, she flew towards him propelled by her
fire while sending out hot blue flames at him. Zuko, in a move that impressed Chiara, sent
out a blast beneath him that propelled him above his sister's flames, and as he landed he sent
out a strong orange blaze and continued doing so as Azula circled him gliding around on her
fire. He then spun and kicked out forceful bursts of fire from his feet which finally knocked
her over causing her to roll across the ground. She got to her feet looking deranged as she
glared at him. Zuko began the familiar circular motions, lightning sparking around him.
Chiara watched tensely, a part of her worried about him killing his own sister. The lightning
was bright and powerful as it was enhanced by Sozin's Comet, and Azula's eyes grew wide
with fear as she realized of what her brother was capable. She was frozen in her spot and
could not move as the bolt flew towards her. She covered her eyes from the blinding flash
before feeling her body forced backwards and thrown against the ground. Recovering from
the blast, she opened her eyes surprised to find she was still alive. She slowly sat up, and as
the dust cleared, she saw the crater where the lightning had struck in front of where she had
been standing.

“This ends now, Azula!” yelled Zuko.

An evil smirk appeared on her face when she realized that he had shown mercy. She drew
herself up. “So weak, Zuzu. Let me show you how to use lightning.”

“You know I'll redirect it. And I won't give you another chance!” he threatened.

His warning did not stop her as she began moving and generating lightning, and Zuko
assumed his redirecting stance. His sister continued circling her arms, the sparks of electricity
growing larger. Ready to release her lightning, her eyes slid to Zuko's right, and her lip curled
just as she unleashed it full force. Zuko, who had made sure he was blocking Chiara, realized
too late Azula's intent as she directed her bolt towards Katara. He ran and dove in front of it
in an attempt to redirect it. Chiara instinctively started running towards him feeling the jolt in
her own heart as she watched with horror the lightning striking her husband sending him to
the ground. It passed through him before exiting towards the red sky, but his hasty stance
caused his body to absorb part of the electrical discharge leaving him curled up on the stone
tiles trembling.

“Prince Zuko,” she screamed just before the ground before her exploded with a flash stopping
her before she could reach him.

She turned to see Azula sending another blast of lightning towards her. Sprinting towards a
pillar to avoid the attack, she felt the ground tremble as the bolt struck the spot where she had
been standing, and she could hear the deranged princess cackling loudly at her retreat. Katara,
shocked at Zuko's sacrifice, started running towards him, but Azula sent a stream of blue fire
at her forcing her to turn back as well. The princess let out another evil laugh as she
continued sending blasts of blue flame towards the girls preventing them from getting to
Zuko.
“I'd really rather our family physician look after little Zuzu if you don't mind,” said Azula.

She continued firing at Chiara and Katara who were still behind the columns.

“Zuzu, you don't look so good,” said Azula watching as his body still quivered.

Chiara's eyes filled with tears, and she wiped them away before glancing out from her
location to check on Zuko, but she barely took in his supine position when a blast of blue fire
hit her column raining pieces of stone down around her. She desperately needed to get to
Zuko, and her heart was racing as she contemplated how she could do so. She looked over at
Katara standing behind the next column. Taking the chance, she darted out from her spot, and
though Azula immediately sent a stream of fire at her, it was not fast enough. Chiara
narrowly escaped the blue flames as she reached the pillar where Katara had been holding her
breath watching her. Azula propelled herself to the roof of a nearby building before sending
another blast towards the column protecting the two waterbenders. They both covered their
heads as they were showered with fragments of stone.

“There's drainage water underneath,” said Chiara pointing to the metal grilles. “The grates
run the perimeter of the plaza...”

She swiftly pulled Katara to her as the hot blue fire she sensed coming burned along the side
of the pillar, but she was careful not expose herself on the other side. Though Katara had not
been burned, she could still feel the heat of the flames, and she was grateful for Chiara's
quick action.

“Thanks,” she exhaled.

“I need you to get to Prince Zuko...”

“But what about Azula?” asked Katara.

“I'll take care of my sister-in-law.”

“Chiara, you can't...”

“Trust me,” she said. “I'll distract her; just save my husband.”

Katara reluctantly nodded.

“We need to get her off the high ground,” said Chiara.

Both girls quickly drew the water from beneath the grates and together they sent it towards
Azula who was still on top of the building. The force of the waves knocked her on her back,
and she rolled down the tile roof landing hard on the ground. Chiara stepped out from behind
the pillar to see her getting to her feet.

“You're going to pay for that you filthy peasants,” snarled the princess. She looked even more
deranged with her dripping, ragged hair and disheveled clothing and her usual confident
stride replaced by an unsteady gait. She glared at Chiara. “Always around to protect Zuzu...”
She glanced over at him. “...oh, except this time,” she taunted.
Chiara forced herself to remain focused on Azula, though the ache in her heart made it
difficult. “I told you before, Azula, I'll die for him.”

Her words broke through to Zuko's wavering consciousness drawing his mind back, not just
to his position on the ground and the searing pain coursing through his body, but to his wife
facing his crazy sister. Images of their wedding flashed through his head; it was his duty to
protect her—he promised her in their vows, and he refused to let her down again, to let her
fight Azula on her own. He forced himself into a prone position and struggled to get up, but
his body would not obey his mind no matter how much he mentally demanded it.

Azula just laughed at Chiara. “I've waited a long time to give you what you deserve, Water
whore.”

“And now it's just you and me, Sister,” said Chiara.

Azula scowled at her. She began slowly swirling her arms generating electricity. “I have to
admit, I do have some regrets about this.”

Chiara calmly stood unmoving.

“I regret I didn't do this before,” she finished deeply.

“No,” said Zuko weakly, inwardly cursing himself for being unable to lift himself up.

The flash of lightning flew towards Chiara.

“Nooo!” yelled Zuko. He felt helpless knowing he was about to watch his wife and their
child get struck down by his sister and there was nothing he could do to save them.

Sokka, Suki, Toph, Nai, Rizin, and Tadashi climbed into the hatch of the other airship.

“We'll make our way to the bridge first,” said Nai.

They ran through the narrow corridors.

“Wait,” whispered Toph before they could turn down the corridor that led to the bridge.

They all stopped.

“There are two guards down the hall.”

“Not bad,” said Sokka. “I think we can handle them.”

The six of them turned the corner and walked towards the bridge.

“What are you doing down this hallway?” asked one of the guards. “No one is permitted on
the bridge.”

“Yeah, um, I was just wondering if you've ever seen a metalbender,” said Sokka casually.
“What are you talking about? Get back to your station,” demanded the guard.

Sokka and Suki stepped aside and Toph stepped forward. The guards barely had time to take
in Toph's small form before they found themselves wrapped up in metal. After busting down
the door and covering herself in her metal exoskeleton, she secured the bridge once again,
now to Nai, Rizin, and Tadashi's astonishment.

“Have I ever mentioned how sweet it is that you invented metalbending?” Sokka asked her.

“You could stand to mention it more,” she said.

“I'm definitely betting on you in an earthbending tournament,” said Nai as the others entered.

“Is that really a thing?” asked Tadashi. “”Cause I want in on that bet.”

“Guys,” broke in Rizin, “our allies weren't able to take this ship which means we still need to
secure the rest of the crew.”

“Take us down closer to the water,” said Sokka. He turned to Nai. “Can you get to the
controls for the bomb bay doors?”

“Yeah, no problem.”

“As soon as the crew is in the bomb bay, open the doors.”

“How are you going to get them there?” she asked.

“I've got an idea,” he smiled.

Shortly after Nai, Tadashi, and Rizin left for their mission, Sokka grabbed a speaker.

He cleared his throat and deepened his voice. “Attention, crew,” he announced into the
speaker, “this is your captain speaking. Everyone please report to the bomb bay immediately
for hot cakes and sweet cream. We have a very special birthday to celebrate.”

Nai, hearing the announcement, sighed. “Does he really think that's going to work?”

Members of the crew started filling up the bomb bay. Suddenly, one of the crew ran by her
and Rizin. “I can't believe the captain remembered my birthday! He really does care!” he
said.

Rizin and Tadashi were chuckling while Nai just shook her head in disbelief. When everyone
was in the bay, she pulled the lever releasing the doors dropping all the men into the sea.

“I can't believe that worked,” she said. Once the bowels of the ship had been evacuated, she
looked at Tadashi. “Go back to the bridge and have them fly to the next ship.”

He nodded before departing, and then she and Rizin ran to the brig to release their team that
had been assigned to the airship.
Iroh stood before the Earth Kingdom Royal Palace. A company of firebenders marched
forward standing between him and the royal residence. Iroh's eyes scanned the soldiers.

“This day Ozai will be defeated by the Avatar,” he announced. “And the Fire Nation will be
on a new path...a path of peace. At this moment I am giving you the opportunity to stand
down. If you do, I will spare your lives, and we will end this war together.”

“Traitor,” called the captain, “you're just one man against an entire company of firebenders.
Do you really think you can fight us all on your own?”

“He is not alone!” bellowed Jeong Jeong who walked towards them to stand a short distance
from Iroh.

There were whispers among the men.

“It's Jeong Jeong the Deserter.”

“He's a firebending master.”

“And with the Dragon of the West.”

The captain turned to his men. “Hold your ground!” he yelled at them. “They're just two
men!”

“Make it three,” said Piandao now standing to Iroh's left with his sword drawn.

There were gasps from the men.

“The swordmaster.”

“He defeated a hundred men by himself.”

The whispers abruptly stopped when Iroh began moving his arms in a large arc. The men in
the company took a step back as they watched the huge bolt of lightning forming around him.

The bolt of lightning sped quickly towards Chiara who caught it in her outstretched fingers
allowing it to flow up her arm and down through her stomach where she directed it down her
other arm and out through her fingertips sending it back towards Azula. The lightning hit the
stone tile in front of her causing an explosion that sent her backwards off her feet.

Chiara barely had time to relish the exhilarating feeling. “Katara, now!”

Katara ran to Zuko's side.

“Chiara...,” he said in a strained voice.

“Zuko, I need to see your wound,” said Katara.

“I...I need to help her....It's my duty.”

He groaned in pain as Katara forced him onto his back.

“I promised her...”

“Hold still,” she said as she pulled water from her water skin and held it over his injury.

While Katara took care of Zuko, Chiara approached a stunned Azula who was still trying to
take in what just happened with her lightning.

“Noo!!” she screamed. “That's not possible!”

Chiara drew the water from the ground and sent it towards Azula who jumped up and threw
out a hot blast of fire turning the water into steam before it even touched her.

“You won't win this,” said Azula deeply before launching an enormous ball of blue fire
towards Chiara.

Azula thought Chiara's ability to redirect lightning might have been luck, but when she saw
her blue missile crash against a wall of fire between them, she realized there was something
more than luck going on.

“You're not a firebender!” yelled Azula. “How are you doing that?!”

While she was yelling, Chiara pulled the water from beneath the grates behind Azula and
drew up a wave that knocked her off her feet. She immediately jumped up again and ran after
her throwing fire blasts, but Chiara surfed on the water dodging the fire while drawing Azula
farther away from Zuko and Katara. After surfing to the other side of the courtyard, she
turned and blocked another blue stream with her own comet-enhanced fire.

“This is impossible!!” screamed Azula who was confused and distracted by Chiara's ability to
firebend and waterbend. “I will not lose to some Water freak!!”

She increased her attack sending burst after burst of blue flames towards Chiara who raised a
bright orange wall stopping the onslaught. Azula, her madness overtaking her, now sent a
steady stream of blue fire at her. Chiara could feel the hot blue flames penetrating her
defense. Keeping her wall of fire in front of her, she stepped back until she could dive behind
one of the pillars.

Azula laughed madly at her retreat.

“Heads up, guys,” said Toph as she, Sokka, and Tadashi stood defensively.

Nai walked onto the bridge followed by Rizin and two other soldiers. “Relax,” she said.
“This is Jiro and Damon. The others are in the engine room, and we can go after another
ship.”

“It looks like all the other airships are under control except for that one,” said Sokka pointing
towards the one they were approaching.
“Jiro, Damon, you two stay on the bridge,” ordered Nai. She looked at the others. “You ready
for another jump?”

“We're not gonna get readier just standing here,” said Toph who discovered that she really
hated jumping on top of airships.

They left for the lowest deck where they waited until they were above the other ship.

“Now!” said Nai.

They all jumped on top of the other airship, but as they started for the hatch, it opened up and
a soldier jumped out shooting large, hot flames towards them. Sokka grabbed Toph's hand
and pulled her with him as he and Suki ran back to avoid the flames while Nai, Rizin, and
Tadashi immediately raised their own comet-enhanced fire to block the incoming attack. As
soon as the three non-firebenders turned back, another hatch opened and a soldier climbed
out. More fire was launched towards Sokka and Suki, and as Suki dove to avoid it, Sokka
pulled Toph to the other side of the blaze where they started slipping down the side of the
airship.

“Sokka!!” cried Suki watching them disappear.

Sokka quickly pulled out his sword plunging it into the hull slowing them down as they
continued their descent. Detached from the ship, they screamed as they fell through the sky
until Sokka landed hard on one of the extended platforms breaking his leg but never letting
go of Toph's hand as she now hung over the edge.

“Oh! My leg!” cried Sokka. “Hang on, Toph!”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” she said in a small voice.

Sokka watched as firebenders ran out onto the platforms on each side of them ready to strike.
Thankful that he kept it with him, he pulled out his boomerang before hurling it at the soldier
to his right. It struck his opponent, and as the firebender plunged towards the sea, Sokka
kicked his sword up from where it had been embedded, and catching it in his hand, he threw
it at the platform on his left. It sliced through the metal, and the firebender who had been on
it was now falling to join his fellow soldier in the water far below.

Sokka sadly watched as his sword fell towards the earth. “Bye, space sword.”

He was dismayed when more soldiers ran out on deck ready to fight.

“I don't think boomerang's coming back, Toph. It looks like this is the end.”

Tears filled her eyes and began to fall. Suddenly, they felt the heat as enormous blasts of fire
flew towards the firebenders who quickly ran off. Nai and Tadashi and a few other allied
firebenders went running after them.

“What happened?” asked Toph wondering why she was not falling or on fire. “Did
boomerang come back?”
“Sokka!”

Sokka took his eyes from the firebending fight, and they lit up when he saw Suki running
towards him.

“No, Suki did!”

She ran out onto the platform followed by a soldier.

“Sokka!”

“Dad?!”

Hakoda helped pull Toph onto the platform.

“I'm so glad to see you,” said Sokka.

Once Toph was no longer dangling over the edge, Suki walked her off the platform while
Hakoda stayed with Sokka.

“My leg, it's broken.”

“I've got you, Son,” he said helping him up.

They went to the bridge where Rizin was standing at the helm.

“Look at Aang!” said Suki pointing out the window.

“What, what is it?” asked Toph. “What's happening?”

“Aang's in the Avatar State,” said Sokka still supported by Hakoda. “It looks like Ozai's
trying to fly away from him.”

“Really?” asked Toph.

“Yep. All right, Aang!” cried Sokka excitedly as they watched him. “He nearly struck Ozai
with a couple of pillars!”

“Yeah, I taught him that,” said Toph proudly.

“Now he struck him with a tidal wave!” he announced. “Take that, Jerk Lord. That's for the
Water Tribe!”

Hakoda was chuckling at his son's cheering.

“Wow, the Avatar's really...scary,” said Nai as she stepped onto the bridge.

“Toph, you would be so proud right now,” said Sokka. “Aang is totally doing some awesome
earthbending with those pillars.”

She was smiling. “Well, what can I say? He takes after me.”
“Ha! There's a body slam from the Water Tribe!” said Sokka.

He continued announcing the battle for Toph, and they watched on until they saw light shoot
up into the sky.

“So Aang's really doing it,” said Suki softly. “He's putting an end to Ozai.”

“Take us in,” said Sokka.

Iroh guided his lightning bolt until it crashed down before the soldiers throwing the captain
of the company back off his feet forcing the men to shield their eyes from the blindingly
bright flash.

“If you still wish to consider the dishonorable Ozai your Fire Lord, we will accept your
surrender now,” he said.

The captain was still dazed, and his men said nothing, but many began sinking to one knee
before Iroh as more followed their lead. The Grand Lotus walked forward towards the palace
as the company of firebenders stood only to make a path for him, no one daring to challenge
him. Lifting his hand he sent a flame towards the Fire Nation flag, and he watched as it
burned away revealing the Earth Kingdom flag behind it.

“Long live Fire Lord Iroh!” came a voice from the firebenders.

The chant echoed throughout the company.

He turned towards them. “The war is over!”

A cheer went up among the soldiers.

Chiara shared Aang's dilemma. She needed to stop Azula, but she really hoped to find an
alternative to killing her. While wondering how she was going to restrain the princess she
noticed chains on a wall. She quickly grabbed them as an idea came to mind.

“There's my pathetic sister-in-law,” said Azula approaching her under the portico.

Chiara stood calmly looking at her with her hands behind her back.

“Time to end your marriage...” The electricity crackled between her fingers.

Azula quickly stepped forward to unleash her lightning, but Chiara was quicker drawing the
water from below, freezing it around them. Melting the water around herself she chained
Azula's hands together behind her and then attached them to the grate on the ground. Once
Azula was secure, Chiara melted all the ice, the water dropping around them flowing back
underground. Her mind now only on her husband, she jumped up, and leaving Azula
restrained, she quickly sprinted towards Zuko.
Though the incapacitating, burning sensation in Zuko's body seemed to dissipate, being
replaced with a warm, soothing feeling due to Katara's healing, he was still feeling jolts of
pain, especially in his chest.

“Chiara...,” he said trying to get up as his strength returned.

“Don't move, Zuko,” said Katara holding him down.

“I have to get to her...”

“She's coming,” she assured him. “Just stay still.”

When she did as much as she could for his wound, she helped him sit up. Chiara came
running up throwing herself on her knees by him and wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Thank you, Katara,” she said still wrapped around Zuko as tears were streaming down her
cheeks.

“Are you okay?” Zuko asked her holding her tightly.

“No.”

He released her and focused his eyes on hers. “What? She hurt you?”

“My heart,” she said caressing his face. She moved her hand to his chest tenderly touching
the dark red mark left by the lightning strike. “She struck my heart.”

A feeling of relief flowed through him as he realized what she meant, and he placed his hand
over hers. “I'm okay,” he said. “What about the baby?”

“I imagine he's sleeping after all that activity.”

He smiled and then looked at Katara. “Thank you, Katara.”

“I think I'm the one who should be thanking you.” Her eyes were filled with tears. “He'll need
more treatments,” she said to Chiara.

Chiara lovingly ran her fingers through his hair. “I'll take care of him.”

“It really is good having waterbenders around,” he said.

She wrapped her arms around his neck again making him laugh softly.

“I'll be okay,” he said.

When she let him go, he moved to stand up, and she kept her arm around his back helping
him to his feet.

He looked at her. “You redirected lightning,” he said. “That's incredible. You did great. Both
of you.”
Chiara stepped before Katara and embraced her. “Thank you so much, Katara, for saving my
husband.”

Katara hugged her back.

Their attention was soon drawn to the other side of the plaza where Azula was screaming and
thrashing around while shooting out flames. Finally, she broke down crying.

“We need to get her to the prison,” said Zuko.

Chiara could not help feeling sympathetic as she watched her. “I don't think she should be
imprisoned.”

“What?!” he said.

“Chiara, she tortured you and intended to kill you,” said Katara.

“You have scars on your back because of her,” said Zuko deeply.

“She needs to be locked up,” said Katara.

“I agree she needs to be locked up,” said Chiara. “But she needs help.”

Zuko's eyes drifted back to Azula as he understood what she meant. “The asylum,” he said
softly.

Chiara nodded and then turned to Katara. “Stay with him.”

“Where are you going?” Zuko asked her.

“To try and help her,” she answered.

He held her arm. “No. It's too dangerous.”

“I'll be okay,” she said placing her hand on his. “Trust me.”

He reluctantly let her go, but he did not take his eyes off them as he watched her walk
towards his sister, and he was ready to do something, anything, if necessary, though he was
not sure what he would be able to do in his condition.

Chiara slowly approached her. “Azula,” she said softly.

“Stay away from me!” she screamed.

Chiara continued stepping near her making Zuko feel nervous, and he and Katara started
walking towards them.

“Get away!” Azula continued screaming as she was pulling against her restraints trying to
move away from her.

Chiara knelt down behind her.

“Don't touch me!!”

Drawing up water, she began her healing technique around Azula's head. Zuko stopped, and
he and Katara were astonished to see Azula's body relax.

“What-what are you doing to me?” Azula asked her in a soft, calm voice.

“Just relax, Azula.”

Chiara continued her technique, and eventually Azula was so passive Chiara stopped her
treatment and just held her caressing her head. Zuko watched as she took care of his sister,
loving her for her compassion. Realizing she would be safe, he turned to go find Izin and
Kaito.

“Do you want me to stay with her?” asked Katara.

He glanced at them again. “She'll be okay.”

 Home in the Fire Nation
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

Sozin's Comet was flying off in the distance as Aang stood atop the pillar. Momo flew in
settling on his shoulder while he watched the airship landing nearby.

“You did it!” cried an excited Sokka supported by Hakoda and Suki as they stepped off the
ship.

Toph, Nai, and a few others followed them. Nai, Rizin, and the others from the Fire Nation
were astonished to see just how young the Avatar was, especially after witnessing part of the
battle between him and the Fire Lord.

“You should've seen yourself!” continued Sokka. “It was amazing! You were all like...” He
imitated Aang as the Avatar fighting Ozai. “...and the Fire Lord was all like...” He acted like
he was choking and gagging.

Suki stepped over to Ozai who was slumped over on the ground. “So did you, you
know...finish the job?” she asked Aang.

“I'm...still...alive,” Ozai growled deeply.

She took a step back.

“I learned there was another way to defeat him and restore balance,” said Aang. “I took his
bending away.”

There were expressions of surprise throughout the group, and even shock, especially among
the firebenders who were unnerved to learn of what the Avatar was capable.

“Wow!” said Toph. “Who taught you that?”

“A giant lion turtle,” he answered with a smile.

“You have the craziest adventures when you disappear,” she said shaking her head.

With Hakoda's help, Sokka hopped over towards Ozai and leaned on Suki.

“Well, look at you, buster,” he said to the defeated Fire Lord. “Now that your firebending's
gone, I guess we should call you the Loser Lord.”

“More like the Flame-out Lord,” said Hakoda.

“Ha!” laughed Sokka. “Good one, Dad.”

“I am the Phoenix King!” said Ozai in a failed attempt to be intimidating before he flopped
face forward to the ground.

“Oh, sorry,” said Toph sarcastically. “Didn't mean to offend you, Phoenix King of Getting His
Butt Whooped.”

“Yeah!” said Suki. “Or how about King of the...Guys Who...Don't Win?” she spouted out
pathetically.

“Leave the nicknames to us, honey.”

“I guess now we take him back to the Capital,” said Rizin.

“We'll take him to the brig,” said Nai. She turned to Aang. “Thank you, Avatar.” She bowed
respectfully to him.

She and Rizin took hold of Ozai's arms and forced him to his feet. They walked him inside
the ship to the brig where Tadashi opened a cell door allowing them to put him inside.

“Your tyranny's finally come to an end,” Nai said deeply to Ozai as they released him
allowing him to collapse to the floor. “Murderer.”

“I've never murdered anyone that didn't deserve it,” he spat while trying to raise himself to a
more dignified position.

“The 41st Division deserved it?!” she yelled angrily. “My brother deserved it?!”

He lifted his head, his eyes glaring at her through strands of his disheveled hair. “They
weren't murdered,” he said slowly. “They were sacrificed for the greater good.”

Nai's right fist slammed against Ozai's jaw before she grabbed him by his hair threatening to
firebend in his face.

“Nai!” said Rizin. “Don't!”

“Your death will be for the greater good!” she threatened, fire glowing around her fist.

Ozai only laughed at her. “Go on,” he taunted. “Do it! You're not weak like that airbender.
You're Fire Nation. You're strong enough to do it.”

“Nai, don't do it,” said Tadashi.

“Do it!!” demanded Ozai.

She released him, shoving him back against the wall. “You're right, I'm Fire Nation.” She
turned to leave the cell. “I'm strong enough to leave you to rot in prison.”

As the airships started their flight towards the Fire Nation, the comet disappeared below the
horizon plunging the sky into darkness.
Ba Sing Se had been successfully reconquered by the Order of the White Lotus, and standing
inside the Earth King's Palace were Iroh, Jeong Jeong, Piandao, and King Bumi along with
others who had fought with them.

“We need to find the Earth King,” said Jeong Jeong to Iroh.

“Until he is found, King Bumi will help with restoring order here,” said Piandao.

Bumi replied with a snort.

“We will continue following our plans,” said Iroh.

“Agreed,” said Jeong Jeong. “The Fire Nation troops will be organized and removed from the
Earth Kingdom.”

Iroh turned to one of the Order members. “Take a group into the prison,” he ordered. “You
will find the Council of Five. They are to be released. They will assist King Bumi with the
restoration.”

The man nodded and left to fulfill Iroh's orders.

“Your mission here is now finished, Grand Lotus,” said Piandao.

Iroh nodded. “It's time I check on my family,” he said. “And I will need to be there for the
Fire Nation once Ozai has been defeated...or on the slim chance he hasn't,” he added grimly.

“We will take care of the business left here,” said Jeong Jeong.

Piandao turned to Iroh. “Your escorts will go with you to the camp as planned.”

Three firebenders, former soldiers who had defected from the army months earlier and joined
Jeong Jeong, stepped towards them.

Piandao stood before them. “The eel hounds will take you all straight to the Fire Nation. You
should arrive home by morning.”

“Remember,” started Jeong Jeong to the firebenders, “it is your duty to make sure Prince Iroh
gets safely to the Fire Nation. He must be protected at all costs.”

“Yes, sir,” they said in unison, though after seeing the flash of Iroh's lightning from a distance
and the crater it left when they arrived at the palace, they wondered if he would even need
their protection.

Jeong Jeong looked at Iroh. “We will return in time for your coronation.”

“Yes,” agreed Piandao. “And we wouldn't want to miss your wedding either,” he smirked
breaking Jeong Jeong's serious demeanor as the firebending master chuckled.

“Be careful,” warned Iroh, “or once I'm Fire Lord I'll make sure to arrange fine marriages for
you two eligible bachelors.”
Bumi began cackling madly, and Iroh let out a hearty laugh at their quickly disappearing
smiles before turning to walk back to the White Lotus camp accompanied by his guards.

Zuko and Katara went to find Kaito and Izin, but they had not made it far before the two men
along with a group of others came running towards them.

“Prince Zuko, the Capital is secure, as is the palace...,” said Kaito. He noticed the prince's
scorched tunic and red scar on his chest. “...what happened? Are you okay?”

Before he could even answer, Izin saw that Chiara was absent. “The princess! Where is
she?!” he asked worriedly.

“She's fine,” Zuko answered. He turned to look back at the girls. “She's with...she's taking
care of Azula.”

Izin still felt worried when he saw them in the distance. “The other princess?” he asked. “But
didn't she try to kill her?”

“Chiara has it under control,” said Zuko watching them.

“What about you, sir?” asked Kaito.

“I'll be okay. Katara healed my injury.”

“You look like you're still in pain,” he said.

“Azula hit him with lightning,” said Katara.

There was a collective gasp among most of the men present.

“Lightning?!” asked Kaito.

“It's fine,” said Zuko. “Katara took care of it.”

“You'll still need further treatments,” she reminded him.

“And you're sure the princess will be okay?” asked Izin keeping his eyes on the girls.

“I'm sure,” he said. He looked at Kaito. “Any casualties?”

“No, sir. It seems most of the guards and staff had been dismissed and are quite willing for a
change in leadership. For now, though, the White Lotus members and only those we're
confident are our allies are in charge of security.”

Zuko nodded.

“There were also a group of Earthbenders that had been serving Azula,” he continued. “But
they're currently being detained.”
“Thank you, Kaito. We'll need to have Azula moved to the asylum on Heiwa Island.”

“We'll contact them, sir.”

“For now find Doctor Asa. Chiara's got her calmed down, but the doctor might be able to
give her something to keep her that way."

Kaito nodded. “Yes, sir.” He gave orders to two of the Imperial Firebenders that had been
with him before turning back to the prince.

“The Avatar's bison will need to be taken care of too,” said Zuko.

Kaito hesitated. “I-I'm not sure our men will know how to handle it.”

Zuko looked at Izin. “Izin, Appa knows you. Would you mind helping the others find a place
for him in the stables and feeding him?”

“I'll take care of it, Prince Zuko,” he said.

“Don't forget to pull our bags out of the saddle.”

“Yes, sir.”

Kaito sent two more men with Izin to take care of Appa.

Zuko looked back again at Chiara still holding Azula. “I think it's time to go home,” he said
softly.

Kaito smiled. “We can arrange that, Prince Zuko.”

--------------------

Soon, dragon moose-drawn carriages arrived to take them to the palace. Zuko slowly walked
over to Chiara and Azula. He was amazed at how docile his sister appeared as she lay now
unrestrained with her head resting on Chiara's lap, Chiara gently caressing her hair like a
mother comforting her child.

“Chiara, it's time to go home,” he said. “Doctor Asa's going to meet us at the palace.”

She nodded her head in acknowledgment. “How are you feeling?” she asked him softly.

“Relieved that it's over.”

He did not answer what she really wanted to know, but she already knew the answer, sensing
the pain he was still suffering. He could see the worry in her eyes before she dropped them to
Azula.

“Azula, it's time to go,” she whispered.

“You're going to leave me too, aren't you?” she squeaked out.

“Not forever. We have things that need to get done, but I'll see you as often as I can. Right
now, we need to get you to the doctor.”

Azula slowly sat up. Chiara remained by her side, and they all left for the palace where she
escorted her to the infirmary with Zuko by her side and Katara, Kaito, Izin, and a few other
firebenders following.

Zuko felt slightly apprehensive as they entered the palace hospital. The last time he had been
inside were the two nights he had spent there after his first Agni Kai. Despite his
apprehension, however, a wave of affection for his uncle washed over him as he remembered
he had not been alone those nights.

“Chiara...” Asa's eyes were wide. It had been years since he had last seen her, and he had
heard she had been executed for being the wife of the prince. “I thought you were...well...I
heard...” He was even more surprised to see her arm around a lethargic-looking Azula who
was leaning against her, the rumor being that the princess was the one who had put her to
death.

Chiara gave him a small smile. “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

“What a relief,” he said. “It's really good to see you.”

His eyes fell on Zuko whom he had not seen since the days after the Agni Kai despite the
prince having returned twice to the palace since then. “Prince Zuko...it's good to see you
again too. Let me look at your injury,” he said noticing his singed clothes and wound on his
chest.

“We're not here for me. It's for Azula.”

He nodded. “Bring her here.”

Chiara walked her to a cot and helped her lie down.

“Is she already sedated?” he asked.

“In a way. I used a technique to help her relax.”

He looked at her curiously. “What technique is that?”

“It's a waterbending technique.”

“It's a long story, Doctor,” said Zuko interrupting what he was sure was going to be a plethora
of questions on her waterbending ability. “We'll make sure you know everything, but right
now we have other obligations.”

“I understand, Prince Zuko.”

Zuko took Asa aside to speak to him privately while Chiara knelt down by Azula.

“Doctor, my uncle will be returning to the Fire Nation to take his place as Fire Lord.”
Asa breathed a sigh of relief. “I cannot tell you how relieved I am to hear of it.” He stared at
Zuko. “What about...” He leaned in towards him. “...Ozai?” he whispered.

“The Avatar was supposed to stop him, but he disappeared. We'll deal with him if the Avatar
fails to do what needs to be done.”

Asa nodded nervously.

“For now, keep Azula sedated and guarded. We've made arrangements for her to go to Heiwa
Island.”

“I'll take care of her. Are there any injuries that need to be tended to?”

“Chiara took care of them. Her waterbending seemed to help her mental state too, so we'll
visit her on the island.” His eyes rested on the girls. “Maybe...maybe it can fix her.”

“I'll check on you later,” Chiara was softly saying to Azula while caressing her head. “For
now you need to rest.”

Azula remained passive and withdrawn.

“I heard she was a waterbender,” said Asa to Zuko. “I'd like to know more about this
technique.”

“We'll fill you in on everything.”

Asa nodded, but he looked with concern at Zuko's chest. “Are you sure you don't want me to
take a look at that injury.”

“I already had another waterbender take care of it,” Zuko assured him making him even more
curious about waterbending healing abilities.

Zuko stepped over to Chiara and took her hand, and they turned to leave the infirmary.

“So that rumor is true then?” Asa asked them.

They turned back at him.

“Which one?” asked Zuko. “I'm quite sure there are many.”

“You two are...married?”

Zuko nodded. “It's true.”

Asa smiled. “Congratulations, Your Highness, Princess,” he said bowing to them.

They returned the bow.

“It's time you got some rest too,” Chiara said to Zuko as they began walking towards the
door.
“I feel okay.”

“Waterbending can only do so much. You still need food and sleep.”

“I can't rest yet. There's too much to do.”

“Prince Zuko,” she started in a pleading voice, “security's under control, Princess Azula's
being cared for, now it's time you're taken care of.”

They stepped into the hall where Katara, Kaito, Izin, and the other firebenders were waiting
for them.

“Prince Zuko, we're meeting in the war room...,” started Kaito.

Chiara sighed to herself.

Zuko lifted his hand to stop him. “I recommend we meet in the dining room instead.”

“I...,” started Kaito. He noticed how worn out all three teens looked. “Of course, sir.”

Chiara felt frustrated that he refused to rest but relieved that he might actually eat.

“And first order of business,” started Zuko as they were walking to the dining room, “I
propose we change the name of the 'war room'. The war is over.”

Soft laughter spread through the group, and Kaito smiled. “I agree, sir.”

“I want everyone who served in my uncle's house immediately brought to the palace,” he
ordered.

“Right away, sir.”

--------------------

They went to the dining room where Zuko invited even the guards to sit at the table with
them while they discussed security and awaited news from the other war fronts. Yuzo and
Akio, both relieved and delighted to find that Chiara was still alive, joined the discussion.
The servants that cared for Iroh's household, including Ezih, Amiku, and Tai, were all invited
to the palace where they were excited and happy to see Chiara who was just as happy to see
them as she had not seen them since she left to go with Zuko during his banishment years
before.

“Oh, Lady Chiara...Princess Chiara, you grew into such a beautiful young woman,” said an
excited Amiku as she hugged her. “We heard so many rumors: your imprisonment, your
execution, your marriage to Prince Zuko...I can't say we didn't see that one coming,” she
added in a low voice as she smiled. “How many times Prince Zuko slipped over the wall to
be with you.”

Zuko and Chiara were blushing.

“We also heard you're quite a capable waterbender,” said Ezih.

“All that time and we never knew,” said Amiku. “Oh, I'm so happy you're home.” She paused
as she was staring into Chiara's eyes. “Oh, Princess, is there...is there a...a baby on the way?”

Zuko's and Chiara's mouths opened at her...guess? Their reaction gave it away, and Amiku
softly screamed.

“Oh, a baby!” She pulled Chiara into another hug.

“We haven't really announced it yet,” she breathed out amid Amiku's tight embrace.

“Uncle has,” said Zuko. “He announced it to everyone at the camp.”

“Prince Iroh must be so proud,” said Amiku. “And look at you...so thin! When's the last time
you had a meal?”

Katara was laughing at Amiku's excitement and motherly doting, and she now understood
how Chiara saw the Fire Nation as home.

“You've seen General Iroh then?” Ezih asked Zuko.

“Yes,” he answered. “As soon as he's done dealing with Ba Sing Se, he'll return to take over
the throne.”

“I will be honored to serve Fire Lord Iroh,” said Ezih.

“As will I,” said Tai.

“And to serve the newest prince or princess,” said Amiku, “what a joy.”

“With your permission, Prince Zuko, I'd like to go to the kitchen and have a meal prepared
for everyone here,” said Tai.

“We were hoping for that,” he said. “Kaito, make sure Tai has the cooperation of all the
kitchen staff. He's in charge now.”

“Yes, sir,” he said.

“Oh, Ren works in the kitchens,” added Zuko. “He'll help with the security among the staff
members. He's White Lotus.”

Kaito nodded to him before ordering one of his men to handle Zuko's request.

“Zuko,” said Katara, “would you be able to find out what happened to friends who were
involved with the invasion during the eclipse?”

He looked at Kaito. “I know you were in prison at the time, but can we find out where they
are?”

“Of course...”
“They're in the Prison Tower, sir,” spoke up one of the Imperial Firebenders.

“Have them all released and brought here,” ordered Zuko.

“I understand they're allies, Prince Zuko,” started Kaito, “but for security reasons I suggest
they be kept in the guest manors outside the palace grounds...”

“I want them here in the palace,” he insisted. “There are more than enough rooms in the guest
wing to accommodate them, and I want dinner set up for them in the banquet hall
immediately. We'll have our meal in there when they arrive.”

“Yes, sir,” said Kaito.

Zuko looked at Chiara with Amiku still fussing over her, and then he turned back to Kaito.
“For now, have Tai send up tea and a light meal.”

“I'll take care of that, Prince Zuko,” said Ezih before bowing and disappearing.

--------------------

They continued their discussions in the dining room until the former POWs were gathered in
the banquet hall. Zuko, Chiara, Katara, Izin, Kaito, and the other guards went to join them,
but Ezih stopped Zuko before he could enter the hall.

“More presentable clothing, Prince Zuko,” he said holding out a simple tunic to replace his
scorched, torn one.

“Thanks, Ezih,” said Zuko appreciating his forethought.

Ezih stood ready to take his old tunic from him when he removed it, and after Zuko put on
the clean one, Ezih bowed and left while the group entered the banquet hall. Katara looked
around at all the familiar faces, and the room was filled with conversation.

“Excuse me, everyone,” said Zuko addressing the room. They quieted down and looked up at
him. “My name is Zuko. I am the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. We brought you here
because you are no longer prisoners of war. We've been fighting to bring an end to the war
started by Fire Lord Sozin a hundred years ago. We've taken the Capital, and we're currently
waiting to hear news of the battle to defeat the former Fire Lord Ozai as well as the battle to
end his occupation of Ba Sing Se.”

“What if Ozai isn't defeated?” came a voice from the crowd.

Though he wore a prison uniform, Zuko and Chiara both recognized his Water Tribe features.

“Aang will defeat him, Bato,” said Katara. “But if he fails, Dad and Sokka are there to stop
him.”

He walked up to her. “Katara,” he said as she hugged him.

“I'm so happy to see you again,” she said. She turned to Zuko and Chiara. “This is Bato. He's
practically family.”

Zuko and Chiara bowed to him.

“It's an honor to meet you, Bato of the Southern Water Tribe,” said Zuko.

“And it's an honor to meet the Prince of the Fire Nation as long as he isn't one of Ozai's,” said
Bato.

Zuko did not consider himself to be anything of Ozai's.

“If I may ask, though...,” continued Bato, “...who will be in control of the Fire Nation if Ozai
is defeated? Will one dictator be exchanged for another?”

“The throne rightfully belongs to my uncle Iroh. He will return to be crowned Fire Lord.”

“You mean General Iroh, the Dragon of the West?”

“Iroh's a good man, Bato,” intervened Katara. “He's fighting to free Ba Sing Se from the Fire
Nation right now. He was the one who helped me escape from Princess Azula after she shot
Aang with lightning.”

“My uncle has changed,” said Zuko.

“He is now a man of peace,” added Chiara, “and that's what he'll work towards.”

Servants entered the hall with trolleys of food.

Zuko turned to the others. “You are all guests of the Fire Nation,” he announced. “And you
will remain here at the palace until arrangements have been made to return you to your
homes. If there is anything you need until then, do not hesitate to ask. For now though, enjoy
your meal.”

Cheers went up around the room that the war would soon be over, and everyone sat down to
enjoy the food that had been prepared for them.

While they were eating, Katara informed Bato that Hakoda and Sokka were helping the allies
stop the air fleet invasion. She also filled him in on Hakoda's rescue from Boiling Rock when
Sokka and Zuko broke in to rescue Chiara. He was surprised to learn that Chiara was a
waterbender and even more so to hear that she was married to the prince, so Katara told him
her history and connection to the Northern Water Tribe. After their meal, she introduced
Zuko and Chiara to the Mechanist whom she also updated with what she knew of Teo and the
others of the group. Later, Zuko listened as Chiara talked to the Boulder telling him how she
and the soon-to-be Fire Lord Iroh watched him reign at Earth Rumble I.

Throughout the evening, not one wince of pain of Zuko's, however well hidden, escaped
Chiara's attention, but despite her insistence, he refused to sleep until he heard news of the
other battles. When most of the guests had retired to the rooms to which they were assigned,
Zuko, Chiara, Katara, Bato, Kaito, Izin, and several guards went to a comfortable sitting
room to wait for information.

As they sat conversing, news was brought that transport had arrived to take Azula to the
hospital on Heiwa Island. Zuko and Chiara left their guests, followed by Kaito and Izin of
course, to visit her in the infirmary before her departure. When they arrived, she was asleep
from the sedative Asa had given her, but they remained with her until she was removed by
the asylum personnel.

Once she was gone, Chiara turned to Zuko. “Lie down,” she ordered.

“W-what?”

“Lie down. You were struck by lightning, and you refuse to rest. At least let me help with
some of the pain.”

He did not argue with her. She helped him down on a cot, and then opened his tunic before
treating his injury. She sensed the damage to his system, and tears filled her eyes as she
thought about how close he came to dying. She focused on healing it along the path the
lightning took in his body. He could feel her healing touch spreading through him erasing the
sharp pains that had been plaguing him all evening. He reached up and tenderly wiped away
the tears that escaped down her cheek.

“I'm okay, Chiara,” he said softly.

She finished with his treatment. “How does it feel?” she asked.

“Better. I don't feel any pain now.”

She nodded but was still worried.

“I'm quite curious...”

They both looked at Asa who had spoken.

“Do all waterbenders have the power to heal?” he asked.

As Zuko sat up, he realized he had spoken too soon as there was still mild residual pain
shooting along his nerves. He knew it would take several treatments, so he decided to hide it
for the moment.

“You'll need more treatments before the pain's completely gone,” said Chiara.

He huffed out a small puff of smoke frustrated that he could not hide it from her.

“And no, Doctor,” she said. “Not all waterbenders can heal.”

They remained in the infirmary to answer all of Asa's questions as promised. In the course of
the questioning, he was surprised and pleased to learn that Zuko did not lose his vision due to
Chiara's clandestine treatment of his wound and that they were expecting a child. He was also
 quite fascinated by Zuko's healing heat massage technique for muscular injuries. He was
disappointed, however, to find he was unable to perform the skill himself and that it would
take time for him to learn it, not knowing that Zuko's method was based on his training from
the firebending masters.

--------------------

Not long after returning to the dining room with Katara and Bato, a guard walked in and
spoke to Kaito.

“Sir,” said Kaito to Zuko, “airships have been spotted approaching the city.”

Everyone felt excited.

“Do we know if they're allies?” asked Zuko.

“Not at this time.”

“I guess we should go greet them,” he said.

“I think it would be best if you remain here until we determine who they are.”

“But it's got to be them,” said Katara.

“If our group failed, the enemies might have learned about our plans here in the Capital,” said
Kaito. “They could be returning to take it back.”

“Then we'll be prepared to fight,” said Zuko. “I'm not letting Ozai put our Nation back under
his tyranny.”

“But, sir, at least leave the battle up to the guards. You and the princess should stay
somewhere safe...”

“We fought all day, Kaito. We're not going to give up now.”

Kaito did not like the idea of the young couple going back into battle, but he was ready to
follow orders. “Yes, sir. I'll gather as many guards as we can spare.”

He left the room to gather his men and give orders.

Katara looked excited. “I know it's our people,” she said confident that the battle had been a
success.

Chapter End Notes

Nersala's and Amiku's gift for recognizing pregnancy through the eyes is based on my
mom. She could always tell when family members were pregnant, sometimes even
before they knew. She always said, “it's something about the eyes.”
 End of a Long Day

The courtyard of the palace entrance was lit up by fires burning in braziers lining the
perimeter. Against the starlit sky fifteen dark shapes were flying towards the palace. Zuko
stood in the front, against Kaito's wishes, with Chiara and Katara on each side, as well as
Bato, Kaito, Izin, and a dozen others made up of guards and Imperial Firebenders.

Ezih ran up to Chiara. “Princess Chiara, Amiku is quite upset to learn that you're out here in
your delicate condition, especially if they are enemy soldiers approaching.”

“It was my delicate condition that helped me fight earlier,” she said.

Zuko smirked to himself, but Ezih did not understand what she meant.

“Princess, there are plenty of soldiers here to fight this battle,” he argued.

“I refuse to hide underground when I can help in this fight,” she argued back

“I told her you would be quite stubborn about it.” He bowed his head to her. “And I would
expect no less from the Daughter of the Dragon of the West.”

She smiled at him.

“But I did promise Amiku I would stay with you.” He took his place between her and Izin.
“You do realize that if we survive this, we'll both suffer Amiku's wrath?”

“If it means surviving this, then I look forward to it,” she said.

“I'm not so sure I do,” he muttered.

They faced the airships as they began landing before them. All the guards and soldiers in the
courtyard and hidden in various areas stood ready for whoever might step off the ships.

Familiar faces began pouring out of the airships: Zaro, Sozoh, Nai, Dako, Zomi, Rizin, Shin,
Ezo, Jiro, Damon, and others from the prison.

Chiara's eyes lit up upon seeing them, especially Nai who was just as happy to see her.

“Princess,” she bowed. “Prince Zuko.”

“Nai,” he greeted her.

When she straightened, Chiara stepped forward and hugged her. “It's good to see you, Lady
Nai.”

Rizin bowed deeply. “Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara.”

“Rizin,” said Zuko.

“How have you been?” asked Chiara.

“Good, Princess. Honored to serve the Fire Nation.”

“How's your family?”

“They're doing good. They'll be pleased to hear of our success.”

Katara had been looking anxiously at the faces searching for her family.

“Sokka!” she cried with relief when she spotted him. “Dad?!”

She ran to them hugging both at the same time, Bato right behind her to greet his friends.

Hakoda, not letting go of Sokka, wrapped an arm around his daughter. “Katara!”

She released them noticing that Hakoda was still supporting her brother. “Sokka, what
happened to your leg?”

“He tried to fly, but it didn't work out,” said Toph, she and Suki standing nearby.

“Let's get you inside so I can...” Katara's eyes had drifted behind him falling upon the Avatar.
“Aang?!”

She ran to him, and before he could even process it, he felt her arms around him.

“Oh, sure,” started Sokka, “who cares about your big brother and his broken leg.”

“Come on, Sokka,” said Chiara. “I'll take care of it. I really owe your sister.”

Hakoda and Bato helped Sokka over to the palace steps where Chiara began healing his leg.

“Princess,” started Nai who had followed them, “there are others who could benefit from
your gift.”

“Set up a triage area,” she said. “I'll take care of them.”

“Yes, Princess,” she bowed.

Nai, Ezo, and Rizin began gathering all the injured soldiers in an area where Chiara could
treat them.

She glanced up at Ezih. “Can you bring me more water, Ezih?”

“Of course, Princess.” He bowed and turned to fulfill her request only to see Amiku storming
towards him.

“I told you to bring her back to the safety of the palace and you left her out there to fight!”
she yelled at him.

“I did my best, Amiku,” he said before hurrying off to get water.

“Lucky for you they're allies,” she called out to him. She walked over to Chiara. “And how
could you even think of fighting, Princess?”

Chiara was still healing Sokka's broken leg. “As I told Ezih, Lady Amiku, I refuse to hide
when I can help.”

“But...you're a delicate, young woman,” she said carefully. “You have a future to think
about.”

“Which is why I wanted to fight,” she said not taking her eyes off Sokka's injury.

Amiku huffed. “Just as brash and daring as Prince Iroh in his youth.”

Chiara was smirking at her response. “Considering my husband's talent for breaking into
prisons, I'm quite sure it will be straight to the gallows if I get caught. I'd rather go down
fighting.”

“Such a dreadful thought either way, my Lady,” she said as she stood by to assist her with her
patients.

--------------------

When Chiara had walked off to help Sokka, Zuko was watching Aang who was happily
engulfed in Katara's embrace. The prince turned to Toph.

“So Aang did it?” he asked softly. “Ozai's really...?”

“Yep,” she said cheerfully.

He thought it odd for Toph to sound so cheerful over Ozai's death. Relieved he could
understand, but cheerful?

“...If you were going to finish that with 'locked in a cell in the airship',” the earthbender
added. “Because that's where he is.”

He was not sure if he heard her correctly. “Wait...what?! Aang didn't...finish it?”

“There was no need to,” said Aang as he walked up, Katara's hand in his and his cheeks
tinged red.

“What do you mean?” he asked. “You realize he'll never stop fighting.”

“Maybe so, but he won't be able to firebend.”

Zuko looked puzzled, though Toph caught this by his sudden silence.

“Aang took away his firebending,” she said.

He found the idea unnerving. “I-I didn't know you could do that.”

“Neither did I until a giant lion turtle taught me,” said Aang.
“Is that where you disappeared to?”

“Yep.”

He was about to ask the Avatar what was involved in removing a firebender's bending, but
Zaro and Sozoh approached him.

“Prince Zuko,” greeted Sozoh, “I am pleased to inform you that the attack on the Earth
Kingdom has been prevented, the fleet has been brought under control, and Ozai has been
stopped.”

“The ships' cells are holding the soldiers who refused to join us, including Ozai,” said Zaro.

Zuko turned to Kaito. “What do you recommend?”

“I suggest we bring them out and inform them of the change in leadership,” said Kaito.

“Right,” said Zuko.

“We should also release the enlisted men,” said Sozoh. “The officers we should hold until
after General Iroh has been crowned Fire Lord. Then we will deal with them individually.”

“Sir,” said Kaito addressing Zuko, “since it's too late this evening to find transport to the
other islands, I recommend providing accommodations in the guest manors for the enlisted
soldiers...under guard of course.”

Zuko nodded. “What about the officers? Do we keep them in the prison then?”

“Until we can determine their loyalty, I believe that is the best place,” said Sozoh.

“I want it made clear that it's only temporary,” Zuko insisted. “Once my uncle has returned
they'll have a chance to pledge their allegiance to the Fire Nation under the rightful Fire
Lord.”

“As soldiers, and especially officers, they should understand the need for security.”

“First, let's start with those who stood by us,” said Zuko. “And then we'll deal with the
enlisted men in the brigs. Also, leave Ozai in his cell until we've dealt with everyone else.”

Kaito nodded and left to carry out his orders.

--------------------

When all the allied soldiers were gathered, Zuko addressed them first, thanking them for their
help and congratulating them on their success. During his speech, Chiara was still in the
process of healing the injured, a majority suffering from burn wounds.

“Lady Chiara, I...I can't believe you're here.”

She looked at her next patient. “Uzo?! Oh, I'm so happy to see you. I often wonder what
happened to you...to all of you.” She stepped closer to study the injury on Zuko's former crew
member.

“We heard a lot of stories about you and Prince Zuko,” he said as she began healing his
wound. “So they're true.”

She smiled. “It depends on which stories.”

“The one about you being a waterbender seems to be true,” he said watching with amazement
as his wound disappeared beneath the glowing water.

“It is,” she softly laughed.

“I didn't even know waterbenders could do that.”

While she and Uzo were catching up, two other familiar faces approached Zuko after his
speech.

“Lieutenant Jee! Ozen!” he said not expecting to see any of his former crew.

“Prince Zuko,” they bowed.

“You helped take over the airships?”

“When we heard they were fighting for you and General Iroh, we knew we had to join them,”
said Jee.

Zuko suspected their loyalty was more to Iroh than to himself, but he still appreciated their
support. “What happened to you at Zhao's Siege?” he asked.

“The ship I was assigned to was near the back of the fleet.”

“As was mine,” said Ozen. “We were among the few lucky ones to have survived,” he added
somberly.

“Were there any others from the crew who returned?” Zuko asked.

Jee listed the other members of the crew that had survived, only a handful to Zuko's dismay.

“After we left the North, we were told that the waterbenders got the upper hand, but we knew
better. We saw the spirit from where we were in the fleet...” He looked lost in his thoughts,
and Zuko could see the fear in his eyes as his mind replayed the terrifying memories. “...the
unnatural wave that overtook the ships. They were overturned like they were toys in a pond
and disappeared under the sea...men dragged to their death in the icy water,” he said darkly.

“I was sure we were going to suffer the same fate,” said Ozen.

“We all thought that,” said Jee.

“We knew it wasn't the work of waterbenders,” said Ozen. “But we were told not to speak of
what we really saw.”

“Anyone who spoke the truth was threatened with charges of slander against the Fire Lord,”
said Jee in a low voice as if he feared being overheard.

“The truth will be known,” said Zuko. “Zhao killed the moon spirit which drew the wrath of
the ocean spirit upon our people.”

“Zhao killed a spirit?!” asked Ozen appalled at the thought.

Zuko nodded. “The princess of the Northern Water Tribe gave her life back to the moon to
keep the balance. So many lives were lost on both sides that day.”

Jee looked at him curiously. “Were you at the North Pole, sir?”

“I was. I slipped onto Zhao's ship in disguise.”

“The last thing we heard about you before the Siege was that you were on the ship when the
pirates blew it up...,” said Ozen.

“It was Zhao,” said Zuko deeply. “The coward hired pirates to do it.”

Jee shook his head in disgust. “We never realized you were at the Siege.”

“I was still trying to capture the Avatar,” he admitted.

“We found out you were alive when they declared you and General Iroh traitors.”

“Of course,” said Zuko wryly.

“And of Lady Chiara, we heard...well...we heard quite a few things concerning her,” said
Ozen.

Zuko let out a soft laugh. “She's alive and well, in case you heard otherwise.”

“We did hear otherwise,” said Jee grimly. “We were relieved to learn it wasn't true.” His eyes
were on her in the distance working among the injured. “And that she's a waterbender...” He
shook his head still having trouble believing it. “Leave it to General Iroh to do something so
bold.” He looked at Zuko. “And you as well, sir. We heard you broke into Boiling Rock for
her and freed all the prisoners.”

Zuko nodded.

Jee was impressed by his courage and determination. “That's-that's really something, Prince
Zuko.”

“They shouldn't have touched her,” he responded deeply.

Jee laughed to himself remembering how overprotective the prince was regarding Chiara
years earlier.

“But...I guess it all worked out in the end,” Zuko added in a calmer tone. “A lot of these
heroes here came from the prison either as guards or prisoners.”

“So what's the plan now?” he asked.

“Uncle takes the throne, and we make peace with the other Nations.”

“General Iroh as Fire Lord,” said Jee thoughtfully. “I never thought I'd see the day.”

“Sir,” interrupted Kaito, “everyone will remain on guard until we've spoken with the enlisted
soldiers and removed them from the palace grounds.”

Zuko nodded and turned back to Jee. “There'll be a banquet in the palace after this. I hope
you'll join us.”

“We appreciate it, sir.”

“Also, if you need a place to stay, the guest manors are available...but...but you and the others
from the crew are welcome to rooms in the guest wing of the palace.”

Jee's jaw dropped not expecting an invitation to stay in the Royal Palace, especially when
invited by the young Crown Prince whom he had often considered a royal pain. “S-sir?”

“Uncle will return as soon as they reconquer Ba Sing Se,” said Zuko. “I'm sure he'll want to
see you.”

The last time the lieutenant had seen the prince, he had been a bitter, angry teenager, but now
he was amazed to see a seemingly calm, level-headed young man.

“It would be an honor, sir.”

--------------------

All the allied soldiers remained in the courtyard while the enlisted soldiers who fought
against them were brought out of the ships. Zuko addressed the group explaining that Ozai
had been defeated, the war was over, and that Iroh was to be crowned the new Fire Lord.
They were free to return to their homes in the Fire Nation, but those who lived on the other
islands would be given accommodations in the guest manors outside of palace grounds until
they could be transported home. Under strict guard, Zuko allowed any of the injured to be
treated by Chiara and Katara who was now helping her.

Next, the officers were brought out, and after being informed of the changes, they, too, were
given the opportunity to be treated by the waterbenders. Most of the high ranking officers
refused despite the severity of their wounds. Instead, they requested to see a Fire Nation
medic, a service that was provided to them once they were taken to the prison where they all
were to be held temporarily.
The soldiers who had participated in winning back the Fire Nation from Ozai were invited
into the palace and treated to a banquet meal leaving only a small group of guards in the
courtyard. Sokka, unable to resist the word “banquet,” also went inside along with Hakoda,
Bato, Suki, and Toph. Aang stayed close to Katara while she worked among the injured, and
as soon as the waterbenders finished treating everyone, they joined Zuko who was talking to
Kaito. Chiara walked up to him with Nai and Izin by her side. Since all the soldiers had been
dealt with, now Ozai was to be brought before him.

“Are you sure you don't want to leave this 'til tomorrow?” Chiara asked him.

He considered it. He had not been expecting to face his father, having believed he would be
executed by the Avatar, and he was unprepared for the encounter.

“I want to get it over with.” He looked at Kaito. “Have him brought out.”

Kaito nodded and disappeared, and a few minutes later, Ozai, wrists bound and being
restrained by two guards, was standing in the courtyard trying to look intimidating. Zuko
approached him.

“So the traitor prince succeeded in using his traitor army to steal my throne,” growled Ozai.

Zuko was disgusted by the irony of his words considering how he obtained the throne.

“You couldn't even fight me yourself,” continued the former Fire Lord in a condescending
tone. “You had to send the child Avatar to defeat me because you knew you couldn't do it.
You were always weak and pathetic.”

“I'm not taking the throne,” said Zuko, wanting to say so much more—like how weak and
pathetic it was to be willing to kill your own son and to allow your father to be poisoned in
order to become Fire Lord. “It belongs to Uncle.”

Ozai huffed. “Another pitifully weak fool. A coward who wouldn't even fight me for it.”

“It was the Avatar's duty to stop you, and you should count yourself lucky that he spared your
life.”

“Hmph, lucky?” he spat. “Lucky that my own son will now lock me away in a prison cell?”

The irony was becoming too much for Zuko. “The son you were willing to kill for your own
gain? The son you burned and banished?” he said deeply. “No. Your own son will not lock
you away in a prison cell. You have no son.”

Ozai was scowling at him. “Banishing you was a mistake,” he said. “Now I realize I
should've thrown you from the palace wall when you were born.”

There were a few gasps among those present, Katara's especially noticeable. Even Aang
fidgeted, repulsed by Ozai's cruel words.

Nai took an attack stance, anxious to hurt the former Fire Lord again for his lack of humanity.
“I should've burned his face off when I had the chance,” she said in a low, deep voice.
Chiara's fists clenched and her eyes narrowed as she glared at Ozai disgusted by the idea of
treating an infant in such an horrific manner, and that he would have wished such a fate on
Zuko made her boil inside.

An icy cold chill swept through Ozai's body.

“Banishing me was the best thing you could have done for my life,” said Zuko, who was the
only one unfazed by Ozai's detestable insult.

Ozai could barely register his words for the iciness he felt in his veins. He began wondering
if it was due to the absence of his inner flame.

“It put me on the right path,” continued Zuko, not noticing Ozai's skin growing paler.
“Perhaps your time in prison could do the same for you.”

When he turned to walk away from him, Chiara relaxed her fists.

Warmth spread through Ozai once more along with seething anger at seeing Zuko turn his
back on him. “Don't you dare turn your back to me,” he snarled. “I am still the Fire Lord!”

Zuko ignored him as he walked to where Chiara was standing. When Ozai saw her, he
glowered at her.

“My daughter failed in disposing of that Water filth,” he said in a deep voice causing Zuko to
freeze.

Chiara saw fire in Zuko's eyes.

“He's trying to provoke you,” she whispered. “Just ignore him.”

He held back the heat that was growing inside him, and they turned to go to the palace.

“You're a failure!” yelled Ozai. “And you're a fool for consorting with that primitive savage!”

The fire was rising in Zuko.

“Don't let him get to you,” Chiara whispered.

“You can lock me up, but you won't stop me!” he continued yelling as the guards were
dragging him away. “I'll find a way to kill that barbaric scum right under your nose...”

Unable to hold back any longer, Zuko turned to go after Ozai, but Chiara grabbed one arm
and Aang quickly grabbed the other, both struggling to restrain him.

“Zuko, you can't,” said Aang.

“Let it go, Prince Zuko,” she begged him.

“Let him go, Princess,” said Nai. “I want to see what he does to that worthless piece of...”

“Nai, don't encourage him,” she said.

No one else bothered to help in holding the prince back as they all felt the same as Nai, and
whatever Zuko might do to the former Fire Lord they considered justified, especially after
hearing Ozai threaten to kill the princess.

Watching Zuko's reaction brought a devious smile to Ozai's face. “And then you'll be next,
Crown Prince,” he called out as they were locking him in a cart to take him to the prison.

Once he was out of sight, Zuko stopped trying to go after him, but he continued scowling at
the cart as it moved away towards the palace gates. He felt himself being pulled in the
opposite direction and looked back to see Chiara tugging his arm.

“Come on,” she said. “It's over.”

“She's right, Hotman,” said Aang cheerfully with Katara now standing next to him holding
his hand. “The war's over.”

He sighed, but he relaxed and allowed Chiara to pull him along. They went inside the palace
where Aang excitedly oohed and aahed at the extravagant architecture and décor as they
walked the path to the banquet hall.

“Wow! This is where you lived?”

“Yes,” answered Zuko.

“You lived here too, Chiara?” asked Katara.

“No. I lived at General Iroh's estate off palace grounds.”

“I lived next door to her until Ozai became Fire Lord,” said Zuko.

“This place is huge!” said Aang. “I didn't get to see any of this during the invasion. I did get
to see the throne room, but it was empty. Do you think we can have a tour?”

“Sure, tomorrow,” said Zuko with less enthusiasm than Aang.

Zuko and Chiara both wondered how he could have so much energy so late at night and after
a long day of battle.

--------------------

When all the newcomers had been sated, the soldiers were given temporary accommodations
in the guest manors. Those whom Zuko knew personally from the prison as well as his
former crew were invited to stay at the palace in the guest wing.

Just outside the banquet hall a few members of his old crew were still thanking him for the
luxury lodgings he had offered them. They were all overwhelmed by the change in his
demeanor, and though they wanted to hear firsthand the adventures of the prince and learn the
truth and fiction of the rumors they heard, it was late, and everyone was exhausted from the
day's events. As the crew followed the palace guards to their rooms, Aang took this time to
approach Zuko and talk to him alone.
“Zuko, Katara told me what you did for her today,” he said. “Thank you.”

“Well, you did save Chiara from the pirates. So...you know...thank you for that.”

Aang grinned at him. “And you saved me from Zhao...so thank you...”

“That-that wasn't me,” said Zuko softly.

“Oh...of course not,” said Aang with a big smile.

“But you saved me from him,” said Zuko.

“I did that for Chiara though, remember?”

Zuko was chuckling. “Right.”

“And you also saved us from the Rough Rhinos,” said Aang.

“Again, that wasn't me,” said Zuko smirking at the memories of that night.

“Oh, yeah,” said Aang.

“But that was for Chiara,” he whispered, making Aang snicker. “Oh, that reminds me...,”
started the prince shyly. “I, uh...I promised her I'd...apologize for...uh...for threatening to kill
you,” he finished in a low voice, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. “You know...after
you rescued her from the pirates. So, I...uh...I'm sorry for that.”

Aang's big smile never diminished. “I knew you didn't mean it, Hotman.”

“I...um...I actually did...you know, if you hurt her, but...I-I guess I knew you really
wouldn't...or at least Uncle did. And I understand that now.”

“Wow. We've really been through a lot, huh?” said Aang thoughtfully.

Zuko nodded. “We really have,” he replied.

When they returned inside the hall, Aang immediately went to sit with Katara. Zuko stood at
the door looking at the group that had slowly dwindled down until it was just Team Avatar,
Hakoda, Bato, Nai, Izin, and Kaito and his chosen Imperial Firebenders still sharing their
adventures of the day. He saw Nai with Izin and Kaito, so he walked up to her.

“Nai, can I speak to you?”

She nodded respectfully and followed him into the hall where he could speak to her privately.

“Yes, Prince Zuko?” she said.

“I have a new assignment for you if you're willing to accept it,” he said.

“What is it?”
“Chiara's bodyguard.”

“Really?” she asked, stunned by his request. “I...I would be honored.”

“Izin has asked to personally protect her, and he's been really helpful taking care of her, so I
plan on employing him for more formal public protection, but I want her to have a female
guard who can be with her most of the time, and she really trusts you.”

“Of course.”

“It's a lot to ask,” he said. “I fear she'll be in danger from those who'll have trouble accepting
a Water Tribe Fire Princess, especially since Ozai's threatened her.”

Nai's eyes narrowed at the reminder of Ozai's threat. “I'll do my best to protect her, Prince
Zuko. I love Princess Chiara. I owe her so much, even my own life if necessary.”

“Hopefully it'll never come to that.”

“I do worry though that she may be more protective of me,” said Nai. “In prison she was too
ready to sacrifice herself.”

“That may not be much of an issue now,” he said.

“Why is that?”

“In order to protect the baby.”

Nai's eyes grew wide. “Oh, Prince Zuko, that's so wonderful.” A smile spread across her face.
“And I get to be the personal bodyguard of the future Fire Lady and the little prince or
princess!” she added excitedly.

Zuko chuckled at her excitement which reminded him of Amiku's reaction. “We haven't
officially announced it yet. Uncle bragged to everyone in the Order of the White Lotus, but
outside of them and our group here it hasn't been made public.”

“I understand,” she said. “How far along is she?”

“A-a couple months...after Boiling Rock,” he added in a soft, bashful voice.

“Aw. You two must've been so happy to be reunited.”

He turned red. “Yeah. We were.”

“That's not too long at all,” she said. “We have time to prepare.”

“I wanted to be sure you were willing to do this before I told her,” he said.

“Yes, yes!”

Zuko entered the banquet hall and walked up to Chiara who was enjoying the stories of the
airship battles.
“Princess Chiara, I need to speak with you,” he said softly.

She was surprised and stunned by his greeting, but she took his hand and allowed him to
escort her to the hall where Nai was waiting.

“I heard the good news,” said Nai who hugged her. “Congratulations.” She quickly released
her and stepped back bowing to her. “I'm so sorry...I-I guess I shouldn't have done that,
Princess.”

Chiara looked puzzled by her reaction.

“Nai has agreed to be your personal bodyguard,” Zuko said to her.

“Is...is that necessary?” she asked. “I wouldn't want her to get hurt.”

Nai, not at all surprised by Chiara's worry, grinned at Zuko, and then she looked at Chiara.

“Serving the Fire Princess would be a great honor for me and my family,” she said.

“But...but what about what Ozai said? It could be dangerous...,” argued Chiara.

“And I'm willing to accept that danger for you and the future prince or princess just as you
did at Boiling Rock.”

Chiara hesitated.

“Fine,” she finally said. “Only if you promise to never apologize again for treating me like
family.”

Nai softly laughed. “I promise. But I will be more professional.”

Zuko looked at Chiara. “I-I guess we should show her what you can do.”

Nai was curious about his meaning, but Chiara's eyes reflected her understanding, and she
held out her hand producing a small flame. The look on Nai's face changed from curiosity to
amazement.

--------------------

After explaining their theory of Chiara's firebending to Nai, they returned to the banquet hall
where the conversations were quieting down.

“I think I could sleep for a week,” said Sokka yawning as he stood up.

“Me too,” said Toph.

Sokka started walking towards the door. “Just point the way to the guest wing.”

“I doubt there are any rooms left there,” said Zuko.

“So where do we get to sleep?” asked Toph. “'Cause I could crash right here.”
“Don't be ridiculous,” he said. “You'd probably be more comfortable in the stables with
Appa.”

Chiara quietly giggled.

“Come on,” he said walking towards the door. “Follow me.”

They followed him through the halls of the palace.

“So the Avatar defeats Ozai, and you don't even have a guest room for him?” asked Sokka
after a dizzying walk through a maze of halls.

Zuko shrugged. “A lot of other people got here before you did,” he said simply.

“But the stables? I mean, why don't you just put him in a prison cell?”

“That can be arranged,” said Zuko.

“Sokka, it's not like we haven't slept on Appa before,” said Suki.

“At this point, I'm still willing to crash in the banquet hall,” said Toph.

“For once I'd like to be treated to a nice comfortable bed instead of being thrown outside with
the animals,” Sokka complained.

“What are you talking about?” asked Zuko. “You just spent weeks at the royal beach house
on Ember Island.”

“Yeah...well...well, now we've just won the war, and we have to sleep in the stables? What
about those manors they were talking about?”

Zuko stopped walking and turned to Sokka. “You guys don't deserve to stay in the manors.”
His voice bore a hint of irritation.

Everyone seemed taken aback by his words and his tone, except Chiara who remained
impassive.

“The only rooms fitting for you are reserved for family,” he continued. “This is the royal
wing.”

There was a moment of silence as their exhausted minds absorbed his meaning. Toph stepped
forward and latched onto Zuko. Aang was next and now wrapped around both of them.

“We knew you loved us, Hotman.”

Katara, Suki, and Chiara eventually joined in before Sokka finally decided that he needed to
be part of the group hug.

Hakoda looked at Bato, and they quietly chuckled at the closeness of the four Nations
standing before them.
“The next generation has bonded in a way I never thought possible,” said Hakoda softly to
his best friend.

“Okay, I changed my mind,” said Zuko. “You guys are staying in the stables.”

“Too late, Sparky,” said Toph. “We're bunking here.”

When they detached themselves from Zuko, he led them down the hall of bedrooms that had
belonged to members of the royal family for generations, and they each picked a room. Nai
chose a room close to Zuko's, and Kaito arranged to have guards at the entrance of the wing
before finally taking up Zuko's offer to pick a room, another that was also close to the prince
so he could be ready to fight for him at a moment's notice.

Zuko and Chiara stood in the hall outside his room. The last time he left it, he thought his
wife was dead and that he would never return to the palace again. He opened the door before
turning to Chiara and quickly taking her up in his arms. She threw her arms around his neck
not expecting to be literally swept off her feet. She wanted to chastise him for not considering
his injury as he carried her inside, but she held her tongue. He shut the door before gently
setting her back on her feet and keeping one arm around her back until she steadied herself.

“Welcome home,” he said before leaning over her and kissing her.

She swayed slightly, his affectionate kiss making her feel pleasantly lightheaded.

“Wherever you are is home to me,” she said.

He felt his heart skip, but not in a painful, lightning-struck way, and he kissed her again.

“I get that now,” he smiled.

He saw that their bags had been brought inside. Kneeling down by his, he dug around until he
pulled out a small canvas wrapped in gold ribbon. He unrolled it revealing their wedding
portrait, and he placed it on the table next to their bed. Turning to Chiara, he saw her holding
a ball of water.

“Lie down,” she ordered.

“Yes, my Lady,” he responded submissively before following her order.

His reply made her giggle. When he was lying on the bed, she climbed on next to him and
began treating his wound again, further reducing the lingering pain as well as the scar which
progressively faded with each treatment. She continued her treatment producing a
tranquilizing effect he was unable to fight, and he soon fell asleep. And though Chiara was
anxious to stay awake to the hear news of Iroh's success in Ba Sing Se, as soon as she lay
down next to him, she, too, was asleep.
 Beginning of a New Day
Chapter Notes

I've had so much trouble fixing the end of the next chapter I decided to just break off
this first part and post it. The next chapter contains part of the closing I had never
written, and holidays, traveling, jury duty, lack of silence, life has made it very difficult
to focus. I hate posting this without the next being complete, but it's been too long since
I uploaded a chapter.

The next morning Ezih entered Zuko's room after knocking and receiving no answer. The bed
was empty but neatly made, and looking around, he wondered if they had somehow managed
to sneak out past the guards at the entrance of the wing. The servant who had been with him
left the room, but before Ezih walked out to search for the prince and princess, he peered
outside and saw the young couple on the balcony both meditating as the sun was slowly
peeking over the horizon. He smiled at the sight before opening the door.

“Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara,” he greeted them.

“Good morning, Ezih,” said Chiara.

“Any word from Ba Sing Se?” asked Zuko.

“Not as yet, sir,” he answered. “Breakfast will be served in the banquet hall for all the guests.
Would you care to join them or would you prefer it brought here?”

“We'll join the others,” said Zuko.

He stood up and helped Chiara to her feet before following Ezih inside.

“There are clean clothes for you,” he said pointing to the bed where new clothes had been
laid out. “It's all we have until we can arrange for the tailors to make proper clothing befitting
the Crown Prince and Princess.”

“These are perfect, Ezih,” said Chiara happy to have clothes she was used to wearing.

“Amiku wasn't quite sure of your size, Princess Chiara, but she made quite a fuss
complaining that you look too thin, especially for being with child.”

“I've only been out of prison a couple moon cycles,” she said. “And just as far along,” she
added in a lower tone. “Assure her that I'll fatten up soon enough.”

“I'm sure she'll see to it that you do.”

Zuko was softly laughing at their conversation. Having people like Ezih and Amiku that
sincerely cared for them made the palace feel more like home than it ever had during the
years he lived there.

“I apologize that the palace is currently short on staff,” said Ezih. “It appears that Princess
Azula...dismissed many servants. We're working to get that resolved, so please be patient
until we can find you a proper attendant.” He looked at the prince. “Prince Zuko, I will be
happy to serve as your valet until you have chosen another.”

“I appreciate that,” he said. “But I can handle the dressing part myself.”

Ezih gave him a small bow. “Very independent, much like Prince Lu Ten.”

Zuko gently smiled at the compliment.

“Would you make sure the guests have clean clothes?” asked Chiara.

“It's already been done, Princess.”

“You're the best, Ezih.”

He bowed deeply to them, professionally hiding the smile brought on by his joy at having
them home. He left them to change, and when they were ready they stepped out into the hall
where they were greeted by Kaito, Nai, and Izin.

All three guards bowed to the royal couple.

“Morning, Kaito,” said Chiara. “Nai, Izin.”

“Princess,” they responded.

“Kaito,” started Zuko as they walked through the halls, his loyal guard on his left side, “did
you even bother to sleep last night?”

“I did, sir.”

“I thought you had a wife.”

“I do, sir, and three children,” he said, wondering why the prince would bring up his family.

“I assume you haven't seen them since before you were sent to prison,” said Zuko.

“Correct, sir.”

“You should go to them. Visit them for a while.”

He felt it was an odd request, especially so soon after taking back the Capital. “It-it almost
sounds like you're trying to get rid of me, sir,” he said.

Zuko softly snickered. “You've done an incredible job fulfilling your duties as an Imperial
Firebender and taking charge of security during our fight to win back the Fire Nation, but you
haven't seen your family in months. I know what it feels like to be separated from the ones
you love.” He was caressing Chiara's hand as it rested on his upper right arm. “Put someone
you trust in charge and go to your family.”

“I had planned on doing just that, sir, after General Iroh's coronation. So if you don't mind
putting up with me for a little while longer, I want to make sure you and the princess remain
safe.”

Chiara was softly laughing at their exchange.

“I plan on putting up with you for a long time, Kaito,” he said. “I want you to be my personal
guard...if you consent to it.”

Kaito had not been expecting the offer, and he was almost at a loss for words.

“Prince Zuko, don't feel obligated to choose me just because I've taken it upon myself to
protect you. You should give serious consideration to the guards you choose for such an
important position.”

“I have given it serious consideration. I've known you for a long time, and I'm asking you
because I trust you.”

The guard was touched by the young prince's trust and confidence. “I'd be honored then, sir.”

“Just let me know when you want to have more kids, Sparky,” came Toph's voice from
behind them.

They turned around to see her stepping into the hall from one of the rooms dressed like a
little royal Fire Nation princess—something none of them would dare tell her.

“With the way ol' Stalky trails you two, you'll never get alone time again,” she said.

“It's not stalking,” said Kaito indignantly. “It's my duty to protect the royal family.”

“That doesn't mean protecting them from each other,” she said, thoroughly embarrassing the
Prince and Princess. “This hall is for the royal family, and it feels like there are a lot of
rooms,” she continued. “If all the royal guards are as smothering as you are, no wonder why
these rooms aren't filled.”

“Am I missing something?” Nai whispered to Izin.

“Oh, yeah. You're missing a lot,” he said.

Suddenly, another door opened and Aang bounced into the hall also dressed in clean clothes
looking like a bald, tattooed prince of the Fire Nation. “I thought I heard you guys out here.”
Momo circled around everyone before coming to rest on his shoulder. “Hey, Prince Hotman,
Princess Hotwoman,” he said cheerily. “Sifu Toph.”

“Good morning, Aang,” said Chiara.

“Firebenders,” said Aang to Kaito, Nai, and Izin giving them a small bow.

They bowed in return.

“Avatar,” greeted Nai.

“Are you guys going to breakfast?” he asked.

“We were before Sifu Tough got into it with Kaito,” answered Zuko.

“Hey, I'm on your side, Sparkles,” said Toph.

He cringed at her nickname. “I know you are, but if you get any louder about it, you'll wake
up the entire Water Tribe.”

“Oh, please,” she snorted. “After yesterday, Snoozles and his fam'll sleep all day.”

“I was talking about the Tribe at the North Pole,” he said flatly.

“Ha!” she laughed. “Who would've thought the Prince of the Fire Nation was such a
comedian?”

They walked together down to the banquet hall where Suki soon joined them, and with her
were the other Kyoshi Warriors who had been released from the prison.

--------------------

Breakfast was very informal, and everyone ate at their leisure. Those who finished left the
hall to explore the palace grounds, much to the dismay of Kaito and others in charge of
security who posted guards in the areas that were to be strictly off limits.

Zuko, Chiara, Aang, Toph, and Suki and her warriors were nearing the end of their breakfast
when Sokka, Katara, Hakoda, and Bato strolled in dressed in Fire Nation clothes fit for the
nobility. Though they preferred their Water Tribe attire, Bato was happy to be out of his
prison clothes, and Hakoda and Sokka found the new clothing to be far more comfortable
than the soldier uniforms and armor they had been wearing. Katara also decided to blend in
with the others by wearing the clean clothes that were offered to her. Aang's eyes brightened
when he spotted her and even more so when she sat next to him.

“The Water Tribe has finally arrived for breakfast,” said Zuko.

“Well, what can I say,” started Sokka. “I like my sleep.”

“I thought you liked food more,” said Zuko.

“I do like food.”

“Well, Snoozles, it's a shame you missed breakfast then,” said Toph leaning back in her seat
deliberately rubbing her full belly.
“What?”

“The Fire Nation rises with the sun,” said Zuko. “The staff's already served everyone.”

“Ohhh,” he groaned as he flopped down at the table.

Hakoda and Bato sat down at the table with everyone, but without complaint.

“You should've gotten up with the rest of us,” said Aang, joining in. He gave a bananaberry to
Katara.

It might have only been fruit, but Sokka looked longingly at it. “Why'd you let us sleep so
late?”

“You really fought hard yesterday,” said Chiara in a motherly voice. “We thought you'd
appreciate sleeping in.”

“I'd appreciate food more,” he said.

Momo hopped onto his shoulder before shoving part of a chewed berry in Sokka's mouth.

“Blah...!” choked Sokka as he forced the fruit down his throat. “Eww...lemur spit!”

The startled lemur flew back to Aang. “Momo's happy to share his breakfast with you,
Sokka.”

“No offense, but I don't want Momo's half-chewed pity food.” He looked around at
everyone's near-empty plates. “What about lunch?”

“That won't be for hours,” said Zuko.

“Ohhh,” he groaned again putting his head down on the table. “My stomach doesn't want to
wait hours.” He looked up at Zuko. “Hey, you're the prince—can't you order more food?”

“There's hay in the stables,” the prince suggested. “I'm sure Appa won't mind sharing with
you.”

“Again with the stables!”

The others started laughing at Sokka's expression when several servers entered the hall with
trays of food.

“Stables, huh?” he said as he watched a server load a plate with an assortment of food. “Who
would've known his Highn-ass had a sense of humor?”

Hearing how Sokka addressed the prince, the servers held their breath waiting for some form
of severe retribution, but they were surprised to hear Zuko just chuckle.

“Yep, Prince Sparky's a real comedian,” said Toph.

The servers remained quietly professional and appeared indifferent to the conversation, but
that evening the servant quarters would be abuzz with talk of the Fire Prince and how
different he is from his sister and father.

“So, Zuko, I heard the palace has a royal spa,” said Aang.

“It does,” he confirmed. “There are pools of water from the hot springs and steam rooms as
well.”

“Um...can we...can we go there?” asked Suki.

“Kaito,” called Zuko. The guard walked up to him. “Can we arrange for them to go to the
spa?”

“Of course, sir.”

Zuko nodded his thanks.

“What about you?” asked Aang. “Don't you want a spa day?”

“I never had a spa day when I lived here.”

After setting a roll next to his plate he caught Chiara smiling at him.

“What about you, Chiara?” asked Katara. “Are you going to the spa?”

“No. You guys go enjoy yourselves,” she said as she placed her own roll next to his.

“Princess Chiara, what do you think you're doing?!” She looked up at Amiku who had taken
the roll she had set on the table and held it out to her. “You need to eat everything in front of
you,” she insisted. “You can't support yourself...” She leaned close to her. “...or a baby...,” she
added in a whisper. “...on so little food.”

Zuko was softly laughing under his breath at Amiku's motherly rant. “She has a point,” he
said.

“See? Even Prince Zuko agrees...though he should've agreed to keep you off the battlefield
yesterday,” she said in an admonishing undertone.

Zuko gave her a guilty smile.

“But I've eaten so much already, Lady Amiku,” said Chiara. “Any more and I fear it won't
stay down.”

Amiku sighed. “Well, we can't have you losing your breakfast, but you need to increase your
intake, so I expect you to eat a small meal before lunch.”

“Good advice,” said Sokka before shoving food into his mouth. “Whe'll thjoin yoo.”
“With the way you're shoveling that food down your throat, young man, I fear there won't be
anything left for the princess,” said Amiku.

Toph started laughing. “Oh, lady, I like you.”

--------------------

After breakfast, a guard escorted everyone to the spa, except Zuko and Chiara. The prince
wrapped up their rolls before standing up and taking the princess's hand, and they left the
banquet hall with Kaito, Nai, and Izin following them. When they entered the palace garden
Chiara suddenly stopped at the entrance. Zuko looked at her.

“Are you okay?”

She was overwhelmed with the beauty of the scenery before her, and her eyes watered
slightly as she took it all in. “It...it's been so long...”

He understood. The last two times she had been home her only view had been prison cell
walls and one late night ride across the mountains on a mongoose lizard during an escape.
She remembered her last time in the palace garden; it had been a week before she left the Fire
Nation to join Zuko during his exile, and it was just as beautiful as she recalled. She stepped
forward, and Zuko allowed her to lead, slowly walking with her as she stopped at each
variety of flower and inhaled its aromatic scent. She smiled at the hover butterflies drinking
the rich nectar of one flower before zooming lazily to the next one. Carefully cupping her
hands around a bloom, she managed to catch one of the cute insects. She gently touched its
soft, furry back, and they quietly laughed as it ran its long proboscis over her hand searching
for more nectar. Finding none, it zoomed off to find another flower. While watching it fly
away, her eyes were drawn to the butterbee-flies noisily making their own rounds collecting
pollen. She happily watched them flutter around the garden until a hummingdragonfly
captured her attention when it darted by them heading for a bed of rich fiery red blooms.
Following it, she lingered over the fire lilies, the exotic specimens that grow only in the Fire
Nation.

Zuko watched as she delicately ran her fingers over the velvety, flaming red petals, and he
was ashamed with himself for forgetting how much she had always loved the gardens. He
followed her as she continued her casual stroll reaching up to touch the clustered blossoms of
the cherry wisteria tree that drooped down from the branches above them. She parted the
cascading branches of the mulberry willow full of green unripe fruit, and they crossed in the
dappled shade of its dome stepping back out into the bright sunlight on the other side. They
finally settled down in a familiar spot at the edge of the pond in the middle of the garden.
Pulling out their leftovers from breakfast, Zuko handed her a roll, and they began tossing
small pieces to the turtle ducks who quickly gathered in front of them hungrily snapping at
the crumbs.

“I really missed this,” he said.

Chiara held out her left hand filled with crumbs. Zuko was smiling as he watched the turtle
ducklings excitedly stepping over each other to nibble at them. It was not unlike the last time
they sat in the same place years before, less than a week before that fateful war room
meeting. Just like then, his eyes scanned the silver of the diadem wrapped around her head
weaving through her obsidian hair, the gems sparkling in the sunlight. He remembered
fighting the temptation to reach out and run his fingers through her enticing tresses.

“This place wasn't the same without you,” he said softly, gazing at her dark curls.

It had been a year since her return with Iroh from the Earth Kingdom, and much of his life at
the palace was still difficult, but her presence back in the Caldera had driven away all the
loneliness he had endured during her long absence.

She turned to him smiling, her green eyes focused on his golden ones. He had never seen
such a beautiful shade of green, and he could not help but be mesmerized by them.

“You've said that before,” she replied.

“'Cause I don't want you to go away again,” he admitted.

He did not realize his words made her heart beat faster, nor did she realize just how much his
heartbeat increased when she placed her hand on his.

“I don't want to go away again unless you're with me,” she said.

His eyes lit up, and there were a few skips in his rapid heartbeat. Suddenly, her eyes left his,
and the warmth of her hand was gone as she tended to a tiny little turtle duckling that was
searching for crumbs. Once again he found himself gazing into the whirls of onyx flowing
around her, but he resisted the temptation to caress them.

So much had changed since that day, and refusing to fight the same temptation at the
moment, he reached out and slowly pulled her long curls back over her shoulder relishing the
silky feeling of the locks as they flowed over his hand.

“This place wasn't the same without you,” he said softly.

She turned and smiled at him, the tranquil sea in her eyes captivating his heart.

The happiness she felt being immersed in the beauty and serenity of the landscape
surrounding them could not compare with the joy that filled her when she looked in his eyes.
“No place is the same without you,” she said.

He got that now too.

She let out a soft giggle as her attention was drawn to the little creatures that kept nibbling at
her now empty hand trying to find more crumbs. He dropped a small piece of bread onto her
palm, and they laughed as one of the turtle ducklings quickly snatched it up but one of its
little siblings stole it from its beak.

“We should call that one Azula,” he said.

She giggled at his comment.

After throwing the remains of their rolls, she fixed her eyes upon his fiery ones again, and
she could feel his burning gaze setting her heart on fire. He ran his fingers down her soft
cheek desiring nothing more at that moment than to kiss her, but he could feel the eyes of
their guards dutifully watching over them.

“I envy the villagers of Hira'a,” he said, his eyes swimming deeply in hers.

“Why do you say that?”

“If we were simple villagers, I could kiss you without an audience.”

Her smile did not help his self-control, nor did her soft touch as she caressed his face, and
unable to resist any longer, unconcerned with their audience and royal etiquette, he leaned
towards her ready to taste her lips.

“Prince Zuko,” said Kaito walking up to the couple breaking their trance. Zuko sighed
deeply. He had had a taste of freedom, and he now regretted being born into royalty. “We just
got word that eel hounds are approaching the palace gates.”
 Return of the Dragon

“It's General Iroh, sir,” said Kaito.

Zuko and Chiara looked excitedly at one another before they both jumped up and raced
through the palace like children with Kaito, Nai, and Izin trying to keep up. Flying out the
front doors into the courtyard, they saw Iroh and his security team climbing off their eel
hounds. His worn, exhausted appearance immediately brightened up when he spotted them
coming towards him, and he opened his arms to catch them both just as he had when they
were younger and they greeted him after he returned from deployment or from his other long-
term duties.

“I am happy to see you too,” he laughed hugging them tightly. “Ba Sing Se was a success.”

“Of course it was, Uncle,” said Zuko knowing Iroh would not have failed to free the Earth
Kingdom city.

He released them and scanned the courtyard. “It appears you've been successful as well in
recapturing the Capital.”

“Yes. And Kaito and the Order of the White Lotus have done a great job taking care of
security here.”

“And what of Azula?” he asked. Despite their history with her, he was still concerned about
his niece's fate.

“I challenged her to an Agni Kai.”

“She struck Prince Zuko with lightning,” said Chiara.

“But you redirected it of course,” he said, looking at Zuko.

“As best I could, but she wasn't aiming for me.”

Iroh's eyes moved to Chiara. Though she was standing before him, he was clearly worried as
he remembered the last time he saw the flash of Azula's lightning in the prison and was told
of Chiara's death.

“She aimed it at Katara,” said Zuko knowing what he was thinking.

“Katara? Is she...?”

“She's fine.”

“Your brave nephew protected her,” said Chiara.

“Very cunning of Azula to attack a bystander...and very dishonorable.” He placed his hand on
Zuko's shoulder. “And very courageous of you to protect her, Nephew.” He looked at Chiara.
“You took care of him, I see.”

She shook her head. “If it wasn't for Lady Katara...” Her eyes watered at the possibility.

“Chiara went after Azula,” said Zuko. “And she redirected lightning.”

“Did you?” he said, amazed at her ability.

She nodded.

“Incredible. You are okay though?”

“Yes.”

“And the baby too?”

“He's okay.”

“How did you manage to subdue Azula?”

“I froze her in ice and restrained her,” she answered. “And then I used water to try to relax
her mind.”

His eyes grew wide at the potential of what her waterbending could do. “Did it help her?”

“She seemed docile after that.”

Despite knowing Chiara's nature, he still found it astonishing that she chose mercy after
Azula's cruel actions and intentions towards her, and it brought a loving smile to his face. He
took her in his arms.

“You were always special, Chiara. Your ability to forgive and to sympathize with others is a
gift that's even rarer than your ability to heal.”

“I would like to continue treating her,” she said.

“Of course. Hopefully it will benefit her and continue to bring peace to her mind.” He
released her. “Where is she now?”

“We sent her to Heiwa Island,” answered Zuko.

Iroh was silent in thought before nodding his head. “Yes...I believe that was a very wise
decision.” He looked up at the guards. “Kaito, Izin,” he greeted them.

“It's good to see your safe return, General Iroh,” said Kaito as the two bowed to the elder
prince.

“This is Lady Nai,” said Chiara to Iroh. “She's Colonel Tezam's daughter. She took care of
me in Boiling Rock.”
“Ah, yes,” said Iroh. “It's a pleasure to meet the daughter of Colonel Tezam, and even more
so one who tended to my own daughter.”

“And it's an honor to meet you, General Iroh,” she said as she knelt down on one knee
bowing her head.

“Such etiquette,” smiled Iroh. “Please rise, Lady Nai. Colonel Tezam must be very proud.”

Iroh held Chiara's hand on his arm while they all started walking towards the palace.

“Any news of the battle on the other front?” he asked.

“Aang did it,” said Zuko. “He defeated Ozai. We have him in the Prison Tower.”

“So Ozai is alive,” he stated softly. He had suspected that the only way to stop his brother
was by his death since he could not imagine him so easily taken alive.

“Yes, but he can't firebend. Aang took away his bending.”

Iroh suddenly stopped and looked at him. “How is that possible?”

“He said he learned it from a giant lion turtle,” said Chiara having heard Aang's account
when they shared their stories the night before.

Iroh's eyebrows rose. “Is that so? I was not aware there were any left. I can't wait to hear the
details of his adventure...or of his newfound ability.”

“They're all here,” she said as they continued walking.

“The palace is full of guests,” said Zuko. “The prisoners from the invasion as well as some of
the guards and former prisoners of Boiling Rock. Others are staying in the guest manors.”

“This is great news,” said Iroh. “Admiral Jeong Jeong and Piandao are working to remove
our soldiers from the Earth Kingdom, and King Bumi will remain in Ba Sing Se until King
Kuei is found. So much has been accomplished.”

“Prince Iroh,” said Amiku bowing to him as they entered the palace, “we're so happy to have
you home.”

“Amiku, you are more beautiful every time I see you.”

She blushed. “Oh, Prince Iroh, you haven't changed.”

“Welcome home, General,” greeted Ezih bowing to him.

Iroh smiled at him. “It's good to see you, old friend.”

“I have prepared a room, and there is a hot bath and fresh clothes waiting for you,” he said as
if Iroh had been merely away on an extended tour.

“I have missed you.”

They followed Ezih.

“So the Avatar is here,” said Iroh.

“They're visiting the spa,” said Zuko.

“Ahh, the spa. How relaxing.”

“Shall I send for a masseur, General?” asked Ezih.

“Or would you prefer a water massage?” offered Chiara.

“Oooh, a water massage does sound tempting...,” he started.

“Princess Chiara, you've done quite enough waterbending,” scolded Amiku. “You really
should be relaxing in the spa yourself.”

“Sitting by the pond was relaxing,” she said.

“Then you should get yourself back out there.”

“But I don't mind giving the General a water massage,” she said, lightly patting his arm. “It
must've been such an uncomfortable trip...”

Iroh was rubbing his lower back. “Oh, it was quite uncomfortable...”

“Prince Iroh, the young princess is with child,” Amiku admonished him. “It's bad enough that
she had to fight Princess Azula yesterday, but then she was ready to go into battle again...!”

“Yes, I'm quite proud of my daughter's bravery...”

“It's unfitting for a princess, and even more so for a mother-to-be!” she chided. “Fighting like
a soldier, having lightning directed at her! And then she spent the evening healing the injured
soldiers. I'd say she's quite overworked as it is. Surely you don't expect her to work herself to
death in her delicate way.”

“You know, I think I will just freshen up for now,” he said, unwilling to defy her.

Zuko and Chiara were laughing to themselves. Few people outside the royal family had the
nerve to argue with the Dragon of the West and future Fire Lord, and even fewer won the
argument.

When they finally arrived at the room Ezih set up for him, Iroh turned to Zuko and Chiara.
“As soon as I have cleaned up, I'll meet you...”

Zuko raised his hand interrupting him. “You should rest a while, Uncle,” he said. “A man
needs his rest.”

Iroh laughed, his eyes twinkling upon hearing such counsel coming from Zuko. “Sage advice,
Nephew. I will rest then. But there is much we need to discuss concerning the future of all the
Nations.”

“And we will once you've been properly taken care of,” said Chiara.

“I will return with your ginseng, General,” said Ezih. “And I'll have Tai prepare a small
meal.”

“I guess I can't argue with such wise advisers.”

Iroh disappeared into his room while Zuko and Chiara intended to return to the garden to
relax by the turtle duck pond.

“Princess Chiara, now would be a good time for you to take in a light snack,” said Amiku.

“May I take it out in the garden?” she asked.

Amiku smiled. “Of course, my Lady. I'll have it sent out to you.”

She bowed and walked off to the kitchen. Zuko turned to Chiara.

“You up for some practice?”

Her eyes brightened at the thought. “Are you up for it?” she asked placing her hand over his
heart.

“Always.”

His smile lit up her world.

He placed his hand over hers. “I haven't felt any pain since your treatment this morning.”

“I guess a little exercise won't hurt.”

They took a detour to pick up weapons on their way out to the garden where they stood
facing each other with swords.

“Even one tiny bit of pain, and I want to know about it,” she warned.

He smirked at her. “Oh no, you're not getting me to give up that easily.”

She playfully glared at him, making him chuckle. “You'll be getting twice as many healing
sessions then.”

“That's not a threat, you know. That just makes me want to fake an injury.”

She could not help giggling at his retort. Kaito, Nai, and Izin, who were standing near the
garden entrance, were laughing to themselves as they listened to the couple's exchange.

“With or without bending?” she asked him.

“I think you have an advantage over me with bending,” he said.

She smiled. “Then we'll stick to swordbending.”

The tip of Zuko's sword sank as slowly as his grin making Chiara giggle. “You didn't just say
that,” he groaned, and he was relieved that Sokka was not there to hear it.

“What's swordbending?” Nai whispered to Kaito and Izin who just shrugged.

“Swordbending?! It's only the most awesome of all the bending arts. And it doesn't even
require magic.”

Zuko and Chiara turned to see Sokka, Hakoda, and Bato walking past the others as they
stepped into the garden followed by a few guards.

Zuko sighed. “There's no such thing, Water Tribe.”

“Yep, I can't wait to teach little Fire Prince Sokka the art of swordbending.”

Hakoda raised an eyebrow. “Is there something I need to know, Son?”

Zuko found himself pinching the bridge of his nose. “Would you please stop calling him
that.”

“I just think they should name their firstborn after his Uncle Sokka, Dad. I mean, I did help
with...you know...”

“No, Sokka, I don't know,” said Hakoda crossing his arms. “Please explain to me what
exactly you helped with?”

“I was on guard duty so they could...have some...some quiet time...in the prison.”

“Nothing happened in the prison,” growled Zuko.

“Besides, he's part Water Tribe, so future Fire Lord Sokka has a nice ring to it.”

Hakoda and Bato were now suppressing their laughter, as was everyone else but Zuko.

“And, uh, what if they have a daughter?” asked Bato.

“There's nothing wrong with that. Fire Princess Sokka sounds...well...okay, that doesn't sound
right.”

“Ugh,” groaned Zuko. “Why aren't you in the spa?”

“Turns out it isn't as exciting as the girls and Aang seem to think, so the rest of us decided to
sightsee.” He flopped down on a bench. “Of course, now I know how you feel with your
personal jerkbenders constantly following you around,” he said eyeing the guards that had
been trailing them since they left the spa.

“Yeah, I doubt they're following you for the same reason.”

“Right? But it's not like we're going to steal anything. What would we possibly want from
this place? You don't have anything useful to the Tribe.”

“Huh. Guess you haven't seen the armory,” said the prince in a light, but taunting manner.

Sokka perked up. “Armory?”

The prince hid his smirk realizing he must have had the right bait because he had never found
fishing so easy before. “Kaito, I recommend that we double Sokka's guard.”

“I'll take care of it, your Highness.”

Zuko turned to Chiara who could see his smile. He had few friends growing up, and even
fewer once he moved to the palace, and she enjoyed that his friendship with Sokka could put
a smile on his face, even if it was at Sokka's expense. And Zuko appreciated Kaito joining in
on the joking, something rare for an Imperial Firebender, which now made him wonder if the
guard might be serious.

“You know, I would start a betting pool, but Chiara might lose on purpose again to boost
Prince Jerkbender's ego,” said Sokka in his own way of retaliating against the prince.

“I didn't lose on purpose,” said Chiara.

Zuko shrugged off his concern over Kaito's seriousness, now thinking it might actually be
funnier to watch six guards following the Water Tribe boy all over the palace—and well-
deserved.

The guards that had followed the Water Tribesmen shifted uncomfortably at Sokka's
continued insults against a member of the royal family. No one had ever dared to speak with
such defiance to Fire Lord Azulon. And with Fire Lord Ozai, punishments for even minor
transgressions had often been disproportionate to the offense. The guard closest to Kaito
leaned towards him intending to quietly question him on the lack of retribution for the
foreigner's contempt towards the prince, but he was quickly distracted by the sound of two
swords coming together. Suddenly, everyone present became completely absorbed in the
sword fight between the prince and princess.

“I've seen them fight with bending, but I didn't realize they were trained with the sword,” said
Nai, awed at the sight.

Kaito and Izin were no less captivated by the battle, but the couple's expertise with the sword
was certainly not surprising, Kaito having watched them grow up training together, and Izin
being witness to their practice at the Western Air Temple and on Ember Island.

“They were students of Piandao,” said Kaito.

“It shows,” she said.

“If you think that's impressive, Nai, you should go on a hunting trip with them some time,”
he said.
Izin let out a soft snort being quite familiar with the couple's survival skills.

Hakoda and Bato slowly sank onto the bench next to Sokka without taking their eyes off the
battle before them.

“And this will be the Future Fire Lord and Fire Lady,” said Hakoda in a low voice that
carried a slight hint of concern after witnessing a particularly aggressive move of Zuko's and
countered by an equally aggressive move of Chiara's.

“Maybe this'll be a good thing,” said Bato. “Fire Nation and Water Tribe...they work well
together.”

“I still think the Water Tribe can take the Fire Nation,” said Sokka casually.

Hakoda and Bato looked over at him.

“Son, you shouldn't say that too loud in the middle of the Fire Nation capital,” whispered
Hakoda. “We're hardly at an advantage right now.”

He was puzzled by his father's warning. “What? I was talking about Water Tribe Chiara
versus Fire Nation Zuko. I think she can totally take him.”

“There are others around here who might not take it that way,” he said motioning his eyes
towards the numerous guards.

Sokka waved his hand dismissively towards them.

“Princess Chiara!”

The couple's swords stopped as they clanged against each other, and they turned to see
Amiku storming towards them. Behind her, servants carried trays of food that she had
considered to be a light snack. Never taking their eyes from her, they lowered their weapons.

“Need I remind you, Princess, that you are carrying a child?!” she tried to say in a low, but
scolding voice.”

“Not at all, Lady Amiku,” she said airily. “My firebending reminds me of that.”

Zuko wanted to laugh at her reply, but he found himself intimidated by the same woman who
did not hesitate in rebuking the Dragon of the West.

“You should be resting,” she insisted.

“But the doctor said it's healthy for me and the baby if I exercise.”

“I highly doubt the doctor had this sword business in mind as a form of exercise. I thought
you would've grown out of this by now,” she grumbled. “And Prince Zuko...” Her eyes were
now fixed upon him somehow making him feel much shorter than the woman who was
looking up to meet his eyes. “...you broke into and out of two maximum security prisons for
her. I would think you of all people would be concerned with her well-being...especially
now.”

“We were being careful, Lady Amiku,” the prince said in the most respectful tone he could
muster.

“Careful?!” she said, making him want to cower. “You were swinging a sword at a...a
mother-to-be,” she hissed in an attempt to admonish him quietly. She took Chiara's hand—the
one not holding an assault weapon. “Prince Iroh is going to hear about this,” she mumbled
while leading her to the garden table where her idea of a light snack consisted of a
smorgasbord of food. “You sit right here, Princess, and eat as much as you can.”

“If I eat that much, I won't be hungry for lunch.”

“Just eat.” She took the sword from Chiara's hand and held it away from her like it was
diseased. “You, Guard...,” she called towards Kaito. “Take this.”

Kaito, knowing better than to disobey her, stepped into the garden to take the sword. After
turning away from her, he saw Zuko walking up to him holding out his own sword.

“Might as well take this one too.”

As Kaito took it from him, he leaned to whisper near his ear. “If that's the worst you get for a
mother-in-law, your Highness, consider yourself lucky.”

Zuko was still chuckling when he joined Chiara at the table.

“So...that's a lot of food,” said Sokka walking up to the table where Zuko and Chiara were
now sitting.

“There's enough for everybody,” said Chiara.

“Not before you, Princess,” said Amiku, quietly signaling a server who immediately began
filling a plate.

Once it was filled, the server handed the plate to Amiku who set it before Chiara.

“The turtle ducks are going to have a feast today,” she said.

Amiku let out a soft gasp. “My Lady, this food is for you, not the wildlife.”

Another server set a filled plate before Zuko while Sokka quickly picked up a plate for
himself.

“I can serve myself, thank you,” he said to an affronted-looking server as he started choosing
his own food.

She cautiously looked at the prince who signaled her to allow it. In an attempt to maintain
royal etiquette, Zuko bit back a brotherly insult, one he would have enjoyed throwing at
Sokka had they been at the Western Air Temple or on Ember Island with their own little
family-group. But in front of Fire Nation staff, there was no way to jokingly say “uncultured
Water Tribe peasant” without it coming out as a scathing insult, and certainly not one a
member of the royal family should use when trying to convince his people to see equality
among the Nations.

“Sokka, you should at least ask before helping yourself,” said Hakoda, not forgetting their
guest status.

“It's okay, Chief Hakoda. Family doesn't have to ask.” He motioned the two men to sit.

Sokka stopped shoveling food on his plate and stared at Zuko. “Did...did you just not insult
me?”

“Have you met my family?” Zuko smirked. “I thought I was insulting you.”

Hakoda and Bato were chuckling at their playful banter.

“Hey, your uncle's pretty cool,” said Sokka adding a few more helpings to his towering pile
before sitting down next to Zuko who decided not to remind him that his uncle was also
known as the Dragon of the West. “But personally, I'd rather just be related to Chiara. She's
like the sanest one of all of you...which would make sense with her being Water Tribe.”

“Who knows,” started Zuko, “maybe you guys are like cousins or something.”

“Then we'll be related by marriage.”

“Oh, I'm a descendant of Avatar Roku, so if Katara marries Aang, wouldn't that make us
related by marriage somehow?”

Hakoda looked over at the prince just as Sokka's head popped up from his plate.

“Wai...wha?” said Sokka, his mouth full of food.

“Avatar Roku's my great grandfather...”

Sokka was shaking his head while trying to quickly swallow his food. “No, no, no...go back
to Katara and Aang?”

“You...you haven't noticed?” Zuko asked wondering how it could have escaped Sokka's
attention.

“I, uh...I noticed he...he has a...a little crush on her.”

Zuko and Chiara could not help thinking that it was a lot more than a little crush.

Hakoda's chopsticks were paused midway between his plate and his mouth as he was
listening intently to the conversation concerning his youngest child and only daughter.

“I just thought she must be around the age of promise,” said Zuko, “and since the Southern
Water Tribe doesn't arrange marriages, she and Aang are free to get married.”
“Hey, we're not the Fire Nation. We don't just marry off our young...”

“The Northern Water Tribe arranges marriages at the same age as we do...,” started the
Prince.

“We're not talking about the Northern Water Tribe; we're talking about my little sister. That's
totally different.”

Zuko set his chopsticks down taking pleasure in seeing Sokka so riled up. He was ready to
take full advantage of it, especially after all the prison baby jokes. “So you have a problem
with your little sister being married to the Avatar?”

“I have a problem with my little sister being married. Now ask me again in...I don't know...”
He casually drew a couple air circles with his chopsticks. “...twenty years or so...maybe it'll
be okay,” he said before taking a bite of komodo rhino sausage.

Chiara was softly giggling being reminded of Iroh's own hesitance when it came to her being
married off.

“Twenty years?” laughed Zuko. “They have four air temples to repopulate...”

The food on Hakoda's still paused chopsticks plopped onto the plate below while Sokka
started choking on his food. Chiara stifled a gasp wondering if Zuko was totally blind to the
father's and brother's responses, or if he was just deliberately provoking their reactions, much
like he instigated his Uncle in his pre-father-in-law days. Either way, Hakoda was now ready
to jump into the discussion.

“How old is Aang?” asked Bato beating him to it, and was not what the chief wanted to add
to the conversation.

Sokka was busy drinking water to wash down his sausage.

“Thirteen,” answered Zuko, Sokka nodding in agreement.

“Don't worry, you've got a few more years yet, Grandpa,” laughed Bato slapping Hakoda on
the shoulder.

“So this is where you guys have been,” said Aang bouncing into the garden.

Katara, Toph, Suki, and her Kyoshi Warriors were behind him, all followed by several more
guards.

“We're just enjoying a pre-lunch snack,” said Zuko.

“Pre-lunch snack?” asked Suki. “This is more like a dinner at lunchtime.”

Everyone seated themselves at the table where Katara and Aang sat next to each other
completely oblivious to the two Water Tribesmen who were glaring at the Avatar. Servants
busily set about filling more plates. Chiara held up a strawcherry and watched Momo fly
around in a circle above them before landing on her shoulder wrapping his long tail loosely
around her neck. He took the fruit from her nibbling at it while she ran her hand down his
back. When the treat was gone he nuzzled her cheek until she offered him a fig.

“That is some shameless soliciting,” Zuko said softly to her.

“Yep,” she said holding up another strawcherry. “And it's working.”

“Airbender,” he whispered making her giggle. She held up an apple. “Don't let Amiku see
you,” he warned.

Momo quickly began devouring the apple while Chiara glanced around for Amiku.

“He has an appetite like Sokka,” said Zuko.

“Katara,” said Hakoda, “why don't you...why don't you sit over here...”

She gave him a puzzled look from across the table.

“Yeah, we can make room for you right here,” added Sokka moving closer to Zuko and
creating a space between him and Hakoda.

“I've hardly seen you since I got here,” said her father.

“You should sit with family,” said Sokka.

“Hey, we're all family here,” instigated Zuko earning a frown from her brother.

Chiara laughed to herself now sure he was agitating.

Katara gave them a dubious look. “I think I'll just stay over here.”

The servants were busy placing filled dishes before the newcomers.

“So what were you all talking about?” asked Katara wondering why her family was acting so
strangely.

Zuko looked at her. “About repop...”

“Nothing!” yelled Sokka cutting him off. “We were talking about nothing.”

Katara raised her eyebrows. “Okay...that's not suspicious...”

“That nothing's sure got your heartbeat racing,” Toph said to Sokka.

“So how was your warm bath?” he quickly asked trying to change the subject.

“The hot springs were great,” said Aang blissfully unaware of the growing strife revolving
around him.

“It was so relaxing,” said Suki. “You should've stayed.”

Sokka waved his hand dismissively. “...sitting in a warm bath...it was more exciting watching
Zuko and Chiara's swordbending competition,” he said, earning an eyeroll from the prince.

“Really?” asked Suki looking at them.

“It was just practice,” said Zuko.

“So who won?” asked Aang.

Chiara's eyes met Zuko's. “Did you enjoy it?”

“Always,” he grinned.

“We both won,” she said to Aang.

“Aww. That's so romantic,” said Katara.

Sokka gave her a disapproving look. “Don't 'aww' that,” he said, uncomfortable with her and
her visions of romance.

“Why not?”

“Uh...because...” He did not want to share his big brotherly concerns with everyone at the
table. “...uh...they...got in trouble for it.”

“Really?” asked Suki.

“Yep,” said Sokka. “Because Zuko was swinging a sword at a 'mother-to-be.'”

The others started laughing.

“Yeah, and Azula shot lightning at her,” said Toph. “I think a sword would be mild compared
to that.”

Sokka leaned over the table. “I think both of those are mild compared to that Fire Nation
woman,” he said in a low voice referring to Amiku.

When the laughter died down, Katara addressed Zuko and Chiara. “Have you heard from
General Iroh?”

Chiara nodded. “He's resting right now.”

“Iroh's back?” asked Aang. “How'd the battle go?”

“Ba Sing Se is free,” said Zuko.

There were soft cheers among the group.

“So what happens now?” asked Aang.

“Uncle will be crowned Fire Lord, and...and we'll work on world peace.”
 Interregnum I - The Hospital

It was late in the afternoon, long after lunch, and the Gaang was relaxing on the palace
grounds after Zuko had given them a tour. Their planning and work were far from over, and
even though making plans for peace would not be as physically strenuous as it was making
plans and preparing for war, the team was enjoying the break.

The guards and soldiers around the palace, however, remained on high alert in the event that
Ozai supporters might attempt a coup, but the Fire Nation's Order of the White Lotus network
heard no word or whispering of any plots.

Hakoda and Bato joined the others of the Southern Water Tribe in walking the palace
grounds, while Team Avatar continued relaxing in the garden. Suki and her Kyoshi Warriors
practiced training moves while Chiara, Katara, and Aang stood in the fountain gracefully
guiding the water around them. Toph was lying on the edge of the fountain with one foot
swaying back and forth in the water “watching” the activities through vibrations. Zuko and
Sokka lounged nearby, each focused on a different scene—the former on a specific
waterbender and the latter on a particular Kyoshi Warrior.

What had started out as relaxing water katas among the waterbenders became entertainment
for those who were watching the dazzling exhibition. Most of the guards posted around the
area had never seen waterbending before the princess's post-war healing in the courtyard, and
the smooth, flowing movements were quite different than what they were familiar with in
firebending. As guards in the palace, seeing firebending as entertainment, especially during
Ozai's reign, was rare, something witnessed mostly in villages of the outer islands, vacation
spots, and the colonies. It seemed a strange, yet fascinating, sight to them now as the three
teens dressed in Fire Nation clothes were bending water in the heart of the Fire Nation. To
Zuko it was the most magnificent sight his eyes had ever seen in that fountain as his attention
was fixated on Chiara. He took in her every movement as she drew up a stream of water, the
loose droplets sparkling like diamonds around her. He enjoyed the way her long, dark coils
were catching the rays of the sun as they flowed and bounced with her motions. Reminded of
their day of relaxation at the river near the Western Air Temple, he was tempted to jump up
and playfully attack her as an excuse to get close to her and wrestle her to the ground. He
restrained himself from doing so, more out of fear of what Amiku might do to him than of his
misbehaving in a manner unbefitting royalty, but he wondered if they would ever have
freedom like that again.

“Sir,” whispered Kaito interrupting his thoughts, “General Iroh is requesting you and the
princess's company.”

Not taking his eyes off his princess, the prince stood up and stepped into the fountain where
she continued waterbending, smoothly adjusting her movements wrapping the water around
him as if he were just part of her routine. He grinned at her fluid inclusion of him, and he was
tempted to perform the familiar moves with her in a waterbending dance. As she moved a
stream of water around them, Zuko reached out to it mirroring her movement while creating a
flameless heat so strong the stream gradually evaporated, surrounding them with steam.
Toph sat up waving her hand around in the thickened air. “Did you guys just turn this place
into a sauna?”

Chiara was giggling.

“That's a lot of steam, Hotman,” said Aang. He drew up water and tried heating it into steam,
but he had trouble doing it simultaneously.

“Uncle wants to see us,” Zuko said to Chiara.

“Uh oh,” said Toph lying back down. “Sounds like you two are in trouble.”

“We'll make sure to blame it on the Avatar,” said Zuko taking Chiara's hand and stepping out
of the small pool.

Aang's eyes grew wide, and losing his concentration, his water splashed around him. “What?
Are you joking?”

Toph was laughing. “Yeah, he's been doing that all day.”

“It's getting kind of creepy,” said Sokka. Though his eyes had been on Suki, his ears were on
the conversation. “Like maybe we should be worried we're going to wake up in prison.”

“Is that what you think of me, Water Tribe?” said Zuko, feigning hurt. “I wouldn't put you in
the prison. It'd be the dungeons for you.”

“Ha!” laughed Toph and the others, except Sokka.

“Yeah, you guys keep laughing,” he said. “The joke'll be on you when you realize he's
serious.”

“Hey,” whispered Zuko as they walked by him. “Don't you have a sister to watch?”

Sokka glanced back at the fountain where Katara was moving the water around Aang in a
manner similar to Chiara's style around Zuko, and Aang was trying to heat it up.

“Hey!” he yelled towards them as he stood up to head to the pool. “What kind of magic water
moves are those?! You don't need to be doing any steamy moves!”

Zuko and Chiara entered the palace giggling as they could still hear Sokka yelling at Aang
and Katara. They followed Kaito who was leading them through the halls.

“My prince is taking sadistic pleasure in torturing Sokka,” said Chiara.

Zuko was still chuckling, as were Nai and Izin behind them.

“You know,” he said, “I really am.”

She giggled. “It's good to see you enjoying yourself, even if it is tormenting Sokka.”

“Kaito,” said Zuko, “everyone in the garden is free to roam the palace without guards.”
“Are you sure, sir?”

“Yes. Any place they shouldn't be is already guarded. But I trust them with my life, and I
want them treated like family...except without escorts.”

Kaito did not argue with him. “Yes, sir. I'll take care of it.”

“Although I am tempted to have someone follow Sokka around,” he said in a thoughtful

voice setting Chiara to giggling again.

Kaito led them to the Fire Lord's office where two Imperial Firebenders stood guard at the
door. With their faces covered, no one recognized Ezo who bowed low to the prince and
princess before opening the door for the couple. Upon entering the antechamber, Ezih greeted
them.

“Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara,” he bowed low.

“Ezih,” said Chiara nodding to him.

“This way.”

They followed him into the main office. Iroh stood quietly at the window, his hands joined
behind his back while he was gazing out over the palace grounds. Hearing them walk in, he
turned towards them and gave them a bright smile.

“You were having such a good time in the garden, I quite regret calling you away,” he said.

“Don't, Uncle. We've just been relaxing until you needed us.”

“It's good to take a break from responsibilities, especially considering the road ahead.” He
motioned them to a table. “I wanted to enjoy tea with my daughter and son-in-law prior to
resuming our duties.”

“How are you feeling?” Chiara asked him as they knelt down.

“Much better,” he answered. “It's amazing how rested one can feel after sleeping in a
comfortable bed.”

She gently smiled at him understanding just how uncomfortable prison mats and bedrolls
could be.

While they were kneeling at the table, Ezih entered with a tray holding two teapots, cups, and
teacakes.

“Thank you, Ezih,” said Iroh.

“General,” he bowed low before leaving the room.

Iroh removed the lid of one of the teapots and inhaled the aroma before doing the same to the
other. Lifting the second teapot, he poured its contents into a cup.
“This is a special blend I made for Mina when she was carrying Lu Ten,” he said placing it
before Chiara. “I also made it for Princess Ursa when she carried my nephew and niece. I
recommend at least one cup a day.”

He began pouring the other tea for him and Zuko, and they all relished their peaceful moment
together.

“At one time, I saw this in my future.” He held his hand out motioning around the room. “But
I must say it was from a very different path and had a very different future.”

The sadness in his voice was subtle, but it did not escape Zuko and Chiara who both
understood it as a reference to Prince Lu Ten.

“But I cannot adequately express how pleased I am that you are both here now to share this
future with me,” he said, his voice distinctly lighter.

Chiara's eyes sparkled with tears, and she placed her hand on his.

“To see the young man and young woman you have become...it...it is heartwarming.”

They continued drinking their tea and enjoying their quiet time together.

--------------------

Iroh poured the last of the tea from the pot.

“I suppose it's time we take the next step,” he said. “Ezih,” he called.

Ezih stepped into the office from the antechamber. “Yes, General?”

“More tea, please. Just the ginseng.”

“Of course, General,” he said as he removed the teapots from the table.

“And send for the Avatar.”

Ezih bowed and turned away.

“Oh...Ezih,” said Chiara.

He turned back to them.

“Have Izin call on Aang.”

He bowed. “Yes, Princess.”

She smiled at the questioning looks Iroh and Zuko were giving her.

“Your nephew has quite a sense of humor,” she said. “Aang may feel more comfortable if
someone he knows is sent for him.”
Iroh raised an eyebrow at Zuko who gave him a guilty smirk.

“I'm happy to hear you're having fun with the guests,” said his uncle, a pleased look on his
face.

“Yeah,” said Zuko softly. “It's...it's nice.”

“Friendships are important, Nephew. Learn from your ancestors, and do not to let ambition
get between you and your friends.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

“I have looked over the list of...of guests,” started Iroh. “It seems we have quite a few
warriors from the Southern Water Tribe.”

“They were prisoners from the invasion during the eclipse,” said Zuko.

Iroh nodded having known much of the details of the failed invasion from information
relayed to him by the Order of the White Lotus. “I met Chief Hakoda when he came to the
camp outside Ba Sing Se before he chose to join the air fleet. I'm sure he must be anxious to
lead his men home, but I would like to begin negotiations with him before he leaves.”

“Of course,” Zuko agreed. “The Fire Nation has caused irreparable damage to the Southern
Tribe. We can never undo their suffering, but we have to work to repair what we can.”

“I agree,” said Iroh. “We will do just that; however, our first priority will be stabilizing our
own Nation. We cannot hope to help others until our own government is secure and the
citizens are aware of the benefits of the peace we are trying to obtain.”

“I understand, Uncle.”

“We will also have to work out terms of peace with the Earth Kingdom. I believe the Avatar
will be of benefit when it comes to our diplomatic relationship with them.”

“I'm sure Aang will be happy to play peacemaker,” said Chiara.

Iroh took a long, slow sip of his tea, his eyes downcast as he pondered over the next step.

“Finally, we must make amends with the Northern Water Tribe.”

Zuko and Chiara both stared down at their cups, their minds suddenly lost in their memories
of the Siege and its aftermath.

“The Fire Nation suffered a great loss during the Siege,” said Iroh slowly, “as did the
Northern Tribe. And though we cannot bring back the dead, we must work to bring peace to
both of our people.” He looked at Chiara. “I believe you...” His eyes moved to Zuko. “...and
you will be most beneficial in reconciling our Nations.”

Zuko was puzzled. “Chiara I understand,” he said, “but I don't see how I can help with the
Northern Tribe.”
“Family is very important to the Water Tribe, Prince Zuko, and you may not be part of the
Tribe, but as Chiara's husband, you are still family.”

“Do...do you think they'll accept us...me?” he asked. “You still believe some of our own
people will struggle with our marriage, but what about the Water Tribe?”

“I cannot speak for them, but Master Pakku seemed to find hope in it, and he is a difficult
man to please.” Chiara softly laughed knowing just how difficult Pakku could be. “And as
I've said,” he continued, “the Water Tribe is all about family. It may be easier for them to
accept your marriage than our nobles.”

Zuko looked down feeling overwhelmed. “There's so much work to be done. I'm beginning to
think it was easier training for battle.”

Iroh chuckled. “Don't worry, Nephew. We'll get through this together. And we will not be
alone. There are people we can trust who will help us.”

--------------------

Ezih entered the office holding a teapot with a timid-looking Aang standing behind him.

“The Avatar, General,” announced Ezih.

He stepped forward to place the fresh tea on the table leaving Aang standing alone at the
room entrance. Looking at him, Iroh found it hard to believe that the young, nervous-looking
teenager was the same person who defeated his powerful brother in battle, even taking away
his firebending.

“Come in, Avatar Aang,” he invited.

“Am...am I in trouble?” he asked in a small voice.

Zuko and Chiara were snickering under their breath.

“Despite what my nephew may have told you, you are not in trouble,” Iroh assured him.
“Since we will all be working on bringing peace to the Nations, I wanted to invite you to tea
before we begin.”

Aang had not been expecting such a casual meeting with the future Fire Lord.

“We even have tea cakes,” offered Iroh motioning to the treats before him. “Though I must
admit, they are not quite as delectable as my daughter's.”

Chiara smiled at his compliment. Aang immediately lightened up at the invitation and
bounced happily over to the table where he helped himself to a tea cake while Iroh set about
pouring him a cup of tea.

“Have you been enjoying yourself during your stay?” Iroh asked him.

“Oh, yes, Iroh...General...future Fire Lord, sir.”

Iroh softly chuckled. “Iroh is fine.”

“It's really beautiful here,” said Aang. “Zuko gave us a tour. And we really enjoyed the spa.”

“Is that so? I was not aware that my nephew enjoyed the spa.” He looked at Zuko. “I guess he
has changed more than I thought.”

“I didn't go to the spa with them,” said the younger prince. “We were in the garden.”

“Ah, yes, that sounds more like you, Nephew,” he smiled.

He set a cup in front of Aang.

“We've been discussing the future and we were hoping for your assistance in our peace talks
with the other Nations, especially the Earth Kingdom.”

“I'd be happy to help you!” said Aang excitedly. “That's what I'm here for.”

“That's terrific. Then I would like for you to join in the meetings with our advisers when we
discuss our plans for the negotiations.”

“I can do that.”

“And your input will be welcome.”

Aang enjoyed the idea of working on peace in a room by talking and not by fighting. “Of
course, Iroh.”

“Now, I'm quite anxious to hear about your day during Sozin's Comet.”

Aang beamed as he began to tell Iroh the details of his battle with Ozai.

--------------------

That evening, Iroh arrived early in the banquet hall to greet the guests who had been staying
in the palace. He met with the former prisoners from the invasion, guards and prisoners from
Boiling Rock, and he was happy to be reunited with several members of Zuko's old crew.

The day after Iroh's return, he gave Chiara permission to visit Azula at the hospital, and after
breakfast, she and Zuko, along with their guards set out for Heiwa Island.

The night Azula was sent to the hospital, the staff had been informed of the change in
leadership in the Fire Nation. Many wondered what it might mean for their Nation. Years
earlier, rumors of the thirteen year old Crown Prince's Agni Kai, burning, and banishment by
his own father had spread through the Fire Islands. Over the years, those rumors would be
followed by stories of the prince's treason, his heroic actions in Ba Sing Se, his subsequent
disgrace after freeing General Iroh, his scandalous marriage to a Water Tribe barbarian and
possible spy, his further act of treason in joining the Avatar, his traitorous (whispered daring)
feat of breaking into and out of the “inescapable Rock” for his savage wife (whispered
Princess). Now the rumors that the Fire Prince's wife was a healer unlike anyone in their
Nation had ever seen were being spoken about more openly than before. Many, especially
those employed in the Fire Nation hospitals and the healers in the smaller villages, were
curious and wondered if such fantastical stories of healing had any truth to them.

Before Azula had been brought to the hospital, Healer Kang, the chief healer, had never met
any of the members of the royal family. He was thankful for the messenger hawk preparing
him for a visit from the royal couple who had sent him his most recent patient, though he was
not sure what to expect of the couple, his only knowledge of them having come from
propaganda and rumors. But he was quite sure he preferred to meet Prince Zuko over Fire
Lord...former Fire Lord Ozai, especially if any of the stories whispered among the healing
communities were to be believed in regards to Ozai's treatment of palace staff.

When the prince arrived, it was not how he carried himself that gave away his identity nor the
accompaniment of guards, but it was the legendary scar on the left side of his face covering
his eye. It was not difficult to believe the rumors of the palace staff when seeing the proof
that Ozai's cruel treatment extended to his family as well. Kang's eyes lingered over the scar
momentarily before he dropped into a low bow, but the ever-present healer inside him briefly
wondered if the young prince's vision had been affected by the injury.

“Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara. It's an honor to have you here. I am Doctor Kang. I'm in
charge of the hospital.”

Zuko nodded his head in acknowledgment. “Thank you, Doctor Kang, for accommodating
my sister.”

“Of course, your Highness.”

“How is she?” he asked.

“She has been quite...uh...apathetic.”

“How so?” asked Chiara.

Kang's eyes moved to the princess, and he could not help but wonder about the rumors of her
remarkable ability to heal.

“Since the sedatives wore off after she was brought in, she's refused to speak to anyone, and
she hasn't eaten anything since her arrival.”

“We'd like to see her,” said Zuko.

“Yes, your Highness.”

He took them to the third floor of the facility where he led them down a corridor. Stopping at
the last door at the end of the hall, he turned to them.

“We've never had any of the royal family, your Highness, but we tried to make the room as
comfortable as possible for the princess,” he said. “And we were warned she could be a flight
risk, but we decided to forgo restraints until we can evaluate her further.”
Zuko looked at Kaito and Nai. “It's probably best if you wait out here.”

“Are you sure, Prince Zuko?” asked Nai. “I mean...I saw her handiwork on Princess Chiara's
back.”

It was becoming clear to the doctor that the rumors of the waterbender's imprisonment and
supposed execution by Princess Azula were more fact than fiction.

“It'll be okay, Nai,” Chiara assured her.

Nai reluctantly nodded, and she and Kaito stood off to the side. After the doctor unlocked the
door, Zuko and Chiara entered the room. The walls were covered with red and gold cloth
panels to give the illusion of being in a palace room despite the small size. There were no
windows to allow the sunlight to enter (or patients to exit), and lanterns on the wall currently
provided all the light inside. The furniture was simple and consisted of two small tables, a
chair, and a small bed where they saw Azula's still form lying listlessly staring blankly up at
the ceiling.

“I told you I don't want any food,” she said in a low, deep voice without moving otherwise.

Chiara immediately stepped over to her. “You need to eat.”

Azula closed her eyes when she realized who it was that spoke. She was filled with a mixture
of emotions including anger and hatred, but a part of her that kept her from immediately
acting on those feelings remembered the calming sensation from Chiara's touch.

“I seem to recall you refusing food when you were in prison,” she said bluntly, trying to force
herself into verbal defensive mode.

Zuko, having little tolerance for Azula's disrespect for Chiara, took a step closer to her.
“You're not in prison.”

She opened her eyes and slowly turned her head towards him. “This place may not have bars,
but it's still a prison. At least Father allowed you the comforts of your own bedroom at the
palace.”

“Did you allow Chiara any comforts when you kept her chained inside a mountain?” he
growled deeply taking another step towards her. “Have the doctors here put scars on your
back...?”

Chiara placed her hand on his arm stopping him from advancing.

“Azula....,” she said as she knelt down next to the bed, “...refusing food will not help your
health.”

Azula turned away from them. “And living in an insane asylum will?” Though her voice was
still low, there was an unmistakable tone of anger.

“Actually, yes, it will,” answered Zuko curtly.

“This is a hospital,” said Chiara. “You're not meant to be here forever.”

“I'm sure if Zuzu has his way I will be.”

“If I had my way, you'd be in prison,” he said, his voice also low, but audible.

Azula turned her head slowly to glare at him, but then her view was obstructed by a vial of
water Chiara was dangling in front of her breaking her focus on her brother.

“Let me help you relax,” she said sweetly.

Again Azula wanted to be angry, but there was a desire in her for that calm, mellow state she
felt two days earlier. Not wanting Chiara to suspect that she was eager for her treatment, she
just gave her an indifferent shrug. Chiara moved behind her head, and after pulling the water
from the vial, she began her technique.

While she worked, Zuko sat down in the chair and lit the candles that were on the table
nearby increasing the light in the room. Aside from the relaxing, serene feeling that washed
over Azula, her mind seemed to grow a bit clearer. At that moment she had no
responsibilities, nothing to prove; she felt a sense of freedom she did not know existed.

When the treatment was finished, she felt it was too soon.

Chiara knelt next to her. “Feel better?”

She again shrugged indifferently not wanting to give her sister-in-law the satisfaction of
knowing just how much better she felt due to her treatment.

“Would you like to eat now?”

At the mere suggestion of eating, Azula now felt the urge to satisfy her hunger pains. “I
suppose,” she said still trying to sound disinterested.

Chiara looked up at Zuko who stood up to step outside and instruct the doctor to have food
brought to the room. When he walked back inside, Chiara was sitting on the bed helping
Azula sit up.

“I don't need your help,” snapped Azula pulling away from her. “Are you going to try feeding
me too, like an infant?!”

Zuko felt heated by her reaction, and he was just about to rebuke her.

“Only if you want me to,” said Chiara calmly, completely unfazed by her snippy attitude.

Azula scowled at her. “I don't need you two in here watching me eat.”

“Do you mind if we join you?” Chiara asked her.

“Yes, I do.”
“Is there anything else you need?”

“Gee, I'm locked in a crazy hospital,” she said rudely. “What could I possibly need?”

“Watch your tone, Azula,” scolded Zuko lacking Chiara's patience for his sister's insolence.
“We're trying to help you.”

She huffed and rolled her eyes at his admonition. “Maybe I don't want your help.”

“Come on, Chiara, let's go,” he said stepping over to her reaching for her hand.

Azula, not ready for them to leave, looked up at him. “Fine. I'll be more civil, Brother,” she
said in a less than civil tone.

Zuko stood next to Chiara who was still sitting on the bed next to Azula.

“So tell me...,” started Azula softly, anxious for information, but not wanting to sound eager,
“...what's become of Father?”

“He's in prison,” said Zuko with no emotion in his tone.

There was a moment of silence as Azula contemplated whether or not to admit what she
considered inevitable.

She opted to speak her thought. “You know prison won't hold someone as powerful as him.”

“Oh, I think it'll hold him just fine,” said Zuko. “And if it doesn't...well, there's not much he
can do.”

Azula lifted an eyebrow. “You're not afraid he'll come after you or your concubine?”

He scowled at her. “He can't even firebend,” he said deeply.

“What?”

“The Avatar took away his firebending.”

He did not try to hide the smugness in his voice, and he took pleasure in seeing her eyes grow
wide with fear at the mere thought of any firebender losing their ability especially one as
powerful and intimidating as Ozai.

“How...how is that possible?” she asked, a rare nervousness in her tone.

“He's the Avatar. It's his duty to keep balance in the world, which means taking away
someone's ability to bend their element if they're abusing it.”

He spoke his words slowly and clearly wanting them to sink deeply into her mind, which
they had. She remained silent, refusing to betray again just how rattled she was by the idea of
having her firebending taken from her. Though now another thought occurred to her.

“Can he also give a nonbender the ability to bend?” she asked softly.
Zuko pondered the question wondering if it was possible for Aang to make a nonbender a
bender.

“I don't know,” he said.

“So he couldn't make a certain waterbender a firebender?”

His lip curled slightly now realizing she was curious as to how Chiara was able to firebend.
“I don't think it's the same thing,” he said. “I guess a certain waterbender is just really
talented.”

Chiara laughed under her breath, but Azula huffed at him.

“Talented,” she scoffed rolling her eyes.

“If you're interested in learning how to bend water, Azula,” he started, “then spend the next
twelve or thirteen years practicing with a waterbender. Maybe you'll pick it up.”

“That's why you think she can bend fire? Because she just practiced all these years?”

“Well, I can assure you it wasn't the Avatar's doing,” he snapped back, though a soft giggle
escaped Chiara at his remark.

Azula moodily looked away frustrated that she did not learn the secret of Chiara's
firebending.

“So...so Uncle's Fire Lord now?” she finally asked.

“His coronation's at the end of the week,” he said.

A member of the staff entered with her meal. After placing it on the table, he bowed to the
three royals before leaving the room.

“Are you sure you don't want us to join you?” Chiara asked her.

Azula rolled her eyes. “Not if I want to keep my food down.”

“Your welcome, Azula,” spat Zuko sarcastically, agitated by her continued rudeness. He took
Chiara's hand and led her towards the door.

“Let me know if you need anything,” said Chiara before Zuko pulled her out of the room.

Doctor Kang was anxiously waiting for them in the hall.

“She's eating?” he asked.

“Yes, Doctor,” answered Chiara. “We'll return again to check on her in a couple days, but
please let me know if there are any changes before then.”

“Of course, Princess.”

She looked up at Zuko. “Would it be okay if we visit other patients?”

He had not considered the good she could do for others in the hospital, but he found the idea
appealing and he turned to the doctor. “Doctor Kang, my wife is a waterbender healer. We'd
like to visit any patients you have that could benefit from her gift.”

Kang's curiosity had been piqued since he first heard the rumors of her healing. That the
inferior bending of the savage Tribes had healing qualities had been unheard of before those
recent stories that leaked out of Boiling Rock.

“Of course, your Highness. I must say I'm quite intrigued by such a method. Is this something
common to all waterbenders?”

“No, Doctor,” answered Chiara. “Not all waterbenders can heal.”

“Forgive me if this is too bold a request, but...but may I observe your technique?” he asked.
There was a timidity in his voice that made it clear he was worried about repercussions in
making such a request of the royal family.

“Certainly,” she said. “Doctor Asa was interested in it too.”

Kang was familiar with the palace physician, and he took the information as a good sign that
he might not have to fear any consequences for his curiosity. He escorted them around the
facility starting with the simplest of cases where he observed Chiara cure illnesses and relieve
pain. He was fascinated by the glowing water and the look of relief and comfort that
followed. It took only a few minor cases before he led her to the most complicated and
difficult of injuries and illnesses. Though she made it clear that the severe injuries often
required several treatment sessions which she would be willing to do upon her subsequent
returns, he was delighted to see such instantaneous results after her initial treatments.

Confounding him even further was the young prince's own form of heat healing. Whenever
Zuko found it could be of use, he joined in assisting with the injured to the amazement of
staff and patients alike not only at his unknown and unique skill, but also that a member of
the royal family would condescend to touch even the lowest peasants of the Fire Nation. And
joining the rumors of his fearsome, fiery reputation the prince earned from leading the
breakout of Boiling Rock Prison would be the new tales of his extraordinary gift of healing
fire.
 Interregnum II - The Prison

While Zuko and Chiara were visiting Azula, Iroh took the time to visit Capital City Prison.
Followed by Ezo and Shin, he entered the Prison Tower.

“Prince Iroh,” the new warden bowed deeply. “You honor us with your presence. How may I
serve you?”

“Warden Anzo,” said Iroh, “I'm here to see Ozai.”

“Yes, sir.” He bowed again and led them down the hall to a staircase.

They ascended the stone steps going higher and higher until they arrived at one of the upper
floors near the top of the prison. As they walked down the corridor, another guard was
walking towards them carrying a tray.

“General Iroh,” said the guard as she bowed to him. “It's an honor.”

Iroh smiled at the guard. “Ming, it's a pleasure to see you again, especially from this side of
the bars,” he said pleasantly.

“Of course, General.” She glanced back down the hall. “You're here to visit...the prisoner?”
Her distaste for Ozai was clear in her utterance of 'prisoner.'

“Yes,” he nodded with a slight smirk of understanding.

“It's good to have you back, General.” She bowed again and stepped to the side.

“I expect to see you and your family at the palace for tea, Ming,” said Iroh.

She was smiling. “Yes, sir.”

They continued walking until Warden Anzo stopped at a door near the end of the hall. “This
is his cell, your Highness.”

“Wait here,” Iroh ordered his guards.

They took their place on each side of the door. Iroh took a deep, but silent breath before
entering the cell. Unlike Iroh's former cell, this one had no window. He wondered if this was
deliberate, if maybe there was a fear among the guards that even the smallest ray of sunlight
might reignite Ozai's inner flame. On the wall there were only two small torches providing
the dim light in the room. Behind the bars, his younger brother sat quietly on the floor
leaning against the wall. His eyes slowly slid open when he heard the door, and he watched
as Iroh stepped inside and stood silently on the other side of the bars, his hands behind his
back.

“So the Fire Lord has come to gloat,” spoke Ozai in a deep voice.
“I am not here to gloat,” said Iroh simply. He did not correct the title.

“Then why are you here?” he growled. “Going to offer me tea? Ask for advice on being Fire
Lord?” His voice dripped with condescension.

“If that were the case, it is hardly your advice I would seek, Ozai.”

Without his firebending, a hateful sneer was the only thing Ozai could throw at him.

“I'm merely offering you a courtesy you never granted me during my incarcerations,
Brother.”

Ozai scoffed, his eyes turning away from Iroh. “You are no more a brother to me than that
treacherous boy is a son,” he said deeply.

Iroh had not intended to bring up Zuko with Ozai, feeling his brother was not deserving of his
son, but he could not refuse the unintended invitation.

“It is a shame, Ozai, that you were so blind to Zuko's loyalty.”

His head jerked towards his older brother as he cast another glare at him. “Do not speak that
traitor's name!” he yelled.

Iroh paid no mind to his angry demand. “Zuko is no traitor,” he spoke calmly. “He spent
years looking up to you, seeking to please you, trying to earn your love. And that was after
you so dishonorably burned and banished him.” Ozai let out a derisive snort. “He would've
done anything to have you care for him as a father should care for his son.”

“Care, love,” he spoke, his voice full of disdain. “That is why he's so weak.”

Iroh briefly considered how his brother would fare on his own as a starved and wanted
refugee in the Earth Kingdom.

“On the contrary, Ozai, he is stronger than you will ever know.”

Ozai looked away again, but it was clear to Iroh that nothing or no one would ever convince
him of Zuko's worth. He was disgusted by his younger brother's callousness, and as he stared
at him, he wondered if their mother had not died when Ozai was a boy if he might have been
less cold towards his own child.

“And is this the real reason why you've so graciously taken time out of your busy schedule to
visit me?” asked Ozai in a genial sounding tone that was anything but genial. “To talk about
that traitor?”

“Zuko is not the reason I've come here.”

“Then leave,” he demanded deeply. “I don't need your pity.”

“I do pity you, Ozai...”

He immediately stood up and lunged at the bars reaching for Iroh who merely took a calm
step back to avoid his grasp.

“Coward!” yelled Ozai. “You think because I can't firebend I'm harmless?! I'm something to
be pitied?! Let me show you what I can do without firebending!”

“It's not for the loss of your firebending that I pity you.” Iroh tucked his hands in his sleeves.
“You took the title of Fire Lord. You had what you wanted, Ozai. I allowed you to keep the
throne that was rightfully mine...”

“Because you're weak, a coward,” he spat, his knuckles turning whiter as they tightly gripped
the bars between them.

“You know as well as I do that if I had challenged you it would've plunged the Fire Nation
into civil war, and I refused to do that.”

Ozai knew he was correct, but he refused to acknowledge it.

“If you had not allowed your ambition, your hatred of the other Nations to control you,”
continued Iroh, “you would still be Fire Lord. But you were so blind to the needs of our
people, and especially your own family. That is why I pity you. And you have only yourself
to blame for your condition.”

Ozai's angry scowl relaxed into an expression of indifference, and he released the bars, his
hands dropping to his sides.

“You're right, Iroh,” he said in a low, composed voice.

Iroh was not fooled by his sudden calm tone; he patiently waited for the explosion.

“This is my own doing,” Ozai admitted, still poised. He turned away from the bars and
casually returned to his spot on the floor. “I made too many wrong choices.” He peered up at
Iroh through the dark strands of his unkempt hair. “I should've rid myself of that treacherous
child after his birth. The minute I saw that he lacked that spark in his eyes I should've
disposed of him.” He emphasized the dark action so there would be no mistaking his intent.

Iroh's eyes narrowed as he glared at Ozai disgusted by the monster his brother had become.

“But I allowed the pitiful creature to live, gave it a chance,” continued Ozai. “He only proved
to be a disappointment time and again. Then fate laid out quite a board before me during the
Siege of Ba Sing Se when it took the life of the other young prince,” he said smoothly.

Iroh's eyes flashed like lightning at Ozai's irreverent reference to Lu Ten.

“One tile gone,” said Ozai simply.

Iroh's body tensed with rage; the fire filled his being like magma beneath a volcano
threatening to erupt.
“Why should you be Fire Lord when you had no heirs to follow?” continued Ozai, his lip
curling slightly, sensing the dangerous line on which he was walking. “And the only
condition Azulon required of me was to sacrifice my own son.”

Iroh tried to hide the shock and the anger he felt not only over Ozai's complete indifference to
such an unthinkable demand, but also that his own father would request the death of his only
living grandson.

“An easy move,” continued Ozai coolly. “To sacrifice a mistake is hardly a sacrifice at all.”
The coldness of his voice further enraged Iroh. “And I was quite ready to toss that tile from
the board.” He continued speaking as if it was just merely a game of Pai Sho and not the
slaughter of his own child. “But a better play proved more promising. Unfortunately, I didn't
take full advantage of the setup in front of me, like squishing the little Water flea on the
board...,” he said in a deep voice. “...and removing the Crown Prince's tile. It would've been
little trouble to pay a few mercenaries to exterminate that worthless little brat and to arrange
for you to fall at the same wall as your son and eliminate you from the family tree.”

“I suspect you were too busy clearing off the throne,” said Iroh in a deep, deadly tone.

Ozai's lip curled wickedly. “But suspicions are all you have,” he said. “And if there were any
truth to them...well...what more could you possibly do to me? Execution?” He let out a dry
laugh. “If anyone had enough courage they would've done so already. But it seems everyone
wants to worship the Avatar's weak way of peace with his twisted idea of mercy by
declawing his opponents and locking them in a cage.”

Iroh knew it had to be torture for Ozai to have lost his inner fire, but he had no sympathy for
his brother's current state. With Ozai's only regret being that he did not kill the rest of his
family, it was clear to Iroh that the man's mind was too far gone. Too many were murdered
during his reign, and Iroh had always suspected he was involved in their father's death. A trial
condemning him to execution would have been justified, but the Avatar chose to spare him,
and Iroh would abide by his decision.

“About that tea,” said Ozai pleasantly.

Iroh turned his back to him. “I never offered.”

He left the cell, the small torches inside extinguishing as he walked out leaving Ozai to sit in
the darkness. Iroh left the prison and returned to the palace disturbed by their conversation.

--------------------

Late that afternoon after returning to the main island, Zuko and Chiara entered Iroh's office.
When he looked up and saw Zuko, a warmth filled his heart. Images began flashing through
his mind. In his arms he held a tiny black haired infant with golden eyes, more golden than
any he had seen in other members of the royal household. He stood up from his desk, now
seeing a bright eyed child excitedly showing him the new moves he learned with his sword.
Taking Zuko into his arms he gave him a tight hug. A hopeful, scarless, young teenager,
anxious to serve his country, was begging him to allow him to attend a war meeting. Iroh's
grip tightened on his nephew.
“Um...I missed you too, Uncle,” squeaked Zuko struggling to speak in the tight embrace.

“I haven't seen you in a while,” said Iroh still holding onto him. Still troubled by his
conversation with Ozai, he wanted to give Zuko a father's love he deserved.

“Uh...yeah...it...it's been hours since we had breakfast together.”

Iroh gently laughed and released him. Zuko thought he saw tears sparkling in his uncle's
amber eyes.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Of course, Nephew. Just happy to see you.”

He looked at Chiara who took notice of his strange behavior.

“And my daughter...,” he said taking her in his arms and giving her a hug. “...it's always a
pleasure to have your company.” He led her towards the table. “Come...let's have tea.”

Ezih walked in with the tray, and then Iroh began pouring the tea for them.

“So, how is Azula doing?” he asked.

“She's...she's Azula,” said Zuko dryly.

“I think she'll be okay,” said Chiara.

Zuko looked less confident. “You wouldn't know it from her attitude.”

“I can sense her healing,” she said. “But damage to the mind is so different from the rest of
the body, and healing it is different too. It'll take more time.”

“I hate the way she talks to you,” Zuko admitted, trying to keep his voice from rising. “You're
trying to help her and she knows it. She has no right to talk down to you, especially after
what she did to you.”

“She's just venting. That doesn't bother me. But I want to...to fix her. I know I can do it.”

Zuko could barely remember the days when Azula was a normal sister, and though he did not
doubt Chiara's ability, he had trouble imagining a “fixed” Azula.

“Whatever you can do to help her, do it,” said Iroh, startling them both by his solemn and
demanding tone. He was staring down at his cup. “How I regret that I didn't do more to help
my brother,” he said sadly. “Maybe if I had been there for him, he might not have made so
many questionable choices.”

“You had no control over Ozai's actions, Uncle,” said Zuko.

“No, I did not. But...our mother died when Ozai was just a boy, and Azulon...he wasn't the
most affectionate of fathers...”
“That's not your fault,” insisted Zuko refusing to allow Iroh to take the blame for the way
Ozai turned out.

“I may not be responsible for what Ozai became, but I may have helped him avoid it had I
found more time to...to be a big brother.” He looked in Zuko's eyes. “Azula is still young,
Nephew. Without Ozai to influence her, you may be the one to guide her.”

Zuko laughed dryly. “She's hardly a follower. Least of all to me.”

“But with Chiara's treatments, we may be able to get her on a path that will not follow Ozai.”

“Excuse me, General,” said Ezih after stepping into the room. “Dinner will be served soon.”

“Thank you, Ezih.” He looked at Zuko and Chiara. “You go meet your friends. I'll join
everyone shortly.”

The couple stood up and bowed. In the antechamber Chiara stopped Zuko.

“You go on; I'll catch up,” she whispered.

“What're you going to do?”

“I need to talk to the General,” she said.

“Is something wrong?”

“I think he needs a little treatment himself.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “He did seem...off.”

He gently kissed her lips before leaving. Chiara turned back towards Iroh's office and walked
to the entrance. She watched as Iroh stood quietly staring out the window, and she made her
way over to him.

“You visited Ozai,” she stated softly.

He stood motionless. “How did you know?”

“Your mind seems occupied with regrets,” she said. He still stared blankly out the window.
“And you nearly crushed Prince Zuko's ribs,” she added.

He sighed. “What kind of a father rejects his son in such an abominable way?” he asked, his
voice nearly a whisper.

“Someone who's incapable of love,” she answered. “But Prince Zuko is strong.” She placed
her hand on his arm. “And he had a real father in you.”

Iroh looked down. Her words brought a sense of comfort to his heart. “And I love him as a
son. Even...even when Lu Ten was alive, I loved Zuko like he was my own.”

“He knows that.”

“When I lost Lu Ten...the war...the victory that was so close...they weren't worth it...it wasn't
worth losing my son...but to Ozai...” He trailed off feeling he spoke more than he should
have.

“It was worth the sacrifice,” she finished softly.

He turned to look at her not expecting her to have known what Ozai could have done. “Then
you know?” he asked her. “You know what he was willing to do?”

“He wouldn't pass up the opportunity to rub that in.”

“So Zuko knows.” There was a torrent of anger hidden behind the seemingly calm statement.

“Don't be upset,” she said, sensing his outrage. “I know you want to protect him from that
kind of pain and rejection, but it's better for him that he knows exactly what kind of person
Ozai is. It does him no favor to hide the truth.”

Iroh could not completely rid himself of the fury he felt towards his brother. Not only was
Ozai so willing to murder his own son, but in his arrogance he even boasted his willingness
to do so to Zuko. But he knew Chiara's words were true. “You're right,” he gently nodded.
“He needs to know the truth.” He looked down again. “I nearly lost control in the prison
when Ozai spoke so coldly of such an abhorrent act. I could've burned him to ashes,” he
whispered.

There was a hint of shame in his voice, but Chiara just listened, understanding his need to
confess.

“But what honor would there be in killing a defenseless man trapped behind bars?” he
continued softly.

“You're not alone,” she assured him.

He raised his eyes to meet hers.

“I nearly froze the blood in his veins for what he said to Prince Zuko,” she admitted.

The look in her eyes told him she was not exaggerating, and he found the possibility to be a
frightening thought. “I-I wasn't aware you could do that.”

It was a concept that she theorized could be true, but never dwelt on or even considered
attempting. “It was only for a moment and unintentional,” she explained softly. “His voice
was so cold and his intentions were so cruel, I didn't even realize I was doing it at first.”

He nodded. “I understand,” he said feeling the same way. “And it didn't make it easier to
know my own father was part of that...especially so soon after losing his eldest grandson,” he
finished in a near-whisper.

The same thought had troubled her when Zuko first told her. She had always hoped there had
been something more than what they knew.
“We don't know for certain what happened,” she said. “Maybe Azulon said it out of anger
never thinking Ozai would...or could take it seriously.”

He considered the possibility of her scenario. “Perhaps.” He spotted Zuko who had just
arrived in the garden below. “But whatever was said, Ozai didn't go through with it, and our
father died shortly after.”

“And Aunt Ursa was banished the next day,” she added.

“Was she though?” he asked. “I have long suspected that something more...sinister might
have happened to her were she to know something incriminating.”

“Ozai said she was banished for treason.”

Iroh gently stroked his beard lost in his thoughts. He knew it was not like Ozai to lie. If Ursa
had been killed under his orders, he would feel no shame in it, so he now considered that
there was a greater possibility that she was alive. “It may take some time, but I'll make
inquiries.”

She felt overjoyed that Iroh would investigate Ursa's banishment, and she could only imagine
how excited Zuko would be to hear it. Her eyes moved to the garden where she could see him
sitting on the edge of the fountain massaging Toph's feet. Suddenly an idea came to her.

“Have you spoken yet to any of the officers they're holding in the prison?” she asked Iroh.

He was puzzled by her question and wondered how it related to Ursa. “I have not.”

“Lady Toph is a living lie detector,” she said. “I think she would be invaluable in assessing
the integrity of the officers.”

A gentle smile formed on his face as he watched his nephew tending to the young
earthbender. He considered Chiara's suggestion. “That is very interesting,” he said
thoughtfully. “I will definitely look into employing her services.” He turned to her. “Shall we
go to dinner?”

She nodded, and he took her hand placing it on his arm and escorted her out. As they left his
office, Ezo and Shin immediately fell in step behind them, and Nai and Izin followed along.

“I was thinking that we should have traditional Air Nomad robes made for Aang,” said
Chiara anxious to discuss a much lighter topic. “Master Akio showed me sketches of the
monks when we studied their civilization. Maybe we could use the drawings to have a set
made for him to wear for your coronation.”

Iroh appreciated the change in subject giving him something else on which to focus. “What
an excellent idea,” he said pleased at the thought. “I know the tailors are already working on
our clothing for that day. I'm sure we can find another to make robes for the Avatar.”

“For any of our foreign guests who'll be present, it would be a nice gesture to provide
clothing for them as well in the colors of their Nations.”
“Yes, yes,” said Iroh excitedly. “We'll employ all the tailors in Caldera City to get it done. It
will be a magnificent sight to see all the Nations together in the plaza that day.”

The news had quickly spread everywhere that Ozai had been defeated by the Avatar, the Fire
Nation Army had been prevented from destroying the Earth Kingdom, the Order of the White
Lotus had liberated Ba Sing Se from the Fire Nation, and Prince Iroh was to become the new
Fire Lord.

Throughout the week preparations took place for Iroh's coronation. All of the former
prisoners of war had chosen to remain in the Fire Nation until after the event, and there was a
lot of activity going on both in the palace and in all of the Caldera as many from the outer
islands wanted to be present.

Zuko and Chiara spent much of their time with Iroh as they made plans for the future of the
Fire Nation and discussed those who would prove valuable as the Fire Lord's advisers. Jeong
Jeong and Piandao arrived in time to be present for the coronation, and it had already been
determined that they would serve as advisers to Iroh. Sozoh, Zaro, Tezam, Yuzo, and Akio
were also among those chosen to serve on the council. Together they went over the terms of
peace that would be discussed with the other Nations, and Aang sat in on the meetings to
offer his input as Iroh had requested. After having his own fun testing Toph's lie-detecting
ability, Iroh decided to meet with the imprisoned officers prior to his coronation. He and his
available council members took time each day to cross-examine selected officers from the
prison. They set up a signal system in which Toph was more than happy to assist them in
detecting any deception.

Every other day, Zuko and Chiara returned to Heiwa Island to visit Azula in order to treat her
with waterbending. And any downtime the Gaang had, they spent relaxing together in the
gardens or in the training areas where they enjoyed sparring or practicing their bending,
including swordbending practice between Zuko and Sokka. They enjoyed their free time as a
group knowing that as the coronation of the new Fire Lord drew closer, their time together
was growing shorter.
 A New Reign
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

When the day of Iroh's coronation finally arrived the royal palace was buzzing with activity.
It was hours before the sun would rise, and the only light in the palace was provided by
lamps and braziers. Amiku had arrived to take Chiara to the spa where she would be prepared
for the occasion, while Zuko would be assisted by servants of his own. After they were
dressed in royal clothing, the couple met at the palace entrance. Though they preferred their
comfortable commoner clothing or even their casual royal clothing, their eyes lit up upon
seeing each other. Zuko was breathless when he saw his wife in the deep red gown, and his
heart stirred at her elegant beauty. Part of her hair had been pulled up into a topknot bun
allowing the rest of her long, dark curls to flow around her, and the silver of her mother's
diadem gleamed upon her forehead disappearing into her onyx-colored hair. As he
approached her, he was drawn into the sea that swirled in her eyes submersing himself in
their depths. Chiara was no less thrilled to see her husband standing tall and majestic in his
dark red royal regalia, his hair in a neat topknot on his head, and his golden eyes sending
fiery rays straight into her heart. In his left hand he carried Roku's headpiece. He bowed
deeply.

“My Lady,” he said making her own heart stir.

He stood erect and offered her his right arm which she took. He escorted her out of the palace
and into the courtyard where they climbed into a carriage where Iroh had been waiting for
them with Ezo and another Imperial Firebender on each side of him.

“Good morning, Daughter, Nephew. You look like quite the royal couple,” he said pleasantly
as they were seating themselves. “I see you have the headpiece as I requested.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

Other carriages were being filled by the very tired guests who were not used to such an early
morning event. Even Sokka was too tired to complain that they were not served breakfast
first.

The door of the royal carriage opened and a tired-looking Aang climbed inside and sat next to
Zuko.

“Wow, you guys do things really early,” he said. “I know firebenders rise with the sun and all,
but the sun isn't even up yet.”

Zuko and Chiara softly giggled, and even Iroh chuckled.

“Today we must be ready to greet the sun as it rises,” said Iroh.

“You look very nice, Aang,” Chiara complimented him as he wore the bright yellow Air
Nomad robes Iroh had made for him.

“Thanks, Chiara.” He looked up at the soon-to-be Fire Lord. “And thanks for these new
robes. I still can't believe you did this for me.”

“You're quite welcome,” said Iroh. “I must say, that is a fascinating necklace. I don't believe
I've ever seen you wear it before.”

“Yeah.” He lowered his eyes looking sad. “I found it in a market in the northern Earth
Kingdom when we were on our way to the North Pole.”

“Really?” said Iroh. “How interesting.” In all his travels, Iroh had never seen any Air Nomad
relics in the marketplaces. He had only ever seen such items in the palace's secret collection
—a collection he intended to go through in order to return them to the Nations from whom
they were taken. He was surprised to learn that after a hundred years there were relics
pillaged from the air temples still floating around the markets.

Aang gently ran his fingers over the large wooden disk which bore three swirling insignia of
the Air Nomads. “It was actually a trap by Admiral Zhao,” he said softly.

Everyone's eyes were immediately on him.

“Zhao?” asked Zuko. “You got caught by Zhao a second time?”

Iroh raised an eyebrow. “Second time?” he asked.

Zuko looked up at him and Aang's eyes went wide as both teenagers had flashbacks of arrows
and spears, and Aang could even feel the cold steel of two blades against his neck.

“Uh...,” started Zuko.

“He...uh...,” stuttered Aang. “...he...Zhao that is...”

“He...uh...attacked us...at...at Crescent Island,” said Zuko.

“Yeah!” agreed Aang a bit too enthusiastically. “At Crescent Island! At the Fire Temple.”

“Ohh,” said Iroh with a sparkle in his eye. “Of course. Please go on, Avatar Aang.”

Chiara was softly giggling to herself.

“Yeah...uh...,” started Aang continuing his story. “...this was a different time than
the...uh...Fire Temple. The merchant I bought it from said it was found in the mountains. I
thought there might be other airbenders hiding there, so I waited until Katara and Sokka were
asleep and I flew around the mountains searching for any sign of them. I really thought I
found others when I saw a shrine. It was filled with airbender stuff.”

“But it was a trap,” stated Iroh.

Aang looked down and nodded. “By Zhao.”

Zuko glared at Zhao's name.

“Very interesting,” said Iroh thoughtfully. “That was the same tactic employed by Fire Lord
Sozin.”

All three teens looked at Iroh.

“That's what Zhao said,” said Aang, his eyes wide. “He said Fire Lord Sozin used the relics
to attract the airbenders that escaped the temples. He made it look like airbender refugees
were hiding in caves, and he would lure them in.”

Everyone in the carriage was visibly disgusted by Sozin's strategy, even Iroh despite his
familiarity with the Fire Lord's scheme.

“How did you get away?” asked Chiara.

“Airbending,” said Aang. “There were a lot of airbender relics in the cave, so I started
spinning a dorje really hard and it created a windstorm. Zhao and his men got caught up in it,
and I was able to escape.”

Suddenly, the carriage lurched forward and they were heading away from the palace.

--------------------

After leaving the palace grounds and traveling through Royal Caldera City, the carriages
arrived at the Coronation Temple and Plaza. The damage caused by Zuko and Azula's comet-
enhanced battle had been repaired and it was ready and decorated for the ceremony that was
to take place there.

Iroh, Zuko, Chiara, and Aang were ushered into a back entrance of the temple accompanied
by Kaito, Nai, Izin, Ezo, and the rest of the Royal Procession. The rest of the Gaang and
other guests were escorted into the plaza where many citizens from all over the Fire Nation
had gathered.

In the temple, the High Sage greeted Iroh. “Prince Iroh, it is nearly time,” he said as the sky
was slowly lighting up. “We must hurry.”

The group quickly climbed the stairs until they made it to the upper level where Iroh was
rushed towards the front entrance. Below, the crowd waited in the plaza.

“Keep your speech short,” said the High Sage. “The sun will rise over the horizon soon.”

Chiara straightened Iroh's robes for him. “You look very regal, Father.” He broke into a
smile, and she reached up gently replacing a few stray strands of his gray hair. “The moon is
still up and will be shining its light on you too.”

“That is a good omen,” he said.

“Prince Iroh...”

Iroh quickly glanced at the High Sage before smiling at Chiara and Zuko. He turned towards
the front entrance and slowly stepped outside to see shades of red, green, and blue as people
from the three Nations filled the plaza. A gong sounded and the crowd cheered, but Iroh
raised his hand.

“The real hero is the Avatar.”

He looked back at Aang and beckoned him to come out. The Avatar obeyed, walking out to
stand next to Iroh.

“This war is finally over!” announced Iroh. “We must work together to restore the honor of
the Fire Nation. The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting have left
the world scarred and divided. But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path
and begin a new era of love and peace.”

“Ahem,” the High Sage interrupted softly.

Iroh looked at him, and the Sage nodded his head indicating that it was time. Iroh faced
forward, and as the sun peaked over the horizon, the first rays of light fell upon him. He
slowly knelt down. The High Sage stepped behind him and placed the royal headpiece into
his topknot.

“All hail Fire Lord Iroh!” the Sage announced.

Iroh stood while the cheers rose up from below. The crowd was happy that the war was over
and that a dictator had been replaced with someone they hoped would be more benevolent.

Iroh looked back at Zuko and Chiara and now beckoned them to come out. They glanced at
each other with puzzled expressions. The High Sage took the headpiece from Zuko, and then
the couple obeyed their new Fire Lord's gesture.

“Kneel, Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara,” he said to them.

Again, they obeyed his order. The crowd quieted down as everyone watched the scene. Fire
Lord Iroh motioned to the High Sage who brought out the headpiece of Avatar Roku.
Standing before Zuko, Iroh placed the headpiece over his topknot securing it with the pin. He
then took another headpiece offered by the Sage.

“This is the headpiece of the wife of the Crown Prince,” he said while placing it in Chiara's
hair. “It belonged to the late Princess Mina.”

A tear slid down her cheek as she realized he was giving her the headpiece of his late wife.

“Rise, Crown Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara,” he announced loudly before presenting them to
the cheering crowd.

When the cheers were dying down, the High Sage stepped forward. “To celebrate the
coronation of our Fire Lord, there will be a grand banquet in the plaza.”
One loud “woohoo” could be heard among the crowd that was clearly Sokka's voice. Zuko
and Chiara glanced at each other stifling their giggles.

After the Sage had made his announcement, tables were carried out into the plaza and set up,
and servers began laying out food.

Iroh turned to Zuko and Chiara. “This is my favorite part of the coronation.”

There had been no banquet at the last coronation, and Zuko silently wondered if it was a new
addition to the ceremony by his uncle or a tradition that was just skipped by Ozai.

Iroh offered his arm to Chiara. “Shall we go, Princess Chiara?”

“Yes, my Lord,” she said taking his arm.

He looked at Zuko. “Are you coming, Prince Zuko?”

“I'll catch up with you, Uncle...I mean Fire Lord,” he corrected.

“I still prefer 'Uncle',” smiled Iroh. He leaned towards Chiara. “And 'Father,'” he added.

Zuko took one last look at his princess before the Fire Lord and his daughter turned to
descend the temple steps followed by their guards and the sages leaving only him and Aang
at the top while Kaito remained inside waiting for him. The prince's eyes moved to the multi-
colored crowd below. While traveling the world on his ship or living in exile in the Earth
Kingdom he had never imagined that one day he would be standing next to the Avatar at his
uncle's coronation.

“I can't believe a year ago my purpose in life was hunting you down,” he said in a soft,
thoughtful voice. “And now...”

“And now we're friends,” finished Aang.

Zuko turned towards him. “Yeah, we are friends.”

“I can't believe over a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice,” said Aang. “The world's
so different now.”

Zuko placed his hand on his shoulder. “And it's going to be even more different...when we all
build it together.”

They embraced each other.

“We'd better get to the food before Sokka eats it all,” said Aang.

“And my uncle,” grinned Zuko.

--------------------
After everyone ate their fill at the banquet, the people who were present lined up to
personally congratulate the new Fire Lord, something unheard of among the citizens during
previous reigns. Many, too, wanted to meet the Avatar, and even greet the Crown Prince and
Princess, and by the afternoon, Iroh, Aang, Zuko, and Chiara were exhausted.

During the week after Iroh's coronation, ships set sail from the Fire Nation returning the
various guests to their homelands. Suki sent her Kyoshi Warriors back to Kyoshi Island
where she planned on meeting them later after most of the negotiations among the Nations
were completed. Only after meeting with Fire Lord Iroh and agreeing on peace terms did
Chief Hakoda and his men finally prepare to return home to the Southern Water Tribe. Future
negotiations were planned as Iroh offered to help rebuild the South Pole in reparation for the
damages done by the Fire Nation's previous rulers. Hakoda would have to assess the needs of
the Tribe, and he agreed to give Iroh time to work on stability in his own government before
making any requests. Fire Lord Iroh had to maintain order in the Fire Nation and prevent any
chaos that might arise in the aftermath of the war. There was an overwhelming amount of
work for him to tend to, and even with his newly selected council, there was much consulting
and planning to do in his own Nation before he could begin giving aid to the others.

Since Sokka and Katara decided to remain with Aang and assist him in his duties to the
Nations for a while longer, they spent as much time as they could with Hakoda before the
Water Tribesmen set sail for home.

A week after the coronation, Iroh sent Zuko to the Earth Kingdom as his personal delegate.
He and Chiara flew with the rest of Team Avatar on Appa to celebrate the end of the war in
Ba Sing Se. Kaito, who returned to his duties after bringing his family to the Capital, and of
course Nai, traveled with the Gaang much to Izin's dismay that he was unable to be present to
guard the couple.

During the Prince and Princess's absence from the Fire Nation, several of the former Boiling
Rock guards made arrangements to bring their families to Capital City since they had been
invited to serve as guards in the palace.

When they arrived in Ba Sing Se, each of the Gaang was offered their own luxury
accommodation in the Upper Ring, but just as they shared a house before, they chose to share
one again. A much larger house was provided since Zuko and Chiara decided to remain with
them and refused a house of their own.

Throughout the week, Aang, Zuko, Sokka, Toph, and Suki met with Earth King Kuei to
discuss peace terms, while Chiara and Katara visited the hospitals.

On their last day in Ba Sing Se, they all decided to enjoy their own little field trips. Zuko and
Chiara left their room dressed in civilian Earth Kingdom clothes with their swords on their
backs. Neither was wearing their royal headpiece. Chiara's hair was pulled back and braided,
and her diadem was around her neck, and Zuko's hair was hanging carelessly around his
shoulders and face partially covering his eye patch.
“Your Highness, where are you going?” asked Kaito as he spotted them heading towards the
door.

They stopped and turned to him.

“We're going out,” said Zuko. “We all have the day off. You can go do what you like.”

“Prince Zuko, as your guards, we never have the day off. You two can't just go wandering off
in the city alone.”

The Prince shrugged. “We've done it before.”

“We used to live here,” said Chiara. “We know our way around.”

Kaito tried to hide his sigh of exasperation. “And that was before everyone knew who you
were.”

Toph was laughing loudly. “And ol' Stalky ruins another date.”

The guard knew that frowning at her was useless, but he could not seem to stop himself.

“We're dressed like civilians,” said Zuko. “No one'll recognize us.”

Kaito looked back at the couple and crossed his arms. “Then why are you armed?”

“Why not?” asked Zuko.

“I suspect you're not going to be staying in the Upper Ring.”

“If you must know our itinerary,” he started, “we're going to visit the firelight fountain and
the zoo. And we might enjoy sword practice while we're in the Agrarian Zone.”

Kaito heard Nai suppressing her laughter.

“You're not helping, Nai,” he said.

She straightened her back and forced a more serious expression.

“I doubt anyone will recognize us, Kaito,” said Zuko. “Prince Zuko doesn't wear an eye patch
—Lee does.” He pointed to his left eye. “See? I'm Lee, not Prince Zuko.” Kaito respectfully
restrained himself from rolling his eyes. “Besides,” continued the prince/Lee, “these people
have more important things to do with their lives than look at every face walking by them.”

“Sir, it would only take one person with a grudge to attack you...”

“And we're armed...”

“Which is why we should go with you,” insisted his persistent guard.

Sokka and Suki walked through the room heading towards the door. “Prince Angry Jerk,
didn't you say some loser tried to rob you guys when you were living here?”
Kaito's eyes grew wide at the news.

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. “That was in the Lower Ring, he was unsuccessful, and
shut up, Water Tribe,” he said in one frustrated breath.

“Hey, I don't want anything bad to happen to the Princess,” said Sokka as they were walking
out the door. “Too bad you're not a peasant. Enjoy your day,” he called as the door shut
behind him.

“Sir, I must insist you don't travel alone...” Suddenly, Kaito's arms were waving out to the
side as he tried to maintain his balance having found himself a bit shorter, his feet stuck in the
floor. He struggled futilely to pull his feet out of the hard stone.

“You're welcome, your Highnesses,” said Toph.

Zuko wanted to laugh, but he also understood that Kaito was just doing his job, however
inconvenient he personally found it.

“Fine,” said the prince, failing to hide the dejection in his voice. “You can go...”

“Oh, come on, Sparky. I'm giving you and the Princess a chance to break out on your own for
a while.”

“I know,” he sighed.

Toph started laughing again. “Oh, you give in too easily.”

Zuko looked back at his guard. “But...you both need to be in civilian Earth Kingdom clothes.
Otherwise you'll be dealing with a formidable little earthbender.”

Kaito did not like the condition, but he agreed.

--------------------

Zuko and Chiara, along with Kaito and Nai, left their Upper Ring House to explore the city.
Strolling through the Upper Ring they walked by a familiar building currently boarded up.
They stood at the base of the staircase and stared up at it.

“Is everything okay, sir?” asked Kaito.

“This is the Jasmine Dragon,” said Zuko softly. “It was the best tea shop in all of Ba Sing
Se.”

“In all the world,” smiled Chiara.

“This was where you worked?” Kaito asked remembering the Prince saying he worked at two
tea shops.

“Yes,” he answered. He looked down at Chiara and they smiled at each other. “We were also
married here.”
“Aw, how sweet,” said Nai.

“The best day of my life,” he said softly still gazing into Chiara's eyes wishing they had been
without their guard escorts. He lifted her hand pressing his lips against it before they
continued their tour of the city.

When they completed their mission in Ba Sing Se, the Gaang visited King Bumi in Omashu
before heading towards Gaoling to give Toph a chance to take care of personal business.

“Miss Toph!” said the servant who opened the door of the Beifong estate. “It...it's been so
long...”

“Yeah. It has been a while,” she said. “Are Mom and Dad home?” Her voice sounded
somewhat small.

“Of course. Please come in.”

The Gaang followed her inside the massive mansion.

“These are my friends,” she said to the servant. “You remember the Avatar and Sokka and
Katara.”

“Yes,” he said bowing slightly before them.

“That's Suki.” Toph pointed towards her.

The servant nodded his head to her.

“And this is Crown Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation and his wife Princess Chiara.”

The servant's eyes widened as he took in their red clothing and the royal headpieces in their
hair and the two soldiers flanking them. He bowed to them; however, it was a bow lower than
he had for the others as if he feared retribution for not showing proper respect to royalty.

“And don't mind Stalky and Firefly there,” said Toph speaking of Kaito and Nai. “They're
just the Prince and Princess's private assassins.”

Kaito narrowed his eyes while Nai just remained professionally still holding back her
laughter.

“Make sure they're all taken care of,” Toph ordered.

“Of course, Miss.”

The servant directed another servant to take care of the guests before leading Toph to her
parents. She quickly entered the room before the servant could announce her. Lao and Poppy
Beifong's eyes grew wide.

“Toph?”
It was her mother's voice which sounded soft, yet longing, and Toph did not realize just how
much it would affect her.

“Mom,” she spoke, her voice small again.

Her mother's arms were wrapped around her. Toph was not sure what to expect from her
parents. She imagined anger, scolding, coldness, and maybe rejection. She even imagined her
mother's tears, but she had not imagined her own. Her father still sat in his chair, seemingly
impassive.

“We've been so worried about you,” said her mother.

“Didn't you get my letter?” she asked as her mother pulled back. “I sent a letter.”

“We got it, but...well...how could we be sure that it was really from you. And even if it was
how could we not be worried that our little girl was so far away?”

“I was the Avatar's earthbending teacher, Mom. The war needed to end, and I knew I could
help. And I did. I helped stop the air fleet from burning down the Earth Kingdom.”

Poppy looked back at Lao who still had said nothing. The look was a questioning glance
wondering if their daughter was speaking the truth. They both decided to avoid questioning
it.

“Are you home for good then?” asked Poppy.

Toph had not thought about it. She was not sure whether she was ready to remain home.
Having had so much freedom traveling with the Gaang, she wondered if staying with her
parents meant being trapped once again.

“I don't know,” she said. “Now that the war is over, we've been trying to bring the Nations
together in peace.” She now wondered if the Gaang would even need her anymore.

“Surely you won't be needed for that,” said Lao.

Poppy gave him a scolding look that told him that was the wrong thing to say.

“I...I just mean, you can stay with us now,” he said. “You don't need to leave again.”

“I was helping them with negotiations in Ba Sing Se with the Earth King,” she said, her voice
stronger.

Poppy, sensing the change in her tone and not wanting her to leave, intervened. “Let's have
lunch.”

“My friends are here with me,” she said.

Poppy ordered the servant to set up lunch and have the others meet in the dining room. After
everyone was together again, Toph stood between her parents and the Gaang.
“Mom, Dad, you remember Avatar Aang,” she said.

“Yes,” said Lao. Both parents nodded their heads at Aang, but it was clear they held some
resentment towards him for Toph's disappearance.

“It's nice to see you again...uh...Toph's parents,” he said awkwardly.

“And Sokka and Katara,” said Toph. “And that’s Suki, leader of the Kyoshi Warriors.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Beifong,” said Suki.

“And this is Aang's firebending teacher,” she continued as she stood next to Zuko. “Crown
Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. His wife, Princess Chiara, is a waterbender.”

The Beifongs' eyes widened—a reaction the younger couple was still getting used to. Though
the Beifongs were used to entertaining the nobility, they had never had royalty in their home,
much less royalty from the Fire Nation.

“It's an honor to meet you, Master Beifong, Lady Beifong,” said Zuko as he and Chiara both
bowed respectfully Fire Nation style.

His noble greeting and their bow impressed the Beifong couple.

“The...the Crown Prince?” said Lao.

Toph smirked knowing Zuko's presence would impress her parents. It was the only reason
she introduced him properly with his title.

“Yes,” said Toph. “His uncle's the new Fire Lord.”

“Uh...please be seated,” said Lao motioning towards the table.

Everyone sat down at the table. Zuko was offered the end seat opposite Lao while Kaito and
Nai merely stood nearby. The servants began placing food before the guests.

“So, the war is truly over?” asked Poppy conversationally.

“Yep,” said Toph. “Aang defeated the other Fire Lord and Fire Lord Iroh's working on
peace.”

“And you helped fight?” her mother asked, her voice higher.

“Sokka, Suki, and I helped take down the air fleet.”

“Air fleet?” asked Lao.

“Ol' Fire Lord Ozai had flying machines,” said Sokka. “He was going to use them to burn
down the Earth Kingdom. We stopped them.” He pointed to Toph, himself, Suki, and Nai.
“Nai was there too.”

“How did you stop them?” asked Poppy.

“Toph did some amazing stunts with her metalbending,” bragged Sokka.

“Metalbending?” asked Lao.

“I invented metalbending,” she confirmed. “Thanks to those two idiots you sent after me.
They locked me in a metal box and I broke out of it.”

“Toph really is an amazing earthbender,” said Aang.

Her parents wanted to believe that her friends were giving their daughter false credit in order
to sway them, but that the Crown Prince would be involved in this game made it difficult to
accept it as an elaborate lie.

“So what do you plan on doing now, Avatar?” asked Poppy.

“Now we're working on negotiating peace between the Nations.”

“And does that require an earthbending teacher?” asked Lao.

Aang looked at a loss for words. “Well...I...uh...as the Avatar, I need to keep up my training.”

“But Toph is not needed for traveling and negotiations, correct?” asked Lao.

“Actually...”

All eyes turned to Zuko.

“...Lady Toph is the Gaoling Ambassador to the Fire Nation.”

Chiara remained perfectly still, though she wanted to laugh with joy at Zuko's very
professional attempt to rescue Toph. Kaito and Nai also remained externally unmoved, but
Sokka nearly spit out his food while Aang's and Katara's mouths dropped open. Toph's eyes
filled with tears once that day. She could not let it happen a second time as they threatened to
fill her eyes over Zuko's noble attempt to defend her.

“Uh...yes...,” said Sokka. “She's also the...uh...ambassador to the Southern Water Tribe.”

His attempt at imitating Zuko failed miserably and did not have the same dignified sound to
it.

“We've provided her accommodations in the Royal Residence,” continued Zuko. “And her
presence is required at least quarterly to discuss the ongoing relationship between Gaoling
and the Fire Nation.”

“But...but Toph is hardly qualified to serve as an ambassador,” said Lao.

“Master Beifong,” started Chiara, “your daughter is a war hero. She fought side by side with
my personal guard.” She gracefully indicated Nai. “She's been involved with our negotiations
with the Earth King, and since the defeat of Ozai, she has been personally assisting Fire Lord
Iroh. Toph is more than qualified to serve as ambassador. You should be very proud of her.”
Hearing the prince and princess praise their daughter's actions seemed to sway the Beifong's
beliefs about Toph's abilities, but they were still worried about her leaving them.

“Does this mean you're never returning home then?” her mother asked her.

Toph hesitated as she considered what she would say. “If you don't mind, I would like to stay
here in between my ambassadorial duties.”

Poppy seemed satisfied. “I'd like that,” she said giving her daughter a gentle smile.

“And you're both welcome to visit the Fire Nation,” said Zuko. “We would be honored to
have you stay at the palace.”

The couple's eyes grew wide at the invitation.

“We would be honored,” said Lao bowing his head.

“I hope you two are honored to attend a little event tonight called Earth Rumble,” said Toph.
“I have front row seats reserved for you.”

Her parents stared at her.

“Oh, that sounds...nice, Toph,” said her mother. “I'm sure we'll enjoy it.”

Toph beamed while the rest of the Gaang silently glanced at each other.

Though their trip to the Earth Kingdom had only been two weeks, Zuko and Chiara were
happy to be back home in the Fire Nation. After Appa landed in the courtyard of the palace
entrance, they began unloading the saddle. Izin was there to greet the royal couple.

“Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara,” he bowed.

They found it strange to see him dressed as a guard.

“Why'd they put you in a uniform?” asked Zuko.

“I'm training to be an Imperial Firebender, your Highness.”

“I think it's better for you to remain in civilian clothes,” he said.

“Yeah, like an undercover guard,” added Sokka who was throwing a bag from the saddle
down to Kaito.

“That's probably not a bad idea,” said the guard as he caught the bag. “No one would expect a
soldier out of uniform.”

“That sounds like a job for you, Kaito,” said Zuko.

“I'll take care of it, sir,” he said.

Zuko turned back to Izin. “How's that project coming?” he asked him.

“It's looking good, sir. It'll be ready on time.”

Zuko and Chiara shared a smile.

“How was your trip, your Highness?” Izin asked him.

“It was good to see everyone celebrating instead of fighting...except in Omashu,” he added in
an undertone that made Toph laugh.

She punched him in the arm. “Come on, Sparky, where's your sense of adventure?”

He just shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“I thought the whole trip was exciting,” said Aang lightly landing next to them. “There were
fireworks and food...”

“Speaking of food,” started Sokka rubbing his stomach, “with all that flying I really worked
up an appetite.”

“Yeah,” said Katara wryly, “because sitting in a saddle for a few hours is a real workout.”

“Hey, when there's nothing to do but think about food, it is a workout,” he insisted before
jumping off the saddle. “I'm working out what I'm going to eat first when I get food. Besides,
one of the cooks in the kitchen used to work on Zuko's ship, and he promised us another story
—one about an 'angry jealous prince'...,” he emoted in a deep, dark tone, “...forcing a 'sweet
young Chiara'...,” he said in a light, airy voice, “...to work in the galley.”

Chiara giggled at Sokka's performance, but Zuko cringed as he felt everyone's eyes on him,
including Toph's which he thought odd.

“Hey, that would make a good Ember Island play,” said Sokka.

Everyone groaned.

“I'll take care of Appa, Avatar Aang,” bowed Izin anxious to disappear before hearing
anymore suggestions for Ember Island plays.

“Thanks, Izin,” said Aang.

“Come on, Appa,” said the guard patting the bison's neck, “we've got fresh hay for you in the
stable.”

The bison let out a low groan and followed him.

Sokka took Suki's hand and pulled her along with him towards the palace. “We're heading to
the kitchen,” he called back.

Momo leaped from Aang's shoulder to follow Sokka.

Katara just shrugged. “Well, I've been looking forward to the spa. Anyone care to join me?”

“That sounds like fun!” said Aang. “As soon as I meet with Iroh...I mean Fire Lord Iroh,” he
corrected himself, “I'll join you.”

“Chiara, Toph?” she asked.

“I can't right now,” said Chiara.

“I'll go,” said Toph. “My feet could use a soak in those hot springs...unless a certain Crown
Prince could use his special firebending heat massage?”

“You should've asked for that before you tried to kill us all in Omashu,” he said, his tone
grim.

“Hey, nobody died,” she said defensively. “And that old man kept talking smack, so it was a
matter of honor.” He cringed at her stress on the word 'honor.' “I had to prove that I'm the
greatest earthbender ever.”

“If you're going to compare yourself to King Bumi,” he started, “it should be asking yourself
which one of you is crazier.”

The others started laughing, including Toph.

“So does that mean I'm not getting a foot massage?” she asked him.

A smirk broke out on Zuko's face. “No massage. I have to see the Fire Lord. You know...real
Crown Prince duties and all.”

“I'll let you go this time,” she said. “But don't forget who can keep Stalky distracted when
you want some quiet time with the princess.”

Kaito rolled his eyes, but the others were snickering.

They split up going their separate ways. Zuko smiled to himself enjoying how they all made
themselves at home in the palace. With the Gaang there it felt more like a home to him than it
had years earlier. Aside from the downtime they shared together, the group usually met for
breakfast, some days for lunch, and always for dinner, and the prince was secretly not looking
forward to the day the others left the Fire Nation.

After traveling through the maze of halls, Zuko, Chiara, and Aang reached the Fire Lord's
office where Ezo bowed to them.

“The Fire Lord is expecting you, Prince Zuko,” he said as he opened the door.

Zuko nodded his thanks and they entered the office while Kaito and Nai remained in the hall.
Iroh looked up from behind a mountain of paperwork, his eyes growing bright at the sight of
them.
“Nephew, Daughter,” he greeted them as he stood up. “Avatar Aang, come in, come in.” They
all bowed respectfully to him, but Iroh merely took Chiara in his arms and hugged her before
doing the same to Zuko. “Make yourselves comfortable.” He pointed to the table.

As they knelt down, Ezih entered the room carrying a tray with two pots of tea, a plate of
cakes, and several cups.

“Thank you, Ezih,” said Iroh.

“Prince, Princess, Avatar,” he bowed to them.

“Ezih,” they responded nodding their heads.

He bowed to the Fire Lord and left the room as Iroh removed the lid from one teapot and
inhaled. He did the same to the other pot before picking it up and pouring the tea into one of
the cups. He placed it in front of Chiara before pouring the ginseng for Zuko, Aang, and
himself.

“Thank you, Fire Lord,” said Aang.

“You're quite welcome.”

“What kind of tea is Chiara drinking?” he asked.

“It's a special blend I made for the royal mothers,” he answered.

Aang beamed at Iroh's fatherly affection.

“You left Yu Dao this morning?” Iroh asked them.

“Yes, Uncle.”

“I received your letter concerning the situation there.”

“King Kuei was insistent that we remove our people from all the colonies,” said Zuko, “but
the families in Yu Dao have been there for generations and don't want to leave.”

“It is the oldest colony in the Earth Kingdom,” said Iroh. “Chiara and I stayed there many
years ago.”

“And it hasn't changed,” she said. “Mayor Morishita and his wife showed us around.”

“He's a firebender and she's an earthbender,” said Zuko. “Most of the families are mixed
Nations. It'll be impossible to remove just Fire Nation without breaking up homes.”

“And after talking to them, they're pretty adamant about staying,” said Aang.

“We will not break up households,” said Iroh. “We'll just have to research alternatives to
uprooting families.”

“I'm not sure what alternative we have,” said Zuko.

“We'll work something out,” said the Fire Lord confidently. “So tell me about the rest of your
trip. How was your stay in Omashu?”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “Don't remind me,” he grumbled deeply.

Chiara and Aang were softly giggling.

“Surely King Bumi didn't put you in prison?” asked Iroh.

“Prison would've been better,” said Zuko. “Instead, he and Toph decided to have their
earthbending battle to prove who was the alpha earthbender.”

“I placed my bet on Toph,” said Chiara. She saw Iroh perk up. “And I placed one on Bumi
for you,” she added making Zuko playfully glare at her.

“And who won?” asked Iroh excitedly.

“Considering we all nearly got crushed to death, no one won,” said Zuko tersely. “They about
took down the whole palace. If it wasn't for all the other earthbenders and Aang, we'd be
dead.”

“No one was judged the winner then?” asked Iroh.

“Uncle!”

“Oh...of course, I'm happy none of you were crushed.”

It made Aang nervous to hear Zuko rebuke the Fire Lord, and though Iroh responded good-
naturedly and did not look like he was about to shoot lightning across the table, the Avatar
decided to steer away from the Omashu fiasco. “It was a lot safer at Earth Rumble in
Gaoling.”

“It's been a long time since I've seen an Earth Rumble,” said Iroh reminiscently before taking
a sip of his tea. He peered over his cup at Chiara. “Did you place any bets on that?” he
cautiously asked her.

“Prince Zuko wouldn't let me.”

Zuko let out a little growl of frustration over his uncle's obsession with betting and his wife's
enabling him.

“Did Lady Toph participate?” Iroh asked.

“Yes,” said Aang. “Her parents weren't too excited about watching her fight, but this time I
think her father was really impressed to see how strong she is.”

“I'm not so sure about Lady Beifong, though,” said Chiara. “She had her eyes covered during
most of the fight.”
“Ah, yes,” started Iroh, “when I met Lady Toph she told me she ran away from home because
of her overprotective parents. I'm pleased to hear they reconciled.” He set his cup down. “Has
she remained in Gaoling then?”

“No,” said Zuko. “She came back with us.”

“I would've thought she'd want to get reacquainted with her parents now that the war is over.”

“She told them she'd return in between her duties to the Fire Nation,” said Chiara, smirking.

Iroh raised a curious eyebrow. “Duties to the Fire Nation?”

Zuko looked down. “I sort of gave her the title of Gaoling Ambassador to the Fire Nation.”

Iroh let out a chuckle.

“But it was only because she didn't want to stay there,” he offered as justification.

“And how did they take that?” asked Iroh.

“They seemed to accept it,” said Chiara. “They didn't try to stop her from leaving.”

“It really helped that the Fire Nation Prince and Princess were there,” said Aang. He sat up
with his back straight and stiff. “Zuko talked to them like, Ambassador Toph is required to
attend meetings to discuss the ongoing relationship between the Fire Nation and Gaoling.”

Chiara was holding back her laughter at Aang's serious and deep-voiced impersonation of
Zuko.

He continued, “And Chiara was like, Toph is a war hero, and she's been involved in
negotiations with King Kuei and she's assisted Fire Lord Iroh. You should be very proud of
her.” His voice was now higher and regal sounding in imitation of Chiara.

“I see,” said Iroh letting out a little chuckle. “I guess we will need to have the paperwork
drawn up to make it official then.”

Aang's face lit up at Iroh's simple acceptance of what Zuko had done for Toph.

“So how was your visit to Ba Sing Se?” Iroh asked them.

“Aang and I spent most of our time working with King Kuei,” said Zuko.

“And how is the young Earth King doing after his travels?”

Zuko was not sure how to answer. “He's...he's certainly...strange.”

“Oh? How so?”

“He's not really what I expected of a king,” he said.

“Not surprising if you're idea of a king is Ozai,” said Aang.

Zuko frowned at the Avatar. “It isn't,” he said flatly. “I...I guess I expected him to be
more...wise? Like Uncle.”

Iroh let out a hearty laugh. “After all these years, my nephew finally thinks I'm wise.”

Chiara and Aang were giggling.

“Yeah, sorry, Uncle,” said Zuko rubbing the back of his neck shamefully. “It's not that I didn't
think you were wise...it's just...”

Iroh raised his hand. “I understand, Prince Zuko. You just had to do things your way.”

“Yeah, I guess I did.”

Iroh chuckled. “How did the negotiations go?”

“It was a bit intense at first,” said Zuko. “General Sung voiced his displeasure that the
Dragon of the West was the new Fire Lord and not serving time in prison for the Siege.”

Iroh remained silent. He had expected his past to cause controversy.

“Yeah, he wasn't too happy about that,” confirmed Aang. “But General How was more
reasonable,” he added in his upbeat way. “He said that your fight to free the city could be
accepted as a form of justice if you prove yourself to be an honorable Fire Lord.”

A soft laugh escaped Iroh as he listened to Aang repeat the general's words.

“Well, I will certainly do my best,” he said.

Zuko looked less optimistic. “Unfortunately, General Sung had King Kuei worried that we
were planning to overthrow the city again when he learned just what the Dragon of the West
had done years ago.” Zuko was still astonished that the young king had only recently learned
about the war and had no idea what had been going on in his own city or the world.

“I suppose I should've remained in the city to meet with the Council of Five before leaving
for the Fire Nation,” said Iroh.

“They said Admiral Jeong Jeong and Master Piandao met with them that day and explained
everything to them, but they still seemed apprehensive,” said Zuko. “And it didn't help that I
fought on Azula's side after she took over the city either.” His voice was softer as it reflected
the shame he felt for his actions.

“We've all done things we regret, Nephew. All we can do now is try to make it right. And that
you're here and not imprisoned in the Earth Kingdom is a good sign.”

“That's mostly because of Aang,” he said. “He convinced them that people can change and
that we're working for peace now.”

“And we won't let them down,” said the Fire Lord.

 “You might change your mind about that when you see their list of demands,” said Zuko.

“All in good time,” he said pleasantly. “For now I want to hear about your trip.” He looked at
Chiara. “Did you enjoy yourself in the city?”

“I did. Katara and I spent time working in the hospitals.”

“It is wonderful to see all the Nations working together,” he said. “And speaking of
hospitals...there was an unfortunate...uh...incident at the asylum.”

“What kind of incident?” asked Zuko.

“Azula was quite distressed to hear that you had left for the Earth Kingdom...”

“I was worried about leaving her for so long a time,” said Chiara. “I knew I should've told her
in person.”

“There wasn't any time,” said Zuko. He looked back at Iroh. “What did she do?”

“Just a few minor injuries to the staff, but they've taken some precautions. I'm sure she'll be
quite relieved to know you've returned.”

“I should go see her today,” she said.

“No,” said Zuko not ready to deal with Azula's attitude. “You've been traveling all morning.
She can wait.”

“Yes, one more day will make no difference,” said Iroh.

“But what about the injuries?” she asked.

“They're not serious,” he said. “In fact, Amiku might do more injury to me if I don't insist
that you rest,” he added with a dark smile.

Zuko appreciated that Amiku's motherly concern for Chiara had even the Fire Lord yielding
to her commands. He was also grateful that Iroh was far more benevolent and tolerant when it
came to family.

“Now, I would like to hear more of your recent adventure in Earth Kingdom.”

“A diplomatic mission is hardly an adventure, Uncle,” said Zuko dryly.

“Welcome to running a country, Crown Prince Zuko,” said Iroh with a big smile.

Chapter End Notes

The history of Aang's necklace is based on the comic “Relics” found in The Lost
Adventures. There are some theories about the one he wears in the last episode being the
one Monk Gyatso's skeleton is wearing, but I thought I'd take it from the comic since it's
the exact same necklace he's looking at in the market.
 Family Affairs
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

Later in the day after their return from the Earth Kingdom, Zuko decided to take a trip to the
Prison Tower while Chiara was resting at Amiku's insistence. Kaito was by his side when
they entered the prison where they were led to Ozai's cell. Zuko stood before the door. It
would be the first time he visited Ozai during his incarceration. He took a deep breath and
slowly let it out.

“Wait here,” he ordered Kaito who stood to the side.

Entering the cell by himself, Zuko saw Ozai quietly sitting on a mat dressed in a simple red
prison uniform, leaning listlessly against the back wall. His feet were bare, and his long hair
lay in disheveled strands around his face. Had he been anyone else, it might be heartbreaking
to witness the former regal man reduced to such a pitiable state. But Zuko felt no sympathy
upon seeing the once powerful Fire Lord/Phoenix King sitting in the tiny, dark cell behind
bars instead of on a throne behind a wall of flames. The prisoner slowly opened his eyes, the
pale gold following the young prince as he walked in and stood staring at him through the
bars.

“The Crown Prince has finally graced me with his presence in my lowly prison cell,” said
Ozai in a deep, condescending voice. “Why are you here?”

Zuko had been pondering how he was going to ask his question ever since he decided to
confront the man he once considered his father. Loyalty, fortitude, a child's love for his father
—none of it ever earned Ozai's respect. He knew that was impossible, so he decided to be
blunt. “Because you're going to tell me something.” He bent closer to Ozai. “Where is my
mother?”

Ozai's lip curled into a devilish grin. “You ought to bring me some tea, Zuko,” he said
smoothly. “We'll talk while sipping from steaming little cups, much like you did with my
traitorous brother.”

Zuko could feel the fire of his anger growing hotter.

“I suspect he's training you to be the next Fire Lord. As someone with experience, you might
find my advice far more valuable.” Zuko was about to snap at him. “Perhaps even the subject
of your mother will come up,” he added coolly.

Zuko had known that it was not going to be easy getting the information out of Ozai, but the
man's smug composure and shrewd attempt at trying to get into his head disgusted him. He
turned away from the cell before he lost his temper. “I don't need this.”

He stormed out of the prison and returned to the palace.

 --------------------

It was late in the afternoon before dinner when Chiara found Zuko in the palace garden
sitting by the pond throwing bread to the turtle ducks. When she knelt next to him, he tore his
loaf in half and held it out to her. She joined him in tossing crumbs to the excited little
animals.

“I take it your visit didn't go well,” she said softly.

“He told me to come back with tea and he'll give me advice on being Fire Lord.” He let out a
low, dry laugh. “As if his advice is worth anything.”

Chiara found it infuriating, though not surprising, that Ozai would try to manipulate him.

“Did he say anything about Aunt Ursa?”

“Only that she might come up in the conversation.” He rolled his eyes still frustrated by
Ozai's deviousness.

Chiara tossed a piece of bread out into the pond, and they watched the turtle ducks race to get
it.

“Did he ask about Azula?” she asked.

Zuko hesitated mid-throw. He realized Ozai never inquired as to how his favorite child was
doing—if she was also in prison or even injured or killed in battle. “No,” he answered.

Chiara threw the last of her bread before placing her arm around his back. He leaned against
her resting his head on her shoulder.

--------------------

That night, after retiring to their room, Chiara sat outside on the balcony ledge enjoying the
strengthening light from the moon. Zuko stood at the balcony door gazing at her and
admiring the soft glow of her skin and the long, black curls that cascaded down her back.
Unable to resist, he slowly approached her and ran his fingers through her satiny locks.

She looked up at him and smiled. He was not wearing his headpiece, and his loose hair lay
past his shoulders as it had grown out significantly since their first exile in the Earth
Kingdom.

“It feels so good to be back home,” she said as she moved a few strands behind his right ear.

He relished her soft touch, and he slid his hands around her back.

“I had really given up on this—you and I here together,” he said softly. “I had always hoped
for it, but it just seemed like the harder I tried, the worse things got.” She tenderly caressed
his face, the bright moonlight reflecting in the golden eyes she always adored. “It wasn't until
I gave it up that it actually happened,” he continued.
“Even if it hadn't happened, I would be just as happy in our little cabin.”

He smiled and leaned closer to her. “Or our cave,” he whispered in her ear.

The mere thought of their time in the cave set his heart on fire while sending pleasant chills
through her body.

“Definitely our cave,” she whispered back moving her fingers through his hair.

Her touch only added fuel to his fire, and he pressed his lips against hers pulling her body
against his never wanting to let her go. She held onto him enjoying their quiet, passionate
kiss without restraint and without being under the watchful eyes of escorts or guards. Not
removing his lips from hers, he moved his left hand under her knees taking her up in his arms
and lifting her off the ledge. He carried her inside where he gently laid her on the bed. Her
fingers slid from the back of his neck and down over his toned chest where she could feel the
heat radiating off his body, and she was anxious to feel herself surrounded by it. Anticipating
her soft, luminous skin against him, he eagerly pulled open a frog closure on her dress. He
had just managed to make it through the third closure when there was a sudden knock on the
door.

“Oh, you've got to be kidding,” he growled.

She ran her fingers through his hair and pressed her lips against his ignoring the disturbance.
The interruption immediately forgotten, he zealously returned his thoughts and hands to his
wife....until there was another, more anxious knock. Zuko broke from their kiss letting out a
heavy sigh.

“I need to research treason charges,” he said deeply.

She was puzzled by his comment wondering if it was his way of forcing their passionate
moment out of his mind, like thinking of kuai ball or some other sport, so he could deal with
the unexpected intrusion, but she did not bother questioning him, feeling too frustrated by the
terrible timing of the interruption. He slowly climbed off the bed and straightened his tunic as
the knocking continued raking his nerves with every rap. Chiara moved to the edge of the bed
and began fastening the closures on her dress. After walking to the door, Zuko looked back at
her. Her soft, dark skin he had been so close to feeling against his own was once again
concealed behind layers of fabric. He heaved another deep sigh of regret and reluctantly
forced his eyes away from her. Restraining himself from angrily yanking the door open and
snapping at the intruder, he opened it just enough to see who had the nerve to interrupt what
had been the best part of his day. Standing there looking somewhat nervous was one of the
messengers of the palace, a man whose name Zuko did not know.

“Your Highness, I'm so sorry to disturb you this evening, but there's an urgent message from
Heiwa Island.”

Zuko took a deep breath in an attempt to remain calm. “And it couldn't wait 'til morning?”

“No, sir. Princess Azula has been requesting Princess Chiara's presence and...”
“The Fire Lord told us so earlier,” he said shortly. “We'll see her tomorrow.” He started
closing the door.

“Uh...she's being quite insistent, your Highness...”

Zuko felt heated, and not in the good way that he felt only a few minutes earlier. If he
believed it to be possible, he would suspect that Azula deliberately timed the interruption for
this moment.

He slowly opened the door again and looked at the messenger. “I don't care how insistent she
gets,” he said deeply. “She can wait until we visit her tomorrow.”

The man was clearly getting uneasy. Zuko almost felt sorry for him as he could only imagine
how Ozai would have reacted to such a disruption, making the possibility of a treason law
sound plausible.

“It-it seems the hospital staff is having a difficult time controlling her, your Highness,” he
nervously insisted. “Several of the staff have been injured.”

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, and he was just wondering how he was
going to get rid of the messenger without resorting to violence so he could return to his wife
when he felt Chiara's hand on his back.

“How soon can a boat be ready?” she asked the messenger.

“Immediately, your Highness,” he said more relaxed by her calm presence.

“Thank you.”

The man bowed and turned away as Zuko closed the door.

He turned to Chiara. “You really want to go to the island this late at night?”

“It's been a couple weeks since I've been able to treat her. It sounds like she really needs
help.”

“You can't coddle her for the rest of her life, Chiara.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I hardly consider my treatments coddling her.”

He sighed. “I didn't mean it like that. It's just...I don't want her thinking she can control you
or to expect you to drop everything and run to her every time she has a temper tantrum.”

“I know it isn't going to be easy.” She was gingerly brushing strands of hair out of his eyes
making him melt at her touch. “But it'll be worth it if it helps her.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist leaning close to her. “So if I have a temper tantrum,
will you stay here and treat me?” His raspy voice was low and seductive.

She could feel the heat rising in her body as his lips joined hers.
“I-I wish I c-could,” she said through his kisses.

Gently pulling her hair, he exposed her neck while moving his lips across her lower jaw and
continuing to place soft kisses down her throat.

“Y-you're making this very...very difficult,” she forced out as she enjoyed the overwhelming
sensations brought on by his affectionate caresses.

“Good,” he breathed, not stopping.

An urgent knock sounded on the door.

“Ugh...,” he groaned, sorely tempted to set something on fire.

He reluctantly released his bride and opened the door again.

“Prince Zuko, I heard you're going to Heiwa Island tonight,” said Kaito.

“Yes,” he said flatly. “Azula's acting up.”

“Nai's getting ready now. We'll be waiting for you out here.”

Zuko just nodded before shutting the door and turning to Chiara. “I think we're going to have
to take Toph up on her offer,” he said.

--------------------

Arriving on the island, they went to the hospital where Chief Healer Kang was relieved to see
them.

“Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara, my sincerest apologies for calling on you so late. Princess
Azula found out you returned to the palace and she...well...she insisted we contact you,” he
said looking at Chiara.

“We were told there were injuries to the staff,” she said.

“Yes. Some of them are particularly severe injuries.”

They followed him, and after healing several staff members of serious, though non-life
threatening, burns, they went to Azula's room.

“Do you need us to go in with you, Princess?” asked Nai.

“No,” she answered. “It's probably best if you stay out here.”

“There isn't much she can do right now,” said the doctor. “We were forced to restrain her.”

“Is she sedated?” she asked.

“She refused to ingest anything.”

Chiara entered Azula's room and saw her strapped to a wheelchair unable to move. Azula
looked up, her eyes peering at them through strands of hair hanging down over her face.
Upon seeing her, Zuko was reminded of Ozai sitting in his prison cell.

“It's about time you got here,” she said in a haughty tone.

Zuko scowled at her and spoke deeply. “You should be grateful we came at all.”

She was offended. “Grateful? You didn't even have the courtesy to let me know about your
little honeymoon in the Earth Kingdom.”

“You were told we'd be gone,” said Zuko stiffly.

“And you couldn't even bother to tell me yourself?”

He was growing impatient with her attitude. “We didn't have time, Azula.”

“So you sent a messenger as if I was just some commoner not worthy of your precious time!”
she snapped.

“We had to clean up the mess you made in Ba Sing Se!” he yelled back.

She glared at him. “I don't believe I even asked for your presence, Brother,” she said deeply.

“I'm not leaving you alone with her,” he growled.

“I can hardly do anything in my condition,” she said pulling futilely on the straps to prove her
point. “Your dear wife is quite safe...especially considering her...diverse skills.”

Chiara finally stepped in between the siblings before they could continue arguing, and she
started removing the straps binding Azula to her chair. Zuko was not ready to see his sister
freed from her restraints, and he stayed alert worried that she might attack.

“It wasn't necessary to assault the people trying to take care of you, Azula,” Chiara scolded
her. “Some of those burns were really bad.”

Azula gave her an impish smirk. “Then you should've come sooner,” she said trying to place
the blame on them.

Chiara paused and looked at her. “You should've controlled your temper,” she admonished.
“We were going to be here first thing tomorrow.”

Her eyes narrowed as she took offense. “You put me off like I'm some undesirable chore
you're forced to deal with.”

It took Zuko a great deal of self-control to bite back his response to that.

When she was freed from her restraints, Chiara helped her out of the chair and put her arm
around her to walk her to the bed. Azula shrugged her off.
“You don't need to treat me like a child!” she snapped.

“Then stop acting like one!” Zuko could not help yelling at her.

Azula went to turn to him, but Chiara took her arm and continued towards the bed. “I'm not
treating you like a child,” she said calmly, ignoring her sister-in-law's nasty tone. “Or an
undesirable chore. I'm treating you like a beloved relative and patient.”

“Beloved relative,” Azula scoffed as she sat on the bed. “I don't care if you two think you're
married. We'll never be related—not with that peasant blood of yours.”

“That's enough, Azula!” Zuko scolded her. “We didn't come all this way this late at night so
you could be insulting.”

“You wouldn't have to come all this way if you didn't leave me locked up here.”

“When did you eat last?” Chiara asked her.

Azula looked at her. “I don't know,” she said haughtily. “They refused to release me, and I
refused to be fed like a baby.”

“Then maybe you shouldn't act like one,” said Zuko.

She shot him another glare. “I don't belong here,” she argued.

“Fine,” he said simply. “You can leave.”

Excited surprise appeared in her eyes.

“We'll send for the prison guards,” he added.

Her look of excitement was replaced by a scowl.

“Azula, relax,” said Chiara before she had a chance to snap back at Zuko.

“How can I relax with him here?”

Zuko crossed his arms. “I'm not leaving,” he insisted.

“Have them bring her food,” Chiara said to him.

“I'm not eating their drugged food.”

Chiara looked at her. “We'll make sure it's not drugged if you promise me you won't burn
anyone.”

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“Promise me.”
Azula huffed. “Fine. I promise I won't burn anyone,” she offered in as arrogant a voice as she
could.

Chiara nodded to Zuko before turning back to her. “Lie down.”

Azula hesitated at her order, but desiring the treatment, she slowly lay back on the bed. While
Chiara began treating her, Zuko opened the door requesting that a meal be brought in without
any sedatives.

Chiara took her time with the technique allowing the water to repair the damage to Azula's
mental state and bring a sense of calm to her. Azula could never admit how much she enjoyed
the relaxing peace the technique was bringing her. The two weeks without the healing
sessions had been difficult for her, and a part of her mind tensed up knowing Chiara would
leave soon after the treatment. Worry crept in that she might have to go weeks again without
a session.

“Azula, relax,” she said sensing her tension.

The younger princess tried to force the worrisome thoughts from her mind. When Chiara did
all she could, she helped her sit up, though Azula was not ready for the treatment to end.

“Better?” asked Chiara.

“Do you have to ask that every time?” she snapped forcing a defensive tone and refusing to
accept just how much she longed for their company.

“I need to know if it's helping, otherwise there's no point in continuing this treatment,” she
replied patiently.

“It's making you slightly tolerable,” she said not holding back rudeness in order to keep up
her defensive mode. “So it must be doing something.”

Chiara softly giggled at her insult. “Maybe after a few hundred more treatments you might
actually see me as family.”

Azula scowled at her. “It'll take more than your inferior peasant-bending to make that
happen.”

Zuko lost all patience with her. “You've had your treatment, we're leaving,” he said agitated
by his sister's ungrateful attitude. He took Chiara's hand and started pulling her to the door.

“Send a message if you need anyth...”

Chiara's sentence was cut off by the door slamming. Out in the hall Zuko huffed a small
flame of irritation as he continued pulling her down the corridor.

“Is everything okay, Prince Zuko?” asked Kaito as he and Nai were trying to keep up with
them.

“No.”
“Did she do something?” asked Nai. “Did she hurt you, Princess?”

“It was just a waste of time,” said Zuko.

“It wasn't a waste of time,” said Chiara. “There's been a definite improvement in her...”

Zuko stopped and faced her. “Did you hear the way she was speaking to you?” He was
unable to keep the anger out of his voice. “There was no improvement. I know how your
treatment feels. If it had done anything for her she wouldn't have acted like that.”

“Prince Zuko, there's a lot of damage in her mind. I don't know exactly what Ozai did to her,
but there's so much that needs to be healed. I can feel it; I can feel the damage, but I can also
feel the difference after each treatment. It'll take time to repair it all, but I'll continue mending
it until it's done.”

“She doesn't sound any different to me,” he continued arguing. “She's as condescending as
ever...”

“That's just Azula. You have to accept the fact that she can be condescending and arrogant.
Those are things I can't fix with waterbending.”

“Then what good is it to keep treating her?”

“Because if she's open to it, I can heal the part that...that's not natural...”

“But she attacked the staff,” he argued.

“I'm working on that. And that she hasn't tried to kill anyone, including us, I'd say that's an
improvement.”

He was still angry. “Maybe so, but I hate the way she talks to you,” he said deeply.

“I know you do, but that requires a different type of treatment and a lot of patience. I need her
to understand that no matter what she says to me, no matter what she's done to me in the past,
I'm not going to give up on her.”

He suddenly looked caught between his frustration at his sister's behavior and his admiration
of Chiara's compassion.

“She lost a mother too, Prince Zuko. And despite our struggles, you and I had each other all
these years. All she had was Ozai pushing her to be like him.”

He closed his eyes absorbing the truth of her words, and she could see he was still mentally
wrestling with the situation, but she did not realize how much she was winning him over.

“She hasn't reacted violently towards us since the Agni Kai,” she continued, “and if all she
does is insult me, I've told you before it doesn't bother me...”

“It bothers me,” he said, his voice reflecting the pain Azula's disrespect towards her caused
him.
“You don't have to go in with me. I don't mind treating her alone...”

“No.”

“But it might be more beneficial to her and to you if you're not there to argue with her.”

“I'm not letting you alone with her,” he insisted deeply.

She knew she needed to continue treating Azula, but she hated seeing how upsetting it was to
Zuko. She wanted to help them both.

“Please be patient with her,” she begged.

He was lost in her beautiful, sea-green eyes as she pleaded with him on his sister's behalf. He
sighed. “Only for you,” he said softly, unable to resist her gentle petition.

He took her hand and they left the hospital. It was early in the morning when they finally
arrived back at the palace where they went to bed exhausted from the long day.

As the sun appeared over the horizon, it called Zuko from his slumber, though his body still
felt tired from the late night and short sleep. He rolled over to look at Chiara who often woke
early with him, but she was still asleep. He watched her sleeping so tranquilly, and he desired
to wrap himself around her, but he refused to do anything that might wake her from her
peaceful and well-earned rest. He continued lying in bed, his tired limbs not anxious to move,
and it was only with a bit of effort that he eventually forced himself to get up. He slowly got
out of the bed careful not to wake Chiara, and after gently tucking the blanket around her, he
stepped out onto the balcony. Leaving the door open, he sat down outside where he quietly
meditated in the sunlight.

The sun continued its ascent, and Zuko was still meditating, though his meditation was not
deep enough to drown out the knock at the bedroom door. He quickly jumped up to answer it,
and sprinting through the room, he glanced at Chiara, relieved to see her still asleep. When he
opened the door he was greeted by Ezih.

“Good morning, Prince Zuko,” he bowed deeply.

“Morning, Ezih,” he whispered.

“The Fire Lord is quite worried that you and the Princess missed breakfast with him this
morning.”

“Yeah...uh...Chiara's still asleep...”

Ezih immediately looked worried. “Is she okay? Do I need to call the doctor?”

“No. She's fine. We just got back from Heiwa a few hours ago and I was letting her sleep in.”

He was relieved that it was nothing serious. “I understand, your Highness. I'll inform the Fire
Lord.”
“Thank you.”

“Would you like breakfast brought to the room, sir?”

Zuko had not thought of that. “Oh...yes...thank you.”

Ezih bowed and turned away, and Zuko started walking back towards the balcony.

“Is everything okay?”

He stopped and looked at Chiara who was still lying in bed but was awake. He sat next to her.

“We missed breakfast with the Fire Lord.”

“I haven't even been back a day and already I'm shirking my duties,” she said.

“You're not shirking anything,” he assured her as he tenderly brushed some strands of hair
from her cheek. “Calling on patients on another island in the middle of the night is more than
anyone else would've done.”

He was puzzled when he heard an anxious knock at the door.

“Ezih's having breakfast sent up, but I didn't think it would be that quick.”

While he went to answer the door, Chiara started getting out of bed.

“Prince Zuko...,” came Amiku's worried voice. She was breathing heavy as if she had just
sprinted from the other side of the palace, which Zuko suspected she had. “...I just heard that
Princess Chiara missed breakfast. What's wrong? Does she need the doctor?”

“No. She's okay...”

“She needs to eat, your Highness,” she said anxiously. “She shouldn't miss any meals...”

“Ezih's sending food for her. We had to go to Heiwa Hospital last night, so we slept in this
morning.”

“Heiwa Island in the middle of the night?” she said, sounding irritated. “And especially after
spending weeks working in the Earth Kingdom.” Loose strands of her graying hair swayed
around her plump face as she shook her head in annoyance. “I warned the Fire Lord about
overworking her. I'll just have to have another talk with him.”

Chiara stepped up to the door next to Zuko. “It wasn't the Fire Lord's fault,” she said not
wanting Iroh to suffer an unnecessary scolding. “There were severe injuries that needed to be
tended to, and Azula required treatment.”

Her excuse still did not relieve Amiku's worry. “But, my Lady, to travel so late at night and
work so hard in your condition...it's not good for you or the baby.”

“We'll be fine. Breakfast will be here soon.”

“Oh, so stubborn,” the squat woman grumbled. “I'll see to it that you have a snack before
lunch.”

“Yes, Lady Amiku,” she smiled.

Amiku bowed and left. Zuko closed the door before turning to Chiara.

“Ember Island,” he said.

She looked at him curiously. “What about it?”

“Everyone's leaving in a few days. Why don't we spend a couple days there together before
they leave.”

Her face lit up at the idea, but then she worried about leaving their responsibilities. “Do you
think the General...Fire Lord might mind?”

“It's not so far that he can't reach us if he needs to,” he said. “And this time we'll have
servants so you won't have to work.”

“But I enjoyed keeping busy.”

Seeing her pout at the thought of servants doing all the work made him chuckle.

“There'll be plenty for you to do,” he assured her. “We'll have the whole beach for bending
and sparring.” He took her hand and pulled her closer to him. “And if you relax a little bit, I
might let you make cookies.”

She softly laughed. “It does sound like a nice way to spend our last days together...as long as
we don't go to any plays.”

He rolled his eyes at the thought of the last play they saw there. “Agreed. And we can take
Appa so we'll only be a short flight away from the Capital if Uncle needs us.” His eyes grew
wide. “We should've just borrowed Appa to go to Heiwa. Ugh...why didn't I think of that last
night? We wouldn't have been gone so long.”

“It's all good now.”

He kissed her. “But it would've been a lot better.”

She smiled. “I agree.” She looked down at her night clothes. “I'm going to change before
breakfast.”

He released her with a soft sigh.

“Do you think Appa will enjoy his gift?” she asked.

He smirked at her. “I hope so.”

 They discussed their Ember Island plans over breakfast, and that afternoon after receiving the
Fire Lord's approval, they shared their idea with the rest of the Gaang who was excited to
spend some time together on the island.

Chapter End Notes

Zuko's visit to Ozai in the prison is based on a scene from The Promise, Part I.

Also, I never wrote out their visit to Ember Island with the Gaang, so that won't be in the
next chapter which is titled “Saying Goodbye.”
 Saying Goodbye
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

The Gaang stayed at the beach house for two nights, and their last night there was spent in
the stable where they all slept on Appa one last time together. They returned to the palace the
day before they were to leave the Fire Nation.

Aang, Sokka, Katara, Toph, and Suki ate breakfast with the royal family on their last morning
in the Fire Nation. Despite Iroh's attempts to keep the conversation interesting, there was a
solemn mood hanging over them due to their impending separation. Zuko and Chiara were
not anxious for the emptiness of the palace after their friends leave, and the others were not
looking forward to traveling without the prince and princess's company. Aang would miss
Chiara's motherly nature, and even Toph would miss the way she took care of them making it
sound like it was all in the spirit of being hospitable. Katara would not have her waterbending
partner who also helped her with the chores. Sokka would no longer have his sword sparring
partner in Zuko, and he would definitely miss ruffling his friend's feathers. And though he
would never admit it, he would miss the way Prince Angry Jerk playfully jabbed back at him.
Aang, too, would miss his Sifu Hotman, but less so his temper.

After breakfast when the table was cleared off, Iroh whispered to Ezih, and a few minutes
later a servant entered with a tray holding six tubes. Three tubes had blue tassels and the
other three had yellow ones.

“Avatar Aang,” started the Fire Lord, “after discussing this with my nephew and daughter, we
have decided to return these relics of your people.” Aang's eyes lit up as Iroh lifted one of the
tubes with a yellow tassel. “These are scrolls of the Air Nomads that we discovered in the
Fire Lord's personal collection.” Everyone leaned forward to see the scroll when Iroh laid it
out on the table. “There are several scrolls like these, and other relics as well, that we intend
to return to you, but I imagine they would be too difficult to take care of on the back of a
flying bison. Whenever you are ready, we will be willing to deliver everything we find in our
possession to whatever location you choose. In the meantime, we will treat them with the
utmost care.”

Aang's eyes were sparkling with tears of joy over Iroh's offer.

“These three scrolls are small enough to travel with,” continued Iroh placing the two other
yellow tasseled tubes before him, “and we thought you would like to take them with you.”

“Yes,” said Aang in a tone of awe. “Thank you for this.”

Iroh nodded before looking at Sokka and Katara. “Sokka, Lady Katara, we also discovered
many items of the Southern Water Tribe, including these scrolls.” He gestured to the three
tubes with blue tassels.
“Are they waterbending scrolls?” asked Katara excited at the prospect of learning the
techniques of her own Tribe.

“These scrolls contain stories and legends written down by the Tribe,” he said. “But we'll
continue looking for others.”

Katara removed one of the scrolls from the tube and unrolled it. She and Sokka were
scanning over it.

“Gran Gran told us some of these stories,” he said.

“It might not be a waterbending scroll,” said Katara enthusiastically, “but this is incredible.”

“Years ago when I first brought Chiara to the Fire Nation, I considered searching among the
collection for waterbending scrolls from which she could learn,” said Iroh, “but I decided not
to do so for fear that my search might raise suspicions as to her origins.”

“It's amazing no one ever figured out where she was from,” said Suki.

“It was quite clear from her features that she wasn't native to the Fire Nation, but she doesn't
have the typical blue eyes of the Water Tribe. Hers are as green as the North Sea that borders
the Earth Kingdom.” He gave Chiara a tender smile which she returned. “And though there
may have been some who tried to guess her ancestry, no one dared to discuss their
speculations in my presence in those days.” His tone was deep and made it quite clear that it
would have been a dangerous mistake to do so.

Katara replaced the scroll in the tube. “We really appreciate this, Fire Lord Iroh.”

Iroh stood up. “When you're ready for the other items, we will get them to you.”

“Thank you,” she said.

They all left the dining room to head towards the palace entrance. Aang was walking between
Fire Lord Iroh and Prince Zuko as they led the way.

“So, Avatar Aang, where will you go now?” asked Iroh.

“We're going to the South Pole,” he answered. “I know Sokka and Katara are anxious to see
their family.”

“It's been so long since we've seen Gran Gran,” said Katara behind them. “And I can't wait to
see how the rebuilding efforts are going under Master Pakku. Gran Gran's letter said we won't
even recognize it.”

“I'm not looking forward to it,” said Toph. “Any place where I have to keep my feet covered
can't possibly be interesting.”

“You have to visit if you want to be the Gaoling Ambassador to the Southern Water Tribe,”
said Sokka.
The young earthbender groaned. “Ugh...this is going to be worse than the sand in the Si
Wong Desert. It'll be like being blind.”

Iroh glanced back at her. “Will you be returning home after your icy visit, Ambassador
Toph?”

“Not right away,” she said. “We're going to Kyoshi Island afterwards so Suki can meet up
with her girls.”

“Ah, yes,” he smiled, “Kyoshi Island. Chiara and I had quite an adventure there.”

“Ooh, giant elephant koi,” said Aang excitedly. “I can ride them again.”

“Really?” asked Sokka staring at the back of his blue arrowed head in disbelief. “Even after
you almost got eaten by that giant eel monster?”

“Oh, yeah, the unagi,” he said less enthusiastically. He perked up. “I can ride it again too.”

Sokka's shoulders slumped at Aang's excitement over the dangerous creature.

Iroh was chuckling. “It almost sounds like a reenactment of Aang's post-iceberg adventures,”
he smiled.

Zuko looked down at Aang. “If you like I can commandeer a ship and chase you again like
old times.”

Everyone started laughing.

“That would be one way to keep the Gaang together,” said Sokka.

“After three weeks of working as Fire Lord, I think I preferred our extended vacation at sea,”
said Iroh.

Zuko glanced down. “I wish...I wish I had seen it that way,” he said softly.

Chiara caressed his arm as she held it.

“But, Nephew,” started Iroh, “things might have turned out far differently without those
adventures of your past to guide your way.”

“Maybe,” he responded, his voice nearly a whisper as they exited the palace.

They entered the courtyard just as Izin had returned from the stable with Appa following
behind him.

“Thanks, Izin,” said Aang happily.

“You're wel...” Izin looked down to see Aang wrapped around him. “...come.”

“We're going to miss you, Izin,” he said. “And so is Appa. He really likes you.”
The firebender was not sure why he was surprised by the Avatar's affection, especially after
traveling with him for two months, but he just patted him on the back.

“I'll make sure to take care of him when you come back, Avatar.”

Aang let him go and bounced over to greet his bison. “Hey, buddy.” His eyes grew wide
when he noticed Appa's back. “Is that a new saddle?” he asked excitedly.

Zuko was stroking the bison's fur. “We thought Appa deserved something for all his hard
work.”

“You mean besides all those watermelons you've been feeding him?” asked Sokka. “He
must've gained another few tons just in the past week.”

“Hey, I can't help it if the local farmers had a surplus of melons they thought he might enjoy,”
said the prince with a grin as he continued caressing Appa.

“Yeah, surplus...,” said Sokka. “...more like spoiling the giant bison 'til he's too fat to fly.”

Chiara was giggling. “You caught us. We thought if he couldn't fly, you guys couldn't leave.”

“I guess that would be one way to keep us here,” smiled Sokka.

Aang was bouncing around looking at the new saddle.

“We had it specially designed for comfort.” Zuko pointed to the base. “There's padding over
his back underneath the saddle, and it's all constructed from a lightweight material.”

“Oh, wow, Sifu Hotman!” Aang was suddenly wrapped around Zuko who, surprisingly, did
not fight to remove him. “This...this is the best gift,” he said sounding near tears.

Chiara was softly laughing at Aang's enthusiasm.

When the Avatar finally removed himself, Zuko pointed up at the saddle. “There are also
custom made pockets inside and saddle-bags on the outside for storage.” He turned to Sokka.
“There's a special one for you, Sokka.”

Sokka glared at him suspiciously. “For me, huh?”

“I think you'll like it,” the prince replied with a devious smirk.

Sokka followed Zuko into the saddle where the prince knelt down next to the longest pocket.
He lifted the flap revealing a variety of Fire Nation weapons, including swords, spears, and
knives. Sokka's eyes were the widest Zuko had ever seen them, and he chuckled at his
friend's excitement when he knelt down and began pulling out the weapons, each one
followed by an elated squeal.

Sokka discovered a set of metal fans. “Now I have my own fans,” he said sounding thrilled.
“Oh, those are for Suki,” whispered Zuko taking them from him. “Chiara requested they be
made for her. They were supposed to put them in a different pouch.” He searched through the
other pouches until he found a thin wooden box. After removing the box, he tucked the fans
inside the saddle pocket. “Make sure she gets them,” he said to Sokka.

Aang and Katara joined them in the saddle to see what had Sokka so excited.

“The other bags are filled with food and other supplies you might need,” said Zuko. “There
are also straps to hold on to for any sudden turns or dives.” He pointed them out. “And we
didn't forget you, Momo.” The lemur landed on his shoulder as Zuko opened a pocket and
pulled out a moon peach. Momo took it before nuzzling the prince's face. Zuko chuckled as
he reached up scratching him behind his ear.

“This is amazing,” said Katara going through other pockets. “Thank you, Zuko.”

“It wasn't just me,” he said standing up still holding onto the wooden box. “Chiara came up
with the idea of the saddle-bags and supplies.”

Katara was amazed at the amount of supplies that were contained in the various pouches. She
looked around for Chiara and spotted her down on the ground where she, Toph, and Suki
were talking.

Suddenly, Zuko had Sokka wrapped around him. “Thanks, Brother.”

They had talked and joked about each other as family, but to hear Sokka call him 'brother'
touched Zuko deeply as he realized that Sokka was the closest thing to a brother he had since
Lu Ten, and he held onto him like family.

“I take it you like your pouch,” said the prince.

“No,” said Sokka to his surprise. “I don't like it at all. I love that pouch.”

Zuko softly laughed. Sokka continued embracing him.

“Wow, no wonder why Aang likes hugging you,” he said. “You're really warm.”

“Yeah, well don't get any ideas, Water Tribe,” he smiled as he pulled away.

No sooner had he freed himself from Sokka than Aang latched onto him again.

“We're really going to miss you, Zuko.”

Zuko chuckled. “Yeah, we'll miss you guys too,” he admitted returning the hug to his smaller,
more annoying younger brother. “But you guys are always welcome, so don't be strangers.”

The four of them climbed out of the saddle.

“How long will you and the Warriors stay in Ba Sing Se?” Chiara was asking Suki.
“For as long as the Earth King needs us,” she answered. “But I'll be here for you in a few
months to see little Suki.”

Chiara was giggling as she wrapped her arms around her embracing her tightly.

“There's a gift for you in that saddle,” whispered the princess. She released Suki. “Be careful
on your journeys.”

Suki nodded, tears in her eyes. Chiara felt someone take her hand, and she looked down to
see Toph holding it.

“I'm coming back to personally hold that little heartbeat you're carrying, Princess Sparky.”

Chiara laughed and leaned down to hug Toph. “I expect to see you before that, Ambassador
Beifong. There must be some diplomatic meeting coming up soon.”

“We'll make sure to schedule one,” said Zuko.

“Make sure you send that hawk to your Southern Water Tribe ambassador, too,” said Sokka.

“We will as soon as we approve a Southern ambassador,” deadpanned the prince.

Sokka was grinning at him. “Nope,” he said. “You're not going to convince me that you don't
want me visiting—not after that big bag full of sharp, metally goodness.” Sokka threw his
arm over Zuko's shoulders. “And there's no way Uncle Sokka's going to miss the birth of his
nephew...”

“Or niece,” cut in Katara. “We'll all be here for that.”

She took Chiara in her arms and hugged her.

“I'm going to miss you guys so much,” said the princess.

“You and Zuko have to visit the South Pole again,” she grinned at her.

Chiara smiled back. “I can't wait to visit as family this time.”

The tears that had welled up in Katara's eyes began falling.

“Oh, don't do that,” said Chiara as she hugged her again, tears filling her own eyes.

“I wish you could come with us,” cried Katara.

“That's what happens when you marry into royalty,” said Sokka. “You have a bunch of pesky
responsibilities.”

Chiara released Katara. “But he was just a tea server when I married him.”

Everyone started laughing, including Zuko.

“That's true,” he said. “But as prince I should be able to arrange a diplomatic visit to the
South—you know...to...uh...check on the rebuilding efforts?”

Katara was softly laughing as she was wiping the tears from her eyes.

Sokka stepped between the girls resting his arms on each one's shoulders. “I'll get to teach
little Sokka how to throw a boomerang when you visit.”

“I think it'll be a while before you can do that, Uncle Sokka,” said Chiara.

Katara moved towards Zuko and hugged him. “Thank you...,” she said, “...for everything.”

Sokka took his turn to hug Chiara. “You make sure you keep these firebenders in line.”

She giggled. “I'll try, but they can be as stubborn as Earth sometimes.”

“Hey, I find that offensive,” said Toph crossing her arms. “No one's as stubborn as Earth.”

“Says the alpha earthbender,” said Zuko with a smirk.

“And don't you forget it, Sparky.”

She stepped towards him and he put his arms around her.

“There's no forgetting you, Sifu Tough,” he said softly.

She leaned into his warm body tightly squeezing her eyelids shut to prevent them from
tearing up.

“We have a gift for you,” said Zuko as he released her.

“For me?”

He took her hand and put it on the box he had been holding.

“Um...it's a block of wood?” she asked with a puzzled expression.

“It's a portrait,” said Chiara. “We had it made especially for you.”

If the girl could see, she would have been glaring at them. With Zuko still holding it, Chiara
unlatched the box and opened it. For those who could see, it revealed six panels containing
high relief carvings. Everyone but Toph gasped at the beautiful images.

Sokka was amazed. “Oh, wow.”

“It's so beautiful,” said Katara awed by the relief.

“Look at all the detail,” said Suki.

“I've never seen anything like it,” said Aang, his voice also expressing the awe that was really
starting to annoy Toph.
“Oh, yeah, me neither,” said Toph sarcastically, clearly unamused. “Thanks a lot, but...”

Chiara placed Toph's hand over the top left carving. She delicately ran her fingers over every
exquisite detail. Her eyes grew wide as she could “see” Aang on his glider flying next to
Appa and Momo. She could even trace the arrow lightly carved into Aang's head, and Appa's
figure was covered in real trimmed tufts of the bison's fur. After studying it, she moved her
hand down to the next panel finding Sokka. The carved boomerang in the figure's hand was
polished and smooth to the touch. Beneath him in the bottom panel was Katara and Chiara
waterbending. She could feel the difference in the two waterbenders by their hair. Chiara had
donated a cutting of her hair which was fixed to her figure and was long and spiraled while
Katara had hair loopies engraved in her image. The water was made of carved and polished
crystal fixed to the wood and it felt smooth and flowing. Moving her hand straight across to
the right side of the box, she could feel the image of Zuko surrounded by fire made evident
by the jagged edges of the carved flames. The fire was even made from a local rock that was
naturally warm to the touch as opposed to the cooler feel of the crystal that represented the
water. Continuing up to the panel above she found Suki dressed as a Kyoshi Warrior holding
small metal fans that were pressed into the wood. Finally, in the top panel opposite Aang's
she felt her own image in the relief surrounded by carved boulders made from stones fixed to
the wood. Beneath her figure's feet real sand was glued to the panel, and the scene was
complete with a small sheet of bent metal pressed into the wood to acknowledge her
metalbending.

This time she could not squeeze her eyes tight enough to prevent the tears that fell and she
threw her arms around Chiara's neck before reaching one of her arms out to pull Zuko into
her hug too.

Chiara tenderly caressed her back. “We'll miss you too.”

When Toph let them go, Zuko latched the box closed and gave it to her.

“We really struggled with an idea of what we could give the incredible Toph Beifong,” said
Chiara.

“This...this is really great,” she said wiping the tears from her cheeks with one hand and
clutching the box to her with the other. “Make sure you get that meeting scheduled soon,
Sparky. Then I can visit you guys before the rest of these losers.”

Sokka became indignant. “Hey!”

“Loser says 'what',” she said softly.

“What?” asked Sokka.

Zuko and Toph started laughing.

“Good one,” said Zuko.

Sokka was staring at them. “What's so funny?”

She punched him in the arm. “You are.”

He huffed at her while rubbing his arm where he was sure there would be a bruise soon.

Suki stepped up to Zuko to give him a hug.

“I know you'll take care of my girl,” she said to him. “Or girls, if she's carrying little Suki.”

“Of course,” he softly chuckled.

And Aang was now wrapped around Chiara.

“I'm really going to miss you, Chiara.”

“I'll miss you too, Aang,” she said returning his hug.

“Are you sure you don't want to come with us?” he asked.

She softly laughed at his offer.

“I'm sure Zuko can stay here and handle things while you travel the world with us,” said
Sokka.

“I've traveled the world already,” she said.

“But this time you can travel in style,” said Sokka caressing Appa's fur.

“Hey, hey...,” started Zuko as he took Chiara's hand and gently pulled her away from Aang.
“...no stealing my wife.”

Suddenly, they all grew quiet, no one knowing what more to say, and they all stood there with
the awkward silence hovering over them.

“Uh...I guess we should...you know...leave,” Aang finally spoke breaking the silence.

“One more hug,” said Katara, and they all joined together for a group hug.

They enjoyed their quiet huddle for a few minutes.

“Okay,” started Sokka, who might have sounded a little choked up, “we better go before we
take up permanent residence here.”

They split up, and Sokka, Katara, Toph, and Suki started climbing into the saddle. Momo
jumped on Zuko's shoulder before hopping over to Chiara and wrapping his tail around her
neck making her giggle. She pulled a cherry apple out of her pocket and held it up.

“Don't tell Amiku,” she whispered. He quickly took it from her and softly chittered while she
scratched behind his ear. “I'll miss you too, Momo.”

She stepped closer to Appa, Zuko doing the same.

“We'll miss you, Appa,” she said as they buried their hands in his soft neck fur.

His long, low groan let them know they would be missed too.

Aang hopped up on Appa's head while the others were leaning over the side of the saddle
looking down.

“You guys take care,” said Chiara.

Momo took flight before settling on Aang's shoulder.

“If you ever need anything before our next meeting,” started Zuko, “send a hawk.”

“We don't have a hawk anymore,” said Sokka. “You have to send one first.”

“Oh, yeah...I'll get right on that,” he smirked.

“Yip yip!”

At Aang's command, Appa flapped his long tail and the bison began rising in the air. Zuko
and Chiara stepped back next to Iroh who had been joyously watching his nephew and
daughter interact with their friends.

“Bye,” called Aang to the couple as the others waved at them. “Bye, Fire Lord Iroh.”

“Goodbye, Avatar Aang,” called Iroh. “Goodbye, everyone.”

They waved back and continued watching Appa until he was nothing more than a speck in
the distant sky.

A few days after the rest of the Gaang left the Fire Nation, Zuko made another trip to the
prison. Entering Ozai's cell, he carried a small tray with tea and two cups. Peering up at him,
the former Fire Lord's lip curled slightly. He watched as Zuko knelt down on the other side of
the bars and began pouring the tea into the cups. He placed one of them inside the bars where
Ozai just stared at it.

“Switch the cups,” he said, his voice rough as if he had not spoken for some time.

Zuko met his eyes. “What?”

“Switch the cups,” he demanded again in a more clear voice.

Comprehension dawned on the young prince, and he did as requested. After switching them,
Zuko took several long sips from his new cup before setting it down. Seeing the cup half
empty, Ozai slowly moved towards his own and took it in his hands, but he did not drink
from it yet.

“I didn't thing you'd come back.” He gently moved the cup watching the tea swirl around.
“And with tea.”
“I came back because I want to know...”

Ozai immediately raised his hand to silence him. Zuko clenched his teeth in anger and
stopped talking.

“I know why you came back,” he said deeply. He glared at him briefly before lifting his cup
to his lips and taking a long, slow sip of his tea.

Zuko's patience was already wearing thin with Ozai's imperious attitude, but he remained
silent.

“Why you came back is irrelevant,” he said in a smooth, calm voice.

Zuko wanted to argue, but recognizing that Ozai was trying to control the situation, he knew
any argument with him would go nowhere.

“I want to know why you think you'll make a worthy Fire Lord when you abandoned the Fire
Nation?” Ozai asked deeply.

Zuko had no idea to what Ozai was referring. “What are you talking about?”

Ozai lifted his eyes from his cup to look at him. “I welcomed you back from your
banishment, restored your title, put you in line for the throne even though you were obviously
the weaker child. Yet, ungrateful brat that you are, you threw it all away and ran back to the
Earth Kingdom with your traitorous uncle and his savage spy.” His voice was deep but
concealed the anger that was threatening to erupt.

Zuko stayed calm refusing to let the insults get to him. “My life was better when I was living
as a peasant in a foreign country than it was trying to please a psychopath intent on
destroying the world,” he said in a deep tone.

“I was conquering the world!” said Ozai loudly. “The other Nations are weak; only I
deserved to control it all!”

“And you just proved my point,” responded Zuko calmly.

Ozai's glare was murderous, and he realized he was losing control. He took a sip of his tea to
calm down. “What you call being a psychopath is what it takes to be a good leader,” he said
with forced calmness. “If the Fire Nation is ever in such an unfortunate state of having to call
you Fire Lord one day, you will learn that the hard way if you don't accept it now.”

“Committing genocide is not being a good leader,” said Zuko, his voice rising slightly. “The
war was wrong; you were wrong.”

“And you know nothing!” he yelled unable to rein in his temper. “You think those other
countries believe in some idealistic world of peace?” he spat. “You and your traitor uncle can
play peacemakers all you want, but those Nations will take advantage of the Fire Nation.
They'll destroy it the first chance they get.”
“You say I know nothing, but what do you know of the world?” Zuko threw back at him
keeping his voice steady. “You spent a few months of your life searching for the Avatar
before giving up and shutting yourself up inside the palace. I spent years traveling the world
thanks to you. I personally witnessed the effects of the war. I saw what little remains of the
Southern Water Tribe because of our Nation. I was there when our soldiers unjustly attacked
the Northern Tribe; I saw their bodies—the bodies of our people—floating in the sea after the
spirit of the ocean sought revenge for Zhao's senseless murder of the moon spirit. I lived
among the people of the Earth Kingdom. I saw the damage this war has caused to families.
And I saw the hope many had of a better future. You're the one who knows nothing.”

With Ozai's complete lack of empathy, Zuko knew he would never understand. He did,
however, feel a sense of relief at unloading the painful memories onto him especially since it
was the man's own actions that led to his experiences.

Ozai glared at him. “The only thing you learned was insolence,” he growled. “I made the
mistake of not extinguishing your pathetic life in the cradle.”

Zuko was no longer hurt by the hatred Ozai felt for him.

“You really have no love for anyone, do you?” he asked softly, looking down at his
unfinished tea. “Not your wife, not your son, not even your daughter.”

Ozai just huffed.

Zuko thought about Chiara's question after his last visit to the prison. “For as much as you
favored Azula, you haven't even asked about her.” His golden eyes met Ozai's scowl. “Do
you even know what happened to her?”

“What I know is that she failed me when she failed to get rid of that savage barbarian,” he
hissed. “And she failed to get rid of you.”

Azula had been no more loved by their father than he had. She had just been the more
valuable tool until she was no longer useful to him. Zuko realized he could find nothing
redeeming in the man before him—he was as devoid of love as he was of his inner fire. Zuko
suspected he would never get any information about his mother out of him.

“You destroyed my sister's life,” he said deeply. “You destroyed our family. And not just
ours, but so many others. You deserve to be in here.”

The prince got to his feet.

“Sit down!” ordered Ozai.

He turned away from the cell.

“I said sit down!” demanded Ozai.

Zuko ignored him as he stepped towards the door.

“Get back here!!”

 He heard the teacup crash against the floor.

“I am your father and you will obey me!”

Zuko stopped and turned to him. “You were never my father. It was always Uncle. You were
just a donor.”

Ozai grabbed the bars fuming as Zuko left the cell.

“You worthless, insolent brat!!” he screamed. “You'll never find that witch mother of yours!
I'll never tell you where she is...!”

At Ozai's continuing rant, Kaito and the other guard exchanged glances before following
Zuko down the hall. The former Fire Lord's cursing finally died out as they descended the
steps leaving Ozai's level of the prison behind.

Chapter End Notes

This chapter was originally part of the previous one which, had I not split them, would
have opened and ended with Zuko visiting Ozai.
 Peace with the Northern Water Tribe

It had been over a month since Iroh was crowned Fire Lord. The Gaang was now split up
since their obligations took them to different parts of the world, but it was not before
promising to meet together as often as their duties permitted them. Zuko found contentment
in his family life with Chiara and Iroh, but he did find the palace empty with the rest of the
Gaang gone. And though his and Chiara's responsibilities kept them busy, it was during their
meals and little bit of free time that the absence of their friends' presence was most
noticeable.

One afternoon Zuko and Chiara approached Iroh's office before heading off to visit Azula.

Shin bowed deeply. “Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara, the Fire Lord is expecting you,” he said
before opening the door.

Chiara glanced up at Zuko who just shrugged at the news. Upon entering Iroh's office, they
bowed reverently to the Fire Lord.

Jee, seeing the couple, stood up and bowed to them. “Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara.”

“Captain Jee,” they responded.

The captain turned to Iroh and bowed. “Fire Lord.”

Iroh nodded and Jee left the office.

“You wanted to see us, Uncle?” asked Zuko.

“Yes. I have an important mission for you both,” said Iroh motioning for them to sit across
from him. “Captain Jee has agreed to take command of the royal sloop, and he will take you
to the North Pole where you will meet with Chief Arnook and discuss terms of peace.”

“Will they be expecting us?” asked Zuko not wanting to sail up to the Northern Water Tribe
unannounced.

Iroh knew what he was thinking. “They are, Prince Zuko. And to assist in the peace talks,
Master Pakku will travel with you.”

“Isn't he helping to rebuild the Southern Water Tribe?” asked Chiara.

“He was, but he'll be returning to the North Pole for this mission as well as other business.
We're expecting his arrival here this evening.”

Zuko nodded.

“Also, I've been informed that there are Fire Nation prisoners from the Siege being held by
the Tribe.”
Zuko's and Chiara's eyes grew wide.

“They will be releasing them to you,” said Iroh.

“Do you know how many?” he asked.

“I was not told.” Iroh looked down. “But I'm sure it's only a fraction of those lost,” he said
somberly.

They continued their conversation discussing the negotiations.

--------------------

After Zuko and Chiara left Iroh's office, he turned to her. “You go with Nai. I'll catch up with
you before you leave for Heiwa.”

She bowed her head to him and left. Zuko went in search of Jee until he found him getting
ready to leave for the docks to prepare the ship for their journey north.

“Captain Jee,” he called.

Jee stopped and turned to the prince approaching him.

“Will you be okay with this mission, Captain?”

“Yes, Prince Zuko,” he answered.

“I understand if it's too difficult for you to return to the North Pole,” said Zuko sympathizing
with Jee's traumatic experience. “If you want someone else to command the ship...”

“I wouldn't have accepted the command if I didn't think I could handle it, sir.”

Zuko nodded.

“I don't blame the Water Tribe,” said Jee. “I know we were the invaders. And for Zhao to...to
kill a spirit...it's unnatural.”

“I agree,” said Zuko.

“I'll have the ship ready for your mission, Prince Zuko.” He bowed to him before climbing
into the carriage.

Two days later, after a day in Heiwa with Azula and a day in meetings with Fire Lord Iroh
and Master Pakku, Crown Prince Zuko and Princess Chiara set out as ambassadors to meet
with the Northern Water Tribe with terms of peace and to collect the prisoners that had been
taken after the Siege. Chiara stood on the deck looking out over the water quietly talking with
her old waterbending master. As always, Nai stood nearby. Just as he had done years earlier
during his quest for the Avatar, Zuko stood on the upper deck looking down on Chiara,
admiring her beautiful hair as it flowed around her in the gentle breeze. Crowning her
forehead was the diadem of her mother, and on top of her hair was the golden royal
headpiece.

“I still can't believe she's a waterbender,” said Captain Jee when he noticed Zuko staring at
her. “All those years on the ship...”

“It was good having a waterbender around,” said Zuko.

“It was when Tedo went overboard,” Jee smiled.

As he thought about Tedo, his smiled faded. He often wondered what happened to the
members of the crew that he had not seen since the Siege. He, Ozen, Uzo, and a few others
were some of the lucky ones to survive and make it back to the Fire Nation, but he never
heard from many of the others, including Tedo. He hoped they all might be among the
prisoners they were about to bring home.

He saw that the prince was still focused on the princess.

“I thought it was such a shame when General Iroh said you couldn't take her for your wife.”
Zuko looked at him surprised to learn that had been a discussion between him and his uncle
so long ago. “You two always seemed so close.”

“There could be no one else,” said Zuko softly as he continued staring at her again. “She's
always been there for me. I'd refuse the crown before giving her up.”

Jee was impressed considering how determined Zuko had been on his search for the Avatar in
order to earn back his honor.

“She was the only one who could put up with...” Jee paused realizing he just overstepped his
bounds with the Crown Prince. “...well...your...moods...sir,” he finished lamely, tensing
himself for a severe, loud reprimand and getting ready to grovel and apologize profusely.

Zuko looked down feeling ashamed. “I'm sorry, Captain.”

Jee was expecting to be the one apologizing. “Oh, no, sir...I didn't mean...”

“It's all right,” said Zuko. “I didn't treat you or any of the crew with the respect you
deserved.”

“Well...you were...uh...young, sir...and...and being banished...that couldn't have been easy on

you,” he said, offering excuses for the young royal.

“It wasn't, but it's no excuse for my behavior. I just hope to be a more honorable Crown
Prince.”

The prince's humility and complete change in his attitude once again amazed the captain.

“Even with your...moods...you still showed honor, sir,” he added, not forgetting Zuko's
selflessness in rescuing the helmsman during the storm.
Zuko's eyes were drawn back to his wife.

“Captain, would it be possible to arrange a...a music night this evening?”

Jee had difficulty maintaining his composure as his jaw dropped. “Uh...of course, sir.” He
held back the smile that wanted to break through on his face.

“Thank you.” Zuko glanced at him. “Will you be playing your pipa?”

He nodded. “I think I will.”

“I look forward to it.”

For months prior to the arrival of Sozin's Comet, Jee had heard rumors of the daring exploits
of the Crown Prince for the sake of Iroh and Chiara, but he was even more astonished to
personally witness the change in the prince's hot temperament—something he never could
have imagined when they had been sailing around the world in search of the Avatar. Unable
to completely hold back, his lip curled into the smallest of smiles pleased that the young
prince had finally found peace in his life, and he was proud to serve under the honorable
young royal.

--------------------

That evening Zuko and Chiara ate dinner with the off-duty crew in the mess hall. As many
were finishing their meals, Captain Jee stood up to address the room.

“Attention, crew,” he started. “As per a long-standing custom dating back to the honorable
Crown Prince's traditional family search for the Avatar, tonight we will have music night on
the main deck.”

A soft murmur spread through the mess hall. Zuko and Chiara glanced at each other and
softly laughed at Jee's well-dressed description of their days of exile.

“Anyone interested in playing, please feel free to join me,” he continued. “I'll be playing the
pipa.”

“Captain, I would like to volunteer to play the tsungi horn.”

All eyes turned to the Crown Prince, including Chiara's.

“And Princess Chiara would like to volunteer to play her erhu,” he added.

“Of course, Prince Zuko,” bowed Jee. “It's always been a pleasure to accompany the princess.
It'll be an honor to accompany you as well.”

Zuko looked at Chiara who was still staring at him, her eyes sparkling as they filled with
joyful tears.

“Somebody's got to fill in for Uncle,” he whispered.

“You're so wonderful,” she smiled. “But I won't be able to play. I don't have an erhu.”

“Oh,” he said matter-of-factly. “Um...I got a surprise for you.”

He found her gentle laughter just as uplifting and musical as her voice in song, and it stirred
his heart to hear it.

A week later, they arrived in the waters surrounding the North Pole. Zuko, Chiara, Jee, and
Pakku stood on the upper deck as the ship slowly traveled through the iceberg-strewn waters.
It was from behind two enormous icebergs that four catamaran's, powered by waterbenders,
emerged.

“Cut the engines,” ordered Jee.

As the ship slowed to a stop, Zuko, Chiara, and Pakku descended to the main deck to meet
with the Water Tribesmen who would escort them to Agna Qel'a.

Soon the Fire Nation ship was sailing towards the North Pole, the first to do so since the
Siege. Far ahead of them, the calm blue ocean was as smooth as glass, so different from years
earlier when it was speckled with debris and corpses. They watched the glistening white
icebergs emerge on the horizon, grow taller, and tower over them as they glided past. Then
what started out as a small white mound rising before them grew into a tremendous landscape
of ice and snow with Agna Qel'a rising in the center still guarded by the tall ice wall that had
since been repaired following the Siege of the North. Attached to the wall was a large
floating pier where several Earth Kingdom ships were docked engaging in trade with the
Northern Tribe. Leaving their royal guards on the ship, much to Kaito and Nai's
apprehension, Zuko and Chiara followed Pakku onto one of the catamarans in order to enter
the city.

For Chiara the city was filled with memories, heartwarming and heartbreaking. Images of
walking through the capital with Iroh and traveling through the canals with Yue mixed with
images of blood-stained warriors lying in the snow.

Zuko had no such memories. His first trip to the North Pole had not included a trip through
the city save for the area just outside the Spirit Oasis where he confronted Zhao. He took in
the numerous waterfalls and luminous white architecture sculpted out of the ice, so different
than anything he had ever seen in the Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom.

He was amazed at the structure of the Royal Palace, and upon entering the throne room he
was nearly blinded by its brilliance. He found it ironic that firebenders drew their power from
the sun, yet no amount of fire could make the throne room of the Fire Nation Royal Palace as
bright as the room he was in. Unlike the throne room in the Caldera, this one had no throne.
And despite the enormous bestial totems carved out of ice, Zuko found it far more
welcoming. In the Fire Nation, his father and grandfather always sat behind a wall of fire
allowing their element to separate them from their subjects beneath them and create an air of
intimidation. In the brightness of the Water Tribe throne room, there was no separation. The
chief stood at the top of the steps beneath an elegantly carved ice structure, and instead of the
element of the Tribe dividing him and his people, it was behind the chief that a continuous
curtain of water fell. Zuko noted the warriors who lined each side of the aisle down which
they walked, but he focused on the chief who eyed all three as they approached him. Zuko
was not sure if it was just his imagination, but he thought the man's ice blue eyes darkened as
they fell on him. He could understand the darkness though; it was his people that stepped
uninvited onto this pristine pure white land and stained it red with the blood of its own
warriors. Still watching the chief, Zuko saw the darkness in his eyes lighten as they fell on
Chiara. She was a part of this Tribe, and as much as he considered her a part of his Fire
Nation, he knew he could never be considered part of her Water Tribe; he would always be an
outsider to them.

When they reached the stairs, Pakku and Arnook exchanged glances before the chief
descended the steps and he and Pakku gripped each other's arms.

“It's good to see you, Master Pakku.”

“Chief Arnook.”

“How is the reconstruction going?” the chief asked him.

“It's progressing rapidly,” the master answered. “And even more so since the end of the war.”

The chief nodded. “That's good to hear. Soon our Sister Tribe will be strong again.”

To immediately discuss unrelated business in the presence of a foreign dignitary before

formal introductions was considered disrespectful, but Zuko and Chiara remained civil and
patient both suspecting it was the chief's way of testing the sincerity of their request for
peace.

The chief's eyes turned to Zuko.

“This is Crown Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation,” introduced Pakku.

“Chief Arnook,” said Zuko as he and Chiara gave him a respectful bow, “it's an honor to
meet you.”

Arnook returned the greeting with a nod. “Prince Zuko, I'm pleased that we could make these
arrangements,” he said with a stiff formality in his tone.

“I believe it'll be best for both of our Nations to begin an era of peace,” said Zuko.

Arnook focused on Chiara. “Lady Chiara...Princess Chiara, it's good to see you again.” His
voice was much softer in addressing her.

“And you as well, Chief Arnook,” she said. The lines on his forehead seemed deeper and the
bags under his eyes looked larger than she remembered.

“You've grown since you were last here, and now you're with child I hear.” He gave her a
gentle smile. “I hope that a child of the Water and Fire Nations will be a permanent sign of
peace among us.”
Chiara also smiled as did Zuko who tenderly placed his hand on her back.

“As a descendant of the Tribe, we do expect regular visits,” said Arnook. His voice, though
not loud, carried a demand.

“Of course,” said Zuko.

“I wish to offer my condolences for Princess Yue,” said Chiara. “I was told of her noble
sacrifice.”

“Yes. She bravely fulfilled her destiny,” he said, his eyes reflecting his sadness. “And I do
have some unfortunate news of your own family.”

“I know that Surak is gone,” she said.

“So you heard?”

“I was with him.”

He looked puzzled. “I don't understand. He died during the Siege by the Fire Nation.”

“I know. I had been aboard Admiral Zhao's ship with General Iroh.”

“Fire Lord Iroh participated in the Siege?” he asked his tone growing deep.

“He fought against Zhao and tried to prevent his attack on the moon spirit. Ozai branded him
a traitor to the Fire Nation for his actions.”

“I can vouch for Iroh's intentions,” intervened Pakku knowing his words would carry greater
weight than a woman of the Tribe who had spent most of her life in the Fire Nation. “He has
a great respect for the spirits.”

“And what was your role in the Siege?” the chief directed at Chiara.

“It was my intention to stop Zhao too, but I was delayed when I was helping the Water Tribe
defend against the attack. It was during that time that I found Surak. I healed his wound, but
he had suffered too much blood loss. I held his hand as he died.” Her eyes filled with tears at
the memory.

Zuko softly caressed her back, but Arnook appeared skeptical as he was sure they would have
known if she had helped fight.

“That answers a few questions,” said Pakku. “When we were preparing Surak for burial, we
couldn't determine his cause of death. He was covered in blood; however, his body bore no
fatal wounds.”

Arnook nodded slowly as he remembered.

“Some of our warriors also testified of an unknown female warrior who helped overturn Fire
Nation siege equipment,” said Pakku.
“I thought we decided that it was Katara,” said Arnook.

He looked at Chiara who said nothing.

“It wasn't Katara,” said Zuko softly.

Arnook and Pakku looked at him.

“Katara was defending Aang in the Spirit Oasis when I tried to kidnap him,” he admitted.

“So you were also here during the Siege?” Arnook asked him.

“I wasn't here for the Siege,” said Zuko who was starting to feel uncomfortable as it was now
an interrogation. “I was only concerned with capturing the Avatar since I thought it was the
only way I could redeem myself in Ozai's eyes and return home.”

Arnook considered his words.

“If you were in the Spirit Oasis, were you present when my daughter Yue gave her life for the
moon spirit?” His voice was somber and no longer carried an accusatory tone.

“No. I followed Zhao when he tried to escape.”

Arnook looked at Chiara and was about to ask the same question.

“Chiara beat me to him,” said Zuko. “We both engaged him in battle.”

“We found his body,” said Arnook raising his eyebrows as he stared at Chiara. “It appeared
he had drowned.”

“The ocean came alive and dragged him under,” she said. “I warned him that the spirits
would seek justice for his crime against nature.”

Realizing she had not been responsible for the admiral's death, the chief looked down and
nodded his head.

“Fire Lord Iroh was present with Princess Yue in the oasis,” she said. “It was he who told me
about her brave sacrifice. He recognized years ago that she had been touched by the moon
spirit.”

Arnook appeared satisfied with their answers.

“I think you should know, Chief Arnook, that Chiara tried to stop the Siege before it
happened,” said Zuko.

Chiara looked down.

“Is that so?” said the chief.

“Yes,” he said. “Zhao had asked my uncle for her hand in marriage, but Iroh had no intention
of allowing her to marry such a cruel man. However, before the Siege, Chiara offered herself
to Zhao if he would abort the attack on the Northern Water Tribe. As my uncle once said, he
would've been wiser to take her offer.”

Chiara was surprised to learn what Iroh had told him.

“We never knew of your noble deed, Princess,” said Arnook.

“I only wanted to prevent the attack,” she said softly.

“It seemed that destiny had something else planned for you,” offered Pakku.

Zuko took hold of her hand in his.

Arnook nodded. “Then we'll move on,” he said. “Since Sokka and Katara's visit at the time of
the Siege, we discovered information I wish to share with you, Princess.”

His words made Zuko, and especially Chiara, very curious. She could not imagine what
information he would have for her.

“Please follow me.”

He led them to a small room, the same room where Iroh and Chiara waited years before while
the Tribe was making its decision concerning her training. On the table sat a leather bag with
two scrolls next to it. Arnook unrolled one of the scrolls where they could see a family tree.

“Yagoda made the connection after speaking to Katara,” he said. They followed his finger as
he traced a path up through Chiara's maternal line. “These are your maternal great-great
grandparents,” he said. “Tulok and Ahnah.” He pointed to the names below the couple. “They
had a son, Siqiniq, your great grandfather. This is his sister.” He pointed to the name Yuka on
the tree and traced it down to more recently added names beneath Yuka's daughter Kanna:
Hakoda, whose name joined with Kya, and then Sokka and Katara.

“We're-we're distant cousins,” she said softly.

“Oh, Sokka is never going to let me live this down,” groaned Zuko making Chiara laugh.

Arnook unrolled the other scroll. “This scroll details your paternal line.” He laid it over the
other.

They saw her name beneath Kolos, and following it up the male line through many
generations, Arnook eventually stopped at the name Ikkuma.

“Ikkuma,” said Zuko thoughtfully. “Is...is that Avatar Ikkuma?”

“You're familiar with this Avatar?” asked the chief.

“We studied any records we could find on all the Avatars during my search,” he said. “We
saw his statue at the Southern Air Temple.”

“You're a direct descendant of Avatar Ikkuma through Chief Kolos,” Arnook said to her.
“The Avatar,” she repeated softly.

“Yes.”

Zuko softly laughed. “That's great. Our children will be descended from two avatars.”

“Two?” asked Arnook.

“My great grandfather was Avatar Roku.”

“That is...interesting news,” the chief said curiously.

“Not only that,” started Zuko, “but Chiara can firebend.”

Arnook and Pakku stared at her, their eyes wide.

“Firebend?” asked Arnook.

“And you can waterbend as well?” asked Pakku.

“Yes,” she answered. “The flame comes from the baby. He's the firebender, but I can direct it
at will.”

“That's...that's unheard of.”

“Can you show us?” asked Arnook.

Chiara held out her hand and created a small flame to their astonishment.

“Amazing,” said the chief.

“And Iroh knows about this?” asked Pakku sounding as awed as Arnook.

“He does, but he finds it just as mysterious,” she answered.

“So far, no one's understood exactly how she can bend fire,” said Zuko. “But he's consulted
the Fire Sages and they're researching it.”

Arnook nodded thoughtfully. He rolled up the scrolls. “We can have our scribes make copies
of these for you,” he offered.

“I'd like that. Thank you,” she said.

“I'll have them add Prince Zuko's name to the genealogy,” he said. “And once your child is
born, we'll add him or her as well.”

When the scrolls were secure, the chief's eyes came to rest on the bag. “It's unfortunate we
must change the subject to one of a much darker note.” They could hear a soft rattling as he
slowly slid the bag towards Zuko. “These are the tags of the deceased soldiers we recovered
and laid to rest.”
Zuko and Chiara stared morosely at the bag; images of bodies scattered in the sea as they
sailed away from the North Pole flashed before them. Tears filled Chiara's eyes, and they
both felt a deep sorrow for the families that would need to be contacted.

“At least it will bring closure for some,” said Zuko, his words nearly a whisper.

“Unfortunately, I'm certain there are many more we didn't find,” said Arnook.

Zuko nodded. “I understand. These men followed Zhao and my father, and they paid for it
with their lives. I'm sorry for the loss to your Tribe, Chief Arnook. My sincere condolences to
the families who suffered at the hands of my people.”

Arnook nodded his head. “Many of our Tribe have accepted Fire Lord Iroh as a welcome
change, especially those who met him years ago.” His eyes moved briefly to Chiara before
returning to Zuko. “There are a few, however, who want nothing to do with the Fire Nation.”

“It's understandable after what they've been through,” said the prince.

“I will admit we were quite...uh...troubled...to learn of one of our own marrying the Crown
Prince of the Fire Nation, even a banished one.”

“I would have given up the throne to keep Chiara my wife.”

Arnook could not help a small smile. “But even up here the rumors of your...exploits...have
reached our ears. They are nothing short of heroic what you've done for our daughter.”

Zuko had not expected the compliment. “It...it wasn't really heroic. I just...I love my wife.”

Even Pakku could not help softly laughing, both men finding the young prince's devotion and
humility pleasing.

--------------------

They made the arrangements for the prisoner exchange, and after a tour of Agna Qel'a, Chief
Arnook provided quarters in the Royal Palace for the Crown Prince and Princess.

“You're welcome to remain as long as you like,” he said. “I know your family will be pleased
to see you and learn of the comfort and company you provided Surak during his last
moments.”

Chiara nodded. “Thank you, Chief Arnook.”

When they entered the suite, both Zuko and Chiara were impressed to see it decorated in a
mixture of Water Tribe and Fire Nation colors. The flags and tapestries of both nations hung
upon the walls. The rooms were large, far larger than the small apartment Iroh and Chiara
shared years earlier when they stayed in the city.

“These will be your permanent quarters here at the North so you may visit any time and stay
however long you wish,” said the chief.
“We're honored, Chief Arnook,” said Zuko.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” said Chiara.

“We will also provide a suite for Fire Lord Iroh if he wishes to visit as well.”

“Just make sure you always have Imperial Waterbenders to escort him around,” said Chiara
with a slight smile. “It'll make him feel at home.”

Zuko laughed as did Chief Arnook.

--------------------

Forty-one former prisoners of war were escorted to the Fire Nation ship. Many who had
heard the prince had died when his ship had been blown up by pirates were surprised to learn
that he had survived. They stood on the lower deck while Zuko addressed them from the
upper deck.

“Much has changed since you left the Fire Nation,” he said. “Prince Iroh is now rightfully
Fire Lord Iroh. The war is over. The Fire Nation is now on a path of peace with the other
Nations....”

As he spoke with the soldiers, Chiara stood on the bridge with Nai listening to him tell the
soldiers about the Avatar, the end of the war, and the new Fire Lord.

“...I know you've all been away from home for so long and you're anxious to return to your
families, but I ask for your patience as we still have business to conduct with the Water Tribe.
In five days we'll be returning to the Fire Nation. During the voyage home I'll be willing to
meet personally with any of you if you have any concerns.”

When Zuko finished he went inside the bridge. Chiara smiled at him as he walked up to her.
He took her hand and placed it on his arm as he escorted her towards the door.

“Your Highness,” started Kaito from behind the couple, “are you sure about remaining in
their palace this evening without security?”

Zuko turned towards him. “If we keep guards around us, then it'll send the message that we
don't trust them.”

“I'm not comfortable leaving you both without any protection, sir,” he spoke boldly.

Zuko truly did appreciate Kaito's sense of duty, but he also found it irksome at times. He
restrained himself from sighing. “I understand, Kaito, but these are my wife's people. If they
had planned any sort of retribution, they would've done so already when we met with Chief
Arnook earlier. Besides,” he continued before the guard could argue, “Prince Iroh stayed here
years ago without any escorts or guards except those assigned by the Tribe.”

“But that was before the Siege...”

“I won't jeopardize the negotiations. I trust the Water Tribe completely,” he said firmly
enough for Kaito to understand it was the end of the discussion.

Over the following days, Zuko and Chiara were busy in meetings with Arnook and his
advisers. In between meetings, Chiara often spent time with Surak's family.

On the day the peace treaty had finally been signed and the trade and other negotiations
worked out, Chief Arnook held a banquet. That afternoon, Zuko and Chiara left the ship
accompanied by Kaito, Nai, Izin, and Captain Jee. Arriving in the palace courtyard, the chief
greeted the royal couple and they were led to the dining area. Zuko was invited to sit on
Arnook's left, and Chiara was on Zuko's left with Nai next to her, then Kaito, Izin, and Jee.

The chief stood up before everyone present. “Tonight we are celebrating the end of the war
and a new beginning of peace between the Northern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation. To
further solidify our peace with the Fire Nation, one of our own, Chiara, daughter of Kolos,
chief of the Water Tribe of the northwestern Earth Kingdom, who has been joined in marriage
to Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, is with child.” There were a few soft murmurs
from those who had not heard the rumors. “This child and any child with which they are
blessed in the future will be symbols of harmony among us.”

Zuko and Chiara shared a smiled at the chief's words. Arnook looked down at Zuko and
motioned him to stand.

“Prince Zuko, we have been informed of your bravery in protecting the daughters of the
Water Tribe. We are aware that you were severely injured in defense of Master Katara of the
Southern Tribe, and we know of your valiant rescue of Chiara from the Fire Nation prisons.
For these honorable acts of heroism, and especially for the bond you share with our daughter,
Chiara, we mark you as a member of the Northern Water Tribe.”

Zuko was in shock. He had not been expecting it, but he held as still as a statue when Chief
Arnook dipped his fingers in blue paint and marked his forehead.

“Son of the moon,” said the chief as he painted a crescent moon. “Son of the ocean.” He
painted wavy lines symbolizing water.

“Chief Arnook, I'm honored.”

Arnook turned to the room. “Let's celebrate!”

A giant seal crab was boiled for the feast and a variety of food was placed before them as
Pakku and other waterbenders entertained everyone with a waterbending performance.

--------------------

After the celebration, everyone in the dining hall was invited outside in front of the palace.
Kaito was uncomfortable with the situation, and he remained vigilant standing close to Zuko
and Chiara ready to protect them from any unexpected attack. At the top of the steps stood
Chief Arnook who addressed the group.
“As our two Nations stand here together, we have decided to further show our trust in this
new peace among our people.”

Pakku, taking this as his cue, directed the waterbenders who separated and left the courtyard.
Kaito was feeling even more anxious now that the waterbenders were going in directions that
would have them nearly surrounded.

“Though we have already opened up our port to trade,” said the chief, “we will now remove
the wall protecting Agna Qel'a.”

Chiara appreciated the symbolism, but she could not help thinking how little the wall helped
against the Fire Nation machinery she battled during the Siege.

A horn sounded, and before everyone's eyes, the large, white wall before them melted away
back to the sea leaving a view of the ocean before them with a few ships at the dock,
including the large Fire Nation royal sloop.

Kaito breathed a silent sigh of relief, but still remained alert.

--------------------

That evening, after sending his men back to the ship, Zuko and Chiara retired to the room
provided for them. As they lay in the bed, she tenderly ran her fingers across his forehead
over the images of the moon and water.

“The General encouraged me to find a husband among the Water Tribe. He should be happy
to know I have.”

He was smiling. “I never saw that coming. I still can't believe it. These people barely know
me...”

“They know you more than you think. You showed yourself to be a brave warrior in the face
of danger, and you risked your life to protect the Tribe. That makes you family.”

“I never thought life could be like this,” he said. “All those years seeking Ozai's approval,
chasing the Avatar, fighting, running, hiding, constantly watching our backs...and now...now
there's peace.” His mind drifted to Ursa. “I wish...I just wish my mother was here to enjoy it.”

“I do too,” she said. “We'll keep searching.”

“But if she's still alive, she would've heard about Ozai's defeat. She wouldn't be afraid to
return to the Capital.”

“Maybe the General...the Fire Lord has heard something. And if he hasn't, I'm sure he'll allow
us to take time off to look for her.”

“I promised Uncle I'd learn what it takes to be Fire Lord. I don't want to just abandon him to
go on some quest.”

“This isn't just any quest, Prince Zuko. It's a search for your mother.”
He sighed. “I...I guess I'm afraid it'll be like another search for the Avatar.”

“Whom you found,” she gently smiled.

He admired and appreciated her uplifting spirit, and leaning towards her, he tenderly kissed
her lips.
 Scars

On their final day at the North Pole, Zuko attended an early morning meeting with the
officers on board the ship. One issue brought up at the table was the loss of firebending
among the former POWs due to constant exposure to the frigid temperatures during their
confinement. The doctor in the infirmary had been trying all week to reverse the loss, but he
had had no success in treating them, and they were concerned that they might never recover.
Chiara had even consulted Yagoda, but the Water Tribe healers did not know enough about
firebender physiology to recommend a treatment.

When he returned to the suite at the palace, he was not expecting to find Chiara dressed in
Water Tribe clothing. Though he was used to seeing her in the deep red colors of his Nation,
he found her beautiful in the colors of the Tribe, and it was a much better sight than the blue
stained with blood the last time they visited the North Pole. The light blue accentuated her
dark skin and long onyx plait that lay over her right shoulder and drifted down to her waist.
But it was her green eyes which held him spellbound.

He drew nearer to her. “You look beautiful,” he said sounding dazed. “You look like a Tribal
princess...” She smiled at his compliment and it did not help to break the spell he felt he was
under. “...I mean...you are a princess...and...you're just...you're really beautiful...”

She was softly giggling at his attempt to compliment her. She pointed to the clothes on the
bed. “And you're about to be a Tribal prince.”

“Are we doing this because of your family?” he asked.

“No. I just thought it'd be nice to walk through the city undercover.”

He smirked at her. “Like Ba Sing Se.”

“Exactly.”

He may have been welcomed by Chief Arnook and his council and many others of the tribe,
including Chiara's family, but there were still quite a few who would stare at them as if they
were still the enemy.

After taking the clothes, he reappeared a few minutes later looking like a Fire Nation prince
in Water Tribe attire.

Her smile reached her eyes when she saw him dressed in Tribal colors. “My brave warrior is
quite handsome in Water Tribe blue. It really highlights your fiery eyes.”

He blushed at her compliment, but his golden eyes lit up and a pleasant tremor passed
through his heart. He stepped close to her placing a tender kiss on her lips.

“Your lips are so warm,” she whispered.

He pressed them against hers again, and the warmth filled her whole body. She was sorry to
feel him pull away, but the fiery gold of his eyes made up for the separation of their lips. She
took his hand and led him to the dressing table.

“Sit. I'll fix your hair for you.” She stood behind him and carefully removed his headpiece
before rearranging his topknot into a wolftail. “I did this for your uncle years ago.”

“Wait...Uncle dressed like the Water Tribe?”

“Yes, and he looked quite handsome too.”

He was laughing. “I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I've seen him dressed in Earth Kingdom
clothes. But it's hard to imagine him in Water Tribe.”

“The chief insisted that we both assimilate during our stay,” she explained.

Zuko chuckled. “I'm surprised he didn't make me assimilate, especially after inducting me
into the Tribe.”

“You're here as a diplomat, not to blend in...except for today,” she said as she finished his
hair. “There.”

He stood up and stared at himself in the mirror. “I'm so glad Sokka isn't here to see this.” He
ran his hand over his hair. “It's bad enough he'll never shut up about us being cousins-in-law.”

She smiled knowing he was right. “Master Pakku will be seeing him before we do, and I'm
sure that information will...uh...travel quickly.”

“Ugh,” he groaned in mock frustration. “He'll be banging on the palace door when he finds
out, just to rub it in.”

She was giggling.

He pulled at his tunic. The clothing felt so different than Fire Nation attire. It was courser
than his silkier royal clothing.

“It's a little rougher,” he said running his hand over the material.

“It does take some getting used to.”

She held up a parka for him to wear, and they left the palace to have breakfast with Surak's
family.

After spending the rest of the morning with her family, the couple decided to stroll around the
city by themselves.

Though Kaito had once again expressed his apprehension about them wandering off without
any guards after the morning meeting, Zuko insisted they not escort them—all in the spirit of
trust with the Water Tribe of course. They had been enjoying their time alone without any
guards following them around and they were going to take advantage of it before returning to
the Fire Nation.

Leaving Surak's home, Zuko took a bag from Chiara placing the strap over his shoulder.
“What's in this?” he asked.

“They packed a few things for us.”

He thought they might be personal family items since she did not elaborate further.

“This is so different from the Fire Nation,” he said as they stood on an ice bridge watching a
gondola passing beneath them. “But it's beautiful in its own way.”

“I agree,” she said. “As beautiful as this is, though, I prefer the gardens back home.”

Hearing her refer to the Fire Nation as home sent a soft flutter through his chest. He looked
down into her soft green eyes taking her gloved hand in his. “Wherever you are feels like
home, and you're more beautiful than all the flower gardens and crystal blue ice gardens
combined.”

Her eyes were sparkling. Hearing his compliment to her spoken so eloquently sent a pleasant
jolt of lightning through her heart. “Aww. You're so sweet.” Her gentle smile made his heart
flutter again. “You really channeled your inner Uncle there,” she said.

He chuckled and turned red as he realized just how much he sounded like Iroh, and if it was
not for his fur lined parka, he might have rubbed the back of his neck out of embarrassment.
“Yeah, I...I guess I did.”

“That's not a bad thing,” she assured him. “I love what you said.”

“I suppose I picked up a few things from him.”

They continued their walk eventually slowing down at a row of houses.

“That's where the General and I lived.” She pointed out the small unit.

He studied the apartment. “You didn't stay in the palace?”

“No. We weren't really treated like royalty or even special guests, but Chief Arnook did have
a small banquet for us shortly after we arrived.”

Zuko stared at the little apartment and all the white snow and ice around them. “I can't
imagine Uncle living here.”

“He did,” she smiled.

Continuing their long stroll along the white path, they eventually approached a familiar
bridge. Zuko almost hesitated before stepping on it—the memory of the ocean spirit was one
he would never forget. Crossing over the bridge, they did not stop to look over the edge as
they had done on the other bridges. And neither said anything, both observing a sacred
silence in memory of the lost souls.

On the other side, they quietly approached a small wooden door. They had never discussed
where they were walking, but Chiara had followed the path that led them to the entrance of
the Spirit Oasis.

She looked up at him. “Should we pay our respects?”

“We should.”

He opened the door allowing her to enter, and he followed her inside the large cavern. They
stared ahead at the beautiful garden of green in the middle of the icy cavern lit up by the sun
and the tall waterfall cascading behind it. The spray of the falling water created a glowing
aura surrounding the oasis. They each took a deep breath, not knowing the other had done so,
and then they began slowly walking the path towards the Spirit Oasis.

“Did you ever visit the oasis when you lived here?” he asked her.

“Yes.” Her eyes were downcast. “Yue brought me here.”

Despite their gloved hands, he gently caressed her hand resting on his upper arm.

Descending deeper underground and closer to the patch of green, the air grew warmer. They
reached a wooden bridge and crossed over it, but before stepping off into the inviting grass,
Zuko hesitated.

“What's wrong?” she asked him.

“I...maybe I shouldn't be here,” he said softly.

“Why would you say that?”

“I attacked Katara here, firebent at her...I kidnapped the Avatar.” His voice was low and sad.
“It was so disrespectful of me. I don't deserve to be here.”

She took off her gloves dropping them on the bridge before removing one of his and holding
his hand. Her soft touch sent chills through his body despite the warmth of the air and the
heat building up inside his winter coat. She gently lifted his chin until his golden eyes met
hers. “That is not who you are.” She caressed his cheek, her soft touch and words of comfort
lifting his spirit. “You are a son of the Northern Tribe. You are worthy to be here.”

She pulled him along stepping off the bridge into the soft grass. He allowed her to lead him
into the lush garden where she took off her coat. He did the same before they made their way
to the small pond where two koi slowly swam endlessly circling each other.

Zuko felt ashamed that during his first time in the oasis he had not even realized he had been
in the presence of the spirits of the ocean and moon. He barely noticed the koi back then, his
mind intent only on capturing the Avatar. He wondered how many lives might have been
saved had he chosen to protect the spirits instead of trying to appease one selfish, self-
absorbed man.

He tried to purge the past from his mind focusing only on the present—the warmth of the air
surrounding him, the softness of the grass against his hands, the soothing sound of the
waterfall behind the garden, the mesmerizing motion of the fish never slowing down, never
diverting from their orbit...

It was the gentle touch of Chiara's hand upon his back that pulled his attention from the pond,
and he stared down at the cup she held out in front of him.

“What's this?” he asked.

“Tea.”

The cup felt warm. “Did you make it?”

“Yes, while you were meditating.”

He looked lost, not even remembering kneeling down on the grass. “How long was I...?”

She smiled. “Long enough for me to pick leaves and brew them.”

He glanced behind them to see the teapot sitting next to the bag they had brought with them,
and he noticed the shadows had shifted as the sun had moved across the sky.

“It's custom to drink tea while meditating here,” she said.

They quietly sat by the pond drinking their tea and meditating before the koi.

“I might have a way of fixing the firebending problem,” she said when they finished the last
of the tea.

He looked over at her with a hopeful expression. “Really?”

She nodded. “It just came to me while we were meditating.” She met his eyes and instantly
felt guilt at causing so much hope. “I...I don't know if it'll work though. It...it's just an idea.”

“But that's something. The doctor's already tried everything he knows.” His eyes were drawn
down to the pool. “Will you be using the oasis water?” he asked.

The idea had crossed her mind, but she could not ask for that much water from the oasis.
“No. I'm sure that would work,” she said glancing down at the water. “And if it was for one
or two firebenders, I would try it. But there are too many to make that kind of request of the
Tribe.”

“I understand.” That the Northern Tribe even allowed the soldiers to live was more than he
could have hoped for; he could not expect them to share so much of their spirit-touched water
for men who violated their land. “Do...do you think this water can really heal scars?” he
asked softly.
She looked at him. He was staring thoughtfully at the pond. “It's possible...,” she said.
“...but...”

“But what?”

“Do you...would you really want that?”

He reached up and slowly ran his fingers over the scar, the rough skin that would have been
rougher, larger, deeper without her healing touch. “Maybe?”

She turned towards him before pulling his hand away and caressing his face. “I've told you
before it's a mark of your honor.”

“It's not, really. I was punished for not fighting.”

“And sometimes not fighting is the honorable thing to do.”

He gazed into her eyes; the tranquil sea in them was as mesmerizing as the koi. He placed his
hand over hers as it still rested on his scar.

“I just wondered what it would be like to...to have my face back,” he said, nearly whispering.

“I love you,” she said, “with or without your scar.”

She reached into the pond and drew up an orb of water.

“But if you want it gone, then I'll try.”

She raised the water between them. He froze as she lifted it up towards his scarred eye. She
focused on healing the damaged skin she was unable to completely restore years earlier. The
water began to glow. Suddenly, her concentration was broken and the water dropped
splashing onto his knees, his hands on her wrists stopping her. Her eyes moved to his.

“I...I'm not...I don't think I want this.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“I don't need it. I don't regret it. I'm not sorry I spoke out for the 41st. It didn't save them, but I
would do it again. And I'm sure Ozai would've burned me even if I had fought him. I didn't
deserve it, but I don't regret it.” He took her hand in his lifting it to his lips kissing it tenderly.
“And where I'm at in my life now with you, our family, I'm happy.”

Tears sparkled in her eyes.

“This scar is nothing compared to what others have lost. How can I ask for more when there
are those who have lost their lives or family members?” he said thinking of her cousin and
his family. “This water should be used for someone who needs it.”

She leaned up towards him pressing her lips against his before wrapping her arms around his
neck holding him.
“I love you,” she whispered.

The next morning after breakfast at the palace with Chief Arnook, Master Pakku, and
Chiara's family, the ship was heading back to the Fire Nation. After settling on board, Zuko
fulfilled his promise in meeting with former prisoners as many had requested. After his
meeting with the first former POW, Zuko called him back before he left his office.

“Ijek...”

“Yes, Prince Zuko.”

“Are you a firebender?”

“I...I was, sir.” A chill ran through Ijek's body reminding him that he could not feel his inner
fire. “They don't know how long it'll be before it returns, if it returns.”

Zuko could see the anguish in the young man's eyes as well as a hint of familiarity that
seemed to unnerve him. He brushed the disquiet from his mind and sympathized with him.
No firebender could imagine the loss of their firebending. A brief image of Ozai sitting in his
cell flashed through his mind, but no sympathy followed.

“We may have a treatment so it'll return sooner, but we need a volunteer.”

Ijek looked hopeful. He nodded ready to try anything. “I'll volunteer for it.”

“Good. Report to the infirmary tomorrow after lunch.”

“Yes, sir.”

“In the meantime don't tell anyone about it. We're not sure if it'll work.”

Ijek nodded. “Of course. Thank you, Prince Zuko.” He bowed and left.

--------------------

The meetings went on throughout the day, most asking questions about their family, which,
unfortunately, was information Zuko could not provide for them. Others were curious about
the new monarchy and wondering about their future under the new government. And many
more firebenders made known their worry over the loss of their firebending.

Having gone through the list of former POWs, Zuko was disappointed to find that only two
other members of his crew survived, and that afternoon he looked up to see the two familiar
faces. He stood up.

“Tedo, Shoza,” he greeted his former crew cordially, though he still felt a twinge of jealousy
over Shoza's proposal for Chiara's hand.

They bowed. “Prince Zuko,” they said.

“It's an honor,” said Tedo.

“It's good to see you're both safe,” said Zuko.

He motioned for them to sit.

“And you, sir,” said Shoza as they sat down across from him. “We hadn't expected to see you
when we were brought on board. The last we heard, you'd been killed in an assassination
attempt by pirates.”

“It was Zhao,” said Zuko deeply. “And he failed.”

“The admiral tried to kill you?” asked Tedo.

“Being a coward, he hired the pirates to do it.”

“We heard he died during the Siege,” said Shoza.

“He did,” confirmed Zuko. “After destroying the moon spirit, the ocean spirit took his life.”

Both men looked appalled, which Zuko understood—few people approved of or could even
fathom trifling with the spirits, much less killing one.

“He destroyed the moon spirit?” asked Tedo.

Zuko nodded. “The waterbenders lost their ability.”

“Serves them right,” mumbled Shoza.

Zuko wanted to snap at him, but he chose to excuse the comment in light of the trauma his
former crewman suffered due to his imprisonment. “That was Zhao's plan,” he continued.
“Killing the moon spirit would allow him to conquer the Northern Tribe. In the end, Princess
Yue gave her life to the moon, Zhao had his life taken from him, and many of our people lost
their lives,” he said sadly.

“Is...is that what that glowing...thing was?” asked Tedo in a low voice as if it might hear him
speaking of it. “The ocean spirit?” he whispered.

“It took over the Avatar's body.”

“It was the last thing I saw before waking up in the ice box,” said Tedo softly as he shivered.

“Same here,” said Shoza. “And we didn't hear much about what happened after we were
taken prisoner. The icemakers didn't speak much to us.”

Zuko leaned back in his seat, again overlooking the derogatory slur. “Considering the Fire
Nation invaded their land and killed their people, you're lucky the Tribe allowed you to live.”

“Most days it would've been better to be dead.” He stared blankly at the floor. “Even now
being out of that frigid cell, it still feels like there's ice in my veins.”
“I know it was difficult for you,” said Zuko sympathizing with him. “We're looking into an
alternative way to help return your firebending.”

He was relieved to hear it, but he was not hopeful considering the lack of success in the
infirmary the past week.

“How's Chiara?”

Tedo ventured to ask the question that Shoza very much wanted to but was too afraid to ask
the prince he remembered as being quite jealous and protective.

“Have you seen her lately?” asked Tedo.

Zuko smiled realizing they did not know he and Chiara were married.

“I have. She's doing fine.”

“Really?” he said. “I hope to see her again.”

“I'm sure you will. She's on board.”

Zuko noticed Shoza perk up.

“She is?” asked Tedo anxious to see her.

He nodded. “She came to help with this mission. She's a descendant of the Northern Water
Tribe, so it was only right to bring her along.”

Tedo's eyes were big. “She's...she's Water Tribe?”

Shoza was not as surprised to hear it, his talk with Iroh coming to mind.

“Yes,” nodded Zuko.

“And she's returning to the Fire Nation?” asked Shoza.

“She is. The Fire Nation's her home.”

Shoza was wondering if Iroh would still consider his proposal now that he was Fire Lord, but
then he felt an uncomfortable lurch in his stomach as it occurred to him that he would be
courting the adopted daughter of the Fire Lord.

“And it would be best if you refrain from saying 'icemaker' in a derogatory manner,” said
Zuko. “I've seen her create ice spikes that could impale you to the ship.”

There was a gravity in his voice that told them he was not joking, and both men's jaws
dropped.

“She's a waterbender?” asked Tedo.

“A master,” he confirmed.
Tedo's eyes were still wide. “All those years on the ship and I never knew it.”

“Uncle was the only one who knew.”

Shoza smiled to himself.

“You didn't even know, sir?” asked Tedo.

Zuko was shaking his head.

“When did you find out?” he asked.

“When we were refugees in Ba Sing Se.”

“You were refugees?”

“Yes. Ozai blamed Uncle for the failure of the Siege, and we had to hide in the Earth
Kingdom.”

They were anxious to learn the details of what they missed during their imprisonment. Zuko
continued answering their questions, and after their discussion, Tedo and Shoza went out to
the main deck, both anxious to find Chiara.

--------------------

“Do you ever miss being away from the Water Tribe?” Nai asked Chiara as they stood on the
deck looking out over the water.

“No,” answered Chiara.

Nai was surprised she answered so quickly.

“I enjoyed staying there when the General took me to train, and it was nice visiting there with
Prince Zuko these last few days, but the Fire Nation's always felt like home to me.” She was
lost in thought for a few seconds. “When Prince Zuko was banished and we were traveling
around searching for the Avatar, we sailed through the North Sea. Sometimes I would stand
out on deck looking north hoping to catch of glimpse of the Ice Palace. I knew it wasn't
possible; we didn't even get close to the pole, but still...there was always this hope I might see
it. One day the General saw me staring out at sea, and he asked me if I missed it. As much as
I would've liked to have seen it again, it wasn't home.”

“You don't get lonely being the only waterbender in the Fire Nation?”

“Not as long as I'm with my husband or the General...I mean Fire Lord,” she smiled. “I need
to get used to that.” She placed her hand on her stomach. “And I have our newest little
firebender now.”

Nai laughed, still thrilled about the little prince or princess.

“And maybe one day I'll have a little waterbender to teach,” the princess added.
“Chiara!”

The women turned around and saw Tedo and Shoza approaching them. Chiara's eyes lit up.

“Tedo! Shoza! I'm so relieved you're both alive.”

“So are we,” said Tedo smiling.

“I often wondered about all of you, hoping you were all safe.” She looked at Nai. “Nai, this is
Tedo and Shoza. They served on board Prince Zuko's ship years ago during the 'honorable
prince's traditional family search for the Avatar,'” she repeated Jee's description.

“Chiara saved my life during a storm,” blurted Tedo.

“That doesn't surprise me,” said Nai smiling. “Princess Chiara's saved a lot of lives.”

“And you're a waterbender,” he said, his voice filled with awe. “No one ever knew.”

“And now everyone knows,” she said.

“The daughter of the Fire Lord, a waterbender...” He shook his head at the irony. “Who ever
would've thought that was possible?”

“And someday she'll be the first waterbending Fire Lady,” Nai threw out there.

Tedo looked puzzled. “But isn't Prince Zuko the Crown Prince?”

“Yes, and when he's Fire Lord, Princess Chiara will be the Fire Lady.”

Tedo and Shoza gaped in understanding and shock.

“You and Prince Zuko are married?” said Tedo. “I...I didn't think that was possible...at
least...General Iroh...uh, Fire Lord Iroh said...because...you couldn't...”

Chiara was softly laughing at his stuttering reaction. “A lot's happened this past year,” she
said. “After the Siege at the North Pole, we were considered fugitives by the Fire Nation and
we were refugees in the Earth Kingdom. We never thought we'd be able to return to the Fire
Nation again, so when the General encouraged Prince Zuko to settle down, he asked to...to
settle down with me.”

“We were just talking to Prince Zuko,” said Tedo. “He never said you were married.”

Chiara wondered why he had not told them. Shoza, feeling hurt, turned to walk away.

“Shoza, are you okay?” she asked.

He stopped and turned back to her. “No, I'm not. I just lost a year and a half of my life in a
Water Tribe prison.”

“I'm so sorry. I understand.”

“What?” he said as he took a step closer to her.

Nai stood up straight.

“I was confined in an ice prison for over a year while you were traveling the Earth
Kingdom,” he said. “How could you possibly understand that?”

“That's enough,” said Nai in a threatening voice. “You will not address the Princess that
way.”

“It's okay, Nai...”

“No, my Lady, it isn't,” she argued. “Prince Zuko wouldn't put up with this disrespect, and
neither will I.”

Shoza turned and walked off.

“I'm sorry, my Lady,” said Tedo apologizing for Shoza's behavior.

“Don't apologize, Tedo,” said Chiara. “I know he doesn't believe it, but I do understand.”

Nai was disgusted. “I can't believe his insolence,” she said. “And after everything you've
been through. I bet the Water Tribe treated their prisoners far more mercifully than you were
treated at Boiling Rock.”

Tedo's eyes grew wide. “You were at Boiling Rock Prison?”

She nodded.

“And she wasn't treated kindly,” said Nai darkly.

“Why were you there?” he asked.

“The warden had a grudge,” said Chiara as if it were no big deal. She refused to hold a
grudge herself against a man who had been condemned to death by the Fire Lord. She was
still shocked that Iroh had elevated that particular case during his very busy weeks right after
his coronation. On her return from the Earth Kingdom, he informed her of the former
warden's death sentence for the brutal massacre of her Water Tribe village, as well as the
false imprisonment, mistreatment, and attempted murder of the wife of the Crown Prince. It
was not discussed, but she knew she could have convinced the Fire Lord to commute his
death sentence to a life term. She considered doing so, but personally feeling that execution
would be preferable to life in prison, she thought it a mercy. She only asked that it be quick
and that he be allowed to consult with the Fire Sages in preparation for his death.

“But she was only supposed to be there temporarily,” said Nai, “until her execution.”

“They were going to execute you?” asked Tedo gaping at Chiara.

“Yes,” she answered.

“How did you get away?”

Nai let out a little chuckle.

“Prince Zuko broke into the prison and we escaped,” said the princess always feeling proud
of her prince's noble deeds.

“Along with all the other prisoners,” added Nai with a smile.

“That's incredible,” said Tedo.

Tedo continued questioning the women getting parts of the story that Zuko left out.

After he left, Chiara and Nai continued standing at the rail. Just as she had done so many
times on Zuko's ship, Chiara was staring out at the clear horizon gazing at the contrast
between the azure sky and the deep blue color of the ocean. “I think I know what's upsetting
Shoza,” she said softly to Nai.

“What is it?”

“He asked the General for my hand.”

Nai glanced at her. “Really?”

“Yes.” Chiara was still staring out at the sea. “After Admiral Zhao took the crew from Prince
Zuko, the General told me about Shoza's proposal. He asked Shoza how he would feel if he
one day discovered his wife was an earthbender or waterbender, and he said he was still
willing to marry me. The General said he was quite impressed by that, and I admit, so was I
when he told me about it. But my heart only ever belonged to one person,” she added softly.

Nai was still irritated by Shoza's behavior. “He still had no right to speak to you that way.”

Chiara looked up at her guard who was more like a friend to her. “I'm not offended. I know it
wasn't easy for them to be locked up all this time. And Shoza's a firebender; I know it must've
been extra difficult for him.”

Nai tried hard to be professional in her duty to the royal family, but she and the princess
conversed casually so often, she could not help chiding her. “Don't make excuses for him,
Princess. He needs to learn to hold his tongue.”

Chiara appreciated Nai's candor. She could never deal with a nameless, faceless guard. Even
as children on their way to Shu Jing, she and Zuko spoke often to Kaito and Ezo, something
rare for members of the royal family to do.

Her mind turned to the former prisoners, and she looked back out over the water as she
worried about the loss of their firebending. She was sure many would suffer from the trauma
of being imprisoned, but she hoped she would at least be able to help the firebenders with
their physical anguish.
 The Gift of Healing
Chapter Notes

I've been on the road, so apologies if I missed something.

As the sun started sinking beneath the horizon, Shoza stood alone on the deck staring at the
ocean. He wondered if it knew he was one of the survivors of the Siege—if it might reach up
and snatch him from the ship and drag him to the depths as it had so many others. But he
realized that even though he survived, he did not escape its wrathful judgment. He was one of
the Fire Nation soldiers that had not been condemned to drown by its anger. Instead of a
death sentence, he had been condemned to life without his inner fire. To him the dead were
the lucky ones.

Now, he would return to his Nation with nothing, not even his firebending, and there would
be nothing but disgrace to look forward to.

In the midst of his dismal thoughts, he heard footsteps that stopped next to him. Glancing to
his right, he saw Nai. He turned his eyes back to the water preferring to stare at the cold
ocean.

“You had no right to speak to the Princess the way you did,” she said bluntly.

He refused to be intimidated by a guard of the royal family. “I really don't care,” he said in a
tone of indifference.

Nai ignored his attitude, determined to say her piece. “Let me ask you, how did the Water
Tribe treat you while you were in prison?” she asked. “Did they beat you or isolate you
without food?”

“No,” he answered shortly.

“Then you have no idea what Princess Chiara's been through this past year.”

He scowled at her. “Really? Was it in a prison?” he asked rudely.

“Yes,” she answered deeply. “Three times.”

Shoza had not expected her answer and his expression changed to one of disbelief. It was not
the remorse Nai was hoping for, but she considered it a start.

“The first time she was locked up in the Prison Tower in the Capital when they found out she
was a waterbender,” she explained as she watched the sunlight of the setting sun sparkle on
the water. “They believed that the Water Tribe adopted child of General Iroh was a spy.
Prince Zuko was finally welcomed home as a hero after his long exile, but he gave up
everything to break her and General Iroh out of the prison, and they escaped to the Earth
Kingdom.”

Zuko had not mentioned that during their conversation earlier that day. After spending three
years on the moody prince's ship working for him as he ardently and restlessly tried to restore
his honor and return home, Shoza was stunned to learn that Zuko had given it all up for
Chiara and Iroh.

“When they were captured again, Princess Azula found out they were married, and Princess
Chiara was sent back to Capital City Prison,” said Nai. “News had spread that Prince Zuko
had married the Water Tribe girl and that she had been executed. She was secretly kept in a
hidden section of the prison where Azula repeatedly abused her. I was told by a guard who
witnessed the torture that the only time she cried was when Azula told her General Iroh and
Prince Zuko had been executed. Her back still bears the scars of her torture...”

Shoza grimaced at the image of her being tortured.

“...scars which I saw when I was stationed as a guard at Boiling Rock Prison,” continued Nai.
“Princess Chiara was imprisoned there for a month. She was beaten and nearly starved, but
she still shared her few rations with other prisoners, and she helped the old, the sick, and the
injured whether they were Earth Kingdom or Fire Nation, prisoners or guards. When Prince
Zuko found out where she was, he broke in disguised as a guard to rescue her, but the noble
and honorable Princess Chiara was worried about leaving the suffering prisoners she often
tended to. They coordinated a mass breakout to liberate everyone.”

He remembered the prince being reckless during his desperate mission to find the Avatar:
entering the Fire Nation during his banishment, sailing through a dangerous storm, partnering
with pirates. The prince told him and Tedo that he sneaked on board Zhao's ship in disguise
after the Admiral attempted to assassinate him. He now laughed to himself upon hearing that
Zuko broke into the Fire Nation's most secure prison.

“Unfortunately, the warden caught Prince Zuko and decided to execute the princess by
burning her alive in front of her husband,” said Nai.

His disgust over her punishment showed on his face, but Nai took no notice as she continued
staring out at sea while telling the story.

“Even after a night in the cooler, Prince Zuko did the most extraordinary firebending to break
free in order to protect his wife.” The reverence in her voice made it clear she was still awed
by the prince's feat.

Shoza wondered whether he could have done the same for her. He had heard the stories of the
Boiling Rock coolers, and even though they were nothing compared to the ice prison he had
been trapped in, he could not imagine being able to firebend after any time inside.

“When you return home I'm sure you'll hear about the great Boiling Rock Prison breakout,”
she said. “It happened because of Prince Zuko's love and devotion to Princess Chiara and
because of her compassion and care for everyone. If anyone will make a perfect Fire Lady for
our Nation, it's her.” She looked at him. “But you're right, she could never understand what
you went through...” She turned to leave. “...because for her it was much worse.”

She walked off leaving Shoza feeling ashamed. He continued staring at the calm ocean where
it met the burning orange sky left by the sun just beneath the horizon.

--------------------

That evening Chiara stood on the deck by herself. The moon was bright, and had she been
wearing less clothing, the soft glowing of her skin would be more observable. Shoza, spotting
her at the rail, was reminded of those days on the ship during Zuko's mission. He approached
her and bowed deeply to her.

“My Lady, I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you earlier,” he apologized.

He was still bowing, and she suspected he was waiting for her to accept his apology.

“Rise, Shoza. It's okay...”

“No, it's not,” he said, standing erect.

She could sympathize with his sufferings. “Like you said: you just spent a year and a half in
prison. You've been away from home for so long. Three years at sea and then a prisoner of
war. I know it's been hard for you.”

Shoza refused to allow her to dismiss his rudeness. “It's no excuse for my behavior. I
shouldn't have taken it out on you.”

“Then I forgive your insolence,” she said with a false haughty tone which made him chuckle.

He stepped up to the rail keeping a respectful distance, and they both quietly stared out over
the sea sparkling in the moonlight.

“After you left the ship before the Siege, the General told me of your proposal,” she said
softly. “I was and am very honored that you would've been willing to marry me not knowing
who...or what I was.”

“I didn't realize I was competing with the Prince of the Fire Nation.”

“You weren't,” she said. “In one way you were competing with my best friend. Prince Zuko
and I have been friends since...since the General brought me to the Fire Nation. And he was
just a tea server when we married in Ba...”

“Chiara!” yelled Zuko from the upper deck.

She and Shoza both had flashbacks of earlier days.

“I haven't heard that tone in a while,” she said in a low voice making Shoza chuckle. “From
the sound of it I may be working in the galley tomorrow.”
“My Lady.” He bowed to her before quickly disappearing.

She turned to face the upper deck. “Yes, my Prince?”

“Where's Nai?”

“She retired for the evening,” she answered.

He quickly turned to step off the deck and Chiara went inside to meet him.

“What are you doing on deck alone?” he asked when they met in the hall.

“I was enjoying the moonlight.”

He took her hand, placing it on his upper arm as he escorted her to their quarters.

“You shouldn't be talking with him alone,” he scolded her. “Nai should always be with you.”

“I served on your ship with Shoza for years; it's not like he's a stranger...”

He tensed up. “That's even worse! Especially since he wants you for his wife.”

She looked up at him. “You know about that?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Is that something you were keeping from me?”

“No,” she answered lightly. “I hadn't really thought about it since the Fire Lord told me.”

“When did he tell you?” he asked.

Her eyes left his. “Right before your ship was destroyed,” she answered, her voice was soft
but filled with pain at the memory.

Realizing how much the assassination attempt still upset her, he tenderly caressed her hand
on his arm.

“When did you hear about it?” she asked him.

“In Ba Sing Se after I asked Uncle if I could marry you. He said Shoza impressed him,” he
added with a hint of bitterness.

“Shoza and I were talking about that...”

“What?!” he said suddenly stopping in the hall before their door and staring at her in shock.
“You two were talking about his proposal?!”

She remained calm despite his raised voice. “Prince Zuko, he's been in prison since the
Siege,” she said patiently. “I think he deserves closure.”

“He got closure when he heard that you were my wife,” he said in a lower voice.
He opened the door and they stepped into their quarters.

“Apparently, he didn't know it until Nai said it,” she said. “The last he heard was that you and
I couldn't get married, so I was just explaining to him how it happened.”

“Well, now he knows.” He shut the door behind them. “I don't want you to go anywhere
without your guard.”

He tenderly kissed her.

“I have a volunteer for treatment,” he said ready to change the subject.

“I was going to recommend Shoza...” He gave her a playful scowl. “...or not,” she finished
with a hint of a smile.

“I already picked one,” he said.

“When do we try it?”

“Tomorrow after lunch. We'll meet him in the infirmary.”

She looked worried. “I really hope this technique works.”

“I do too,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “But if it doesn't, we'll have the healers at
home research other alternatives.”

The next day the weather was warmer as they sailed farther from the colder north. Zuko and
Chiara left their quarters to go to the bridge followed by Kaito.

“May I work in the galley today?” she asked Zuko.

He gave her an incredulous look. “What? No.”

“I don't feel useful standing around doing nothing,” she said with a little pout.

“You always did keep busy, my Lady,” said Captain Jee.

“There's got to be something I can do,” she said.

“You're the Fire Princess,” said Zuko. “You just need to stay by my side...except for some of
these meetings...which reminds me...” He glanced around the bridge. “Where's Nai?”

“She's probably eating breakfast.”

“I have a meeting soon,” he said.

He looked at Kaito who just shrugged. “I haven't seen her, sir.”

Zuko turned back to Chiara. “She needs to be here with you.”

“We need a Pai Sho board on the bridge,” she said not acknowledging his search for her
guard knowing she would show up eventually.

“You sound like Uncle,” he said blandly.

She shrugged. “Who knew sitting on a ship for a few days could be so boring.”

Captain Jee was chuckling at their exchange. He never thought he would have had a worse
mission than the prince's search for the Avatar. Zhao proved him wrong. After the Siege he
believed it would never be possible to find a fulfilling assignment. He was once again proven
wrong. Not only was his current mission rewarding in its endeavor towards peace, but he
found it far more enjoyable than any other assignment. “Would you like to steer the ship, my
Lady?” he offered.

She perked up. “It's been a long time.” She looked hopefully at Zuko. “Prince Zuko, may I?

“If the helmsman doesn't mind.”

The helmsman bowed his head to her. “Of course not.”

Taking over the helm, Chiara steered the ship under the helmsman's direction as she had done
years earlier on Zuko's ship during his banishment.

As it drew closer to his meeting time, Zuko turned to Kaito. “Kaito, I want you to remain
here until...Nai!” He was relieved to see her enter the bridge. He immediately walked her
over to Chiara. “...do not leave her side for one minute.”

“Yes, Prince Zuko,” she said, though she gave him a suspicious glance wondering if there had
been a threat to the princess that had him so edgy.

“Thank you,” said Chiara bowing to the helmsman.

He bowed in return. “It's always a pleasure, Princess.”

“So you're steering the boat, my Lady?” asked Nai.

“Practicing old lessons,” she said. “Prince Zuko once said he thought I could be an admiral
one day.”

Zuko opened his mouth to speak.

“Prince Zuko, we're ready,” interrupted a messenger who had walked onto the bridge.

The prince nodded to him and then he turned to Chiara and Nai.

“Don't let her out of your sight,” he ordered Nai.

“Yes, Prince Zuko,” she said, though she was still puzzled by his order.
“I'll see you later.” He tenderly caressed Chiara’s arm. “And I don't want you to be an
admiral.”

“But you said...”

“I don't care what I said,” he started as he walked towards the door. “I changed my mind.”

He disappeared.

She looked at Nai and shrugged. “Want to practice firebending?”

Nai smiled at her. “No cheating with water.”

Chiara giggled as they left the bridge.

“So, don't let you out of my sight,” said Nai when they were in the hall. “Is there some
security issue I should know about?”

“I was on deck last night talking to Shoza,” she said softly.

“Really?”

“He came up to apologize.”

Nai smiled to herself. “How polite of him,” she said innocently. “So what was the security
issue?”

“Prince Zuko scolded me for being alone with a man.”

“But you were on deck?” asked Nai trying to identify the issue.

“Yes.”

She was confused. “How is that being alone with him?”

“It was just him and I talking,” said Chiara.

“But that's not really being alone,” said Nai. “I mean, there are always people walking around
on deck.”

“I know, right? And I served with Shoza for three years on Prince Zuko's ship, so it's not like
he's a stranger.”

“Does the prince know about the proposal?” she asked, her voice low.

“He does.”

Nai started chuckling.

“What's so funny?” asked Chiara.

“Prince Zuko gets upset really easily sometimes.”

Chiara smiled. “You have no idea.”

--------------------

After lunch, the prince and princess went to the infirmary followed by Kaito, Nai, and Izin.
Zuko escorted Chiara to the cot where Ijek immediately stood up and bowed to him.

“Prince Zuko,” he greeted him, anxious to start the treatment.

“This is my wife, Princess Chiara.”

Ijek, like many of the former prisoners having believed the young prince had been killed, had
no knowledge of his marriage.

“Princess,” he said, still bowing.

“Chiara, this is Ijek,” said Zuko.

When Ijek stood up straight, Chiara met his yellow eyes and she took a slight step back.

Zuko was puzzled by her reaction, and he placed his hand on her back. “Chiara? Are you
okay?”

He noticed she was staring at Ijek, but glancing at the soldier he saw that his eyes were wide
and filled with fear. Nai and Izin both stood at attention puzzled by the princess's reaction.

“Do you know each other?” asked Zuko.

Tears filled her eyes. “We...we've met informally,” she said softly.

“When? Where?” he asked wondering how she could possibly know him.

“The Siege,” she whispered.

He wondered if he was the soldier she had mentioned before. “Wait...is...is this the one...?
Your cousin?” Zuko asked her.

The tears in her eyes slowly fell down her cheeks. Flashbacks filled her mind, images that
never seemed to fade: wounded warriors, her burnt and bleeding cousin, splashes and
smearings of red staining blue clothing and once pure white snow. The pain of watching
Surak die, her hand in his, ached inside her.

“I'm sorry, Chiara. I didn't know,” he said. He could think of no words to describe how
terrible he felt that of all the firebenders he met with the day before, the one he picked for his
wife to try healing had to be her cousin's murderer.

Ijek stood there wide-eyed, wondering how the blood-covered female warrior he encountered
during the Siege had become the Princess of his Nation. Suspecting it was an arranged
marriage between the two Nations in an effort to establish peace, he was now filled with fear
believing he was caught in the middle of an international incident in which he was
responsible for the death of a member of the royal family's family.

She knew Zuko had no way of knowing who he was. “It...it's okay,” she said.

“No, it's not,” said Zuko. “We can find someone else.”

She could see fear in the young man's eyes just as she did the day of the Siege. And just like
then, he was expecting to be punished. “I've forgiven him,” she said softly, forcing herself to
show mercy to him once again.

Ijek felt confused. He was sure he was going to be thrown in the brig before being publicly
executed.

Zuko looked at him again. “You recognize her?”

“Y-yes, your Highness,” he said nervously.

“What were your orders during the Siege?” demanded the prince.

“Uh...I...I was to dispatch anyone who was still alive, sir,” he said in a low, hesitant voice.

More tears fell down Chiara's cheeks as images of the dead warriors still flashed through her
mind. Nai was listening attentively to the exchange.

Zuko's eyes narrowed. “You attacked her?” he asked deeply.

The fear in Ijek's eyes grew. “I...I...”

“My Prince,” said Chiara gently, making Zuko's heart melt, and he knew he would be unable
to resist whatever she asked of him. “It was war. I was the enemy. He's suffered enough.”

Zuko took a deep breath, but his fists were still clenched. “Kaito, escort him out of here and
find another...”

“Wait...,” she said placing her hand on his arm. “Let me do this.”

“Chiara, you've suffered enough too,” he said. “You don't have to do anything for him.”

“I do. I have to try.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“We can find someone else.”

She shook her head. “No. I can do this.”

He was not happy about it, but he could not refuse her. He nodded tersely.

She turned to Ijek. “I-I need you to lie down.”

“I was told this was treatment for my firebending,” said Ijek feeling nervous and near
trembling.

She nodded as she stepped closer to him. “I'm a healer. I might be able to help you.”

Ijek hesitated wondering if she was telling the truth. Losing his firebending permanently was
beginning to sound more appealing than taking his chances with a possible vengeful
icemaker. A quick glance at the prince and the guards standing around the infirmary told him
he had no choice but to take whatever torture she was about to inflict upon him.

He slowly lay down on the cot. Zuko picked up a ewer and poured water over Chiara's hands,
and she formed it into an orb. Ijek trembled slightly when she moved it towards him, but he
forced himself to remain in place. She slowly moved it over his body. He was filled with fear
when he saw the water glowing, and he waited for the pain of the torture he was sure she
would impose upon him in revenge. But the pain never came. Instead he felt a warmth
penetrate him and flow through him. It was a comforting warmth that traveled through his
body thawing the icy feeling in his bones.

“How do you feel?” she asked him as she continued her treatment.

“I feel warm,” he said. It was a warmth he had not felt since before being imprisoned in his
ice cell.

She drew back and returned most of the water to the ewer, except for a small orb in her right
hand. “Sit up.”

He obeyed.

“Hold out your hand,” she directed.

He put forward his right hand, palm up. She cradled his hand with her left, and carefully
suspended the globe of water over his palm. It started glowing as she lowered it onto his hand
where it rested. He was no longer trembling, but he was holding his breath still waiting for
some form of retribution. In her right hand, Chiara produced a small flame to his surprise. He
tensed up seeing her create fire.

“I want you to hold this,” she said.

“Are...are you the Avatar?” he asked still feeling uneasy. He had heard of the Avatar's return,
but he was confused having believed he was a he.

“No.”

She did not elaborate, leaving him even more confused. She lowered the flame over the
glowing water resting in his hand which was still cradled in her own. As she delicately set the
small flame in his palm, the glowing water seemed to absorb into his body leaving only the
tiny light burning in his hand. He was able to hold it, and he could feel its heat follow the
path of the warmth from the healing water. He gasped as it seemed to reignite his inner flame.

“Can you firebend?” she asked.

He produced another flame in his other hand.

“You did it,” Zuko said to her pleased and relieved that her technique worked.

They stepped back from the cot and allowed Ijek to stand up.

“I'm sorry I attacked you,” he said timidly. He was struggling to absorb everything that was
happening to him, and he was still expecting to be executed. “And I'm sorry about your
family.”

He was still holding the two flames fearing that if he extinguished them he would be unable
to call them back.

Chiara nodded her head accepting his apology. “You should go on deck and practice
firebending. Let me know if you have any issues with it.”

“Yes, Princess. Thank you.”

He bowed deeply and left the infirmary carrying his two flames and still astonished that the
princess not only returned his firebending but insisted that he not be punished for his
transgression against her family.

Once he was gone Zuko took Chiara in his arms and held her, tenderly caressing her hair.

“I know that was difficult,” he said softly.

“I'm just happy it worked,” she said.

Nai looked at Izin. “Did Ijek look familiar to you?” she whispered.

“There was something familiar about him now that you mention it,” he whispered back.

Zuko released Chiara. “Are you ready for another one?” She nodded, and he looked at Izin.
“Izin, find another firebender.”

“Yes, your Highness,” he bowed before leaving the infirmary.

“Princess, may I be excused temporarily?” asked Nai.

“Of course,” she said.

Nai bowed and left, and soon Izin returned with another patient.

--------------------

As news spread that the Princess was able to help the firebending POWs get their fire back
immediately, they eagerly lined up outside the infirmary.

“Prince Zuko,” said Nai having returned, “may I speak to you?”

He looked at her and nodded. “Kaito,” he called.

Kaito took Zuko's place by Chiara while the prince stepped into the hall with Nai.

“Your Highness, I learned something about Ijek I think you might want to know,” she
whispered.

“What is it?”

“He's Zedak's brother.”

Zuko's fists clenched and he narrowed his eyes as he thought of Zedak and his abusive
behavior towards Chiara in Boiling Rock.

“Thanks for letting me know, Nai.”

She bowed to him and they returned to the infirmary.

--------------------

Later, Zuko left to take care of other duties. Nai and Izin stayed in the infirmary with Chiara
while she continued treating the soldiers.

By the end of the day she felt exhausted, and Nai could see that the treatments were taking a
toll on her.

“My Lady, you need to rest.”

“How many are left?” she asked.

Izin peered into the hall. “Three, your Highness.”

She knew the firebenders were anxious to reconnect to their element, and with only a few left
she was not ready to quit. “Let's get them healed.”

“Are you sure, Princess?” asked Nai who was concerned about her.

“Yes. Send the next one in.”

--------------------

The last firebender to walk in was Shoza. He bowed deeply to her. “My Lady.”

“Hey, Shoza,” she smiled warmly.

“Everyone's been talking about what you've done for them,” he said. “A lot of them are
carrying flames around, and a few are throwing streams of fire off the side of the ship like
fireworks.”

Chiara softly laughed. “I'm glad they're enjoying themselves.”

He became concerned when he realized how tired she looked. “Are you okay, Princess?”
“I'll be fine. You're my last patient.”

“We...we can do this another time,” he offered despite being anxious to join the others on the
deck with his own fire.

“I don't want to put it off.”

He nodded.

“Lie down on the cot.”

He followed her instruction, and just like her previous patients, he was impressed to see the
glowing water, feel the comforting warmth, and be free of the icy cold in his veins. When he
was sitting up with the glowing orb in his palm, she produced a flame in her hand.

His eyes grew wide seeing her firebend. “How...how are you doing that?”

“I've hung around you firebenders long enough to pick up a few tricks,” she grinned.

“That's incredible. I guess you really are the Daughter of the Dragon.”

He was still curious about the true reason for her ability to firebend, but when he called forth
his own flame his relief and elation pushed his curiosity to the back of his mind.

“Thank you, Lady Chiara...uh...Princess Chiara,” he said excitedly not taking his eyes off the
flames in his hands.

She smiled at him. “Go practice on deck,” she said. “And let me know if you have any
problems with it.”

He bowed before leaving the infirmary.

--------------------

All the firebenders had been successfully healed. Many were initially uncomfortable, and
even fearful of being treated by a waterbender, and one who was now their princess, but not
one of them refused her treatment after seeing their fellow POWs walk out of the infirmary
carrying flames.

“It's time for you to rest now, my Lady,” said Nai who was still concerned about her.

“But my Prince will be expecting me for dinner,” she said.

“I'll tell him you can't make it,” said Izin. “Nai can take you to your quarters.”

Deciding not to push herself unnecessarily, she and Nai started towards her cabin.

“I'm surprised you didn't tell Shoza about your little firebending gift,” said Nai.

“We haven't officially announced it.”

Nai started laughing. “Between Amiku and the Fire Lord, it's amazing that the whole world
doesn't already know.”

Chiara giggled. They entered the cabin, and no sooner had she sat down on the bed, Zuko
burst through the door. Nai immediately turned around taking a defensive position holding a
bright flame in her hand ready to launch.

“Are you okay?” Zuko asked Chiara anxiously, not acknowledging Nai's prepared attack.

Seeing who it was, Nai relaxed, but she could not help smiling to herself at Zuko's anxious
concern.

“I'm fine,” said Chiara. “I just need to lie down for a bit.”

“Prince Zuko, my Lady,” nodded Nai before exiting.

Zuko glanced up at the guard as she was leaving, appreciative of her diligent and eager
vigilance.

“I shouldn't have let you push yourself so hard,” he said to Chiara. “We should've done only
half of them today.”

“I'll be okay,” she assured him. “I just need to rest.”

“You're going to get me in trouble with Amiku,” he said, making her giggle.

She lay down on the bed and he sat at her side and caressed her head.

“Do you want Ijek to go on trial for war crimes?” he asked her.

She looked at him. “Of course not.”

“But he killed your cousin and other warriors.”

She closed her eyes and images of the dead warriors flashed through her mind. He gently
wiped away the tear that flowed down her temple.

“I-I'm sure a lot of the former prisoners killed during the battle,” she spoke softly. “If you put
him on trial, you'll have to do so to all of them.”

“It can be done,” he said in a low voice.

She considered his offer.

“Did Chief Arnook ask for it?” she asked.

“No.”

“Then as far as I'm concerned they all served their time, including Ijek.”

Zuko looked down. “He's Zedak's brother,” he said softly, but bluntly.
She was silent in her thoughts, now recognizing the similarities in the brothers' features.

“So any second thoughts on a trial?” he asked.

She could not help a little giggle at his persistence. “No. I can't hold him accountable for his
brother's cruelty.” She placed her hand on his. “And I know what it's like to be separated
from family. Let them have a happy family reunion.”

“I'm not sure how happy he'll be when he finds out his brother's in prison,” he said.

She thought about Zedak. “At least it won't be forever.”

“I still think you should've let him spend his life there,” he said deeply, not happy that she
asked that his life imprisonment be reduced to a temporary sentence.

When she interceded with the Fire Lord to commute Zedak's sentence, she had believed that
the former guard's family had lost one son, and she did not want them to lose another.

“I don't regret it,” she said now after learning that their other son was still alive.

He leaned towards her tenderly kissing her lips. And though he did not agree with her
decision, he did admire her forgiving and compassionate nature.
 Family Ties
Chapter Notes

Apologies for the lack of postings. At this point I have 4 more chapters, but I've been
having so much trouble with Chapter 101 that I didn't want to post this chapter without
having that one finished since they're kind of related. I've reached the point of my
unfinished ending, and combined with life issues, major writer's block, lack of
motivation, and lack of time, it's been difficult to get it finished. If I'm lucky to find 2
hours to work on it, I might get one or two sentences down. Then my next free hour
might be spent fixing one word. The last two chapters are still not finished, but I decided
to throw this one out there anyways and hope I don't regret it later.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Fire Lord Iroh was sitting in a meeting with his council of advisers when a messenger entered
the room and bowed to him. The Fire Lord beckoned him forward, and the messenger spoke
to him in a low voice.

“Ah, yes, thank you,” said Iroh who stood up. “Meeting adjourned,” he addressed the men in
the room.

“But Fire Lord, we still haven't discussed...”

He raised his hand which instantly silenced the man. “Whatever it is can wait. I have more
important business at the moment.”

He left the room leaving a few of the men looking perplexed. Admiral Jeong Jeong,
Commander Sozoh, Commander Tezam, Zaro, Yuzo, and Akio, however, were less surprised
by his abrupt departure.

“At this rate we'll never get anything done in this Nation,” grumbled one of the men.

“It will get done,” said Jeong Jeong. “But to the Fire Lord, his family is priority.”

Tezam got to his feet as well. “That means my daughter has returned then too,” he said with a
smile. “I wonder how her adventure went at the North Pole.”

“Far more successful than Zhao's I'd wager,” said Jeong Jeong in a low, dark tone.

One of the other men in the room looked affronted. “That's not funny, Admiral.”

“And when have you ever known the Admiral to be funny,” said Sozoh. “He doesn't know
how to joke.”
“It's still a dark thing to say,” argued the man. “We lost most of our fleet during Zhao's
campaign.”

“A fate he brought on for toying with the spirits,” said Jeong Jeong deeply. “His and Ozai's
hunger for power earned the wrath of the spirits upon our Nation. And it needs to be said and
said repeatedly and taught in the schools, otherwise it will be a tragedy repeated by another
over-ambitious fool in the future.”

Jeong Jeong's words silenced any other complaints.

--------------------

“Ezih, bring tea to my office,” Iroh ordered out in the hall.

Ezih bowed and walked off while Iroh continued towards his office followed by two Imperial
Firebenders.

He had not been waiting in his office long when Zuko and Chiara entered and bowed low to
him.

“Nephew.” He moved around his desk to hug him. “It's so good to see you again,” he said as
if they had been gone for months rather than weeks.

“You too, Uncle.”

Iroh took Chiara in his arms next. “My daughter, lovely as ever.” She returned his tight
embrace. “You look radiant,” he said to her.

“Thank you,” she smiled.

“How is my little grandchild doing?” he asked taking her hand and leading her to the table.

“I wouldn't even know he was there if it weren't for the firebending.”

Iroh laughed as they knelt around the table. “I have yet to find anyone able to explain it.
Great Sage Shyu is still researching it, but neither the sages nor the doctors have heard of
anything like it, not even among the mixed Nation families in the colonies.”

Ezih entered the room carrying a tray with two tea pots and a plate of cakes “Fire Lord,” he
acknowledged as he placed the tray on the table. “Prince, Princess, welcome home.”

“Thank you, Ezih,” said Chiara.

Iroh poured his special blend tea for Chiara before pouring jasmine for him and Zuko.

“So how was the meeting with Chief Arnook?” he asked eager to learn about their mission.

“It went well,” said Zuko.

Iroh smiled, feeling relieved. “It will be good to have peace now.”
“We brought back forty-one Fire Nation citizens,” said the prince. “They're being transported
to their families right now.”

The Fire Lord nodded. “Forty-one is far more than I would've expected to have survived,” he
said softly. “We can be thankful the Northern Tribe spent their resources to support them
instead of just executing them.”

“Especially considering we couldn't return any of their people,” said Zuko in a soft, somber
voice before taking a sip of his tea.

“That's not entirely true,” said Iroh with a slight smile. “Princess Chiara returned to them.”

Zuko looked puzzled. “Not really, not while she lives here.”

“She may live here, but your marriage has created a special union between our Nations—one
unlike any written peace treaty that could be arranged. And your children will be expected to
be familiar with both of their ancestries and cultures.”

Chiara was smirking. “Especially since they made Prince Zuko a Warrior of the Tribe.”

Iroh's eyes grew wide. “Did they, Nephew?” he asked excitedly. “Even I wasn't made a Tribe
member.”

Zuko was still feeling overwhelmed by his acceptance into the Tribe. “They have permanent
quarters for us in the colors of both Nations,” he said.

Iroh smiled and nodded. “They expect you will return with your little one to present him to
the Tribe.”

“They have a room for you as well,” added Chiara.

“Then I will go too for that ritual.”

“And I made sure to emphasize that you'll need your own Imperial Waterbenders when you
visit,” she said.

Iroh was chuckling. “It seems I have my own Imperial Firebending Waterbender right here.”

She smiled.

They continued drinking their tea, and his own smile dimmed as his mind drifted back to the
former prisoners of war.

“How were the soldiers you brought back?” he asked. “I know such a long exposure to the
cold must have been harsh for them.”

“None of them could firebend when we brought them on board,” said Zuko. “But Chiara
found a way to help them.”

Iroh looked at her. “Really? How so?”

“I healed the damage to their bodies caused by the cold, and then I...reignited their internal
flames, so to speak.”

“Very clever,” he said, impressed by her ability and determination. “And speaking of
healing,” he started with just the slightest hesitance, “Azula has been asking for you.” And
though it was not possible, he spoke softly for fear that Amiku might overhear him.

Chiara looked concerned. “Anybody hurt?”

“Not that I've been told,” he said.

She nodded. “I'll visit her tomorrow then.”

“You need to rest first,” said Zuko. “You spent a lot of energy healing the firebenders.”

“I'm fine now. I rested up on the way back. Besides, I'd rather not keep her waiting too long
considering what happened when we returned home from the Earth Kingdom.”

“I visited her myself,” said Iroh. “Your treatments seem to have helped her quite a bit.” He
took a sip of his tea wondering how they might take his next words. “I believe we should
remove her from the asylum—return her here to the palace.”

Zuko's cup hit the table with a little more force than he intended. “Do you think that's a good
idea?” he asked staring at his uncle.

“Aside from a few minor outbursts, she has improved considerably, and Chiara won't have to
travel so far so often to treat her.”

Zuko was not comfortable with the idea of Azula living with them in the palace.

“I believe it will be of benefit for her to be surrounded by family,” added Iroh.

“Family that loves her,” said Chiara in an audible undertone.

Iroh nodded in agreement.

“But it's her family she's tried to kill,” Zuko said deeply. “She's attacked every one of us.”

“Then we will make sure she understands that there will be no tolerance for violent
misbehavior,” said the Fire Lord.

Zuko was still troubled by it. “Maybe Aang will be willing to drop in a little more often,” he
said softly, speaking his thoughts aloud.

Chiara let out a little chuckle.

He shrugged. “I just think that maybe a little threat of energy-bending might keep her in
line.”

“I know what you were thinking,” she smiled at him.

“I'm sure it will not come to that,” said Iroh not wanting to see his niece end up like his
brother.

He added more tea to their cups.

“Have they been keeping you busy?” Chiara asked him.

“Oh, yes. Too busy. Now I know why I didn't want the job.”

“Too late,” Zuko blurted out. “You can't give it up yet.”

Iroh started laughing. “Don't worry, Nephew. You just prepare for being a father.”

Zuko froze as his uncle's words sank into his brain. “And how do I do that?”

“Ah...good point.” There was a sadness in his amber eyes as he stared at his teacup, but his
lips curved into the slightest smile. In his mind was the image of a chubby little babe with
coal-black hair in his arms. “There really is no way to prepare for your first child.”

His answer did nothing to help relieve Zuko's anxiety.

“But...it is the most rewarding job,” added Iroh gazing at them, his eyes sparkling. “It is these
moments with you two that I treasure most.”

His words brought a smile to their faces.

“And it's a nice break from boring meetings,” he added in a lighter tone.

“I guess now that I'm back, I need to go to the meetings with you,” said Zuko.

“In time, but first...” He pulled a scroll from inside his sleeve. “...a letter arrived for you a
few days ago.” It was apparent the seal had been broken as he held it out to him. “I hope
you'll forgive me, but I took the liberty of reading it just in case it might have been something
urgent that required immediate attention in your absence.”

Zuko took the scroll from him and unrolled it. He scanned it and looked at Chiara. “Noren
from Hira'a invited us to see their performance of Love Amongst the Dragons.”

She perked up. “How exciting.”

His eyes fell back on the letter. “He said they'll be performing it throughout the month, and if
we can't make it, he understands, and he's willing to put on a production just for us whenever
we're able to get there.” Zuko looked up at Iroh. “This isn't anything urgent. I can put it off
for now.”

“Actually, I think it would do you two good to take a vacation. You've both been working
very hard.”

“But so have you, Uncle...”

Iroh raised his hand. “Family first, Nephew. Take your wife and go to Hira'a. It's a lovely
little village.”

“We've already been there,” he said.

Iroh raised his eyebrows. “Have you?”

“That's where we went to find a doctor for Chiara—when we found out she was pregnant.”

“How pleasant,” Iroh smiled.

“But there's no rush,” said Zuko. “We can go any time.”

“I think it's important that you go as soon as possible,” he insisted.

Zuko and Chiara were both curious by his insistence, as well as suspicious.

“Why?” he asked.

Iroh's back straightened. “I have learned that Ursa, daughter of Jinzuk and Rina,
granddaughter of Avatar Roku, hails from Hira'a.”

“What?!” said Zuko.

Even Chiara's eyes grew wide at the news.

“Do you think that's where she could be?” he asked, excitement in his voice.

“That I cannot say,” said Iroh relaxing his posture.

“We never saw her when we were there,” said Chiara.

Zuko was trying to recollect all the people he met wondering if he might have seen her in the
small crowd and did not recognize her. He was sure he would have known his own mother's
face. It left him with a deeper concern.

“Maybe...maybe she didn't want to see me,” he said softly.

Chiara placed her hand on his back. “If Aunt Ursa had been there, she would've come to
you.”

“But everyone in Hira'a knew we were there,” he said. “No one said anything about Mom,
not even the doctor.”

“She might not have returned there,” she suggested, “especially considering the
circumstances.”

Zuko gently nodded as he considered the possibility. “She might've been too afraid of Ozai,”
he said thoughtfully. He sighed. “I...I need to talk to him again.” He cringed at the thought of
seeing him, especially after their last encounter.
It always broke Chiara's heart to see his depressed state whenever he returned from the
prison, and she was worried about him visiting Ozai again.

“He wasn't very helpful the other times you talked to him,” she said. “And didn't he say he'd
never tell you where she was?”

“Which means he knows something.”

Iroh was stroking his beard in thoughtful contemplation. “I do not believe Ozai will be
willing to give you information, Nephew,” he said. “However, he may be more forthcoming
with Azula.”

Zuko considered it. He knew Azula had just been a tool to Ozai, but he was reluctant to get
his sister involved.

The next morning, the Prince and Princess took a ship to Heiwa Island. Upon entering
Azula's room, Chiara was surprised to see her with her arms and legs strapped in chair since
the doctor had said nothing of any staff injuries. Azula peered up relieved to see her, and she
was anxious for her healing treatment that had destroyed the voices in her head and always
helped her relax. Her pride, however, still kept her from speaking her feelings, and she forced
a condescending facade.

“It's about time you returned,” she said haughtily.

“It looks like you were causing trouble again,” said Chiara.

A smirk grew on Azula's face. “Only a little.”

“Considering how they have you restrained, I'd say more than a little,” she said stepping
towards her and kneeling down in front of her. “You promised me you wouldn't hurt anyone.”

“I promised you I wouldn't burn anyone. I did keep that promise. Not one of those pesky
servants was burned.”

“They're only here to help you, Azula.”

“Oh, I hardly hurt any of them,” she shrugged as much as she could in her restraints. “I think
they're just afraid of me.”

“Don't give them a reason to be afraid of you then,” said Chiara simply.

She did not remove the restraints, but she did reach up and move the loose strands of hair
behind her ear. It did not escape Zuko's notice how Azula seemed to relax at Chiara's
motherly touch.

“So how was your old homestead?” Azula's tone was still one of arrogance.

“It was quite cold,” she answered. “Maybe one day you can visit with us.”
Azula rolled her eyes. “Like I'd want to be wheeled in a chair into some savage ice hut.”

“The cold weather'll be quite challenging to your firebending skills,” said Chiara pleasantly.

Her attempt to pique Azula's interest with a challenge was successful.

“Well...,” started Azula thoughtfully, “...it might be...interesting to test my firebending there.”

“Uncle wants you back at the palace,” said Zuko bluntly, his harsh tone in contrast to Chiara's
gentle one. He was not completely ready to have her home again.

Azula looked up at him not expecting the news. “Wh-what? Uncle...wants...me?”

Chiara smiled at her and nodded. “Yes.”

She felt numb. She wanted to be happy, ecstatic, but she could not help being suspicious, and
she glared at Zuko. “Why? I tried to kill his favorite nephew.”

“I'm his only nephew, Azula,” said Zuko dryly.

She tensed up. “So I get to be wheeled around the palace like an invalid?” she asked, anger
rising inside her at the thought.

“No,” he said. “Out of the restraints.”

She seemed to relax.

“But...,” started Zuko, causing her to tense up again. “...we need you to do something first.”

She glared at him expecting an impossible request would be made of her.

“I've had conversations with Ozai and it's gone nowhere,” he started. “He refuses to reveal
what happened to Mom. So I've come to an uncomfortable conclusion.” He stared at her
wondering if this would be a mistake. “You are the only person in the world who can coax the
information I need out of him.”

Her glare turned into a frown at the thought of her father. “Talk to Father?” she asked
skeptically. “That's it?”

“Get him to talk about what happened to Mom.”

Azula sat in silent thought. She often wondered what happened to their mother, but had never
dared before to question Ozai about her. “I'll do it.”

Zuko's eyes lit up.

“On one condition,” she added.

The light left his eyes nearly making her smirk.

“What condition?” he asked.

She kept her face expressionless. “My dear sister-in-law serves us tea—Father and me.”

“No,” he said instantly. “Absolutely not.”

Chiara looked up at him.

“That's my condition,” said Azula. “You can accept it or I don't speak to Father, and I'll just
stay in this crazy house.”

“This is ridiculous, Azula! I'm not letting her anywhere near Fath...Ozai!”

Her lip curled at his slip. “He's sitting in a prison cell, and you told me he can't even firebend.
What are you afraid of?”

“Prince Zuko, if it'll help find Aunt Ursa...,” started Chiara.

“I don't want you near him,” he said adamantly.

“I guess we don't find mother then,” said his sister turning her face away from him.

He was getting frustrated with her. “Chiara doesn't have anything to do with this...”

She gave him a determined look. “If you want me to get information out of Father, then I
want your wife to serve the tea,” she insisted.

He glared at her. “Why are you doing this, Azula?” he demanded.

The smile she gave him sent chills down his spine, as if she was about to burn something of
his.

“I think a nice family reunion will be quite helpful in coaxing that information,” she said
pleasantly.

He crossed his arms. “No. It's not going to happen,” he said with finality.

-------------------

While they were sailing back to the main island, Zuko took Chiara's hand and pulled her over
to the railing.

“You don't have to do this, you know,” he said softly, still holding her hand.

“I want to. Aunt Ursa deserves to be home with her family.”

“If she's alive,” he said sadly looking down.

She tenderly touched his cheek. “And we'll never know if we don't try everything possible.”

She could see the concern in his golden eyes.

“I'm worried about what he might do,” he said.

“He can't do anything...”

“He can insult you and degrade you.” The fire in his eyes darkened.

“Insults coming from a psychopathic homicidal maniac are not going to hurt me,” she tried to
assure him.

The worry reappeared in his eyes as he turned them down. “It'll hurt me to hear it.” There was
pain in his voice at the mere thought of Ozai insulting her.

“It's for your mother. We can do this.”

His eyes were drawn up to hers. He could see the hope in them, and if it were not for Kaito,
Nai, and Izin standing a short distance away near Azula in her wheelchair, and members of
the crew walking about on deck, he would have kissed her, but as Crown Prince he was
expected to maintain a respectable image in public which meant keeping his lips to himself.

I love you, he mouthed silently.

She smiled and mouthed it back, I love you too.

--------------------

In the Capital City Prison, two prison guards led the way to Ozai's cell. Zuko was pushing
Azula's chair while Chiara walked behind them, Izin next to her carrying a tray, and Kaito
and Nai were following as well. The guards stopped and opened the door allowing Zuko to
take Azula inside. Izin handed the tray to Chiara before she followed them.

Ozai was sitting quietly in the back of his cell, and hearing the door creak, his eyes slid open.
They narrowed as he glared at Zuko, but the hatred in his eyes grew even deeper when he
spotted Chiara. “How dare you allow that savage spy into my presence,” he said deeply.

“It was my idea, Father,” chimed in Azula pleasantly. “I thought it would be nice to have the
family together.”

Ozai sneered. “Just because your pathetic brother beds that...thing...doesn't make it family,”
he scoffed.

“You won't speak about her like that!” yelled Zuko. He was used to Ozai's animosity and
insults against himself, but he had no tolerance for the man's behavior towards his wife.

Chiara set the tray down and quickly placed her hand on Zuko's arm to calm him down. “It's
okay,” she said, looking into his eyes, though his were still giving Ozai a death glare. “Don't
let him get to you.”

“Ahem...I was promised tea,” said Azula as if talking to a servant.

Zuko was unable to unclench his fists regretting agreeing to the meeting. Chiara gently
caressed his arm before kneeling down by the tray to prepare the tea.
“That Water flea isn't worth being a slave, much less a concubine,” growled Ozai. “I
should've squashed the little parasite as soon as my traitorous brother brought it home.”

He was taking perverse pleasure in seeing Zuko steam at his insults.

“Such a disgrace,” he continued. “The headpiece of our deceased Princess Mina adorning the
head of a filthy savage.”

“Like you ever cared about Aunt Mina,” Zuko growled. Though Iroh's wife had died long
before Zuko was born, he was sure that Ozai had never cared about anyone other than
himself.

“At least she was pure Fire Nation blood and not the seed of some uncivilized barbarian.”

Zuko was finding it difficult to control his temper.

“You're speaking of the future Fire Lady, Father,” said Azula smoothly.

“She will never be the future anything of the Fire Nation! I don't want her in my presence!
Remove her!” he demanded.

“But, Father,” said Azula, “I thought you might enjoy spending time with your grandchild...”

The sound of the teapot unintentionally slamming against the tray echoed through the cell.
Neither Zuko nor Chiara told Azula of the baby, and neither of them had known that she
knew. Ozai glared even more upon hearing the news.

“What's wrong, Brother?” asked Azula. “You didn't think I knew about my niece or
nephew?” Zuko was silent. “It doesn't take a genius to figure out how a waterbender can
firebend.”

Ozai raised his eyebrows upon hearing the unusual news.

“Nobody knows how it's possible, Azula,” said Zuko. “Not even the sages.”

“She's a waterbender that can suddenly bend fire; clearly she's carrying a firebender,” she
said in a lofty, gloating tone. “It's the only explanation.”

“You're supposed to conquer the barbarians, not mate with them making half-breed beasts,”
sneered Ozai disgustedly.

Zuko suddenly launched a fireball into Ozai's cell. Ozai automatically raised his arm in a
firebending move to block the attack, but he produced no fire of his own and could not divert
the flame. He was hit, the sleeve of his garment catching fire burning his forearm. Chiara
stood up and extinguished the fire before pulling Zuko's arm taking him out of the cell into
the hall. If he had stayed, he might have seen the devilish smirk on Ozai's face despite the
burn on his arm.

“I hate that man!” yelled Zuko.

The flames burning in the lamps along the wall flared up as they passed them heading down
to the end of the corridor.

“What happened?” asked Nai as she followed them.

“He's being Ozai,” answered Chiara. “He's trying to provoke you,” she said to Zuko when
they stopped. “You can't let him get to you.”

“How can that not bother you the way he talks about you and the baby?”

“I told you—he's a psychopathic maniac who intended to burn down the entire Earth
Kingdom, who burned and banished his own son. Nothing he says to me can be worse than
what he's done to you or tried to do to others.”

Zuko turned away from her. “I-I can't do this,” he said, visibly upset. “I can't listen to him
talk to you that way.”

“I'll take care of it,” she said.

She turned to go back, but he grabbed her arm. “No. You're not going in there alone with
those two.”

She did not argue with him. “Maybe Azula will still get the information out of him,” she said
softly.

“You really think she's going to help? This was her plan. She knew exactly what she was
doing and what was going to happen!” he said angrily. “And...and how did she know about
the baby?”

Chiara had been wondering that too, but she knew how astute Azula was. “If I had been
firebending before I knew I was pregnant, I might've come up with the same conclusion.”

Zuko stood staring down the hall. “I'm not sure it's a good idea to bring her to the palace.”

“But we promised she could return,” she said. “We can't go back on that.”

He looked down feeling frustrated. “I don't trust her. We'll look for Mom without her and
without...without that...that psychopath,” he growled.

They remained in the hall while Zuko tried to calm down.

Just when Zuko was considering leaving Azula locked up with Ozai for good, one of the
guards walked up to them. “Prince Zuko, the princess is asking for you.”

He let out a deep sigh. “Stay here,” he said to Chiara before walking back down to Ozai's
cell.

Nai stepped close to her. “He was insulting you and the baby?” she asked softly.
“Of course. But besides the fact that he's a hateful man, he was trying to get Prince Zuko to
lose his temper.”

“To what end?”

“He derives pleasure out of torturing his own son,” she said sadly. “Prince Zuko set his arm
on fire.”

When Nai started laughing, Chiara looked at her.

“After what the prince did at Boiling Rock, you didn't expect him to...explode?” asked Nai.

The princess could not help smirking. “I guess I should have.”

“Ozai's lucky it was just his arm.”

Chiara was shaking her head still disgusted by Ozai's sadistic nerve. “I was really tempted to
extinguish it with hot tea just to douse him.”

“Why didn't you?” asked Nai, knowing she herself would not have resisted.

“I didn't want to jeopardize Azula's attempt to get any helpful information out of him.”

Nai leaned towards her. “Do you really think his sister will get anything out of him?” she
asked in a low voice.

“If Ozai knows anything, I think Azula's the only one he'll share it with.”

Zuko walked down the hall towards them pushing the chair while Azula gave Chiara a
devilish smirk.

They left the prison in silence, and it was not until they were in the carriage on their way to
the palace that Azula finally broke it.

“Aren't you curious about what Father said, Brother?”

“No,” he said abruptly, turning to stare blankly out the window. “Nothing he says is of any
importance.”

She cocked her head at him. “You wanted me to get information out of him, and I have, and
now you don't even want to know what it is?”

He was glaring at nothing in particular. “It wasn't worth it,” he said, his voice deep.

“Oh, come now, what are you so upset about?” she said lightly as if it were all a game.
“Because he called Chiara a few names? Look at her. You don't see her brooding about it.”

He turned his glare on her. “You didn't need to have her there! This was just another one of
your ridiculous head games!”
She was unfazed by his anger and his scolding. “Well, I won't argue with you on that, Zuzu,
but I will tell you it was for Father.”

He had no idea what she meant, and he could not help taking the bait. “What? What are you
talking about?”

She smirked at him. “I simply had to convince Father that I was on his side, and what better
way to do that than have him distracted by an enemy.”

He was still scowling at her.

“I can see you still don't get it,” she said. “Father knew I was there to get information about
Mother and he knew it was your idea. He wouldn't have given me any information
without...well, without an appropriate sacrifice.”

Her explanation was only making him feel more heated. “My family should not have been a
sacrifice to Ozai!”

“If it makes you feel any better think of Chiara as an icebreaker.” She giggled at her own pun.

Zuko turned away from her to stare out the window again. “Whatever.”

Azula's eyes slid to Chiara who looked bored.

“Honestly, Chiara, I don't know how you put up with his Royal Sulkiness.”

She had grown up with their arguing, and as far as she was concerned, as long as they were
not killing each other, she did not need to step in.

“I wouldn't have to if you didn't instigate so much,” she said.

“Oh, he makes it too easy to mess with him,” smirked Azula.

“That doesn't mean you have to,” said Chiara.

Azula just giggled and shrugged within her restraints.

“So...when is my niece or nephew due?” she asked. “And when were you going to tell me
about it? He is family after all.”

“Like you care anything about family,” said Zuko in a low voice.

“About five and a half moon cycles,” said Chiara. “And when it's announced is the Fire
Lord's decision.”

“Ah, yes,” she said with a slight eyeroll. “The Fire Lord. I suppose Uncle's quite the happy
grandfather.”

“It's better than a murderous one,” mumbled Zuko.

Azula chuckled softly at the truthfulness of his comment.

 ---------------------

Once inside the palace, Zuko removed Azula's restraints, but before she could stand, he
moved in front of her holding her wrists down against the chair as he leaned towards her
focusing his golden eyes on hers.

“If you try anything, Azula, the Avatar will be more than willing to do a little energy
bending,” he threatened deeply. “And then you can share a cell with your father.”

By his deep and serious tone, she knew her brother was not joking, and for a moment she felt
unnerved by the thought of losing her bending like Ozai, but she recollected herself and gave
him a devilish smirk. “Oh, I'll behave, Zuzu.”

He stood up straight. “Uncle wants to see you.”

“Of course.”

Azula walked free on Zuko's left while Chiara walked on his right, her hand on his arm.
Kaito, Nai, and Izin followed but stopped at the door of the Fire Lord's office. The two
Imperial Firebenders guarding the entrance bowed to the royal family.

“The Fire Lord's expecting you, your Highnesses,” said Shin before opening the door.

Zuko stepped inside with Chiara on his arm followed by Azula. When they entered the office
from the antechamber, Iroh's eyes lit up at the sight of the three of them.

“Azula, my niece, it's good to see you home again.” He stood up and stepped around his
desk.

“Uncle...um...Fire Lord,” she greeted him stiffly without bowing.

He wrapped his arms around her and gently laughed. “'I've told you before, Niece, I prefer
'Uncle.'”

While she felt awkward being hugged, she did not fight it.

“Sit,” he directed them. “Ezih is bringing tea.”

They knelt around the table.

“So Ozai was helpful?” he asked.

“No,” said Zuko deeply. “He was a complete waste.”

“I disagree with you, Zuzu,” said Azula lightly. “He provided information which might prove
useful.”

“What kind of information?” asked Iroh.

“Nothing that's worth hearing, I'm sure,” said Zuko darkly before Azula could say anything.
“Chiara and I will leave for Hira'a tomorrow.” His sister looked at him. “We'll start there and
find out what we can on our own,” he finished.

Iroh could sense the magma bubbling beneath the surface threatening to burst out. “If that is
what you want,” he said not pushing the issue. “Take as long as you need. You certainly
earned the time off.”

Ezih placed the tray of tea on the table.

“I thought you didn't know anything about Mother?” Azula asked Zuko.

“Uncle found out she's from Hira'a, but that's all we know. We don't know if she returned
there. We were hoping Ozai might have more information.”

Azula said nothing.

--------------------

That evening, Zuko and Chiara were in their room preparing for their trip the next day.

“Did you hear that?” he whispered to her.

Her frozen posture answered his question, but she nodded. Thinking it was too late for
servants to be walking around and still concerned about having Azula in the palace, Zuko
quietly opened the door and looked out.

“What is it?” Chiara whispered.

“It's Azula,” he whispered back.

He quietly stepped into the hallway, Chiara silently behind him, and they began following his
sister. They trailed her through a maze of corridors until she disappeared behind a doorway.
Approaching the room, the door was left open, and Zuko carefully peered inside. When he
entered there was no sign of Azula.

“I don't understand it,” he said looking around at the simple room. “We saw her come in
here.”

They studied the few furnishings, including a table, candles, incense, and a large image of a
flame hanging on the wall. Zuko touched the image.

“It's still warm,” he said.

He stepped back and shot flames towards it. The outline of the image glowed orange before
its frame slid across the wall revealing a passageway behind it.

Chiara smiled at him. “You're still finding secret passages.”

They stepped inside and followed the passage to another room lit up by a fire in a brazier.
They scanned the items filling the room: clothing from the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom,
vases, several trunks, and even a canoe hanging from the ceiling. In the corner of the room
they spotted Azula digging through a trunk.

“They're here, just like Father said,” she whispered.

“What is this place?” asked Zuko.

“One of Father's many secret chambers,” she said.

She stood up and turned towards them holding several envelopes in her hand.

“What are you holding?” he asked her.

“What, these?” She held them up tauntingly. “They're many years' worth of letters that
Mother wrote, and they're the key to finding her.”

“Give them to me,” he demanded.

She grinned at him. “But I thought you weren't interested in anything Father had to say.”

He stepped closer to her. “Just give them to me,” he ordered.

“Fine,” she shrugged. “Come have a look.”

As soon as they approached her the letters were engulfed in blue flames.

“No!” yelled Zuko jumping towards her. “Azula, what's wrong with you?”

There was nothing but black ash drifting to the floor.

“Why would you do that?” asked Chiara.

She glared at them, her fists clenched. “You two are going to leave me here alone to go look
for Mother,” she said, her voice filled with resentment.

“So you don't want us to find her?” asked Zuko.

“Believe it or not, dear Brother, I want to find her just as much as you do.” Her fists relaxed.
“So I'll tell you what was in those letters on one condition.”

Zuko was scowling. “Now what? Another sacrifice of my family?” he asked sarcastically.

Her lip curled. “I want to go with you.”

Zuko and Chiara were both surprised by her request, but Zuko was hesitant, suspecting he
would have to watch his back the entire time.

“You could've just asked, Azula,” said Chiara simply.

 “And would you have said 'yes'?”

Zuko did not answer knowing he would have refused her.

Chiara stepped closer to her. “Aunt Ursa's your mother, too. You have every right to look for
her.”

Zuko thought he saw his sister's eyes soften.

“Come on,” said Chiara. “We're leaving early. Pack a bag. We don't know how long we'll be
gone.”

They left the room together, neither Zuko nor Chiara seeing the letter hidden in Azula's tunic.

Chapter End Notes

Parts of this have been taken from "The Search."

 Discovery
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

After breakfast with the Fire Lord, Zuko, Chiara, and Azula set sail for the island where
Hira'a was located. The ship on which they traveled was not the royal barge, but a smaller
one for quick travel among the islands and unlikely to attract the attention of anyone curious
to catch a glimpse of the royal family.

Zuko and Chiara stood at the rail of the ship watching the main island shrink in the distance.
As his home disappeared, he wondered how long it would be before he would return this
time. He was once again undertaking another mission with little information to aid him in his
search. But he at least had the consolation that he could return home any time he chose. He
had already decided that he would not spend years on this journey; he would not lose himself
in it the way he had during his search for the Avatar. For as much as he wanted to find his
mother, he knew she would not want him to throw away his life searching for her, especially
with a wife and child to look after—and traveling with him—again. Instead of remaining in
the Caldera and being pampered in the palace, despite Amiku's insistence, she, too, was
embarking on another expedition with him. He looked at Chiara quietly standing next to him.
Her soft green eyes were fixed upon the sea. His golden eyes sparkled as they followed the
loose obsidian spirals bouncing around her cheeks. The rest of her hair was braided for travel,
and her diadem was around her neck. Neither of them wore their headpiece, and they were
both attired in simple traveling clothes, but lack of adornment did not diminish her beauty as
he continued gazing at her.

He softly ran his fingers down her arm to her hand. “I'm going to make your tea,” he said.

She looked up into his fiery eyes and gave him a smile in thanksgiving for his tender care for
her.

They had long ago run out of Nersala's tea, but Zuko made sure to pack his uncle's blend for
her which they both found far more palatable. There were only three bags among him,
Chiara, and Azula, and they were lying on the deck where he had instructed they be left. He
and Azula had backpacks while he only allowed Chiara to carry a smaller bag with lighter
supplies. Reaching for his pack to look for tea, he realized once he opened it that it was not
the bag he had packed. He was about to close it and move it aside, but his eyes fell on a
folded piece of parchment. It looked old, reminding him of the letters Azula had burned the
night before. Curiosity getting the better of him, he reached in and lifted it out of the bag.
After carefully unfolding it, he read the contents:

My dearest Ikem, It's taken me a long time to admit it, but you were right. I belong with you,
and nothing is worth this pain. My one consolation is our son Zuko. When I look into his
eyes, it's as if I'm looking into yours. My thoughts are with you always. Love, Ursa.

Zuko's eyes made their way back to our son.

He stood up and slowly walked over to the rail next to Chiara. Seeing his dazed expression,
she was immediately worried.

“Hey, love, are you okay?”

His dazed eyes met her worried ones and he gently shook his head. “I...I don't know.”

He held out the letter to her, and she took it, scanning over the words. He watched her eyes
grow wide with shock.

“Where'd you get this?” she asked, her eyes still on the letter.

“I found it in Azula's bag.”

She looked up at him. “This is one of the letters she found in that room.”

He slowly nodded his head and turned out towards the sea, his mind turning over everything.
She stood next to him not knowing what to say. Still holding the letter in one hand, she gently
caressed his back with the other.

“We'll find Aunt Ursa and she'll explain this,” she assured him.

“What's to explain? Why would she write it if it weren't true?”

“Then why would it be among Ozai's things?” she asked wondering if it could be a forgery
intended to discredit Ursa.

“I don't know,” he said softly. “But...it makes sense of so much of my life. When I was
younger he told me that he had planned to throw me from the palace after I was born because
he wasn't sure if I was a bender.”

Chiara was reminded of Ozai's words when he was brought back to the Fire Nation after his
defeat by Aang. The anger she felt in hearing him speak such hatred to his own son made her
want to turn his blood to ice to match his cold heart. “What a terrible thing to say!”

Zuko's lip curled at her reaction. “Mom said the same thing.” He looked at her. “But maybe it
was more than that. I wasn't even his. That's why he was ready to take my life without even
arguing when Azulon commanded him to. And he was able to banish me without a second
thought.”

He took the letter from her and stared at it.

She wrapped her hand around his upper arm. “How are you feeling about this?” she asked.

His eyes stared at the words our son.

“You know...I feel relieved,” he said softly. “Most of my life I thought his cruelty was
justified because I was a bad son...” She leaned her body against his. “...a failure,” he
continued. “It took me a long time to figure out he was just a bad father. But he's not even my
real father...”
“So you discovered Mother's little secret.”

They turned around to see Azula with a mischievous smirk on her face.

“You're not as upset as I expected, Zuzu,” she said. “I was sure this would really have you
brooding.”

“Why? Because I'm not the son of a psychopath?” he asked calmly.

She rolled her eyes. “Because you're not the true heir to the throne, dum-dum.”

“And you think Uncle will make you his heir now?”

“Well, I am of royal blood and Uncle's true niece,” she said with an air of haughtiness.

“Not all family is by blood, Azula,” said Chiara.

“Of course you would say that, Savage.”

“Azula...,” scolded Zuko.

“Yes, Sister,” said Chiara, “of course I would.” She smiled sweetly at her.

Azula returned her smile with a scowl.

“You remind me of someone,” said Chiara in a playfully thoughtful voice. “Oh yeah...your
brother. How many times he gave that look to the crew. And as I'm quite sure that Aunt Ursa
never made that face, I'm guessing it came from your father.”

Zuko could not help chuckling at Chiara's teasing and Azula's tolerance of it.

“You laugh, Brother, but you do realize she's accusing you of being that psychopath's son.”

“Maybe that face was a trait I just learned from you and your father,” he said.

Azula huffed at him rolling her eyes again before stepping up to the rail to stand next to him.

He turned back towards the sea and looked down at the letter, his mind drifting back to the
likely possibility that he was not Ozai's son. Feelings of comprehension and relief still
washed over him. All the years of struggling to be a perfect son and now he understood why
he could never be that to Ozai. And that he was not related to the man by blood made him
feel lighter.

“Do you want to know what happened to him?”

Zuko, drawn from his thoughts, looked at his sister wondering what she meant. “What?”

“The man in the letter. Do you want to know what happened to him?”

His mind had been so occupied with not being Ozai's son, he had not really taken the time to
consider Ikem...his father.
“You know?” Chiara asked her.

“Father...,” she started, “...my father...told me.”

“What did he say?” asked Zuko, the new revelation making him forget his previous anger
that kept him from wanting to learn any information Ozai shared with her.

She smirked, but she did not taunt him. “He sent a Yuyan archer after him,” she said matter-
of-factly as if it were a perfectly normal thing to do.

“What?!” asked Chiara. “He killed him?!”

“That's what Father said.”

Zuko was not surprised. “I wouldn't put it past him to have killed Mom too,” he said sadly,
feeling less hopeful about their search for her.

“He didn't have her killed,” she said.

“Did he tell you that?” he asked her.

“No.”

“Then how do you know that?”

You have failed me, Azula, came her father's voice full of disappointment. The image of his
eyes boring into her as he sat staring at her from behind the bars the previous day was still
vivid in her mind. But unlike your worthless brother you can redeem yourself....Find your
traitorous mother and end her...

“Because if he had killed her, he would've told me,” she said.

A little spark of hope flared up again, and he wanted to believe they could...would find her,
but then he questioned himself as to how much he could trust his sister.

“It explains a lot doesn't it?” said Azula, her thoughts now dwelling on their past.

Zuko looked at her wondering what she was talking about.

“Now I know why Mother loved you more...,” she went on.

“What?” He was appalled his sister would say something so absurd. “She didn't love me
more.”

She turned to him. “Of course she did. You were the son of her lover and I was the daughter
of the man she hated.” Her eyes moved back out to the waves. “When she looked at me she
saw him and hated me for it,” she said deeply.

Chiara could hear the hurt in her voice and Zuko took a step back from the rail as she
advanced towards his sister. “Stop!” she demanded. “Aunt Ursa loved both of you equally.”
“How would you know?” she asked rudely. “You weren't always there to see her coddling
him.”

“Grow up, Azula,” said Zuko. “Just because she didn't praise you the way Ozai did, doesn't
mean she didn't love you. She loved you far more than that man. He only ever loved himself.
The only reason he praised you so much was because you were a tool for him.”

She glared at him. Find your traitorous mother and end her. Make me proud....She had long
suspected that her father was using her, but she hated that Zuko knew it.

He turned away from her focusing on the sea. “Do you know why Ozai married her?” he
asked, his voice calm.

She had never considered it before. Her mother was not a firebender and she was not the
daughter of a noble. The only asset seemed to be her great beauty, but Azula doubted very
much that would be Ozai's reason for taking Ursa as his wife.

Her mind was occupied with trying to identify a reason and she did not answer his question.

“She was the granddaughter of Avatar Roku,” he said softly.

Her glare disappeared as her mouth dropped open, and she placed her hand on his arm staring
at him wide-eyed. “How do you know that?”

“Uncle. He said that the Fire Sages told Azulon that bringing Avatar Roku's descendant
together with the Fire Lord's would lead to a powerful bloodline.”

She did not know what to think and she grew silent as her mind processed this new
information. Her mother had been forced to marry her father and forced to be her mother
because her father and grandfather conspired together to create a weapon that they could
manipulate to their advantage. She suddenly felt more alone than ever.

--------------------

It was only a few hours later when they arrived at the island where Hira'a was located.

“Are you sure you don't want me to go with you, Princess?” asked Nai when the ship pulled
up to the dock. “I know you'll be with Prince Zuko...and his crazy sister,” she added in a
whisper. “But I don't feel right sitting here on the boat while something could happen to you
out there.”

“I'll be fine, Lady Nai,” she said. “We've been here before. And Azula...despite her
attitude...has been doing tremendously better.”

“Are you ready?” asked Zuko walking up to her carrying his backpack and her bag.

“I am.”

He looked at Nai and could see the concern in her eyes. “She'll be okay, Nai. You don't have
to worry about her. I'll make sure they both come back safely.”
“I can take care of myself, Brother,” said Azula defensively, stepping up to them.

“I wasn't talking about you,” he said flatly. “I meant Chiara and the baby.”

She rolled her eyes, but she did not want to admit that part of her felt hurt. “Of course you
did,” she spoke in an undertone.

The three of them stepped off the boat onto the dock, Zuko between the two young women.
Besides his simple clothing, he covered his scarred eye with an eye patch, and for extra
anonymity he wore a cloak with a hood.

Leaving the dock, they walked towards the forest.

“Where's the carriage?” asked Azula.

“There is no carriage,” said Zuko following the path he and Chiara had traveled months
earlier. “We have to go on foot.”

“Really, Brother? We have to walk like peasants?” she said, annoyed by the inconvenience.

“Since when is walking something only peasants do?” asked Chiara.

“Says the peasant.”

“Azula...!” started Zuko.

Chiara, who had been holding onto his arm, caressed it to calm him down, but Azula was
laughing at his snippy reaction.

“I do prefer you as my brother over Chiara as my sister. She's far too calm and less fun to
agitate.”

Zuko rolled his eyes, and they continued into the forest.

“This is ridiculous,” complained Azula when they had cleared the woods and started passing
through the farmland. “We should've brought one of the palace carriages since these...little
people couldn't even bother to provide one.”

“We're here undercover, Azula,” said Zuko. “At least for a while.”

She snorted. “You really think a bunch of simpletons are even going to recognize you?”

“You're right,” he said calmly. “It's not like I have any distinguishing features that would
make me stick out in a crowd.”

Her lip curled. “These backwoods rubes probably don't even know who the current Fire Lord
is, so I doubt you're going to get mobbed by anyone.”

Zuko and Chiara shared a private glance, and they could not help grinning at each other as
they thought about the last time they were in Hira'a.
“Some husband you are,” continued Azula as they traveled along the rough path. “Your wife
is pregnant and you're making her walk like this.”

“It isn't the first time,” he undertoned, making Chiara giggle.

“I don't mind the walk,” said Chiara. “It's good for my peasant bones.”

Azula started laughing, but Zuko just sighed.

“Don't encourage her,” he said to his wife.

They continued walking until they came to a split in the road.

“Forgetful Valley?” asked Azula when she saw the sign indicating the path leading into a
valley where they could see a dark forest. “I wish I could forget this whole pathetic excuse
for an island.”

They followed the clear, brighter path.

“How much farther?” she asked, the trek seeming endless to her.

“We're getting close now,” said Chiara pointing to a few huts ahead.

Zuko was tired of his sister's constant protesting. “You didn't have to come, Azula.”

“And you find Mother without me? I'm sure that's just what you wanted.”

“What I want is for you to stop complaining about everything.”

“It was a simple question, not a complaint.” The number of huts were growing as they arrived
at the outskirts of Hira'a. “Now this backwater dump of a village...this is something to
complain about,” she said arrogantly.

Chiara leaned forward to peer at her from Zuko's right side. “Aunt Ursa's from this village,”
she said. “Welcome to peasant blood, Sister.”

Azula glared at her, but there was no real hatred in it, and it made Chiara grin.

Zuko was beginning to notice the change in his sister. Though she could still be arrogant and
condescending, sometimes it almost seemed playful, as if deep down she just did not know
how to act otherwise. And so far, he had yet to see her use her firebending against him or
Chiara. But after years of dealing with her cruelty, he still felt on edge and worried that she
might relapse into her old self.

“So what do we do now?” asked Azula when they drew close to the main street in Hira'a.

“I think we should go to the theater first,” said Zuko.

“What?!” she said coming to a stop. “The theater?”

They turned and looked at her as she stood glaring at them with her hand on her hip.
“We're here to look for Mother, and the first thing you want to do is watch a play?”

“The director invited us to a performance of Love Amongst the Dragons. I think we should
watch it, and then we can focus on finding Mom.”

“Ugh, this is stupid,” she whined. “I didn't think we were going to have to watch some yokel
version of a classic play.”

“It can't be any worse than the Ember Island Players performance,” shrugged Chiara.

“Are you kidding?” Azula asked her. “The vacation spot for the Fire Nation's wealthiest elite
has the worst taste in theater. So just imagine how this one-ostrich horse village will butcher
it.”

“If a lot of villagers show up to watch it, it'll provide a good opportunity to question them
about Mom after it's over,” said Zuko.

Azula huffed at the delay. “Fine,” she caved.

They continued down the main road. The town was not very large, and it was easy enough to
find where they performed the plays. When they found the outdoor theater, the stage was
empty, but there were a few people strolling around.

“Excuse me,” said Zuko stopping one of the men nearby. “Where can we find Noren the
director?”

“Oh, he lives right down there,” he said pointing down one of the roads. “Turn right on that
path and follow it to the house with the fence around it.”

Zuko and Chiara bowed in gratitude before following the man's directions.

“Great,” moaned Azula as she reluctantly followed the couple inside the fence, “we get to
visit one of the hovels.”

“Be nice, Azula,” hissed Zuko before knocking on the door.

She rolled her eyes and stood with her arms crossed just as the door opened.

Noren's eyes grew wide at the sight of the prince and princess. “Prince Zuko, Princess...”

“Shhh. We're here undercover,” whispered Zuko looking back behind them hoping no one
was passing by.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Noren whispered back. “I'm...I'm really pleased...honored to see you. Please
come in.”

“Who is it, dear?”

Noriko walked into the room looking shocked when she saw the royal couple. “Prince Zuko,
Princess Chiara...” She bowed to them.
“Lady Noriko,” greeted Zuko.

“It's good to see you again,” said Chiara.

“This is my sister, Azula,” said Zuko.

“It's an honor to have you in our home, Princess Azula,” said Noriko.

She just turned away, haughtily scanning the dwelling. Noriko looked back up at the prince.

“We were so happy to hear of your return to the Capital,” she said.

“Yes,” said Noren as he stood next to his wife and placed his arm around her back. “The
defeat of Ozai has really changed the atmosphere here on the island. Everyone's hoping Fire
Lord Iroh will maintain peace with the other Nations.”

“It's what he's working for,” said Zuko. “It's what we're all working for.”

“Please sit,” said Noriko inviting them to the table. “So what brings you to Hira'a?”

“We just returned from a mission at the North Pole, and we received Noren's invitation for
Love Amongst the Dragons,” the prince explained as he shed his cloak before kneeling at the
table.

Noriko smiled at Noren.

“I'm honored,” he said. “We're putting on a performance in an hour.”

“Oh, then we won't keep you...,” started Zuko.

“It's fine.”

“You should at least stay for tea,” said Noriko.

“I'll get it, love,” said Noren before he disappeared.

“Fire Prince!” came a squeal from a doorway. Kiyi was a flash across the room instantly
wrapping herself around Zuko. “I knew you'd come back!”

“Kiyi!” said her mother, appalled. “That's not how you treat the Crown Prince.”

Zuko was laughing as he returned her hug. “It's okay; I'm not the Crown Prince when I'm in
disguise.”

Kiyi gasped when her eyes moved to Chiara. “Chiara!” She left Zuko's arms to leap into
Chiara's.

“Kiyi! Honestly. At least address the princess properly,” scolded her mother. “I'm so sorry,”
she apologized to the couple for her daughter.

“It's good to see you again, Lady Kiyi,” said Chiara holding her.
“I missed you and the Fire Prince.”

“We missed you too,” she said.

Kiyi let go of her but stayed on her lap while Azula looked on curiously.

“How's Lady Nya doing?” asked Chiara.

“She's great,” answered Kiyi as she played with Chiara's long braid. “She likes to draw now.”

“Do you draw with her?” asked Chiara.

“Sometimes.” She looked up at the princess. “Will you visit her too?”

“I hope to see her while we're here.”

Kiyi jumped up and quickly ran off to another room.

“You and Noren have a beautiful home, Lady Noriko,” said Chiara. “How long have you two
been married?”

“Over five years now,” she smiled. “Noren and I found each other pretty late in life.”

As Noriko and Chiara talked, Kiyi reappeared holding a doll.

“Wanna meet my doll?” she asked as she stood between Zuko and Azula.

“Of course,” he smiled.

“No,” growled Azula scowling.

“This is Kiyi,” she said holding her doll out to Zuko.

“I thought your name was Kiyi,” he said.

“It's such a good name, I used it twice!”

He took in the doll's unevenly trimmed hair. “Well, little Kiyi has a
very...interesting...haircut,” he said running his finger over the doll's head.

“I wanted to make her prettier, but it didn't turn out very good,” she said with downcast eyes.

“My sister did stuff like that when she was little.”

“That's right,” said Azula. “Only I didn't give my dolls haircuts, I gave them headcuts!
Would you like me to show you?” she asked maliciously, holding out her hand.

Kiyi moved behind Zuko. “No!” she cried holding her doll close to her chest.

“Azula! Stop it!” he scolded her.

Noren walked in holding a tray with tea. “Kiyi, are you being hospitable to our guests?”

“I'm trying,” she said innocently.

He set the tray on the table and knelt with them while Noriko served the tea.

“How long will you be staying in Hira'a?” Noren asked them.

“I'm not sure,” answered Zuko. “We have some other business to deal with, so we might be
here a few days.”

“Where will you be staying...if I may ask?”

Zuko shrugged. “We'll probably set up camp somewhere.”

“Camp?” said Noriko dismayed at the idea of the royal family camping outside. “You're more
than welcome to stay in our home.”

“Oh, we don't want to impose...,” started Zuko.

“It's no imposition. We would be honored to have you stay here. You may have our room...”

“We couldn't put you out like that,” said Chiara.

“But to camp outside...it's not right...”

“Trust me, we've spent the night in worse places,” said Zuko.

She gasped. “How sad.”

“Yes, and you shouldn't have to do that now, Prince Zuko,” said Noren. “And I'm sure when
you're discovered in town, you'll get no rest when everyone begs you to stay with them.
Staying here will save you from that turmoil.” He slyly smiled at him.

Zuko smirked back in understanding. “Then it would be an honor to accept your hospitality.”

--------------------

When they finished their tea, they went with Noren to the theater.

“We'll be performing Love Amongst the Dragons all month,” he said. “It's one of our most
popular plays.”

“Do you get a large audience?” Chiara asked him.

“We do, yes. People from all over the island will come to watch it, and we often get groups
from the surrounding islands as well.”

Zuko, Chiara, and Azula found a quiet spot in the grass where they could sit and watch the
play when it started.
“Wow, outdoor theater,” said Azula dryly as people gradually filled the area around them.
“How perfectly archaic.” She looked at Zuko and Chiara. “So when did you meet those
peasants?”

“A couple months ago,” he said.

“Ugh,” she groaned. “More than once today I was tempted to burn that whole place down.”
She caught Zuko glaring at her. “But I resisted for you, Zuzu,” she offered in a faux consoling
voice. “I hope you appreciate it.”

“How could you even think that about such a lovely family?” Chiara asked her.

“Oh, please. Their charade disgusted me. Nobody's that happy.”

Chiara glanced up at Zuko and smiled. “Prince Zuko and I are that happy.”

“Because you two are idiots,” she said drolly, but her attempt to insult them only made
Chiara chuckle.

“Azula, you think happiness is controlling people,” said Zuko.

Her eyebrows rose as she stared at him.

“What?” he asked.

“And your point?”

“My point is you'll never be truly happy that way,” he said.

“So all I need to do is find some loser and pretend to worship him and that is supposed to
make me happy?” she asked.

“If you look hard enough you might find a really handsome and incredible firebender like I
did,” started Chiara, “and you won't have to pretend.”

“Ugh,” groaned Azula with an eyeroll. “You two disgust me.”

Zuko and Chiara were softly laughing at her reaction.

“Here,” said Chiara reaching into one of their bags pulling out a smaller bag. “Have some
figberries.” She held them out to her. “You sound like you're getting hungry.”

“Don't patronize me. I'm not a child,” she snapped.

“No, but you're my dear sister-in-law who sounds hungry.”

Azula scowled at her before snatching the figberries from her hand while Zuko was laughing
under his breath at their exchange. He was still amazed at his sister's tolerance of Chiara's
playful teasing.

--------------------
When the play started they sat entranced by the performance. Even Azula found it engaging,
and as it neared the end, they were all engrossed in the final battle scene.

Azula leaned over to Zuko. “Remember when Mother used to take us to watch the Ember
Island Players perform this, and afterwards on the beach we would reenact this very scene?”
she whispered as the Dragon Emperor battled the Dark Water Spirit on stage.

“I don't get why I always had to be the Dark Water Spirit, though,” he whispered back.

She smirked proudly. “Clearly I made a better Dragon Emperor,” she said in a lofty tone.

“Well, at least in our rewrite I got to hook up with the Dragon Empress.” His eyes moved to
Chiara and he leaned in to tenderly kiss her lips.

“Don't start doing that!” Azula hissed at them. “That's inappropriate behavior for the royal...”

Zuko glared at her. “We're not royalty,” he interrupted before glancing around.

She snorted. “You got that right.”

“We're Lee and Lin,” he continued.

“Yes, how perfectly peasant.”

“We can act like regular people,” he said.

She narrowed her eyes at them. “Regular people don't even act like that.”

“Noren and Lady Noriko do,” said Chiara.

“Because they're as stupid as you two.”

Zuko leaned over Chiara and gently kissed her again just to spite Azula who rolled her eyes
and focused her attention back on the stage.

The audience began clapping as the play ended with the kiss of the Dragon Emperor and the
Dragon Empress on stage.

Azula chanced a glance at her brother and sister-in-law only to cringe when she saw them
gazing at each other.

“If you two had been paying attention to the play instead of making out, you wouldn't have
missed the final kiss,” she said.

Chiara did not remove her eyes from Zuko's gold. “Why would we care to watch it when we
just reenacted it?” she grinned.

Azula's glare at them could have set them on fire, but they just snickered.

“We're supposed to be looking for Mother,” she snapped.

Zuko planted another little kiss on Chiara's lips before standing up and helping her to her
feet.

“Come on,” he said. “Let's start looking for Mom.”

“Where do we start?” asked Azula.

“We should probably find somebody older who might remember her,” he said.

Before they had a chance to look around, Noren appeared before them.

“Did you enjoy the play?” he asked them.

“That was the best production of Love Amongst the Dragons I've ever seen,” said Zuko.

Noren smiled. “Oh, I can't imagine...certainly not the best you've seen?”

“He means it,” said Azula dryly. “My brother can't lie to save his life.”

“I'm honored.”

“It really was an incredible performance,” said Chiara.

“Would you ever consider bringing it to Capital City?” Zuko asked him.

Noren's eyes widened. “I...I...that's...I don't know what to say...it's such an honor...”

“Your whole family would be welcome. You can even stay at the palace.”

Noren was floored that Prince Zuko would invite his troupe to the Capital to put on his play.
“May I think about it?”

“Of course. And if you don't wish to go there, we'll just travel here to watch it,” the prince
grinned.

Noren was smiling impressed by the young man.

“I have some work to do here at the theater,” he said, “but you're more than welcome to
return to the house.”

“There's business we need to deal with right now,” said Zuko.

“Of course.”

“We'll be by later.”

“Kiyi'll be so excited to see you again,” he said. “She's...she's really taken with you.” He
seemed lost in thought as he spoke. He focused on Zuko again. “There is something I would
like to discuss with you after dinner.”

Zuko nodded. “Of course. Thank you, Noren.”

He and Chiara bowed.

As Noren returned to the stage, Zuko, Chiara, and Azula looked around. The crowd had
dispersed, but they spotted a gray-haired couple that looked like they had lived in the village
for years.

“Excuse me,” said Zuko as they approached the couple. “We're looking for information on a
woman named Ursa. I believe she lived here many years ago.”

The man stroked his beard as he considered Zuko's query. “Ursa...Ursa...wasn't she the
magistrate's daughter?” he asked his wife.

“Oh, yes!” she answered. “Rumor has it that she married into the royal family.”

“How about telling us something we don't know,” hissed Azula.

“Enough,” Zuko growled at her. He looked at the couple. “Is there anything else you can tell
us about her?”

“Well, no one's seen or heard from her since she was taken to Capital City,” said the man.

They all felt disheartened by the news.

“What about family?” asked Chiara. “Her parents or siblings?”

“Oh, her parents passed away years ago, and there were no other children.”

“But she did leave behind a heartbroken boyfriend,” said the woman. “Ikem, I believe. He
was one of the actors in the theater troupe.”

Zuko hesitated upon hearing the name Ikem. “An actor?” He was still trying to fathom the
possibility that this man could be his father.

“Huh...,” started Azula thoughtfully, “...I was sure he would've been the town idiot.”

Zuko just sighed at her jab not wanting to make a scene in front of the couple.

“Ursa was a member of the acting troupe as well,” the woman continued, “but that was years
ago when Grandma Guchi was still directing. She always wanted to play the Dragon Empress
in Love Amongst the Dragons, but she never got the chance.”

The three teens were astonished to learn that Ursa had been an actress, but they now
understood her love of the theater to which she so often took them.

Zuko had not forgotten what Azula told him of Ikem's fate, but he decided to ask anyways.
“Do...do you know where we can find Ikem?”

His sister let out a little sniff, but she said nothing.
“Well, after Ursa left, he disappeared into Forgetful Valley,” she said. “The heartbroken go
there to forget their lives.”

“Forgetful Valley is a dark, dangerous place,” said her husband grimly. “No one who enters
ever returns.”

“Thank you,” said Zuko. He and Chiara bowed to them.

The couple turned away and continued down the street.

Zuko looked at Chiara.

“So Forgetful Valley?” she asked.

He nodded.

“Great,” grumbled Azula. “Some place even more forgetful than this.”

They started back out of the village following the road they used to enter it. When they
reached the point where it split they turned down the dark path beyond the sign that marked
Forgetful Valley, and they continued their trek until they stood before an eerie looking forest.

“Look at this stone,” said Zuko at the forest's entrance.

They stared at a large boulder with five circular indentations carved into it.

“I wonder what it means,” said Chiara.

“Probably ancient writing for don't waste your time here,” said Azula sarcastically.

“Do you have another idea?” Zuko asked her.

“Why don't you ask a few more people? You only asked two old fossils who probably don't
even remember their own names and you trust them with some story about this Ikem person
coming here. You already know what happened to him.”

“If this is where he...he met his fate,” he said softly, “then maybe Mom came here to find
him. There might be clues left here.”

Azula huffed, but she followed them as they continued pass the boulder and into the forest.
Not far inside the woods the path ended.

“So where do we go from here?” asked Chiara.

“I'm not sure,” said Zuko studying the forest floor. “There's not even a path.”

“Come on, you two,” said Azula with a mischievous smirk. “For a firebender there's always a
path.” She raised her hands ready to unleash her fire.

“Azula, no!” yelled Zuko grabbing one of her wrists to stop her.
Chiara took hold of her other wrist. “Don't you dare set this forest on fire!”

“I suppose one of you imbeciles has a better idea on how to proceed?” she asked.

“Any idea is better than burning down the whole forest,” she said.

Azula rolled her eyes. “So much for you being a firebender.”

“Come on,” said Zuko as he took Chiara's hand and started walking. “We'll figure something
out. Just keep track of landmarks so we can find our way back.”

They started trekking through the woods. Despite the sun still being up, it was dim around
them as little sunlight drifted through the canopy of the trees.

Azula was growing impatient as they traveled deeper into the forest. “You locked me up in an
asylum,” she started, “but you're the ones who are insane. Do you actually expect to find him
here?”

“I'm not giving up yet, Azula,” said Zuko.

“I'm about to die in the middle of nowhere,” she complained. “That's hardly a fitting end for
the princess of the Fire Nation.”

“It'll be even less fitting when we use your body for food,” said Chiara to which Zuko started
laughing.

Azula was appalled. “You savage cannibal!”

Chiara looked at her. “At least you'll die knowing that you provided sustenance to your
family so we could survive and carry on your memory.”

“That's what they do at the North Pole, isn't it?” she sneered. “They could hardly bury
someone in the ice, so they just consume the remains.”

“Yes, Azula,” said Zuko sarcastically. “Because they wouldn't possibly bury anyone at sea...”

“Aww, look...” Chiara pointed above them. “A flutter bat.”

“Look at the strange markings on it,” said Zuko curiously. “They...they look like eyes.”

Chiara started running after it as it flew off and continued through the forest.

“Chiara, wait up,” he called as he ran after her.

They followed the flutter bat until it landed on a branch where it hung upside down and
folded its wings around itself.

“It's so adorable,” said Chiara. “Look at its proboscis.”

Azula just rolled her eyes at Chiara's interest in the animal.

“I'll admit it looks a lot more friendly than the spider bats at the Eastern Air Temple,” said
Zuko.

“Ooh, the spider bats,” she said looking at him pleadingly. “I still want...”

“No,” he said deeply, but wanting to laugh at her desire to adopt the creepiest looking
creature they ever encountered on their adventures.

She giggled at his hard 'no,' but then her eyes were drawn through the trees to a spot of blue.
She walked past him towards a clearing where a pool of water lay.

“Look at this pool,” she said. “I've never seen water so clear and so still.”

“Like a perfect pane of glass,” said Zuko as he stared at it.

“It kind of reminds me of the pool in the Spirit Oasis,” she said.

He nodded. “Like there's something...sacred about it.”

“What is that?” asked Azula pointing through the trees.

On the other side of the pool a giant glowing wolf moved through the forest.

“It looks like a wolf spirit,” said Chiara.

“I'm kind of wishing we brought Aang with us,” said Zuko.

“Let's follow it.”

Azula trudged along behind them. “We're never going to find Mother at this rate.”

The forest was growing darker as they followed the wolf spirit, but they eventually arrived at
another clearing with a pool of water. It was here that the spirit stopped to drink.

“Do...do we go near it?” asked Zuko cautiously.

Chiara slowly approached the spirit, and as she did so, the water in the pool began to bubble.
They were startled to see faces floating to the surface.

“Chiara, get back,” he said as reached for her.

Out of the water rose a tall spirit bearing many faces. Zuko pulled Chiara behind him to block
her before they both stood frozen as the spirit towered over them.

“Who is it that stands in my forest before my sacred pool?” the spirit asked.

Zuko and Chiara bowed reverently. “I am Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, and this is
my wife Princess Chiara.” He only moved slightly from in front of her. “And this is my sister
Princess Azula,” he said inclining his head towards his sister who was not bowing. “Before
whom do we have the honor of standing?”
“I am the Mother of Faces and this is my forest,” she spoke. Her tone was gentle, yet her
voice seemed to resonate through the forest and even their bodies. “Through me, separateness
came into the world. Through me, came identity. The one became many. I am a generous
spirit, softhearted and kind.”

They were relieved to hear she was not a dark spirit.

“Mother of Faces, we did not mean to disturb you or your forest,” started Chiara. “We are
searching for someone who may have come here.”

“We seek a princess of the Fire Nation named Ursa!” shouted Azula. “Tell me where to find
her!” she demanded.

“Azula, show some respect!” Zuko scolded her in a low, deep tone.

“Ursa,” repeated the Mother of Faces not acknowledging Azula's rudeness. “I remember her.
I could not understand why a human of such beauty would ask for a new face.”

She held out her hand and produced an image of a young Ursa.

“To test her sincerity, I offered her one as plain as can be.” She held out another image of
someone familiar. “She accepted.”

Zuko's and Chiara's eyes were wide as they stared at the face.

“Noriko,” they said simultaneously.

They looked up at the spirit.

“Sensing much pain, I offered her a new mind as well,” she continued, “one that does not
remember the life before.”

“Thank you, Mother of Faces,” said Zuko. “We are grateful for your help.”

They both bowed to her. She descended back into the pool, and after she disappeared it
became as still as it was before. Zuko and Chiara turned to go back the way they came, Azula
following them. Following the landmarks they took note of on their way in, they quickly
made their way back through the dark forest now lit only by the small flame Zuko was
holding. Passing the first pool, they knew they were getting closer to the edge of the woods.
Though their trek out was going a lot faster than their trek in had, the excitement of wanting
to get to Hira'a made the trip seem longer.

When they finally made it out of the forest, they followed the path back to the village at a fast
pace.

“I can't believe it,” Zuko finally broke their silence now that they were not concentrating on
not getting lost. “We talked to her and we never knew.” He stopped walking and turned to
Chiara. “She has a new husband and a daughter.”

Chiara's eyes lit up. “Little Kiyi. You guys have a little sister.”
Azula could not speak; and hearing it spoken out loud, Zuko hesitated.

“Maybe...maybe this is wrong,” he said. “She went through all the trouble of hiding her
identity. We can't just barge back into her life.”

“If that's not the path you want to take, I understand,” said Chiara. “But I still think we
should visit her and Noren again.”

He slowly nodded his head. “Yes. I-I would like to see her one more time knowing who she
is.” He turned to Azula. “What do you think, Azula?”

“Mother has another daughter,” she whispered slowly, lost in her own thoughts.

Chiara immediately picked up on the hurt in her voice. “Azula, what do you know of the
night Aunt Ursa left?”

Azula raised her eyes to her, and the expression of hurt turned to one of anger. “It's your
fault!” she snapped, turning her golden glare towards Zuko and pointing at him accusingly.
“You're the reason Mother left.”

“What do you know, Azula?” he asked stepping closer to her.

“It was the night Father was supposed to kill you, but Mother disappeared instead.” Her
golden eyes continued to glare at him. “She convinced Father to let you live and she was
gone!”

Zuko looked down. “And Azulon was dead,” he said softly.

Azula had seen the connection years ago. “Mother killed Grandfather for you.”

His eyes met hers. “We don't know what happened,” he said.

“I never thought her capable of doing something so treasonous...but if it meant protecting her
precious Zuzu...” Jealousy filled her voice.

Chiara stepped closer to her. “She loved you both more than anything,” she said. “She
would've done whatever it took to protect you too.”

“If she loved me she never would've run off and had another daughter!” she cried angrily,
tears filling her eyes.

“Ozai would've had her killed!” Zuko yelled back. “Don't you get it? She left because she had
to, not because she didn't love us.”

“But to wipe her memories of us?! How is that love?” she demanded.

“Azula,” said Chiara gently, staying close to her, “the Mother of Faces said she sensed so
much pain in Aunt Ursa. Her pain must have been knowing she would never be able to see
her most precious creations ever again.”
 Azula's anger seemed to diminish. Even Zuko was touched by her words.

“The day after she was gone, Father told me I was never to speak of her again,” Azula spoke
more calmly. She turned away as the tears in her eyes fell.

“Ozai is a monster,” said Zuko deeply. “He banished her. Because of him Mother is gone.”
He looked towards the village and sighed before turning back to Azula. He could see her
trying to covertly wipe the tears from her cheeks, and he gently placed his hand on her arm.
“If you're not ready for this, Azula, we'll leave.” His voice was tender and genuinely caring.

Mixed feelings of confusion and anger and longing were welling up inside her. You have
failed me, Azula. But unlike your traitor brother you can redeem yourself to me. There is a
letter that will prove your mother's treachery. It will prove that Zuko is not an heir to the
throne....Then find your traitorous mother and end her.

She shook her head. “I'll go,” she said softly.

Zuko took Chiara's hand, and they all continued towards Hira'a.

Chapter End Notes

Some of this was borrowed from "The Search" comics.

Also, between May and July 2022, I had so much trouble with the ending that I spent
some of my time rewriting the first 40+ chapters hoping to kickstart my motivation. I
didn't write anything that made major changes to the storyline, but I did expand a few
things. It's not necessary to reread any of it, but Chapter 15, “The Eastern Air Temple,”
has a brief scene mentioning spider bats that wasn't in the story the first time I posted it
which sheds a little more light on Zuko and Chiara's current spider bat scene.
 Family Reunited
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

Zuko, Chiara, and Azula journeyed back to Noren's house in Hira'a.

“We'll just tell them we finished our business so we won't be staying overnight,” said Zuko as
he knocked on the door.

“What about the villagers?” Chiara asked him reminding him of their plan to visit the
villagers they met with during their last trip there.

“We'll camp in the forest and return in the...”

“Prince Zuko,” greeted Noren who appeared in the doorway. “Please come in.”

“We just came to say we won't be staying here tonight,” said Zuko sadly. “We...we wanted to
say goodbye...”

Kiyi was suddenly wrapped around his waist. “You're back!” she squealed.

“Kiyi, it's good to see you again,” he said as she was detaching herself and then hugging
Chiara.

She took their hands. “Come eat dinner with us!” she said pulling them both inside.

Zuko was hesitant. “I don't know if...”

“No, please join us,” invited Noren smirking at Kiyi's attachment to the royal couple.

Azula reluctantly followed them inside.

When Noriko saw them she bowed. “Prince, princesses,” she greeted them before she began
busily setting more places at the table.

“We were getting worried,” said Noren as they all knelt down. “It was getting so late, we
weren't sure if you were coming back.”

“Did you finish the business you came here for?” Noriko asked them.

“Um...yeah...,” said Zuko. “We...uh...finished most of it.”

He and Azula were unable to eat as they stared at Noriko. Noren was eyeing them as he ate
his meal.

“You haven't touched your food,” said Noriko feeling worried that they were displeased with
her cooking. “Is something wrong?”
“Do you do this every night?” asked Zuko.

“What? Eat dinner?” she asked. “Doesn't everybody eat dinner every night?”

“No. I meant eat dinner together,” he clarified. “Like this.

“Yes, of course,” she said. “That's why we're eating so late. I insisted we wait until Noren
came home.”

“I appreciate that, dear,” smiled Noren. “Rehearsal ran over.”

“We would like for you and Princess Chiara to take our room tonight,” said Noriko. “And
Princess Azula may have Kiyi's...”

“We...we won't be staying here,” said Zuko looking down. “We found what we were looking
for.” He met Noriko's eyes and tried to imagine his mother's face. “Tell me, Noriko, are you
happy?”

She was puzzled by his question. “What an odd thing to ask.”

“Just answer me. Please.”

“Yes, of course,” she smiled. “I'm where I belong.”

Azula continued staring at her, but Zuko gently smiled before standing up and helping Chiara
to her feet.

“We've bothered you folks enough,” said the prince. “We should be going.”

“No. Stop,” said Noren. He turned to his wife. “Noriko, I knew this moment would come
sooner or later.”

“What's going on?” she asked looking at him curiously.

“Go ahead, Prince Zuko,” he said. “Do what you came here to do. Tell her you haven't
forgotten who you are.”

Chiara's grip tightened on Zuko's hand as they realized Noren knew. He gave Noren an
understanding nod before turning to face Noriko.

“I am your son,” he said. “And Azula is your daughter.”

Noriko felt confused and glanced at her husband. “Noren?”

He looked up at Zuko. “When you stopped me a few months ago, I recognized you
immediately because of your scar. I had learned all I could about Ursa's life in the royal
palace. I knew it would come back to haunt us someday.” He bowed his head. “Forgive me
for not confessing the whole truth when you and your wife were here then, Prince Zuko. With
the war and Ozai still as Fire Lord I only wanted to protect my home here with Ursa.”
“Ursa...?” asked Noriko still not understanding what was going on.

“That was your old name, my love, from your old life,” he said to her. “You were once a
princess of the Fire Nation. These two are your children.”

Azula's eyes followed Kiyi as the little girl ran over to Noriko and was clinging to her.
“Mommy, what's Daddy talking about?”

“You don't remember any of this because a powerful spirit altered your memories,” explained
Noren. He looked back up at Zuko. “I also have an old name. I used to be known as Ikem.”

The three teenagers all reacted.

“Ikem!” said Zuko. He and Chiara knelt down at the table. “Then...then maybe this is where I
belong too...with my mother, my sister...” Zuko’s eyes moved back to Noren. “...and my
father...”

Azula was shocked to learn that Noren was Ikem and that he was alive despite her father
saying otherwise, but hearing Zuko speak of belonging with their mother, his father, and his
new sister made her feel empty and out of place. Anger quickly began filling the emptiness.

Noren's eyes grew big by Zuko's assumption that he was his father. “No...that's not
possible...Ursa and I...we never...”

Suddenly, Azula jumped to her feet and kicked Zuko in the chest. As he fell backwards she
leaped on the table facing Noriko. “Tell me, Mother, did you have to have a new daughter
because your last one turned out to be such a monster?!” she demanded angrily.

Kiyi quickly ran into her father's arms.

“Azula, stop!” demanded Chiara.

Noren, holding Kiyi, stood up and stepped towards Noriko.

Chiara stopped him. “Don't...,” she started.

“I need to help my wife!” he said.

“Prince Zuko and I will take care of her. You keep Kiyi safe.”

Noriko tried to run, but Azula jumped towards her. “You're not going anywhere!” She pushed
her against the wall while raising a blue flame in her hand. “It all ends right now!”

“I don't know...what you're...talking about...,” said Noriko terrified by Azula's threat.

“Oh really, Mother?! So you haven't been trying to take me down from the moment I was
born?!”

“Azula, let her go!” demanded Zuko.

“Stay back, Zuzu! I'm warning you!!”

“If what you say is true...,” started Noriko, “...if I really am your mother...then I'm sorry I
didn't love you enough.” She gently caressed Azula's face.

Azula's eyes seemed to soften slightly and her flame dimmed.

“Get away from her!” yelled Zuko grabbing Azula's arm while stepping between her and
Noriko.

Once Noren and Kiyi were safely out of the room, Chiara ran next to Noriko and pulled her
away from the fire Azula punched towards Zuko. He stepped aside avoiding the blue flames
before turning around and kicking his own orange fire at her. She flipped over and sent more
fire at him which he easily evaded. She punched blue flames at him again and again, but he
continued dodging her.

“Oh, for crying out loud, stop moving!” she yelled.

She drew her arms in the familiar circular motion.

“Don't do it, Azula,” he warned her taking a defensive stance. “I know how to deal with your
lightning.”

She sent the bolt at him, and Zuko caught it, guided it carefully through his body, and sent it
back out towards her just shy of where she was standing. The explosion sent her flying
backwards where she crashed to the floor.

“Enough, Azula!” he yelled at her.

“Why don't you just kill me already!” she screamed. “Then you can all be free of Ozai's little
monster!”

“I'm not going to kill you, but I'm not going to let you hurt anyone!”

She jumped up and threw a fireball at him, but he smoothly dissolved it.

“I don't belong here!” she cried. “You all hate me!”

“Stop talking like that,” he demanded. “You...you do belong here.” He sighed. “Azula, our
relationship is so messed up. It's been like this for so long. And maybe it'll be like that for the
rest of our lives. But one fact never changes. No matter what, you're still my sister.”

“Shut up,” she said softly. “Shut up!” she yelled sending fire at him.

While he split her flames around him, she quickly dashed out the door and started running
away.

“Azula!” he called, running out after her. “Come back!”

Chiara and Noriko followed him, and they all ran down the path that led out of the village.
“Come back!” he yelled.

Azula continued running turning down the path the led to the Forgetful Valley.

“Azula!” called Zuko as they followed her into the forest.

“Prince Zuko,” said Noriko, sounding breathless.

He stopped and turned to her.

“Look,” she said pointing to their left.

They looked up to see the Mother of Faces approaching them.

Chiara turned to Zuko. “You stay with your mother. I'll deal with Azula.”

He grabbed her arm. “Wait...are you sure?”

“Yes. I'll take care of her.”

He was not comfortable leaving Chiara to deal with his sister, but he trusted that if anyone
could help her, it was his wife. He let her go, and she continued running through the woods
looking for Azula.

“Human,” said the Mother of Faces to Noriko, “do you wish to return to who you once were?
Do you wish to remember?”

Zuko stepped towards Noriko. “No, you don't have to.” All that mattered to him was that his
mother was alive and safe. He would never want her to sacrifice her happiness, even if it
meant having her back. “You have such a beautiful life here.”

Noriko could not imagine ever choosing to forget her children. She wanted to know what
would have driven her to do so, and if Zuko and Azula truly were hers, she wanted to
remember them. “Yes,” she said, looking up at the Mother of Faces.

The spirit reached towards her. “Hold still.”

Zuko watched as the Mother of Faces placed her hand over Noriko's face. Bright light
emanated from beneath it as memories flooded into her mind, followed by heartbreak, joy,
anger, sorrow. When the spirit pulled back, Zuko looked upon the face of his mother. Ursa,
filled with the mixture of emotions, started sinking to her knees. Zuko immediately went to
her catching her, and he took her gently to the ground holding her in his arms.

“Mom...”

The last time she recognized his voice, he had been just a child, but even through the
deepened tone and after so many years there was a familiarity that touched her heart. Looking
up at Zuko's face, gazing into his golden eyes, tears filled her own. “My son.”
Her tears fell as she wrapped her arms around him and held him, Zuko clinging to her tightly
with tears in his own eyes.

“I've missed you so much,” he said holding her trying to feel every hug he missed since she
left.

“I'm so sorry, Zuko.” She pulled away from him and gazing at his face, she placed her hands
on his cheeks. Her fingers brushed his scar and she broke down in tears. “Look what he did to
you,” she cried. “I'm so sorry.”

“No...Mom...it's not your fault...” He held her again as she cried into his shoulder.
“Everything's all right now. It's...it's great. I know you're okay...you're safe.” His mind
suddenly went to Chiara and he let go of Ursa. “Mom, we have to find Chiara. She went after
Azula.”

Ursa wiped the tears from her cheeks as he helped her to her feet.

--------------------

Running through the forest, Chiara spotted Azula near one of the pools. She was on her knees
sobbing.

“Azula,” said Chiara softly, slowly approaching her.

“Everyone thinks I'm a monster,” she cried. “Like my father.”

“No one thinks that,” she said kneeling down next to her. “You are Azula, not Ozai. Don't let
who he is dictate who you are.”

Azula kept her head bowed; her disheveled hair had fallen from its topknot. “But when
everyone looks at me, they see him. My own mother even.”

“No, we don't. We see you,” said Chiara as tenderly as possible. “And I know you don't want
to believe it, but we love you, Azula. Your mom may not remember, but she does love you.”

“How can she love me?” she asked lifting her head to scowl at her sister-in-law. Her eyes
were red and her face was wet with tears. “She was forced to marry my father and forced to
have me...”

“Azula, she's your mother. I saw nothing but love for you from Aunt Ursa. It doesn't matter
that Ozai's your father or whether or not he forced her to marry him. You're her daughter and
she loves you.” Chiara took Azula in her arms embracing her and holding her. “And I love
you too.”

More tears fell down Azula's cheeks. “You...you can't love me.” She wanted to pull away
from her but could not. “You have to hate me.”

“Why do I have to hate you?”

“Because I really am a monster,” she cried, her head resting on Chiara's shoulder.
“Stop saying that...”

“But I tried to kill you and Zuko.”

“And we still love you,” Chiara said softly, gently rubbing her back.

“You can't...,” she continued crying.

“Azula, I spent years watching your brother insist his destiny was to capture the Avatar all so
he could prove something to Ozai. It was destroying him—destroying the man he was meant
to be. It took him a long time and some big mistakes to realize his destiny did not revolve
around Ozai. Despite the things you've done, you are someone unique and beautiful, and you
have the free will to decide your own destiny, and it doesn't have to be whatever will please
that man.” Chiara tenderly ran her fingers through her sister-in-law's hair trying to give her as
much motherly comfort as she could. “You're not a monster. Somewhere inside you is that
sweet little girl who used to dance with us at the royal balls.”

“Ugh, I hate you for saying that,” she half-heartedly groaned.

Chiara let out a soft giggle. “Remember the sand palace building contest on Ember Island?
You and I against Prince Lu Ten and Prince Zuko.”

Azula gently nodded. It was a happy memory not long before her father placed on her
shoulders the burden of perfection.

“Theirs was taller, but ours was stronger,” said Chiara.

“They were too concerned about showing off instead of building a real palace,” said Azula.

“That was you, Azula. That's the person you can be again.” She continued caressing her hair
as Azula relaxed against her. “And I haven't forgotten your beautiful singing voice. You used
to sing with me.”

“Father hated that,” she sniffed. He had hated everyone but himself, and he insisted that no
one inferior was worth loving. “He hated you.”

“I know he did,” said Chiara softly. “And you don't have to be what he expects you to be.
You can be so much more, so much better.”

They sat quietly by the pond, Azula still resting against Chiara, though she was no longer
crying. Chiara was anxious to find Zuko, but she refused to move as long as Azula was
content to remain where she was.

Azula still felt lost and alone despite Chiara keeping her company. “I don't want to go back
there,” she said softly.

“It's okay. I'll stay with you,” she said, still rubbing gentle circles on her back.

“I...I can't look at that happy family...Zuko bonding with his father...” She rolled her eyes at
the image.
“I'm not so sure Noren...Ikem...is his father.”

Azula sat up and looked at her. “But the letter...”

“Before you...got upset with Noriko, I heard Ikem say that he and Aunt Ursa never...well, he
said it was impossible that he was Prince Zuko's father.”

Azula could not help feeling a little comforted knowing that she was not Ozai's only child. It
gave her hope that if Zuko could be his son and not be a monster, then she had a chance to
break free too.

Suddenly, Chiara gasped as she placed her hand over her stomach.

“What's wrong?” asked Azula, genuine concern in her voice.

“I...I think I felt the baby move.”

“So soon?”

Chiara nodded, smiling.

“What does it feel like?”

“Like...like a butterbee-fly buzzing around.”

“May I feel it?” Azula asked timidly.

“I don't know if you'll be able to.” Chiara took her hand and laid it over her stomach where
she could feel the movement inside.

“If it wasn't for your firebending I wouldn't even be able to tell there's a baby in there.” She
moved her hand around. “Are you sure Zuzu's been feeding you enough?”

“Between him and Amiku it's amazing I'm not as big as a goat gorilla.”

“I don't feel anything.”

“Chiara! Azula!”

The girls turned to look behind them where they saw Zuko stepping out of the forest.

“Over here,” Chiara called out.

Zuko ran over to them followed by Ursa.

“Mom?” said Azula, her wide eyes taking in her mother's true face.

“Azula,” said Ursa, her tone filled with longing and relief as she fell on her knees taking her
daughter in her arms.

Zuko knelt by Chiara. “Are you okay?”

“We're fine.”

“The Mother of Faces changed Mom's face back.”

“I'm so sorry, Azula,” said Ursa in tears. “I never meant to hurt you so. I love you so much.”

“Mom...,” she cried softly, holding onto her.

Ursa gently caressed her head allowing her to cry on her shoulder. “I...I understand if you
can't forgive me for what I've done, but please let me explain,” she begged. “You both
deserve to know everything.”

Azula slowly sat up and Ursa tenderly wiped the tears from her daughter's cheeks.

“I'll build a fire,” said Zuko. He started gathering branches lying around.

Ursa's eyes were drawn to Chiara. “Oh, Chiara,” she said leaning over to embrace her. “It's
been so long.”

“It's good to have you back, Aunt Ursa.”

Zuko built a campfire and Ursa sat quietly watching the flames flickering, but her mind was
filled with scenes of the past, memories and emotions that had been absent for years.

“I...I'm not sure where to begin,” she said.

“How about from the beginning when you first met Ozai,” said Zuko. “I want to know
everything. I'm sure Azula does too.”

Azula's first instinct was to snap at her brother for presuming what she wanted, but she found
herself unable to do so...or maybe she just felt more in control of herself...she was unsure.

Ursa nodded. “It was the night my boyfriend Ikem proposed to me. When I arrived home Fire
Lord Azulon was there with Prince Ozai.” There was sadness in her eyes as the memories
played in her mind. “Ozai also proposed that night.” Tears fell down her cheeks. “It was not a
choice. For my parents' safety, I accepted his proposal and left with him to Capital City. Our
wedding day was the last day I would see my mother and father. Ozai insisted that I was to
never speak to them again or even mention them or Hira'a.”

Zuko and Chiara were appalled by Ozai's actions. Even Azula felt unnerved by her father's
cold demand.

“My marriage to Ozai was just so...so...awful. He was such a cruel man.” She looked at
Azula on her right. “That last night when you told me what Azulon ordered Ozai to do, I
confronted him. I knew he wanted the throne, so I made him a deal. My mother was a master
herbalist, and in exchange for your life...” She turned her eyes to Zuko on her left. “...I
offered to make him a colorless, odorless, untraceable poison to use however he wished.”

All three were relieved to finally know the truth about that night. Learning that it was not
Ursa who killed Fire Lord Azulon, but Ozai himself who committed patricide only added to
his list of abominable atrocities further disgusting the teenagers. Zuko was also reminded of
Ozai's insistence of switching their teacups in the prison, and he could only imagine the scene
of an unsuspecting Azulon sealing his fate with a cup of tea offered by his own son.

“He accepted my proposal on the condition that I leave Capital City,” continued Ursa. “I
insisted on taking you two with me, but he refused and threatened to hunt us all down if I
tried...so I left...alone. I returned here to Hira'a, but my parents had passed away. That's when
I met Noren who turned out to be Ikem. He had been given a new face by the Mother of
Faces.”

Zuko, Chiara, and Azula realized that the Yuyan archer sent by Ozai to assassinate Ikem
never accomplished his mission, and they now understood why.

“I thought that if I had a new face, I could return to the Capital and see you both again,” Ursa
continued, looking away wistfully. “But how could I watch you both from afar knowing I
could never hold you or hug you or speak to you?” Tears slid down her cheeks. “When the
Mother of Faces offered me a new mind as well, I accepted, not because I didn't cherish the
memories of my children, but because I couldn't live knowing I could never be with you
again.” She put her face in her hands, and Zuko moved to put his arm around her. “I'm so
sorry,” she cried. “What kind of mother chooses to forget her children?”

“Mom, it's okay. I understand.”

Even Azula put her arm around her and leaned against her. Ursa moved to take both of them
in her arms.

“I can't believe I can hold you both now and tell you I love you without fear of Ozai...” She
gripped them more tightly.

When she released them, she wiped the tears from her face.

“Mom...,” started Zuko who still had questions. He pulled the letter out of his tunic and
handed it to her. “I need to know more about this.”

She took it from him and held it so the fire cast light upon the words. “What I wrote
here...isn't true.” She looked down. “For years I secretly wrote letters to my parents, but I
never received any in return. I suspected Ozai might have been intercepting them.” She held
up the letter. “I wrote this to prove it. When he admitted it, I made the mistake of telling him
it was wishful thinking and that I hoped you would never turn out like him.” She sighed. “He
swore to treat you as if you were another's son.” She closed her eyes. “Ozai is a wretched
man. To treat his own son like that just to get back at me, especially when you were so young
and so undeserving...”

“But he's still my father,” said Zuko softly, his eyes on the fire.

“Yes.” She placed her hand on his shoulder. “But you are nothing like him.”

Azula sniffed and looked away. “I'm just like him,” she whispered.
Ursa turned towards her. “No, sweetheart, you're not,” she said placing a hand over hers.

“But I am!” Her voice was rising as she pulled away. “I was glad he punished Zuko. I even
tried to kill him myself. I tortured Chiara.”

Ursa looked shocked. Chiara moved around the fire to sit next to Azula and placed her arm
around her back.

“Remember what I said earlier. You are not like him. You can be someone better. You're here
with us now, your family, who loves you more than you can ever know.”

The tears that built up in Azula's golden eyes fell.

“Oh, sweetheart...,” cried Ursa pulling her into an embrace. “Chiara's right. You're here now.
Whatever you've done...you've grown past it. You are so much better than Ozai.”

While Ursa was still holding Azula, Zuko held his hand out to Chiara, so she took it moving
next to him again.

“How are you feeling?” he asked her softly.

She thought about. “I'm feeling really happy for you and your sister.”

He let out a soft laugh, and the joy in his fiery eyes made her smile.

“It feels...like a wonderful dream,” he said.

Grabbing his tunic, she gently pulled him towards her kissing his lips. “Still feel like you're
dreaming?”

“That always feels like a wonderful dream,” he said with a dreamy smirk, making her giggle.

“Ugh,” groaned Azula. “They're at it again.”

Ursa looked over at them. “Oh...,” she said suddenly, her eyes lighting up as realization sank
in. “...you're my daughter-in-law...” She stood up and stepped in front of Chiara where she
knelt down and embraced her. “I remember you both being in Hira'a a few months ago—the
prince and his wife...but I...I didn't know...now I do...” She reached over and hugged Zuko
too. “My son is married...” He was chuckling as he returned her hug. “You two were always
so close.” She released them and looked at Chiara. “He always adored you...and now you're
his wife...and my daughter-in-law.” The excitement in her voice made Chiara laugh. “I'm so
happy for you both.”

“If you're happy about that, wait 'til you find out you're a grandmother,” said Azula with a
playful eyeroll.

Chiara did not think Ursa's eyes could grow any larger...until they did.

“Is that true?!”

Chiara placed her hand over her stomach and barely nodded before she was wrapped in her
arms again.

“That's so exciting!” laughed Ursa holding her tightly. Letting go of her she turned to Zuko
hugging him again. “One of my babies is having a baby!”

Zuko was laughing at her reaction.

She let him go but continued holding their hands. “When is my grandchild due?”

“Over five moon cycles,” answered Chiara. She looked up at Zuko. “And I felt him move
earlier.”

His golden eyes grew brighter. “You did?”

She nodded.

“What did it feel like?”

“A butterbee-fly.”

“Oh, I missed so much of your lives,” said Ursa. “But I'm so happy I'll get to be a part of
this...if...if that's okay.”

“Of course,” said Chiara. “That's why we came here.”

“We were looking for you,” said Zuko.

“That's the business you had in Hira'a?” she asked.

“Yes.”

Ursa lowered her eyes. “Noren...Ikem and Kiyi must be so worried.” She looked up at them.
“I know it must seem so...awkward, but you will stay with us? He really is a wonderful man
and a wonderful husband, and Kiyi adores you.”

“You're the reason we're here, Mom,” he said. “Of course we'll stay.”

Zuko put out the fire before they left the pond to find their way back to the path that led to
Hira'a.

“So how long have you been married?” asked Ursa as they approached the village.

“We just celebrated our one year anniversary,” he said caressing Chiara's hand as it rested on
his arm.

“Aw, one year, so sweet.”

Azula looked over at them. “You couldn't have been married that long. A year ago I
conquered Ba Sing Se.”
“Our wedding was the day before you lured us to the Earth King's palace,” said Zuko softly.

Her mouth dropped open. “You were married then?”

He nodded. “Uncle and Fire Sage Shyu were the only ones who knew.”

“You had a Fire Sage officiate?” Azula had no idea they had been married at that time or that
they had a genuine Fire Nation wedding. Months ago she would have been thrilled and proud
that she convinced Zuko to side with her the day after his wedding. She felt neither of those
now. Instead there was a different emotion inside her, one she was not used to feeling. She
did not like the way it felt, but somehow she found that remorse was better than the hatred.

“Uncle arranged it all,” said Zuko. “Sage Shyu was hiding in Ba Sing Se at the time. There
were also a few Earth Kingdom guests, but none of them knew who we really were.”

Azula let out a laugh. “Even fath...Ozai didn't know you were married then.” She found it
comical that they managed to have an official wedding without Ozai ever knowing.

“I heard some of the news from the Capital,” said Ursa. Her eyes were downcast. “I...I heard
that the young prince had been burned by the Fire Lord and banished from the Fire Nation. I
wasn't sure what was true or not, but when I saw you a few months ago, I knew it was the
truth.” Tears filled her eyes and she stopped walking. “I'm so sorry, Zuko.”

He turned back to her. “Don't apologize, Mom. You saved my life. And there's nothing you
could've done if you had been there.” He took her hand in his. “Besides, Ozai may have
thought he was punishing me, but what he did allowed me to learn things I otherwise
wouldn't have known, and I'm better for it.”

Ursa was not sure if his words made her feel better or not. She had never looked into any
other options to escape with her children. One woman alone against the royal family—at the
time, she had been sure there was no other way to save her son. But it did little to alleviate
her guilt for leaving her children behind and even less so for having her memories of them
removed from her mind.

She tenderly placed her hand on his left cheek. “But to burn your face, your eye...,” she said
sadly, tears still in her eyes.

“Coming from someone who was willing to kill his own son, who killed his own father...it
shouldn't be so surprising.”

She shook her head in disgust. “The other villagers said it was because you defended our
people.”

“I spoke out against a plan that sacrificed our soldiers.”

Ursa shook her head at the reason for his punishment. “I'm so proud of you,” she said, her
tears now falling down her cheeks.

They continued towards the village.

“What did you do during your time away?” she asked him.

“The first three years I searched for the Avatar, and then I pursued the Avatar, and then I
didn't want anything to do with the Avatar, and then I joined the Avatar.”

She laughed softly at his humorous summation of his adventures, as did Chiara.

“You were about fourteen or fifteen?”

“Thirteen when I was banished,” he said.

She was overwhelmed with sympathy. “On your own at thirteen...”

“I wasn't on my own. Uncle Iroh and Chiara were with me.” He gently caressed Chiara's hand
again.

Ursa looked over at her. “You were with him all those years?”

“Yes, Aunt Ursa. When he was banished, I didn't want him to be alone.”

Ursa appreciated her love and care for her son. “I heard you traveled by boat. Is that true?”

“It is,” said Zuko. “Until Zhao hired pirates to blow it up with me in it before his attack on
the Northern Water Tribe.”

“What?!” His mother was appalled to learn of the attempted assassination. “Were you hurt?”

“Not really,” he said tenderly caressing Chiara's hand again.

Chiara huffed softly, disapproving of his downplay of his injuries, but hearing Ursa breathe a
sigh of relief she decided not to mention just how hurt he had actually been.

“We heard about the attack on the North Pole,” said Ursa. “So many soldiers. Where were
you when that happened?”

“I was on Zhao's ship disguised as a soldier.”

She looked worried again. “You were there?”

“I intended to catch the Avatar, but...well...it didn't work out.”

“Is it true what some of the men say they saw?” she asked softly, wondering about the
soldiers' tales she had heard. “A giant spirit destroyed the fleet?”

“Yes. Zhao murdered the moon spirit, and the ocean spirit exacted revenge killing Zhao as
well.”

“Did you...did you see it?”

The image was still engraved in his mind. “Yes,” he answered, his tone low.
She could hear the trauma in his simple answer.

“How did you escape?”

“We left the pole on a raft,” he said. “Uncle, Chiara, and I...”

“You were there too, Chiara?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Where did you escape to?”

“We floated on the raft for a couple weeks until we reached the Earth Kingdom where we
lived as refugees,” said Zuko. “Uncle was blamed for the failure of the Siege, and we were
considered traitors to the Fire Nation.”

He deliberately withheld Azula's role in trying to capture them. At first she felt suspicious
about his intentions, but then she suspected he was just being considerate because despite all
she had done to them, Zuzu was still her dum-dum of a brother—her stupid brother who
could still forgive her. He was so unlike their father who only used her but had never truly
loved her. Had she been like Zuko, or even defended him against their father, she understood
now he would have discarded her without remorse.

“Eventually we ended up in Ba Sing Se,” Zuko was saying.

“And that's where you two decided to marry?” Ursa asked with a smile.

“Not until we moved to the Upper Ring. We lived in the Lower Ring for a while until Uncle
opened the best tea shop in the Earth Kingdom in the Upper Ring. He told me that I should
settle down and start a family.”

“Aw. I wish I could've been there.”

“It's probably best you weren't,” he said, his voice somber. His regret over his past
transgression would never leave him. “Uncle and Chiara were taken as prisoners to the Fire
Nation the day after our wedding.”

“What? Prison?” Like many others in the Fire Nation, Ursa had heard the rumors of Chiara's
execution, but she had not imagined her sitting in a prison cell.

“I conquered Ba Sing Se,” added Azula, finally breaking in. “I took them prisoner for
fighting against the Fire Nation.” Her tone was neither arrogant nor proud.

Ursa had no need to ask why she had taken them prisoner. She understood it was on the
orders of Ozai.

“Uncle was condemned to be executed and Chiara to life in prison,” continued Azula.

Ursa gasped.
“There's obviously no tragic ending, Mom,” said Azula, “since Uncle is Fire Lord and
Chiara's here.”

“I know, but that my daughter-in-law was in prison...how awful.”

Zuko felt that reemerging sense of guilt whenever he thought about her first time in prison.

“It's okay, Aunt Ursa,” said Chiara. “My wonderful, brave husband, your most honorable son,
rescued us.”

Zuko's face flushed at her compliment, and he felt embarrassed, especially when his mother
looked up at him.

“I'm so proud of you,” she said. She turned to Azula. “Both of you.”

“You have no reason to be proud of me,” her daughter mumbled glancing away.

Ursa put her arm around her back. “But I do. Look how far you've come. Breaking free from
Ozai takes a lot of courage.”

Azula slightly leaned into her mother.

They walked up the small path to Noren's house and she opened the door. Noren was still in
the process of cleaning up most of the damage left by Azula's breakdown. He turned around
when he heard the door open.

“Ursa!” He ran to her, surprised to see her original face, but then he embraced her.

Kiyi, rubbing her tired eyes, appeared at her bedroom door. “Daddy?” He turned to her.
“Who's that?”

“It's your mother.”

The little girl took in the strange looking woman in her father's arms. “That's not Mommy.
Where's Mommy?”

“Oh, sweetheart, it is me,” said Ursa stepping towards her.

“You're not my mother! I don't know you!” yelled Kiyi before disappearing into her room.

Ursa went to go to her, but Noren stopped her. “Let me, love. She'll need some time to
adjust.”

She nodded sadly before turning back to her other children. “It's late. You must all be so
tired.”

“We're fine, Mom,” said Zuko feeling guilty. Earlier he had been content not to reveal
himself when he saw her so happy with her new family, and seeing Kiyi's reaction made him
regret disrupting their life.
“You and Chiara take our bedroom tonight,” said Ursa. She caressed Chiara's face. “No
objections,” she said noticing that she was about to argue. “Zuko, take her to bed. She needs
to rest.” She looked at her daughter. “Azula...”

“I'll sleep out here,” she said tempted to huff and roll her eyes at her lowly accommodations,
but she controlled the urge.

“Azula, would you like a treatment?” Chiara asked her.

She looked at her. “That...sounds...good,” she said thoughtfully, desiring the clearness of
mind the technique gave her.

Chiara pulled a mat from one of their bags and unrolled it out on the floor in a far corner of
the room.

Ursa gave Zuko a puzzled look. “Treatment?”

“Chiara knows a healing waterbending technique,” said Zuko. “It'll help Azula relax. It's been
a stressful d...”

“My daughter-in-law is a waterbender!” she said excitedly.

Overhearing her, Chiara softly giggled as she prepared to work with Azula.

“Now she'll have another reason to dote on you,” said Azula playfully rolling her eyes.

“I forgot about that!” said Ursa. In the torrent of old memories that flooded her mind earlier,
and with which she was trying to match up with what she remembered as Noriko, she had
forgotten that the prince's wife was a waterbender. “Everyone in Hira'a was thrilled with her
when she was last here.” Zuko was smiling.

They walked to the small table where they knelt down.

“Did Iroh know?” she asked him.

“Of course he knew.”

He could not help smirking at her surprised expression. Seeing and hearing people's reaction
to his uncle bringing home a secret waterbender to live in the Fire Nation capital, and
practically as a member of the royal family, was becoming funnier to him every time it came
up. When he had learned of her ability in Ba Sing Se, he was so overcome by the years of
secrecy, he had not given much thought to Iroh's daring accomplishment. He was feeling a
renewed and profound respect for his uncle's audacity.

“He even took her to the Northern Water Tribe to be trained,” he said.

Ursa was amazed. She thought back over the years trying to find some sign that might have
given her secret away, but she could not remember anything that would have led her to
believe Chiara had been a bender of any kind. “Did...did you know?” she asked Zuko.
“Not until she and Uncle told me in Ba Sing Se last year,” he said.

“All those years you two played together you never knew?” He was shaking his head.
“...even at the beach?” He was still shaking his head. “Sailing around the world, you never
suspected?”

He was chuckling. “Not once,” he smiled. “She hid it well. Even when she healed my
injuries.”

She stiffened. “Injuries?”

“My eye for one.” She looked worried. “The doctor said I wouldn't have use of it. Chiara
made sure I did.”

She was puzzled. “How could she heal it without you knowing?”

“She told me she had special medicine and made me close my eyes. I never knew.”

Ursa softly laughed finding it funny that Chiara managed to hide her ability so cunningly.

“She and Uncle joked about her being a master self-control bender,” he said. “I get that now.”

“That's amazing that she hid such a gift for so long,” she said. “Ever since Nersala's son
returned from Boiling Rock there had been talk in the village of the prince's wife. It seems so
strange now that the things I heard were about my son and my daughter-in-law.” She looked
at him, her eyes suddenly wide. “Chiara was in Boiling Rock...and you broke in for her...”
She was filled with a mixture of worry, sadness, excitement, and pride all at once. “I am so
proud of you, Zuko,” she said as tears filled her eyes. “You've accomplished so much, and
you've never forgotten who you are.”

His eyes left hers as he stared blankly down at the table. “That's not entirely true,” he said
sadly, feeling ashamed. “I did forget who I was for a while. I spent so many years chasing the
Avatar wanting so much to win Ozai's favor, nearly sacrificing Chiara and Uncle.”

She placed her fingers under his chin and gently lifted his head to look in his eyes. “But you
found yourself, and look where you are now. You'll make a fine Fire Lord one day...and
father...I still can't believe I'm a grandmother. I'm so excited,” she softly laughed. “And Kiyi's
an aunt,” she added.

“I'm-I'm sorry about Kiyi being upset,” he said. “When we found out who you were, we
weren't going to say anything.”

The excitement in her eyes disappeared at the thought that she could still be living in the
dark. “Really?”

He nodded. “You were so happy. We didn't want to change what you had here, but we just
wanted to see you one more time knowing who you really were.”

She placed her hand on his. “I'm so glad you did. And I'm sure Kiyi will come around.”
Noren came out of their daughter's room and knelt down at the table with them.

“How is she?” she asked him.

“She's still understandably upset,” he said. “But she's asleep right now.” He took her hand in
his. “I...I'm going to have to get used to this myself. I feel like I'm cheating on my wife.”

She and Zuko started laughing.

“I promise your wife is perfectly okay with it,” she smiled.

It made Zuko happy to see his mother in such a loving marriage, unlike the cold relationship
she suffered with Ozai. He could not help but wish the man sitting before him had been his
father.

Noren looked at him. “So, Prince Zuko, I'm curious as to why you thought I was your father,”
he said almost as if he knew what Zuko had been thinking about.

“Oh, that's my fault,” said Ursa a bit sheepishly before he could answer.

Noren raised his eyebrows as he looked at her.

“Remember when I told you I was sending letters to my parents, but I suspected Ozai had
been intercepting them?”

“Yes...”

“I...sort of wrote one...to you...talking about our son,” she said sounding sheepish. “It seems
Ozai kept all my correspondence.”

“I see. I don't imagine that went over well.”

She looked down. “He punished Zuko for it,” she said softly, feeling ashamed.

“Mom, you don't have to think about that anymore or anything else Ozai did.” He looked at
Noren. “I really appreciate what you've done for my mother, Noren,” said Zuko. “Or do you
prefer Ikem?”

“Noren is fine.”

Zuko turned to his mother. “I want you to come back to the palace...all of you.”

She hesitated at the invitation.

“Are...are you sure that's a good idea...,” she started.

“Ozai's in prison. And he can't even firebend.”

“What about Fire Lord Iroh?” she asked. “I sort of was responsible for his father's dea...”
“No!” he interrupted. “You weren't responsible for that. You didn't poison Azulon, Ozai did.
The only one responsible for his death is his own son. Uncle would love to have you at the
palace. He's the one who actually insisted we come here.”

“Really?”

“We just returned from the North Pole and I was going to spend time attending meetings with
him, but he read Noren's letter and said we should come here. He told us that this is where
you were from.”

She looked up at Noren. “It's up to you, dear.”

He smiled at her. “No, it's up to you.

She thought over it. “Maybe an adventure to the Capital would help Kiyi adjust better.”

“Especially with her brother and sisters,” said Noren.

Zuko was chuckling. It felt good to see his family happy.

“Oh, we're grandparents!” she blurted out to Noren.

He was surprised by the news, and he looked at Zuko, who smiled and nodded.

“Congratulations, Prince Zuko. When?”

“In a little more than five months.” He turned to Ursa. “Another reason you should come
back to the palace, Mom.” Just saying the word 'Mom' to his mother made the child inside
Zuko want to run around with hyperactive excitement.

Noren smiled as he watched Ursa's eyes light up. “I guess that settles it,” he said. “When do
we leave?”

“We planned on being here a few days,” said Zuko. “We were going to search for Mom until
we found her or a dead end.”

Ursa gave him a smile appreciating her son's devotion.

“We also planned on spending time with the villagers,” he said. “And we wanted to see your
play of course...”

“Which you did,” said Noren.

“How did you like it?” Ursa asked Zuko.

“It was the best version I've ever seen,” he answered. “And so much better than the Ember
Island Players.”

She nodded in agreement.

 “Chiara thought it was great too,” he continued. “Even Azula couldn't take her eyes off the
stage.”

Her eyes were drawn to Noren. “My husband puts on the best plays in the Fire Nation.”

He looked down modestly hiding his grin.

“I told you it was the best,” said Zuko.

“See?” said Ursa to Noren. “I wasn't exaggerating or being biased.”

“She's not,” assured Zuko. “Anytime we visited any place in the Fire Nation, Mom...” He had
to stifle his seven year old self. “...she always took us to the theater. This was really the best
production we've ever watched.”

“Well, then I guess I should trust the expert critics,” said Noren.

Ursa was smiling at him. “Grandma Guchi would be so proud of you.”

When Chiara finished Azula's treatment, she left her to sleep and went to the table with the
others.

“We really don't need to take your room tonight,” said Zuko looking at his mom and Noren.

“There will be no arguing about it, Zuko,” she said sternly. “You'll do as you're told.”

“Yes, Mom,” he answered with childlike obedience and a slight smirk. The giddiness was
still there, but it was slowly settling down as the reality of his mom's presence continued
sinking in.

“It's certainly been a long day,” said Noren. “We should probably all get some rest.”

“Or at least try,” said Ursa.

Noren and Ursa laid out mats in the living area while Zuko and Chiara retired to their
bedroom, though neither felt comfortable taking their room from them.

“How are you feeling?” Chiara asked him resting in his arms with her head on his chest.

“I...I'm unbelievably content,” he said, making her smile. “I still can't believe we found Mom.
It's like a dream.”

“I think it will really help Azula having her mother home again.” She delicately ran her
fingers over his chest where Azula hit him with her lightning during their Agni Kai.

Chapter End Notes

Parts of the this chapter and the previous 2 chapters are based on "The Search" trilogy. I
borrowed some of the dialogue from the comics, but I didn't use the rest of the Gaang in
this adventure. I wanted to leave it to Zuko and Chiara as they bonded with a healing
Azula.
 Hira'a's Hurrahs

The next morning the twilight glow was just beginning to pierce the blackness on the horizon
when Zuko's eyes opened. The room was still dark and nothing around him was visible, but
he could feel Chiara's warm body curled up against his side. Images of finding his mother felt
like a dream. He knew he was not camping outside, and he did not feel the motion of a ship,
and he was sure he was not on a more comfortable palace mattress. He grinned knowing it
was not a dream. He continued replaying everything from the previous day in his mind until
objects in the room became more visible.

After sitting up, he tenderly ran his hand over Chiara's long braid careful not to wake her. He
was feeling restless, and he decided to go outside and take in the early morning air. He
quietly left the room and stealthily started towards the door until he spotted his mother
kneeling at the table with a pot of tea.

“Oh, Mom...” He still felt a childlike giddiness when he addressed her. “...I didn't think you'd
be up so early.”

Ursa smiled. “I'm not usually. I was a little too excited to sleep much last night.” She was
ecstatic to be reunited with her children, but years of forgotten memories suddenly coming to
life in her mind also kept her thoughts preoccupied.

He knelt down next to her. “Like if you fell asleep, you'd wake up and it was just a dream?”

She gently laughed. “Exactly.” She poured tea into a cup and set it before him. “Is Chiara still
asleep?”

“Yes. But she won't sleep long. She usually wakes up when I do. We meditate together.”

“Aww,” she said, her smile bright. “That's so sweet. I'm so happy for you, Zuko. I'm so happy
you were able to marry someone you love.” Her eyes drifted to the other side of the room
where Noren still lay asleep. “And someone who loves you,” she added softly.

They continued talking over tea. He answered her questions and filled her in on the details of
their adventures until Azula joined them at the table.

“Tea, Azula?” Ursa asked her.

She silently nodded as she knelt down.

“Did you sleep okay?”

Azula's first instinct was to complain about her less than regal accommodations, but she bit
back her protest.

Ursa caught her hesitation and gave her a kind smile. “I know it isn't what you're used to,
sweetheart.”
Zuko tensed up expecting a sharp remark from Azula, but his reaction made him wonder if
that was how his uncle felt around him all those years during his banishment when he
snapped at everyone.

The princess shrugged. “I was still able to sleep.”

He relaxed, impressed that she did not fuss.

“How are you feeling?” her mother asked her.

Azula was not sure how she felt, much less how to describe it. “My head feels...off.”

“Do you want me to wake Chiara?” Zuko offered. “She might be able to...”

She was shaking her head. “Not that kind of off,” she said, but she could not help the warm
feeling inside her hearing her brother offer to wake his wife for her. “Everything is
just...overwhelming.”

“Like it's not real,” said Zuko softly.

Azula nodded.

Ursa placed a cup in front of her daughter. “It is real,” she said taking one of their hands in
each of hers. “And I am so happy to have my children back in my life.”

--------------------

The three of them had been talking and catching up for a while when Noren approached the
table.

“I'm sorry if I'm interrupting...”

Ursa smiled up at him. “Not at all, dear.”

He was surprised to see his daughter missing from the small group. “Kiyi's still asleep?”

“Yes. She had such a long day yesterday, I suppose not even the sun could wake her up this
morning.”

Azula raised an eyebrow. “Is she a firebender?”

“No,” answered Ursa. “But she is usually up with the sun.”

Zuko stood up. “I'm going to check on Chiara. She's usually up now too.”

“You should let her sleep, Zuko,” said Ursa. “She needs her rest.”

“She also needs to eat. If she doesn't gain weight before we return to the palace, Amiku's
going to kill me.”
Azula let out a dry laugh. “He's not kidding. That woman had Uncle cowering yesterday for
allowing Chiara to come on this trip.”

Ursa softly laughed. “Oh, Amiku must be so excited...and Iroh...I mean the Fire Lord...,” she
corrected, “...he must be thrilled about it. He always loved spending time with all of you
when you were younger.”

Zuko entered the bedroom where he found Chiara meditating in the sunlight shining through
the window.

“Chiara...”

She looked up at him.

“How long have you been awake?” he asked as he knelt down next to her.

“For a while.” She reached up and brushed a few strands of hair from his eyes.

She admired his fiery gaze while he relished her soft touch.

“I didn't want to interrupt your time with your mother,” she said.

“You're family too.” He took her hand in his. “And it wasn't just me and her; Azula was with
us.”

“That's even better. The three of you need to heal together.”

He kissed her hand. “And you need to eat.” He got to his feet, bringing her with him.

They went to the table where Ursa stood up. “Good morning, Chiara. Did you sleep okay?”

“I did. Thank you for allowing us to use your room.”

Ursa smiled and caressed her face. “It's the least I could do after you took such good care of
my son.” She started towards the kitchen. “I'm going to get everyone breakfast.”

Chiara turned to Zuko. “I'm going to help her.”

“You don't hav...,” he started until she raised an eyebrow at him.

They heard Azula laughing. “You should know by now, Brother, not to argue with her over
kitchen duties.”

He smirked and leaned towards Chiara to gently kiss her lips making Azula roll her eyes.
Noren was smiling at their show of affection which reminded him of him and his own wife.

“Ugh, public display...,” started Azula.

“Doesn't matter when I'm Lee,” said Zuko casually, kneeling down at the table.

She groaned, but Noren softly chuckled at them.

When Chiara entered the kitchen Ursa was busy preparing breakfast.

“Is there something you need?”

“I'm here to help, Aunt Ursa,” she said.

“You know, you can call me 'Mom,'” Ursa smiled at her. “I always thought of you as a
daughter.”

Chiara's eyes sparkled. “And you were every bit a mother to me.”

Ursa hugged her. “And now even more so. I'm so happy for you and Zuko.” She gently
touched her cheek. “And you haven't changed a bit,” she softly laughed. “You always did
enjoy helping everyone.”

Chiara picked up one of the yellow dragon fruits and began cutting it as they made breakfast
together.

“Zuko was telling me you can firebend,” said Ursa.

“Yes. The Fire Lord's been asking around, but no one's been able to figure it out.” She looked
at her mother-in-law. “I suppose you couldn't firebend when you were pregnant with Prince
Zuko and Azula?”

Ursa gave her a smile. “No. But I didn't try either.” Her eyes dropped down. “I don't even
want to imagine how Ozai would have taken to a non-bender practicing with him.” She
pushed the thought from her head and found a sweeter one to dwell on. “I still remember the
day you and Zuko met,” she gently laughed. “He was trying to teach you how to firebend.”

Chiara giggled at the same memory. “And to think he really did teach me how to firebend.”

“Princess!”

She glanced down to see Kiyi wrapped around her. She knelt down and hugged her.

“Good morning, Lady Kiyi.”

“I'm glad you and the prince are still here.” She gazed at Chiara with her big brown eyes.
“Are you going to stay here forever?”

Chiara chuckled and looked up at Ursa unsure of what to tell her little sister-in-law.

“Oh, honey...,” said her mother as she knelt down next to them. “...we're going to go with
them to the Capital.”

Kiyi backed away from Ursa and clung tightly to Chiara.

“It's okay, Lady Kiyi,” said Chiara. “This really is your mother.”
“She doesn't look like Mommy.” Her voice was muffled as she hid her face against Chiara's
neck.

“But it's still me, Kiyi,” said Ursa.

Chiara gave the girl comforting caresses on her back. “A great spirit changed her face back to
what it once was.”

“That's what Daddy said.” She was still pressed against the princess. “He said a bad man was
after Mommy and she had to change her face.”

“That's right, sweetheart,” said Ursa.

“But I miss your real face.”

“This is what your mother really looks like,” said Chiara still rubbing her back.

“And I know you don't recognize me like this, Kiyi, but Zuko does because I'm his mother
too.”

Kiyi, still pressed against Chiara, peeked out at her mother. “You're the prince's mommy?”

Chiara smiled. “She is, which makes Prince Zuko your big brother.”

The excitement in the girl's face made Chiara giggle.

“And Princess Azula is your big sister too.”

“I have a big brother and sister,” she said, her voice filled with awe. “Does that mean you're
my sister too?”

Chiara let out a soft laugh. “In a way, yes.”

Kiyi wrapped her arms around her neck and hugged her tightly. “I'm glad you're my sister.”
She let her go. “I have to go see my big brother now.”

She sped out of the kitchen.

“She really adores you and Zuko,” said Ursa.

Chiara looked at her. “Knowing he's her brother might help her adjust to the change.”

“Wait 'til she finds out she's an aunt,” she smiled.

---------------------

Zuko and Azula were talking to Noren when the prince suddenly found himself being tackled
by Kiyi for the second time that morning.

“Big brother!” she said excitedly.

Noren was tempted to scold his daughter for her overly enthusiastic attack on the Crown
Prince again, but seeing Zuko laughing as he held her, he refrained from reproving her this
time. And though Zuko found it difficult to breathe for how tightly her little arms were
wound around his neck, he enjoyed her excitement. It even jolted his memories of Azula
doing the same at a much younger age than Kiyi before Ozai found it necessary to put a rift
between them.

“The princess said you were my big brother,” she said happily, releasing him from her hug.

“She did?” he asked as if it were news to him. “But then that would mean I have another little
sister.”

Azula was surprised to hear her brother speak the words “little sister” in such a fond tone,
especially considering their history, but what struck her even more was how she found his
gentle tone heartwarming. She was not yet sure how to handle having a little sister, but amid
the heap of negative emotions and feelings which had driven her for so many years, there
were positive ones of which she had been so recently drawn towards. Instead of anger, envy,
or condescension, there was a more fulfilling feeling of affection as she watched her older
brother tickling the girl who was squealing with laughter. It was reminiscent of another time,
as though somewhere in her memories she was the little girl happily squealing at her big
brother's playful attention.

--------------------

After breakfast Zuko and Chiara left his mother's house and started walking towards the
center of town where Nersala lived. When Shiza, Nersala's husband, answered the door, his
eyes grew wide upon recognizing the young couple even with the prince wearing an eye
patch.

“Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara....” He bowed before stepping aside. “...please come in.”

They returned his bow before entering.

“It's an honor to have you in our home again.”

“It's good to see you too, Shiza,” said Zuko.

“Nersala is currently with a patient,” he said, “but you may sit.” He pointed to the table
where they sat with his family during their last visit. “You will have tea?”

“Yes, thank you,” said the Prince.

“Everyone in the village was excited to hear about the defeat of Ozai,” he said as he poured
water into the teapot. “The whole island really.” He set the pot over a flame. “When my son
and his friends returned they were so proud to have been able to help. He still speaks of his
night in the royal palace and the banquet.”

“It was the least we could do,” said Zuko, “especially after they fought so hard to prevent
Ozai from burning down the Earth Kingdom.”
“They told everyone all about the airship battles and the Avatar fighting the Fire Lord...uh,
the former Fire Lord. And Rizin was quite shocked to see how young the Avatar was,
especially after witnessing such bending power during the fight.”

“The Avatar State can be frightening,” said Chiara. “And we've never even seen him at full
power using all his bending abilities.”

Zuko stared at her. “You're right,” he agreed, thinking back to the few times he had seen
Aang in the Avatar State. “That must've been thrilling to watch.”

“Rizin also spoke of a child earthbender who could bend metal,” said Shiza.

The couple grinned. “That's Aang's...the Avatar's earthbending sifu,” said Zuko.

“And also a child,” he said. “Amazing.

Zuko and Chiara chuckled. “Yeah, we think so too,” she said.

Shiza shook his head. “I never thought I'd see the end of this war. And to see Prince Iroh take
the throne...we had quite a celebration here in Hira'a on the day of his coronation.”

--------------------

They continued their conversation with Shiza, and shortly after finishing their tea, Nersala
exited a room followed by a young woman from the village. The doctor was excited to see
the couple.

“Prince, Princess,” she greeted them as she bowed. Her medical instincts kicking in, her
trained eyes automatically began a visual examination of Chiara.

The young woman with Nersala stared wide-eyed at the royal couple and she immediately
bowed.

“This is Hina,” said Nersala introducing the woman. “She was here the last time you visited.”

They had met nearly everyone in the village, but there had been so many people they did not
know them all by name.

“You healed my mother, Princess,” said Hina. “She had fallen and injured her leg.”

“I remember,” said Chiara. “How is she doing?”

“Much better. She's suffered no pain since then. Thank you so much.” She shifted
uncomfortably clearly showing her nervousness at being in their presence. “I...um...I should
go,” she said. She made a swift bow and headed towards the door followed by Nersala.

When Nersala returned, she looked over Chiara. “I hope everything is well with you,
Princess,” she said hoping they were not visiting due to an issue with her pregnancy.

“It is,” she said.

“Though we do have a personal question we were hoping you might be able to answer,” said
Zuko.

“I can certainly try,” said Nersala. “It's my pleasure to serve you and the princess. Follow
me.”

They followed her to the room where they first discovered they were expecting a baby.

“I've spoken of your condition to no one,” said Nersala. “Not even my own family. Since I
haven't heard any announcements from the palace, I assume you're not ready for the joyous
news to be made public.”

“Considering the way Uncle was telling everyone, it's amazing the whole Nation doesn't
know,” said Zuko.

Nersala chuckled. “It's good to hear the Fire Lord is a proud great uncle.”

“Now that we're actively working on peace with the other Nations, he plans on making the
formal announcement when we return,” said Chiara.

“I believe a new member of the royal family will be good for the Fire Nation,” said the
doctor. “We can celebrate the end of the war and new life in the palace...in more ways than
one,” she added referring to the change in leadership.

She knelt down and they followed her lead.

“Now, what is it you would like to ask?”

Zuko looked at Chiara and gently nodded. She held up her hand. Nersala's eyes widened
when she saw a small flame appear on the princess's palm.

“You're carrying a firebender,” she said with a smile.

“So you've seen this before?” asked Zuko anxiously.

She shook her head. “No. But I've seen the princess waterbend with my own eyes. I know
she's not a firebender, nor the Avatar.” Her eyes moved from the flame to Zuko. “My son has
personally seen the young boy...both in battle and...well...playing around the palace.”

Zuko and Chiara softly giggled.

“That sounds like Aang,” he said.

Nersala returned to studying Chiara's flame. “The only other explanation is that she's carrying
a firebender.”

“Have you ever heard of this happening before?” asked Chiara.

“No. It's truly unique, and I've taken care of many expectant mothers who were not
firebenders and had children who were,” she said as she closely studied the flame.
“The Fire Lord has consulted the sages and doctors even among the colonies, but so far none
have heard of anything like it,” said the princess.

“You must be very attuned to firebending.”

“I trained with them most of my life. Even though I couldn't produce fire, I listened and
imitated when the General would instruct Prince Lu Ten or Prince Zuko.”

Nersala nodded. “You had no inner flame with which to create fire, but now it seems you've
tapped into your own child's.” Her eyes met Chiara's eyes and she smiled. “He shares his
flame with you.” She stared again at the small fire Chiara was supporting. “I suspect your
own skill in bending an element is another factor that contributes to this new ability.”

“Do you think she'll still be able to firebend after the baby's born?” asked Zuko.

Nersala looked thoughtful before holding out her hand. “May I, Princess?”

“Of course.”

The doctor placed her hand over Chiara's heart. She looked at Zuko. “Prince Zuko, may I?”
she asked his permission. He was puzzled by her request, but nodded his assent. She held her
other hand over his heart. “Every person carries a small flame inside,” she said. “But because
firebenders have the ability to call on and control that flame, their bodies also give off a
natural heat higher than non-benders.” She smiled at Chiara. “I'm sure you're already aware
of that, Princess.”

“I've hugged my family of firebenders enough times to know how warm they are.”

Nersala chuckled. “You're not giving off that same heat. I'm sure you're drawing from the
baby's inner flame.” She looked at Zuko. “I don't believe she'll be able to firebend after
giving birth, but I can say with some certainty that your child will likely be a firebender,” she
smiled.

“I guess that's good for an heir to the throne,” he said. “But it doesn't matter to me if he's a
bender or not.”

Before Nersala could voice her pleasure of the young prince's humility they heard a
commotion outside the room and all three stood up. When they opened the door, Rizin and
his wife and daughter were talking to Shiza. They stopped and stared at the royal couple.

“Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara,” greeted Rizin as he and his family dropped to their knees.
“It's an honor to have you in Hira'a.”

“It's good to see you again, Rizin,” said Zuko motioning for them to stand.

“What's all the excitement?” asked Nersala.

“There's a crowd outside. They know the prince and princess are here. Everyone's anxious to
see them.”
Zuko turned to Chiara and grinned.

“I'm so sorry,” apologized Nersala. “I should have stressed to Hina to keep your visit secret.”

“It's okay,” said Zuko. “We didn't intend to stay undercover. We'll be here for at least a few
more days, and we planned on meeting with the villagers.”

“Do you have a place to stay?” asked Rizin's wife Sora.

“We do,” said Zuko. “We'll be staying with...Noren.” He nearly said his mom, but he knew it
was not his place to reveal her and Ikem's identities. He would allow them to make that
decision when they chose, though it would probably be soon considering it would appear to
the other villagers that Noren was with another woman.

They could hear the group of villagers on the other side of the door. Zuko looked at Chiara
again.

“I guess we should go outside and greet them,” he said.

He took her hand and they stepped outside where everyone began cheering. When the crowd
settled down, a man and woman stepped forward.

“Magistrate...Haku?” said Zuko hoping he remembered his name correctly.

“Yes, your Highness,” he confirmed as he and his wife bowed. “And my wife Lani.”

“It's good to see you again,” said the prince.

“We are honored by your visit. Had we known, we would've made preparations for your
arrival this time.”

“It wasn't necessary,” said Zuko. “We were visiting regarding private business.”

“If there's anything you need, I will be more than happy to offer any help.”

“Thank you, Magistrate, but we found what we were looking for. And now we're planning on
offering our own services to the people.”

A murmur was heard from the crowd reflecting their excitement upon hearing the prince's
words. They joyfully welcomed the royal couple who mingled among them answering
questions and offering their healing services when requested.

--------------------

News of their presence on the island continued spreading throughout the village, and soon
Kiyi was anxiously pulling Noren along through the crowd with Ursa and Azula following
behind them. The princess was surprised to see so many people surrounding the couple.

“Already Zuzu's got a fan club,” she muttered.

Ursa could hear the slight bitterness in her daughter's voice. “They really appreciate what
Chiara's done for them,” she said.

Azula gave her a puzzled look. “What did she do for them?”

“When she and Zuko were here a few months ago, Chiara healed many of the villagers,
including a blind girl.”

Azula now understood why Zuko was so insistent upon entering the village in disguise, but
she wondered if they had come to Hira'a to hide after she had pursued them at the Western
Air Temple. “Were they hiding here?”

“No,” said Ursa. “Zuko was telling me this morning they came here for the doctor when they
last visited. It's when they found out Chiara was pregnant.”

“Why did they come here for a doctor?”

“One of his friends was from the island and recommended Nersala.”

When they broke through the crowd, they saw Chiara preparing to heal a broken leg and a
gash on a young man while Zuko stood nearby talking to other villagers. Chiara heard the
concerned gasps of several former guards who had recognized Azula from her visit to Boiling
Rock after the breakout. She glanced over to see her standing with Ursa, Noren, and Kiyi
before focusing on her patient's injury. It was two days old and had already been treated, but
Azula intently watched as the bruising around the broken bone disappeared signifying the
healing of the fracture beneath and the wound resealed itself until it was completely gone.
Though she had personally experienced Chiara's healing touch, she had never seen her do it,
and she was mesmerized by the glowing blue water, the same that often brought her a sense
of peace and calm.

“It's such a beautiful blue,” said the young man's little sister watching the glowing water up
close.

Chiara returned the water to the bucket that had been provided for her. “If you think this is
beautiful, you should see Princess Azula's beautiful blue flames.” She gave her sister-in-law a
friendly smile with the hope that those who were uncomfortable in the presence of the
younger princess might relax.

Azula gaped at her not expecting such a compliment from her nor was she expecting the
attention of most of the crowd that was now focused upon her.

“You have blue flames?” asked Kiyi staring up at her big sister. “Can I see?”

The princess was tempted to snap back that she was not some circus freak ready to put on
shows for people at will, but she held her tongue and collected herself before producing a
small blue flame in her hands. The oohs and aahs of the children surrounding her trying to get
a closer look took her by surprise, as did the amazed gasps of the adults.

“It's incredible,” she heard among them.

“I've never seen anything like it,” said others.

“How unique!”

Ursa remembered her daughter's threat with her blue fire the night before and the fight she
had with Zuko before she ran out of her home. But now with her memories restored, she
looked at Azula's fire with her true eyes.

“Azula, your fire is really beautiful,” she complimented her.

Ursa's praise was very different from Ozai's. It was genuine and sincere. Her mother's pride
in her ability was completely devoid of selfishness unlike Ozai whose pride in her was more
for himself, as if he were the reason for her talent. She wondered how she so easily fell for
her father's selfish flattery.

She remembered the first time she created her blue flame. She was alone in her room in the
palace a year into Zuko's banishment. When Ozai had seen her using her newfound ability
during practice, she could not deny that she had been slightly jarred by the greedy look in his
eyes betraying his desire to use her to his benefit. But his praise of her unique skill
immediately played upon her own pride and she allowed herself to be his tool.

And in one of her earliest memories she could still remember her brother's reaction to her
first flame which was nothing like Ozai's response. Not long after Zuko had learned how to
produce a small flame in his hand she sat and imitated him as he practiced.

“Zuzu! Zuzu!” she called, her small, chubby hand cradling a tiny flame.

Zuko's golden eyes were big as he stared at the fire in his little sister's hand. “You did it,
Zula! You're a firebender too!”

He quickly got up and picked her up struggling to carry her to their mother.

“Mom! Mom!”

“What is it, Zuko? What's wrong?” asked Ursa.

“Look what Azula can do!” he said setting his sister in front of her. “Show her, Zula.”

She held out her empty hand.

“Like this,” said Zuko holding his own hand out.

He called upon his inner fire creating a small flame. She imitated him, but again, nothing
happened.

“Zuko, she's too young yet to create fire...”

“But she did it,” he insisted. He looked at his sister. “Concentrate,” he instructed. “Feel the
flame inside you.”
Soon a small flame appeared on her palm. Her mother smiled proudly at her daughter's
accomplishment.

“She's a firebender too,” said Zuko.

“I'm so proud of you, Azula,” said Ursa looking closer at the fire.

Ozai entered the room to see his daughter cradling the small flame. His eyes grew wide.
“Already she is producing fire without a master,” he said striding over to her to study it
closely.

“She learned it from watching Zuko,” said Ursa.

He sneered at her. “ Zuko?” he repeated, his voice full of disdain. “ His firebending is so late
and so poor, he's practically a non-bender.” Ursa glared at him, but he merely turned his
attention back to his daughter. “No. Azula is just gifted. At this rate, she will surpass Zuko
before the end of the month.” He looked at Azula. “You will be a great firebender worthy of
the royal family.”

Zuko's eyes dropped in shame.

When Ozai left the room, Ursa turned to her son who had struggled so long to prove he could
firebend and had finally done so recently. “I'm proud of you, Zuko. You taught your sister
how to create a flame.”

He looked at his little sister and gave her a smile.

Her brother had not shown the slightest bit of envy or anger, but he had been genuinely proud
of her, just like her mother.

“Azula!” called Ursa. “Chiara, help her.”

They were the last words Azula heard after she collapsed on the ground, her flame dissipating
as she lost consciousness.

Chiara dropped to her knees beside her and drew water from the bucket.

“What's wrong with her?” asked Ursa.

Chiara was holding the water over her head and focusing, but she could find nothing. She
shook her head and proceeded to move the water over the rest of her body searching for the
cause of her unconsciousness.

“What happened?” asked Zuko now kneeling next to her.

“She just fell,” said Ursa.

“There...there's nothing physically wrong with her,” said Chiara.

“But why is she like this?” her mother asked worriedly.

Chiara looked up at Zuko. “Ba Sing Se.”

He was puzzled.

“The Fire Lord might understand this better,” she said.

Comprehension then dawned on him. “It's not natural.”

“I don't understand,” said Ursa. “What's going on?”

“I'll explain later,” he said as he noted the murmuring crowd gathered around them. “Let's get
her back to the house.”

He carefully lifted his sister from the ground and carried her following Noren back to their
home.

“Princess, will she be all right?” Nersala asked Chiara.

“I believe so.”

“If there's anything you need, let me know,” said the doctor.

“Thank you.” She turned to follow Zuko.

When they arrived at the house, Noren opened the door for them.

“Take her to our room,” said Ursa, her hand on Zuko's back as she tried to remain as close as
possible to her oldest daughter.

Zuko gently placed her on the bed where he and Chiara slept the night before.

“She's been dealing with a lot of change lately,” Chiara told Ursa.

“This morning she said she felt overwhelmed.” She knelt on the bed next to her daughter.

Chiara sat on Azula's right side and felt her forehead. “She feels warmer than she should.”

“I'll get water for you,” said Noren.

“Is my sister going to be okay?” asked Kiyi.

“Mommy and Princess Chiara will take care of her,” answered her father. “Why don't you
help me get the water?”

She followed Noren out of the room.

 Those Who Love You

“Azula...you still have a chance to redeem yourself...to take the title, the throne I gave to
you...Fire Lord Azula.”

Her eyes were drawn up to her father towering over her.

“Or are you weak like your brother?” he asked in a deep voice.

“I-I'm not weak...” Even she could hear the doubt in her voice.

“Then why is Zuko still alive? Why is your wretched mother still alive?” She could feel his
piercing glare. “If you had been strong, worthy of being my daughter, you would have killed
them by now...”

“Do not listen to him, Azula.”

She turned to Ursa who stood in the distance. “Mother?” she whispered.

“You even let that savage outsider use her inferior bending on you,” her father deeply
scolded her. “You are a failure. You will always be a failure unless you kill them...”

“Ozai is wrong,” said Ursa who seemed to be walking towards her but never drawing closer.
“You are not a failure.”

“I gave you power!” Ozai's voice boomed. “And you threw it away on these traitors!”

“But I...I didn't...”

“Maybe it was you I should have thrown from the palace walls after you were born,” he
hissed.

Tears fell down Azula's cheeks.

“Maybe it was you I should have burned and banished.”

Her mother cried out her name as Ozai stretched out a fiery fist towards her.

Azula screamed, her hands covering her face.

“It's okay, Azula,” said Ursa, her arms around her daughter. “You're safe. I'm here with you.”

Azula opened her eyes to find herself wrapped in her mother's arms. She was stiff, but
trembling. She ran her fingers over her left eye, but there was no injury or pain. Her tense
body relaxed into her mother's embrace.

“What...what's happening to me?” she asked, her voice cracking.

Ursa tenderly caressed her head. “You've been dealing with so much, especially these last few
days. You need rest.”

Azula pulled away from her mother.

“How did I get here?” She felt confused as she glanced around the room. “We-we were
outside...”

“You fainted. Zuko carried you here.”

Part of her was troubled and ashamed that she was so weak that her brother had been forced
to carry her.

“You've been feverish all night,” said Ursa.

Azula realized the sun was rising. “I've been out all night?”

Her mother nodded. “Zuko, Chiara, and I stayed with you here.”

Azula looked down at the mats on the floor where she assumed Zuko and Chiara slept nearby.
Her mother had slept by her side.

“Chiara didn't heal me?”

“She tried, but it didn't work. She said it wasn't a natural illness and that your Uncle Iroh
would understand it better. And Zuko said something similar happened to him too.”

She was curious as to what her mother meant. “Where are they?”

“They're eating breakfast.”

“You're not eating with them?” she asked.

“I wanted to stay here with you,” said Ursa.

She lay back on the bed. “If...if you want to be with them...,” she started a little stiffly.

“I want to be with you,” said her mother, gently running her fingers through her daughter's
hair.

Azula relaxed secretly relieved that she was willing to stay with her.

“Nersala, the town doctor, stopped by last night to check on you...,” started Ursa.

Azula's eyes quickly met hers. “But...I don't need a doctor,” she said with a slight tone of
offense. “I-I mean...Chiara...she's been taking care...” She closed her eyes, unable to finish
her sentence. “She knows me better...”

“Of course,” said Ursa softly, resting a gentle hand on her daughter's to ease her concern.
“Nersala was just very concerned about you. She was there when you fell unconscious, and
she wanted to see how you were doing.”
“I brought you breakfast, Aunt Ursa.” Chiara stepped into the room carrying a bowl. “You're
awake,” she said when she spotted Azula's eyes following her. She handed the bowl to Ursa
before sitting next to her sister-in-law. Taking a cloth, she dipped it in the water and gently
pressed it against Azula's forehead and cheeks. “How are you feeling?”

She was not sure how to put into words how she felt. She was not physically tired like she
wanted to sleep, but somehow she felt drained. She was tired of feeling defensive all the
time, tired of the voice inside that always warned her that no one truly cared about her—no
one could care about her, that it was impossible for anyone to love her—because here she
was in the midst of family that insisted upon caring for her even when they had no obligation
to do so. They could have left her locked up in the hospital indefinitely or threw her into
prison like Ozai. It is what she would have done to them—what she had done to them. They
could have even had the Avatar remove her firebending, or they could have executed her and
freed themselves of dealing with her at all. Ozai would insist it was weakness on their part—
love and mercy were defects that needed to be burned out of a person. But after being on the
receiving end of so much love lately she could no longer see it as a defect in those around
her. Part of her, a part that was growing each day, found peace and contentment in the
presence of that love.

“I think I feel better,” she said softly.

“Are you hungry?” asked Chiara. “Would you like me to get you something to eat?”

“I...I would like that.”

Not long after Chiara left to get her breakfast there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” called Ursa.

Noren opened the door and stuck his head in the room. “We heard you were awake.”

Beneath him, peering inside the room was Kiyi.

Ursa smiled beckoning them inside. “Come in,” she repeated.

As they walked in, Kiyi was clinging to her father's leg.

“Are you feeling better?” Noren asked Azula.

She nodded. “A little,” she answered softly.

This man who barely knew her and whose only connection to her was being married to her
mother had more concern in his voice than she could ever remember coming from her own
father.

“Kiyi's been very worried about her big sister,” he said looking down at his daughter peeking
out at Azula from behind his leg.

“Your blue fire was really pretty,” she said shyly.

Azula was still getting used to the reality that this little girl was her sister. “Um...thanks.” She
tried to sound sincere, but it almost sounded sarcastic to her own ears.

“Can you show it to me?” asked Kiyi chancing to stand out a little more from behind her
father.

“It's probably best if Azula doesn't firebend right now, Sweetheart,” said Ursa worried that
she might pass out again.

Kiyi drew back a bit away from her mother. Azula took notice of the girl's standoffishness
with Ursa as well as the wounded look in their mother's eyes. She wondered how often she
herself had made her mother look so hurt.

“Maybe later when she's feeling better she can show you,” said Noren with his hand gently
resting on his daughter's head.

Zuko walked in the room carrying a bowl. Going to the right side of the bed, he held it out to
Azula. “Here's your breakfast,” he offered unceremoniously.

“Where's Chiara?” she asked making no move to take the bowl from him. “I thought she was
bringing it.”

“She made it, but I...I just wanted to see how you were doing,” he said gingerly.

She only shrugged, but she suspected Chiara made him come in to visit her.

Ursa stood up from the bed deciding to leave the siblings alone to allow them to talk. “I'm
going to see if Chiara needs my help,” she said. “I don't want to leave her to do all the work.”

Noren got the hint and took Kiyi's hand. “Let's leave your sister to eat her breakfast,” he said.

“Bye, Zuzu. Bye, Zula.”

The golden eyes of both older siblings turned towards their little sister upon hearing her
nicknames for them, and they stared at her as she left with her father.

“She's definitely our sister,” said Zuko softly after they were gone.

Azula reached up and took the bowl from him.

“Chiara said you should start light, but she'll make you something else if you're still hungry,”
he said.

He continued standing there awkwardly. The last time he was alone with his sister, she
insisted his wife was dead and he threatened to kill her.

She stared blankly at her food.

“You're really good with her,” she finally said in a soft voice, breaking the uncomfortable
silence.
He was puzzled by her comment and was trying to figure out what she meant by it.

“Your little sister, I mean,” she clarified. “Our little sister,” she corrected. “She...she really
looks up to you.”

Zuko's lip curled thinking about Kiyi. “She is really adorable.”

“I remember feeling the same way...,” she started, her voice even softer. “...about...about
you.”

He sat down on the bed facing her. “You-you do?” he asked incredulously.

“It was a long time ago.” Her eyes still rested on her food.

“I didn't think you remembered that.”

She gently nodded.

“Mom said this isn't a natural illness and that it happened to you,” she said.

“It did,” he confirmed. “In Ba Sing Se. I planned on stealing Appa...”

She gave him a puzzled look.

“He's Aang's...the Avatar's bison.”

She looked even more curious. “How were you going to steal that sky bison?”

“Yeah...I...I didn't really have a plan,” he said rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “I was
so tired of being a refugee. I just wanted to go home. Uncle said I was trying to follow a
destiny someone else forced on me, so I let Appa go. When we got back to our apartment I
wasn't feeling too well, and...I don't remember much after that, but I remember Uncle saying
I was at war with myself. Chiara later told me she tried to heal me at that time but couldn't.
When the fever broke I was finally ready to give up chasing the Avatar and settle down as
Lee the tea server.”

Though there was the tiniest of temptations to make some snide remark about his peasant
status, Azula held her tongue.

“At least, I thought I was ready to give it up and settle down,” he continued, his voice full of
shame.

“The Crystal Catacombs,” she whispered knowing what he meant.

He nodded slowly. “I thought I could return home and pick up my life, but when Uncle and
Chiara fought back...I should've trusted them and fought by their side.”

“You wouldn't have won,” she said in a blunt but even tone. He immediately felt defensive
and had to force himself not to scowl at her. “I wouldn't have let you win,” she continued.
She spoke her words without arrogance, merely stating what she believed to be fact.
“We don't know that,” he said. Despite his tone of defensiveness, he suspected she was right.
He was sure she would have done anything to stop him in the catacombs had he rejected her.
“And even if we lost, I still should've fought with them. I made the wrong choice. They were
my family, and I failed to see it because I was too anxious to please Ozai.”

“And do you think things would be as they are now?” she asked. “Uncle would've been
executed, and it's likely you and Chiara would have been as well—you for betraying the Fire
Lord and Chiara for you betraying the Fire Lord.”

Her words brought him no comfort over his decision, especially since he knew the Order of
the White Lotus might have rescued them all.

They both sat silently, Zuko mulling over his regrets and Azula reflecting on his story. She
contemplated how her brother did not blame anyone but himself. She had been the one to
tempt him in the catacombs, but he never condemned her for it. He showed no bitterness that
their uncle and Chiara did not side with him; she briefly wondered how she herself might
have reacted to such a betrayal. He did not even blame their father for the choice he made
that day. He owned up to his own mistake, one that nearly cost the life of their uncle. He had
his own regrets just as she was having hers. He turned away from who he thought he was
meant to be and from what he thought he wanted—what Ozai wanted, and he chose a
different path. And she could see the inner peace he found outside of Ozai's expectations.

“Ozai...he wasn't a good father,” she said, finally breaking the silence.

“No, he wasn't,” he said deeply.

“I let him control me.” Her voice was soft and contrite.

Staring at his sister, it suddenly occurred to him how different she appeared. Chiara's
treatments had gradually tempered her over the past weeks, and he had noticed a more drastic
change in her the day before—a change in her attitude that was present since they heard their
mother's story. But now she even seemed to look different. Her calm demeanor lacked
condescension, and the constant conniving he could always see behind her eyes was gone.
She looked relaxed and free, yet there was a sadness in her voice. Anger was usually her first
reaction followed by vengeance, and she had for so long taken pleasure in the sorrow of
others. Sorrow was an emotion he could not remember seeing in his sister since she was a
toddler.

“You're not alone, Azula,” he assured her. “I wasted years trying to please him.” He looked
down. “Uncle was more of a father to me, and it took me too long and a lot of mistakes to
figure that out.”

“At least you did figure it out,” she said.

“And so can you.”

Her eyes met his. He thought he could see a look of hope in them, and at that moment he
realized just how right Chiara and his uncle were: Azula was not totally lost. She could be
redeemed and saved from Ozai's fate, and he wanted to help save her. She had reached her
own crossroads of destiny, and he did not want her to make the same mistake he had.

“Uncle said there's nothing wrong with letting people who love you help you...,” he said.
“...at least, I think Toph was talking about Uncle. It sounds like something he'd say.” He
shook his head. “It doesn't matter though. Whoever said it was right. We want to help you,
Azula. Uncle doesn't want you to end up like his brother...and-and neither do I.”

A fading voice in the back of her mind scoffed at his words and even at the comfort she was
finding in them.

“Ozai would consider that weakness, Zuko.”

He was ready to argue, but the tone of her voice—very calm and normal and lacking
arrogance—and addressing him as 'Zuko' instead of her condescending 'Zuzu,' made him
hesitate. He also noticed that, like him, she was not calling Ozai 'father.'

“But then look at him,” she continued. “He's sitting alone, powerless in a prison cell
believing he can still manipulate people.”

He picked up on her meaning. “What did he want you to do?”

She slowly stirred the food in her bowl. “Find the letter to prove you weren't his and try to
usurp the throne.” She looked up at him. “He wanted me to kill mother too so she couldn't
deny it.”

His eyes grew wide, and he was filled with worry that he had been wrong about her change.

His expression gave away his concern, and she knew what he was thinking. “I'm not...I was
never going to,” she assured him, her eyes returning to her bowl. “I knew what he was trying
to do. He wanted to use me to try and rule the Fire Nation.”

“But you attacked Mom the other day,” he said, still tense.

“I lost control.” She sighed and turned her eyes away. “I was jealous,” she admitted
defeatedly. “And...I wasn't...I wasn't quite right. Too much has happened. I found out Mom
was forced to marry Ozai and forced to have me. I felt...alone. And you were so happy to be
Noren's son...”

“But I'm not. Ozai is...” He refused to refer to him as 'father.' “...well...Noren's not my father.”

She caught the hint of disappointment in his voice.

“I know that now,” she said. “And even if he were...it wouldn't matter. I know I'm not alone.”
Her voice was quiet, almost as if she were ashamed to admit it, as if that voice in the back of
her mind was still fighting to be heard and obeyed.

Zuko, however, never thought he would ever hear his sister sound so...normal. His lip curled
into a gentle smile. “You're really not.”
For so long she had isolated herself from her family and had forced herself to be independent,
living only to make Ozai proud of her, to accomplish every task and goal he set her to, and to
prove she was perfect, better than everyone else. Now she felt free. There was no
responsibility or burden to prove anything to anyone.

“It was good that you didn't please Ozai,” she said. “He would've tried molding you into his
likeness.”

He caught her meaning, knowing she was referring to what he did to her.

“You could never be like him,” she said. She raised her eyes to meet his. “And I don't mean
that as an insult,” she added honestly. “You'll be a better father than he ever was.”

His jaw dropped at her compliment.

“And, of course, you wouldn't be my dum-dum of a brother if you were like him,” she added
with faux haughtiness.

He chuckled at the sisterly teasing she just had to throw in there.

When the door opened, they both turned to see Chiara entering with a cup in her hand. She
silently but joyfully noted that there were no flames being exchanged and that Zuko had a
small grin while Azula appeared content.

“This may not be a natural sickness, but as your uncle once said, That shouldn't stop you from
enjoying tea,” she said imitating Iroh.

Zuko softly laughed, remembering his uncle's words to him. Even Azula broke into a small
smile at Chiara's perfect impression of their uncle's intonation.

“Well, if Uncle said it, then I guess I should listen,” she said. She set the bowl of food on the
bed and took the cup Chiara offered her.

“You haven't eaten,” said Chiara, sounding worried. “Are you not hungry?”

“Oh...we were just talking,” she said softly. “But I'll eat it.”

She took a sip of tea. “Ginseng?”

“Yes,” Chiara smiled. “It should help perk you up.”

Azula smirked to herself when she realized it tasted exactly like Iroh's. And though she did
not quite share the same enthusiasm for tea as her uncle, she had to admit—at least to herself
—that it was the best tea she had ever had, even better than her mother's.

Chiara looked at Zuko who was still sitting on the other side of the bed. “The magistrate and
his wife stopped by. Aunt Ursa's explaining what happened to Noriko.”

“So everyone will know about Mom.”

She nodded.

“That must be awkward for everyone seeing a different woman,” said Azula.

“Yeah, they looked a little...uh...uncomfortable when Noren put his arm around her,”
chuckled Chiara. “But they remember her when she lived here before. They knew your
grandparents, Magistrate Jinzuk and Rina.”

The siblings had given so little thought to their maternal grandparents, it was still strange to
hear about them. Zuko made a mental note to ask his mom about her parents.

“They also want to have a big celebration now that you're awake,” said Chiara looking at
Azula.

She looked up from her tea. “When?”

“As soon as possible before we go back to the Capital. The news that we're here is spreading
through the whole island, and it sounds like people are making their way here from the other
villages.”

Zuko thought his sister appeared a little down. “If you're not up for it, Azula...”

“No. I'm fine. I guess we should...meet with our people...you know, for the good of the Fire
Nation.”

Chiara thought she could see a hint of joy in Zuko's eyes.

“I'll need to send a hawk to Uncle,” he said. “He needs to know we found Mom.”

“Send one to the ship too,” said Chiara. “Otherwise, Kaito and Nai'll be sending out a search
party.”

He let out a little snort of laughter. “Good idea.” He was sure their guards were anxious to
hear from them.

--------------------

Later, after finishing her breakfast, Azula stepped out of the bedroom. She took note of the
many bouquets that seemed to fill the house. “Where did all these flowers come from?”

“The villagers were worried about you,” said Ursa. “They dropped off flowers and food
wishing you to get better.”

“These are for me?” she asked in a small voice as she walked along a line of bouquets. She
gently ran her hand over the blossoms.

“Yes.”

Kiyi glanced up at her shyly, her big brown eyes filled with guilt. “I ate one of your pink
berry puffs,” she admitted timidly.
Azula looked over at the table to see it covered in food.

“There are so many desserts, I didn't think you'd mind,” said Chiara.

Azula was in awe over the offerings of the villagers.

“No,” she said softly, “I don't mind.”

“The village is filling up with people,” said a flustered-looking Noren when he walked in the
door. “I didn't think I was going to make it back. Everyone was asking questions about Ursa
and Ikem,” he said looking at his wife. “They were also asking how Princess Azula was
doing, and if Prince Zuko and Princess Chiara would be staying on the island.”

“Were you able to get the letters sent?” asked Zuko.

“Yes. They're on their way.”

“How did it go at the theater?” asked Ursa.

“I explained everything to the troupe. Of course everyone was...well...shocked is an

understatement. They're also quite sad that we'll be leaving Hira'a.” He turned to Zuko. “I did
mention your offer inviting them to perform in the Capital, and they're quite excited about it.”

Ursa stood before her husband. “And we can always come back to visit.”

“Chiara and I will be visiting regularly,” said Zuko. “You're always welcome to travel with
us. And, of course, you guys are free to travel anywhere you want anytime.”

“I appreciate that, Prince Zuko,” said Noren. He gazed down at Ursa. “Just as long as my
wife is by my side, it doesn't matter where I am.”

Zuko softly laughed enjoying the familiarity of Noren's words. “Are you sure you aren't
Chiara's dad?” he asked making her giggle.

Ursa stood up on her toes to reach her husband's lips with her own. “You're so sweet, dear,”
she said after her tender kiss.

Azula rolled her eyes. “Shouldn't we be outside among the crowd...where none of you are
permitted to act like that...”

Her mother smiled as she walked over to her daughter and placed her arm around her. “If
you're not ready to go outside, Azula, you don't have to do this.”

“I'm fine.”

“Are you sure? The magistrate said the villagers are planning a celebration and people from
the whole island are coming. It'll be a pretty big crowd.”

“It is already,” added Noren.

“Really, Mom, I'll be okay...especially if you guys stop acting like...”

“Like we're in love?” she smiled at her daughter.

“Yes.”

“Well, we'll try,” said Ursa, “but I can't make any promises.” Her eyes were sparkling as they
rested on Noren.

Zuko and Chiara glanced at each other and grinned. They were both delighted to see Ursa so
happy and Azula composed.

--------------------

The news had quickly spread across the island that the prince and princess were there, and
citizens from all the villages came to visit. Many were amazed to find the couple so affable
and endearing. Sick family members were brought to them and were relieved to be healed of
various ailments. Some they greeted had been among their allies at Boiling Rock. A few had
been prisoners of war they brought back from the Northern Tribe, and of those many had
been personally cured of the loss of their firebending by the princess.

The family spent a week in Hira'a during which the whole island threw a huge celebration
lasting several days.

Somewhere hidden in Capital City, a man stood in front of a tapestry bearing the stern face of
the former Fire Lord.

“You and I have longed for the glory days of Ozai's rule,” he announced to the group before
him, “when the Fire Nation was the strongest and safest of all the nations! No outside threat
stood a chance against us!” He looked away, almost shamefully, clenching his fists. “Little
did we know that we would be undone from within by the Dragon of the West, and Zuko, our
own crown prince, and that savage waterbender they brought into our Nation!”

“Boo!” cried the group in unison.

“Believers like us had to go underground. We worked long and hard, preparing for the day
when we could finally remove the impostors...!”

When he finished his speech the men cheered.

“Yeah! Power to the Fire Nation! Free Fire Lord Ozai!”

 Crossroads of Destiny

When the day came that they were to return to the Capital, everyone in Hira'a came out to see
them off. The little ones were gathered around Chiara and Kiyi hugging them and begging
them not to leave, but Chiara assured them they would visit. Nya gave them bouquets of
flowers and hugged Kiyi one last time. After saying goodbye to her best friend, Nya walked
up to Azula who was standing with Ursa. She held out a bouquet of beautiful blue flowers.

“These are for you, Princess Azula. I chose the blue ones like your fire.”

Azula glanced at her mother who gave her a tender smile. She took the bouquet from the girl.

“Thank you,” she said in a quiet voice. She still struggled with the thought that after all she
had done, none of these people were required to show her any respect, much less genuine
kindness, but they did so anyways. Having heard that Chiara had healed the little girl's eyes,
she expected her sister-in-law to be the center of attention, but the villagers still came to her
bowing and wishing her well, and Nya still came to her with a bouquet of specially picked
flowers to say goodbye.

Shiza once again provided a wagon to take the family to the dock. After everyone's
belongings were loaded, Zuko helped Chiara climb on the back while Noren lifted Kiyi up
placing her in the back before helping his wife.

“Princess?” said Noren offering his hand to Azula.

She hesitated, nearly snapping at him that she needed no one's help and could do it herself,
but she took a deep breath and placed her hand in his. She found it frustrating that her first
urge was to lash out, but she was also aware of her self-control in holding it back.

Zuko and Noren sat up front with Shiza, and soon they were on their way out of the village
with all the kids running behind the wagon waving at them.

Ursa watched her village disappear as they rode on, but this time, rather than being taken
away from Ikem and her family, they were all with her, and she assured herself that she
would never be forced to be separated from them again.

--------------------

Arriving at the dock, crewmen were sent to unload the wagon while the family went on board
the ship. Zuko walked up the gangplank with Chiara on his arm, Azula and Ursa following
behind them. Behind the mother and daughter was Noren, Kiyi's hand in his and her eyes
wide as they took in the ship, and though it was not nearly as large as the royal barge, for the
little girl who had only seen ships from a distance during trips to the beach, it was enormous.

“Once everyone's aboard, set a course for the Capital, Captain,” said Zuko.

“Yes, Prince Zuko,” bowed Jee.

Kaito and Nai stood waiting for the royal couple, both relieved to see their safe return.

“Prince Zuko, Princess Chiara,” Kaito greeted them with a bow.

“Kaito,” said Zuko.

“I'm glad to hear your mission was a success, your Highness.”

“Thank you,” grinned Zuko who was more than happy at finding his mother.

Ursa was staring curiously at the guard, her mind going through a lifetime of memories. “You
used to escort my son to Shu Jing,” she said, finally having recognized him.

He gave a nod impressed that she remembered him. “Yes, my Lady.”

She was still dealing with flashes from her past, new reminders of things that had been
erased. As a mother in the palace, she had made it a point to be familiar with the faces of the
guards who were in charge of her children despite the face masks they wore on duty. The
mere image of the mask flashing through her mind caused a brief moment of panic inside her.
It was a reminder of what she had been through, and she was trying to convince herself that
though she was returning to the same place, it would not be the same situation. She was
relieved, however, to find that none of the soldiers on board were masked.

“Are you okay, Mom?” asked Azula, drawing her mother from her thoughts. “Your hand is so
cold.”

Ursa's eyes dropped to her hand resting on her eldest daughter's arm. “It's just been a long
time since I've been in...that place,” she said softly.

“It's a lot different with Uncle in charge,” admitted Azula. “And...and Ozai...he won't be able
to hurt you...or us.”

Ursa's eyes filled with tears, and her lip curled into a gentle smile. “I'm supposed to be
comforting my children, yet here you are trying to reassure me.” She tenderly touched her
daughter's cheek. “You've grown up so much.”

“Daddy!” cried Kiyi who had pulled her father over to the rail. “Can I steer the boat?!”

Noren looked down at his daughter. “I think we'll leave that job to the helmsman, dear.”

Zuko and Chiara were softly laughing at her excitement.

“I don't see why she can't,” said the prince. “Chiara's done it.” He turned to Jee. “What do
you think, Captain?”

“Once we're out at sea, she's welcome to visit the bridge,” Jee offered. “I'm sure the
helmsman won't mind giving lessons.”

“Thank you,” bowed Noren.

“Would you like a tour of the ship, Kiyi?” Zuko asked her.

Her large eyes lit up. “Can we, Daddy?”

“Of course,” her father smiled.

She reached up and took the prince's hand.

Chiara released his other arm. “Enjoy your tour, my Prince,” she smirked.

He smiled at her before leading Kiyi and Noren towards the tower.

“This is one of the smaller ships we have...”

“This is small?” asked Kiyi as Zuko started his tour.

“Yes,” he answered. “The royal barges are a lot bigger than this, and the battleships are even
bigger,” he said dramatically.

“Ooh...”

Zuko, Kiyi, and Noren disappeared below deck while Ursa, Azula, and Chiara remained
outside.

--------------------

Soon they were at sea heading back towards Capital Island. Chiara was standing near the bow
enjoying the breeze flowing over the deck. She had been quietly talking to Nai, and long after
the ship had been making its way home, Ursa and Azula joined them.

“So this is how you lived for three years?” Ursa asked Chiara as they stood at the rail looking
out over the ocean.

“Yes...”

“I can't believe you lived on the water for three years and nobody figured out you were a
waterbender,” said Azula.

Chiara smirked. “Except for a few clandestine healing sessions, there was no need to
waterbend outside the privacy of my cabin.”

“What did you do all that time?” asked Ursa.

“I mostly worked around the ship,” she said. “Usually in the galley or the hold.”

Azula snorted. “Figures.” Her tone was light and playful and it made Chiara giggle.

“I can't complain. We got to sail around the world. And if you include our trek through the
Earth Kingdom, we've seen nearly every part from the poles to the air temples and a lot in
between.”
Ursa marveled at their global journey.

“Were you helping search for the Avatar before he appeared?” she asked.

Chiara shook her head. “Honestly, I didn't think we'd find him,” she admitted.

“After a hundred years, who would've thought he was still alive?” said Azula.

“Prince Zuko,” said Chiara. “He was sure he was out there, and he never gave up hope.”

Ursa smiled at her son's determination. “And he did find him.”

“I don't think it was a coincidence that we just happened to be near the South Pole when
Aang turned up. I believe they were meant to be friends and work together.”

“He speaks so fondly of the Avatar and his friends,” said Ursa. “I know his banishment
must've been so difficult for him, but he seems so happy now. I can see it in his eyes.”

“I'm just happy he found the peace he was looking for,” said Chiara.

Ursa placed her hand on her daughter-in-law's back. “You are the biggest reason for his
happiness.”

“Princess!”

They all turned to look up at Kiyi who was standing on the upper deck with Noren and Zuko.

“I got to steer the ship!” she said excitedly waving at them. “Just like you, Princess Chiara!”

“It looks like the Fire Nation will have a new admiral one day,” Chiara grinned back.

“I got to see the engine room too!”

“That's great, baby,” said Ursa. “Was it fun?”

“Yes.”

When Zuko brought them back to the main deck, Kiyi went running towards the rail having
spotted something in the water.

“Mommy, Mommy!” she cried pointing out at the sea. “Look!”

“What is it, baby?” asked Ursa walking over to her daughter.

Kiyi looked up at her and hesitated having forgotten her mother did not look like her mother.

“Where...where's Daddy?”

“I'm right here,” said Noren walking up to her.

She started climbing the railing to get a better look at what had caught her attention.
“Be careful,” warned her father while standing behind her to keep her from falling over the
rail.

She pointed again to the sea. “What's that?”

“It's a fish,” he answered.

“But it has wings and it looks like it's flying.”

“It's a flying dolphin fish,” said Chiara.

She leaned farther over the railing.

Ursa took a step closer to them. “Kiyi, be careful.”

“I've got her,” said Noren.

She was reaching her little arms out towards the fish. “I wish we could get closer.”

“If Aang were here he'd probably be riding it,” said Zuko with a playful eyeroll.

Chiara giggled suspecting he was right.

“Ooh, can I ride it?” Kiyi asked excitedly.

“That's not possible, Kiyi,” said her father.

Chiara stepped up to the railing and smirked down at her little sister-in-law. “That doesn't
mean we can't have fun.” She raised her arms out over the rail. A large orb of water separated
from the sea and soon took the shape of a gigantic flying dolphin fish sailing along side the
ship. Kiyi's wide eyes sparkled with excitement at the giant fish made of water.

“Oh, Chiara, that's amazing,” said Ursa.

Even Zuko was captivated by her lifelike creation. He had seen her create small ice figures,
but he had never seen her mold something so large and moving so realistically. He was
reminded of the Fire Nation festivals they attended when they were younger where
firebending artists would bend fire into seemingly living creatures. “When did you learn to
do that?” he asked her.

She grinned at him. “I used to practice in my cabin on the ship.”

Several of the crewmen could not stop themselves from pausing on deck and peering over the
side of the ship to stare at the princess's water fish.

Chiara drew her fish up higher until it was flying around over the deck. Noren allowed Kiyi
to jump down from the railing, and she began running around the deck chasing the water fish
until Chiara allowed her to catch it. The little girl laughed as the water drenched her clothes,
but she was not wet for long as the princess drew the water from her and sent the fish sailing
through the air once more.
Everyone watching was captivated by the display, and even more so when the water fish was
soon joined by a fire dragon flying around it.

Chiara was excited to see the dragon which looked very much like a fiery version of the
master Ran. She glanced over at Zuko to see him concentrating on his fire art chasing her
fish. With a slight movement, her fish morphed into a watery version of the master Shaw.
Zuko just chuckled as he continued chasing her dragon to the oohs and aahs of their growing
number of spectators, including many of the bridge crew. The two dragons flew across the
deck and soared into the air spiraling each other until they finally collided dissolving into a
cloud of steam.

“Again! Again!” cried Kiyi.

“Zuko, Chiara, that was wonderful,” praised Ursa. “I've never seen anything like that before.
And Zuko, your fire dragon was better than any at the fire festivals.”

A light blush tinted his cheeks upon hearing his mother's compliment.

“That was truly amazing,” said Noren. “As much as I can imagine you two playing the
Dragon Emperor and Empress, you could both put on quite a show as the Dragon Emperor
and Dark Water Spirit.”

Zuko and Chiara smirked at each other silently enjoying memories of their childhood
reenactments.

“Ugh!” gagged Azula. “Don't get those two started. They're already ogling each other.”

Noren and Ursa were softly chuckling at her daughter's reaction.

“Don't worry, Azula,” said Chiara stepping over to her. “I saw that list of young noblemen the
Fire Lord has for your upcoming engagement. Once you select one, you'll have someone to
ogle too.”

Azula's mouth dropped open, as did Zuko's. Their uncle might be Fire Lord, but he never
imagined that Iroh would have the audacity to force Azula into an arranged marriage. He was
suddenly filled with sympathy for the unfortunate nobleman chosen for such a match.

“What?!” demanded Azula. Though a few single noblemen had requested they be considered
for a union with the princess when she had reached the age of promise, and other nobles had
recommended their sons at that time, even Ozai had not insisted that she take a husband.

“Something about duty to the Fire Nation and filling the rooms of the palace with children,”
Chiara said to her.

Zuko was sure he saw lightning flash in his sister's eyes. Chiara might only be the messenger
of the unexpected news, but that had never stopped Ozai from punishing the message-bearers,
and he immediately grew nervous at her close proximity to his sister. He stepped closer to
them.
Azula glared at her sister-in-law. “You and Zuko can spend time filling the palace with your
progeny,” she snapped. “I would think Uncle could find a better use of my talents than being
a brood ewe-hen for the good of the Fire Nation.”

Her rant had Chiara laughing. She placed her hand on Azula's arm. “And I'm sure he will,”
she said. “I was just kidding about the list.”

Her glare deepened but then softened at Chiara's teasing. Zuko once again found himself
astonished by his sister's non-threatening demeanor. He wondered if he would ever be able to
completely let down his guard around her.

“Good one, Sister-in-law. Don't think that little joke won't go unrewarded,” she threatened.

Chiara giggled. “I look forward to it,” she smiled.

Zuko was sure he would never be able to let his guard down.

--------------------

Sailing past the statue of Azulon marking the Great Gates of Azulon, Kiyi was oohing and
aahing at Zuko's explanation of how the nets would rise from the water and be ignited to
prevent passage by enemy vessels. He even explained how their former enemies had ships
that could go under the water in order to get pass the gates. When they finally docked in the
First Lord's Harbor on Capital Island, a carriage was waiting to take the royal family to the
palace while Kaito and Nai rode on komodo rhinos with a few other guard escorts. Kiyi's
wide eyes took in the sights and sounds of the harbor and the Royal Plaza, and while
traveling through the streets of Harbor City, she was nearly hanging out of the window
watching the people and waving back to them as they greeted the royal family on their return.

Exiting the city, the carriage and its escorts started their ascent up the long, serpentine road
that climbed the side of the crater leading to the entrance of Royal Caldera City.

“Wow! What is that?” Kiyi pointed out the window.

“That's a watchtower,” said Zuko.

She looked up at the menacing tower to see a guard peering down as they rode by.

“What happened to that one up there?” she pointed to the cliff above where there was a pile
of rubble topped by a collapsed roof.

Zuko leaned out the window to see where she was pointing. “Several of the towers were
destroyed during the invasion at the time of the eclipse,” he said. “Some of them still haven't
been rebuilt yet.”

The carriage continued making its way slowly up the winding road. Approaching one of the
hairpin curves, it came to a stop near the remnants of a watchtower.

Zuko peered out the window. “What's going on?” he asked Nai riding beside them.
“There's a man lying in the road,” she said softly.

Chiara leaned forward. “What's wrong with him?”

“Kaito, what's up?” called Nai.

Kaito was kneeling over the body. “He's alive,” he called. “But there's blood.”

“Is there anyone else?” asked Zuko wondering if there were others who were hurt.

“No one, sir,” said Nai.

Chiara immediately got up to exit the carriage taking a water skin with her. Zuko stepped out
first and took her hand, helping her down. She quickly went to assist the man on the road,
kneeling by his side while Zuko walked ahead with Kaito to search for anyone else who
might be injured. When Chiara saw the blood beneath her patient's head, she pulled out an
orb of water to assess his injuries. She tensed up when she realized there was no injury nor
any sign of unconsciousness. The man raised his hand launching a missile towards her point-
blank.

“Princess!” yelled Nai at the sight and sound of the flash that drew Zuko's and the guards'
attention.

Before any of them could even take a step towards her, they found themselves dodging and
blocking fire missiles as a band of guerrillas surrounded them.

“Attack!” cried a voice. “Attack without mercy!”

“Power to the Fire Nation!” the rebels yelled in response.

Zuko was in a rage over the attack, especially upon his wife.

As soon as Kaito got a chance he sent a fire blast into the air.

When Ursa heard Nai yell followed by the sounds of a fire fight, she gasped. “You don't think
something happened to Chiara, do you?” she asked.

Azula stood up. “I'll see what's going on.”

“Be careful, Azula.” Her mother placed a cold hand on her daughter's forearm. “It sounds
bad.”

Azula gave her a nod before stepping out of the carriage. She turned back to them. “Stay in
the carriage,” she cautioned.

Ursa turned to her youngest. “Don't be scared, Kiyi. Your brother and sister are powerful
firebenders.”

“Who said anything about being scared,” she snapped at her mother.
Despite her daughter's sharp tone, Ursa reached out to wrap protective arms around her.

“Ack! Your hands are so cold!” she cried, squirming to get away from her mother. “Don't
touch me!”

She broke free and jumped into her father's arms. Ursa turned her sad, worried eyes out the
window in an attempt to see what was happening, but the action seemed to be somewhere in
front of the carriage behind her.

When Azula shut the carriage door she turned to see Zuko and the guards being attacked by a
group of men dressed in black with red sashes around their waists and masks on their faces.
Most were surrounding her brother who was proving to be far more powerful than the
attackers had expected. She started walking towards the action, and just beyond the komodo
rhino pulling the carriage she spotted Chiara holding her own against a group not far from a
man lying unconscious on the ground. Azula assumed he was the man they stopped to check
on, but she did not know he had been the one to attack the princess. He had not anticipated
the fire shield Chiara immediately conjured after realizing he was not injured, nor did he
anticipate his close range fire missile rebounding on the unexpected shield and knocking him
out.

“Princess Azula!”

She turned around to see one of the masked men kneel before her. She scowled at him.

“What is the meaning of this?” she demanded. “Why are you attacking us?”

“We are the New Ozai Society, your Highness. We're going to put the rightful Fire Lord back
on the throne.”

She snorted at the irony. “Okay...and you're going to do that by attacking the Crown Prince?”

“Not just him, Princess, but his foreign wife...”

Her lip curled. “His foreign wife who's currently besting your men with fire?”

He looked around Azula to see Chiara firebending against his gang. His eyes grew big having
believed the prince's wife to be a waterbender.

“I...I...,” he stuttered as he stood up still staring confusedly at the battle beyond. “...but I
thought...”

“Whatever you thought was clearly lacking,” she stated.

“But-but we were told she was a waterbender.”

The princess shrugged casually. “Who says she isn't?”

He turned his bewildered expression back to Azula, but she refused to elaborate, and he
decided not to question it.
“We-we also heard the prince was bringing back the traitorous Ursa...,” he started.

Her eyes darkened. “What does my mother have to do with this?” she glared at him. “And
how exactly is she a traitor?”

“O-Ozai banished her for treason.” He shifted nervously under her piercing glare. “She and
Prince Zuko are traitors to our country and were rightly banished by the one, true Fire Lord.
Surely, Princess Azula, you want your father back on the throne. The Fire Nation was strong
when he reigned.”

Her countenance relaxed as she took in his words. “It was strong,” she said in a soft, wistful
voice. “We almost conquered the world.”

The man's eyes lit up with the smile that grew beneath his mask. “And now Iroh,” he spoke
the name with disdain, “has weakened our Nation. You fought and conquered Ba Sing Se,
Princess, further attesting to our power. But that weak Fire Lord took it from us and threw it
back to the dogs of the Earth Kingdom. He allowed New Ozai to remain in the hands of that
mad king. Even Yu Dao, our oldest colony, has been abandoned by him and left on its own.
All we have fought and sacrificed for has been stolen from us in the name of peace.”

Azula's eyes were drawn to the battle. Everyone was fighting. The guards were desperately
trying to protect the royal family, but despite their best efforts, the royal couple was
surrounded by guerrillas who had targeted them.

“Free Fire Lord Ozai!” the insurgent standing before Azula yelled in encouragement.

“Free Fire Lord Ozai!” his men chanted in return in breathless voices.

He looked at Azula. “We must put your father back on the throne...and you, his true and
powerful heir. We could use your help, Princess. If we allow your weakling brother to take
the throne, it will bring further ruin to our Nation.”

Using the rebels to free Ozai from prison and place him back on the throne—it was not her
father's original plan, but she imagined he would still be pleased if it meant his freedom. And
without his firebending, she might even be the one to take the throne as Fire Lord.

“If this is all the manpower you have, I hardly think it's enough,” she said taking note of the
number of insurgents who, though far outnumbering the royal retinue, still struggled against
the skill of the royal family and their guards.

“Our group may be small now, but we'll grow as our people see that it's possible to bring the
old ways back.”

She fixed her eyes on him. “And how do you intend to depose my uncle?”

“We...we plan on capturing Zuko and the waterben...uh...his courtesan,” he admitted. He

glared in the direction of Chiara still battling a growing number of insurgents who found the
princess even more formidable after she had disarmed one of them and was using his sword
to fight with her firebending—a technique she was happy to have learned from the prince.
“It's no secret how much Iroh cares for them. We will force him to step down or we'll kill
them, starting with her.”

Azula's lip curled and she giggled mischievously. “Yes, that will force Uncle's hand.”

She watched Zuko draw up a colorful whirlwind of fire making his enemies cower in fear.
Even the insurgent she was speaking to winced at the sight of the prince's remarkable fire
while his comrades were either lying unconscious or fleeing in fear to avoid becoming
victims of the firenado.

“Well, it looks like you could really use the help,” she smirked.

“Yes, your Highness.”

The fear in his eyes turned to relief until he saw the lightning crackling around her when she
moved her arms in an arc. He took a step back.

Azula's eyes moved back to the other princess and the bolt she created flew from her
fingertips.

Zuko, catching sight of the lightning and its direction, yelled out. “Azula!! NO!!”

He watched with dread as Azula's lightning bolt sped in Chiara's direction. She was too
distracted fighting insurgents and could never stop long enough to redirect the lightning, and
he was too far and knew he could never make it in time to protect his wife and unborn child,
but it did not stop him from running as fast as he could towards them. Beneath the small scar
on his chest, his heart stung as if he had been struck again by his sister's lightning, and no
matter how fast he ran, he felt as if he were lying on the ground unable to move, being forced
to watch the deadly conclusion.
 When They Come, They Come at What You Love
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

Zuko felt like it was his and Azula's Agni Kai all over again—the deep, burning pain in his
heart and the inability to protect Chiara from his sister's incoming assault. The blinding
explosion of the bolt as it crashed into its target prevented him from advancing further. He
was nearly tackled by the airborne body of one of the guerrillas that had been thrown back by
the blast. Unshielding his eyes, he saw other bodies littering the ground, some unconscious,
many concussed, and none were Chiara. His eyes searched anxiously for her. Through the
settling cloud of dust, Zuko finally spotted his wife as she disabled her last standing
opponent. The lightning had landed in the center of a small group of insurgents who had been
preparing to join their comrades in attacking her. Zuko turned to see his sister striking the
rebel next to her sending him to his knees.

The man's wide eyes were staring up at her. “P-princess, I-I don't understand,” he stammered.
“I thought you would want your father back as Fire Lord.”

“Again, what you thought was clearly wrong.” She grabbed his shirt and scowled at him.
“Whatever Ozai was, he was not a father.” A sharp flame extended from her fingertip, and
she slashed the mask from his face. Her eyes narrowed. “Ukano,” she said deeply. “Let me
guess...upset at the loss of Omashu?”

“The Fire Nation won't stand for this,” he dared to say, though his eyes still showed fear.

“You and your rebels are not the Fire Nation,” she sneered.

“RETR...!!”

She stuffed his mask into his mouth before he could call for his men to withdraw.

“You are causing unnecessary division in our country,” she scolded him deeply. “You may
think Fire Lord Iroh is weak, but he will not tolerate this insurrection, especially when you
attack his family.” She leaned close to him, her eyes boring into his. “And I won't tolerate it
either,” she threatened.

Ukano was near trembling, and before he knew what was happening, Azula had him face
down in the dirt and was binding his hands with his own red sash. After their leader was
restrained, Azula sent a few well-aimed blue missiles towards the rebels who were attempting
to run off. As the battle wound down, the guards began restraining the insurgents who were
not badly injured, and many who managed to run away did not get far when they encountered
the squadron of cavalry that had just arrived.

Zuko, Chiara's hand in his as he pulled her along, ran up to Azula.

“Are you okay?” Chiara asked her.

“Of course,” she smirked at them. “Why wouldn't I be?”

Zuko was gaping at her, still shocked that she did not betray them.

“What's wrong, Brother? You didn't trust my aim?”

His lip curled in a sheepish expression. “I...I actually did trust your aim.”

She giggled.

“Thank you, Azula,” he said softly, relieved she had not targeted his wife and had actually
helped her.

She rolled her eyes. “You're insufferable enough as it is, Zuzu,” she said in her best
condescending tone. “I certainly wouldn't want to deal with you if something happened to
Chiara...”

“Princess!” called Nai anxiously, running towards them. “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” said Chiara.

“Prince Zuko...” Kaito was hurrying over. “Is everyone all right?”

“Yes, Kaito.”

“The flare was seen from the city gate, and they sent the cavalry,” he said. “They're busy
collecting the insurgents, and the Fire Lord has been informed of the attack.”

Zuko nodded.

“Ukano was their leader.” Azula indicated the bound man nearby struggling with his
restraints.

“Ukano?” asked Zuko. “Wasn't he the governor when they took over Omashu?”

“He was,” she affirmed. “And now he leads the New Ozai Society.”

Zuko scoffed at the name.

“I wonder how many got away and how many more there might be,” he said.

“I'm not sure how many got away, but from what Ukano told me, I believe it was a majority
of the group directly involved in the attack. They want to reinstall Ozai as Fire Lord.”

“Of course Ozai's going to have men loyal to him,” said Zuko, sounding disappointed.

Azula was frowning at Ukano. “Only the ones who profited the most under him.”

Chiara turned to Kaito. “Were any of the guards injured?”

“A few minor injuries, Princess.”

Before she could step away to assist the wounded, Nai knelt on her left knee before her.

“Princess, I'm so sorry I failed in my duty.” Her voice was filled with remorse and worry. “I
never should've let you go near him...”

“Nai, it's all right,” she assured her. “As soon as I realized he wasn't injured I was prepared...”

“But...but if he had attacked before you knew...”

“I take full responsibility,” said Kaito. “I should have been more thorough when I checked
him.”

“Nai, Kaito,” started Zuko, “we're fine. And now we know what to look for in the future. At
least, that's one trick they won't get away with again.” He was scowling at the insurgents as
they were being gathered and restrained. He was furious that their plot was based on taking
advantage of his wife's compassion.

Chiara went to assist their wounded guards with Nai by her side this time. When Azula
turned to go back inside the carriage, Zuko gently placed his hand on her arm.

“Azula...”

She turned back to him.

“Thank you...,” he started.

She gave him a playful eyeroll. “You already thanked me, Brother.”

“I know, but I want you to know how much I mean it.”

She turned away from him almost ashamed to admit her feelings. “I didn't do it for you,” she
said softly. “I owed it to her.”

She opened the door of the carriage and climbed inside.

“Azula” Ursa leaned forward anxiously scanning her daughter for any visible injuries. “Are
you all right?”

“Yes. Everything's taken care of.”

“What happened? Is Chiara okay, and Zuko?”

“They're fine,” she answered. “Apparently, a group of idiots want uncle off the throne.”

She spotted the worry in her mother's expression when Ursa's eyes widened over the fear of
an insurrection.

“Don't worry, Mother,” she assured her. “It's nothing we can't handle.”

Ursa tried to take comfort in her daughter's confident reassurance, and she sat back in her seat
waiting for the others.
“Did you beat the group of idiots up?” came Kiyi's young voice.

“Kiyi,” her mother admonished her lightly.

Azula turned her eyes on her little sister and could not help a small giggle at the girl's query.
“Of course we did,” she shrugged as if there could be no other answer to that question.

--------------------

Zuko with Kaito by his side approached the group of insurgents who had been collected and
bound by the cavalrymen. All their masks had been removed from their faces revealing their
identities, but Ukano stood out among them all as his mask was still crammed in his mouth
where Azula shoved it. The prince stopped before their leader.

“You made a mistake attacking us,” Zuko spoke deeply.

Ukano glared at him until Kaito pulled the man's mask from his mouth upon the prince's
signal.

“We will do what we have to to protect the Fire Nation,” spat Ukano.

“How is ending the war not protecting our Nation?” asked Zuko.

“Iroh compromised our strength,” he said. “He cares more about appeasing the Avatar than
defending his people.”

“Our people were being sent into battle by Ozai,” growled Zuko deeply. “How many were
needlessly killed in order to conquer a kingdom that we had no right to?” He would never
forget the 41st Division, and he wondered how many countless others had been sacrificed
with similar indifference by their leaders.

Ukano's angry glare darkened. “But what about the colonies? The Fire Nation citizens who
live there no longer have any control over their lives...”

“They've been given freedom to govern themselves,” countered the prince. “And those who
didn't wish to remain in the colonies were welcome to return to the homeland.”

“Yes, they were forced to give up their lives and homes if they didn't want to comply with
their new overlords.”

Zuko's eyes narrowed. “Self-governance is not equivalent to overlord rule...”

“Tell that to those who will be forced to follow laws made by earthbenders...”

“Have you ever met with those families in the colonies, Ukano?” Zuko asked growing
annoyed with the man's obstinance.

“I was governor of New Ozai...”

“Omashu,” stressed Zuko, “was recently conquered by the Fire Nation. Our oldest colonies,
like Yu Dao, have long been established. I met with those families. The Fire Nation and Earth
Kingdom had been working together there for decades. They wanted their freedom.”

Ukano scowled at the prince. “As long as Iroh's on the throne we will never be safe. And
you'll be as weak as he is.”

“The only one compromising your safety is you and your rebels. But that ends today...”

“There will be others,” said Ukano. Zuko signaled Kaito as Ukano went on, “The people
won't stand for th...” Kaito shoved the mask back into his mouth.

“You don't speak for the people of the Fire Nation,” said the prince before turning away from
him.

--------------------

When Chiara finished healing the injuries suffered by the members of their security escort
and the cavalry, she walked over to Zuko who was standing with the cavalry captain.

“May I, Prince Zuko?” she asked holding up her water skin.

He sighed. He was expecting her to offer her gift even to their attackers just as much as he
expected he would not be able to resist her request.

“They don't deserve it,” he grumbled crossing his arms in an attempt to be stubborn.
“Especially after targeting you the way they did.”

“You're right. They don't deserve it,” she said to his surprise. “But we're not animals. We can
show them mercy.”

“They won't see it as mercy, just weakness,” he argued.

“Only those with the hardest hearts,” she countered. “And their perception doesn't change the
truth.”

He huffed. “Fine, but I'm going to stand over them and scowl and be as intimidating as
possible, so don't expect many to accept your generous offer.”

She giggled at his threat. Even Kaito turned his face away to hide his soft chuckle at the
couple's 'argument.'

Zuko took her hand. “We'll start over here,” he said leading her before the guarded
insurgents. “Princess Chiara of the Fire Nation is a healer,” he announced to them. “And
despite your cruel and traitorous attack on her, in her mercy she is willing to offer you relief
from any injuries you may have suffered. If you choose to forgo her merciful gift, you will
receive treatment in the prison which I promise you will not be as healing or as painless as
her ministrations.”
No one spoke up. Zuko wondered if it was due to his intimidating scowl like he hoped or if
the group was just that stubborn and prejudiced.

One of the guards approached them and bowed. “Your Highness, there's a young man who's
too injured to request aid.”

Zuko nodded and they followed the guard to the wounded rebel. He lay on the ground
unconscious, wounds covering the entire front of his body. The injuries to his face were
severe, even damaging his right eye. Zuko and Chiara were both struck by his youthfulness.
He looked to be even younger than they were.

She immediately knelt down by his side while Nai knelt opposite her. “How did this happen
to him?” the princess asked. “These aren't burns.”

Nobody seemed to know until a voice spoke up from the other rebels. “It was the princess's
lightning.”

They all looked at the shackled man nearby who was suffering from similar injuries, but
nowhere near severe as the young man lying before them.

“We were struck with gravel and rock from her lightning,” he clarified.

Chiara pulled out an orb of water and held it over the boy's head. The rebels who could see
were awestruck as they eyed the luminous water. She detected hemorrhaging within his skull
which kept him unconscious. It was obvious to her that whatever struck him must have struck
hard for it to cause such severe damage. She would have preferred to leave him unconscious
while she tended his other injuries first, but she knew it was trauma that had to be dealt with
immediately, and she now regretted not triaging the wounded on both sides at the same time.
While she was working quickly and delicately, the boy began moving. Nai tensed up ready to
stop him from any aggressive move he might make.

“Wha...what happened?” he asked. He cringed as soon as he went to open his injured eye.

“Hold still,” said the princess. “You're hurt. I'm trying to mend your wounds.”

Satisfied that his head wound was healed, she moved onto his eye. He was relieved to feel the
pain leave his eye, but he immediately grew nervous when he focused on who it was that was
over him. He tensed up and moved to back away from her. Flashes of the fight went through
his mind. He recalled the princess throwing fire, but she was now holding water. There was
the blinding flash of lightning before everything went black.

“You have other internal injuries,” she said making no move to stop him from squirming
away from her.

“He's alive and awake now, Chiara,” said the prince standing behind her. “If he doesn't want
his other injuries healed, then he can suffer. He should be grateful you returned his eyesight.”

“I can fix them for you,” said Chiara, her eyes still on the boy.

He winced when he tried to move again, but shook his head.

“I...I wouldn't say no to your treatment.” The timid words were spoken by a rebel nearby who
had watched her heal his comrade.

Chiara moved to kneel next to him while Nai remained right by her side despite the restraints
that would keep the prisoner from making any offensive strikes at the princess.

“Your arm is fractured,” she said as the glowing water searched for trauma.

“That would explain that pain,” he spoke his thoughts aloud.

It was pain that was fading away as the water glowed brighter.

“Thank you, Princess,” he said softly, bowing his head to her.

She nodded. Before she could get to her feet, other rebels requested her treatment, many
having suffered non-fatal sword wounds by the princess herself. When she finished with all
who were willing to accept her healing touch, she stood up. Zuko took her hand and was
about to lead her back to the carriage.

“I would like your help,” came a soft voice.

They turned to the young boy she had started with. She was relieved he asked for her. There
was a sense of unfinished work when she was unable to heal all the injuries of a patient.

“Thank you,” he said in a near-whisper when she relieved him of all his pain.

Ukano refused her gift, as did a few others, including the one who had initially attacked the
princess, but those that accepted her healing touch were stunned not only by the curative
power of waterbending, but also to see the princess bend another element after having fought
her or having seen her fight with fire.

--------------------

Ursa was relieved to see the couple return safe and uninjured. After resuming their trek to
Capital City, now with half the cavalry escorting them, the carriage soon stopped in front of
the palace where they all climbed out.

“Well, that was...uh...quite a dramatic trip,” said Noren taking Kiyi's hand.

“What's the big deal?” asked Kiyi. “I knew my brother and sisters would keep us safe the
whole time! I just wish I could've seen them beating up the bad guys.”

Azula smirked at Zuko. “She's definitely got some fight in her blood.”

He was chuckling. “I can't imagine which side she gets that from,” he said with a grin.

Ursa stood next to Noren. She took a deep breath when she looked up at the palace doors.
Zuko picked up on her apprehension and turned to her.

“It's okay, Mom. It's nothing like when Azulon or Ozai was here.”
Ursa did not mean to smile so weakly. She trusted her children, but she was finding it
difficult to overcome her anxiety, especially with the recent attack and cries of “Free Fire
Lord Ozai” still echoing in her head. “I know,” she said softly.

“Don't worry, Mom,” said Azula stepping between them. “We won't let anything happen to
you.”

Zuko's lip curled upon hearing his sister's protective words to their mother.

“You've already proven that, my dear,” she said to her daughter.

When they entered the palace, they were greeted by Ezih.

“Prince Zuko,” he bowed, “the Fire Lord has received word of the attack. I'm pleased to see
that you are all safe.”

Zuko nodded. “Thanks goes to our escorts who fought bravely to defend us.”

Azula suppressed an eyeroll over Zuko's modesty, especially considering he and Chiara had
handled a majority of the insurgents.

“They will be commended for their bravery,” said Ezih. “For now, Fire Lord Iroh wishes to
have tea with you and the princess.”

“Of course.”

“He has also provided accommodations in the Royal Wing for Lady Ursa and her family. He
thought they might want to settle in before meeting with him, especially after the...ordeal.”

Zuko had not expected his uncle to provide a room for his mother in the family wing, but he
was grateful for his generosity. “Thank you, Ezih.” He turned to Ursa. “Mom, we're going to
talk to Uncle, but we'll check on you afterwards.”

“Of course, Zuko,” she responded.

“Shin will take you to your room,” said Ezih.

Ursa, Azula, Noren, and Kiyi followed Shin while Zuko and Chiara walked with Ezih to meet
with Iroh.

--------------------

Arriving in the Fire Lord's office, they greeted Iroh with a bow as he immediately stood up
from his desk.

“Nephew, Daughter,” he said hurrying over to them and wrapping them each in a hug a bit
tighter than usual. “I heard about the attack. You are both okay?” He took a step back to look
at them.
“We're fine, Uncle, but it was a close call for Chiara.” He was still seething over the
possibilities. “They took advantage of her compassion, and it could've killed her.”

“I'm afraid I don't understand,” he said directing them to the table.

“There was a man lying in the road who appeared injured,” Zuko started as he knelt on a
cushion. “When Chiara attempted to heal him, he attacked her.”

He saw no wounds on his daughter, but it did not completely alleviate his worry since she
was a target of the attack. “What did he do?” he asked her.

“When I realized he wasn't really hurt, I...I knew we were being set up,” she said. “As soon
as he moved, I just automatically raised a fire shield, and his fire blast backfired.”

Iroh was impressed by her quick defense but livid that it was necessary. “To attack you with
fire...,” he said deeply, a puff of smoke emanating from his breath. “And at close range...it is
dishonorable. We will put an end to this terrorist group.”

“Azula said their leader is Ukano, the former governor of Omashu,” said Zuko. “They call
themselves the New Ozai Society.”

Iroh's eyes darkened at the name. “Hmm...I've been informed of a group of Ozai loyalists, but
they've been difficult to infiltrate.”

“We may have gotten most of them. Azula seemed to think the whole group attacked. She
also said they planned on kidnapping Chiara and me to try and force you to resign, even if
they had to kill us.”

The darkness in the Fire Lord's eyes deepened at the thought. “Using my family against
me...that is a very dangerous game,” threatened the Dragon of the West. “And how did Azula
learn this information?” His voice had softened with his enquiry.

“She's the one that took down Ukano,” said Zuko. “And...and she stood by us. She didn't
have to. She could've joined the insurgents, but she didn't.”

“She fought quite honorably,” added Chiara. “She even helped me out during the fight.”

“You and Chiara were right about her, Uncle,” said Zuko. “She's been really different...for the
better.”

“And Aunt Ursa's been right there with her,” she said. “I think that's helped more than
anything.”

“I am overjoyed to hear it,” smiled Iroh. “She deserves peace of mind. Thank you, Ezih.”

Ezih set their tea on the table before bowing to his Fire Lord.

“As for this new organization,” he continued, “we will investigate them further. And extra
protection will be provided outside the palace grounds.”
Chiara let out a small groan. She would continue visiting the hospital on Heiwa Island as well
as other clinics throughout Capital Island, and they planned to eventually embark on a tour of
all the islands of the Fire Nation to bring reassurance and healing to their people. A large
armed escort would be cumbersome.

Iroh smiled wryly at her show of disappointment. “We cannot let anything happen to you,
Daughter.”

“I know,” she said truthfully. As much as she dreaded it, she understood the inconvenience of
having more guards was necessary. “It was just so much easier working in the tea shop.”

“I agree,” he said as he and Zuko both chuckled. He started pouring the tea into the three
cups on the tray. “I was delighted to get your message, Nephew. I want to hear all about your
adventure in Hira'a.”

They sipped on their tea while Zuko and Chiara recounted how they found Ursa, how they
had met her once before without knowing who she was, and how she had come to be hidden
there.

“...and thank you for giving them a room in the family wing, Uncle.”

“Of course, Prince Zuko. Lady Ursa is family after all. She and Noren may even have one of
the family manors if they choose,” he said. “But they are also welcome to stay in the Royal
Wing indefinitely.”

“Wait 'til you meet Kiyi,” said Chiara. “She's the sweetest little girl.”

He chuckled. “I can't wait. It will be wonderful having the palace filled with children again.”
His eyes slowly dropped down to the table. “Of course...it is customary for the Fire Lord's
children to move into one of the manors once they are married,” he added softly. “You may
even have mine if you desire. I know you've always admired the garden.” His eyes were on
Chiara.

Zuko's and Chiara's eyes met. They both knew where they wanted to live.

“If it's all the same to you, Uncle, we really want to stay here with you in the palace.”

Iroh's amber eyes lit up with his grin. There was no hiding the joy he felt that they preferred
to remain in the palace allowing him to be close to his grandchild and future grandchildren. “I
was hoping you would.”

“And I think my mom'll want to stay here, too, to be close to us and Azula, and the baby.”

“Oh, Lady Ursa must be so excited about her grandchild.”

“She is,” said Zuko still reeling from the happiness of having found his mother. Even if his
mother had chosen to stay in Hira'a, having closure on what had happened to her was a relief.
Not knowing if she was alive or dead was a weight that he no longer carried. “Uncle...,” he
started hesitantly, “...about Ozai....since he's responsible for Azulon's death, will...will he be
punished?”
Iroh thoughtfully stroked his beard. “His punishment for such a grave offense would be
execution.”

“I know.” The only sympathy Zuko felt for Ozai was that he had never repented of his
crimes, and he was sure the man never would. He knew execution was justified, and not just
for murdering the former Fire Lord, but for other murders and acts of cruelty he committed,
ordered, and attempted to commit against countless people. He had expected the Avatar to
exact that punishment, but Aang found a different way, and the new Fire Lord respected that
decision. Now, however, faced with proof of this newly revealed crime, the Fire Nation could
carry out Ozai's execution.

“There will be no further charges brought against Ozai,” said Iroh with a tone of finality.

The prince gaped at his decision. “But...but he killed the Fire Lord—his own father...”

“To have Ozai charged with patricide and regicide, the only witness would have to admit to
having provided him with the poison used in the murder.”

He stared at his uncle, the meaning of his words sinking in.

“I will not take the chance of charges being brought against her,” Iroh said softly. “I believe
she was perfectly justified in her actions, but I cannot say that the court will believe the same.
Even if I choose to overrule any court sentence, it may prove more trouble than its worth,
especially if there are other groups besides the New Ozai Society who are loyal to him.”

Zuko's eyes softened. “Thank you, Uncle.”

Iroh stared gravely at his teacup. “If what Azulon demanded of Ozai is true, I might have
offered him some special tea,” he said darkly. He glanced up to see Zuko and Chiara staring
at him open-mouthed. “Albeit for different reasons,” he added. They were still gaping at him.
“What kind of man would ask that of his own child and grandchild? If he demanded such a
sacrifice from me, I might have struck him dead right then.”

Despite the gruesome image of patricide, Zuko and Chiara could not help but be grateful for
Iroh's devotion to those he loved.

“Moving on to more pleasant business,” he started lightly, “I believe it is time to officially

announce our newest family member.”

“That's great, Uncle,” grinned Zuko.

“And along with the announcement, in honor of the new prince or princess, I am declaring a
National Tea Appreciation Day.”

Chiara's eyes lit up. “It's about time. That's definitely a holiday long overdue.”

“Yes, it is,” smiled Iroh.

Zuko chuckled at the two of them. “I'm surprised you haven't created a special new blend for
the baby,” he said in a playfully wry tone.
Iroh grinned at him. “As a matter of fact, Nephew, I have, but it will only be revealed on
National Tea Appreciation Day.”

They spent the next hour going over their plans for the royal announcement and the new
national holiday and only stopped when they were interrupted by a frantic Amiku when she
learned that Chiara had not eaten anything since lunch shortly before the ship had arrived in
the harbor.

--------------------

After Chiara and Zuko left the Fire Lord's office to head towards the gardens where Amiku
insisted a meal would be brought to them, Iroh sent for Azula.

When she entered his office, she bowed respectfully to him where he was still reclining at the
table.

“Ah, Princess Azula, please sit,” he motioned towards a cushion opposite him. “Have some
tea.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” she said kneeling at the table.

“First, I wish to thank you for the aid you provided in the incident earlier.” He pushed a cup
he had just filled towards her. “I was told you fought quite bravely.”

“Yes...well, it was just a well-placed bolt and a few fire blasts really.” Unlike her brother's
modesty in downplaying his extended battle, Azula was convinced her simple attack was just
child's play.

Iroh chuckled jovially. “Nevertheless, your help was greatly appreciated, and it seems you
were able to get some information on the New Ozai Society.”

“Yes, Uncle. Ukano, the former governor of former New Ozai, is their leader. Their plan
involved capturing Zuko and Chiara with the intention of forcing you to abdicate in favor of
Ozai.”

Azula could see the fire in her uncle's eyes at the threat to his children.

“Honestly, I personally believe those two would've been more trouble for the society than it
was worth,” she continued.

He raised an eyebrow at her admission.

“After what my brother did at Boiling Rock, I doubt some ragtag group of malcontents would
be able to handle them.”

Her observation elicited a laugh from Iroh. “Yes, I believe you're right. He did cause quite a
bit of trouble at the prison.”

“Ukano is merely a weak fool, himself, who always had his nose up Ozai's...” She hesitated
as she glanced at her uncle. “...well...you know.”
 He softly chuckled. “Yes, I'm familiar with Ukano's Ozai-worship.”

The princess sipped her tea.

“I wish to offer my congratulations on finding your mother,” he said.

“Thank you, Uncle.” She looked down at her cup. “It...it was a relief to learn the truth...about
a lot of things.”

“It must be exciting to find you have a little sister too.”

She cocked her head slightly, not sure if she found the idea 'exciting.' “It was definitely
surprising,” she said softly. “But it's good to see Mother happy.”

Iroh noticed the small grin on his niece's face. He had seen the damage caused by Ozai. His
brother's own hatred used to reflect in her eyes. He was delighted that Chiara was able to heal
some of that damage allowing the girl to find a sense of peace. “Yes,” he said. “It is always a
joy when we find happiness in our family.”

Chapter End Notes

The title of this chapter is a line from Godfather III.

 Paradise Regained
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

When Ursa, Noren, and Kiyi arrived in Iroh's office, he stood up from his desk.

“Lady Ursa,” he greeted her. “I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to see you again.”

The couple bowed to him. Noren gently tapped Kiyi's shoulder until she imitated them.

“Fire Lord Iroh,” said Ursa, “thank you for allowing us to be here and for the
accommodations you provided.”

“Please, call me Iroh,” he replied. She straightened up to see him respectfully bowing to her.
“And let me express how sorry I am for all the pain you suffered at the hands of my family.”

Her eyes softened with her gentle smile. “Iroh, what are you apologizing for?” She stepped
forward and embraced him. “Your presence in the family always gave me hope.” He was
touched by her kind words and gesture. When she stepped back she motioned towards her
family. “This is my husband Noren and our daughter Kiyi.”

“I am pleased to meet you, Noren.”

“It's an honor, Fire Lord,” he bowed again.

Iroh chuckled. “I believe as family you may also call me Iroh.”

Noren placed his hand on his daughter's head. “Kiyi, this is Prince Zuko's and Princess
Azula's uncle, Fire Lord Iroh.”

Iroh's eyes fell on Kiyi. “Prince Zuko and Princess Chiara are quite taken with their little
sister. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Kiyi.” He bent down and offered his hand which she
happily shook.

“Are you my uncle too?” she asked innocently.

Iroh let out a jovial laugh.

“He's not your uncle,” said Noren with an embarrassed smile.

“That doesn't mean you can't call me 'Uncle,'” said Iroh giving her a small wink. “Any sister
of Zuko and Azula is a niece to me.”

She gave him a big smile. “I never had an uncle before.”

“Well, then for my first act as your uncle, I must offer you a cup of tea.” He motioned
towards the small table where they all knelt down.
Ezih brought in a fresh pot of tea while Iroh and his guests discussed their future in Royal
Caldera. He reiterated his offer of a manor or a place in the palace, of which they chose the
latter in order to remain near Ursa's children. The Fire Lord also extended an official
invitation to Noren and the Hira'a Theater Troupe welcoming their performance in the
Capital.

When they finished their tea and conversation, the small family started out of the Fire Lord's
office, but Ursa stopped Noren in the antechamber.

“Noren, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to Iroh alone.”

He understood there were matters she was anxious to discuss with the Fire Lord without the
presence of her youngest child. “Of course.”

He leaned down giving her a small kiss. Kiyi wrinkled her nose at the sight of her father
kissing the woman everyone was insisting was definitely her mother.

“Daddy, can we explore the palace now?” she said pulling on his hand.

He smiled down at his daughter. “Yes, let's go explore.”

Ursa watched them leave before turning back to the Fire Lord's office. She took a deep
breath. When Zuko had met with her earlier, he told her that he explained everything to Iroh,
but she still felt she needed to speak with him privately.

“Iroh, do you mind...?”

When he looked up from his desk and saw her standing at the door he smiled. “Not at all.”
He stood up and walked back to the small table. “Please, sit.”

Ursa knelt down at the small table across from him while he reheated the pot of tea.

“What is on your mind?” he asked her.

She looked into his amber eyes. “Iroh, I just wanted to say I'm sorry about your father.”

He nodded slowly. “I quite understand your reaction, Ursa.”

“I wish...I wish there could have been another way.”

Her eyes pleaded for forgiveness, but Iroh felt there was nothing to forgive.

“You were protecting your child,” he said. “I only wish I could have protected my own.”

Ursa placed her hand on his. “It was war, Iroh.”

“I know. And I know there is no use in wishing to change the past, but I don't blame you for
Azulon's death. You did what you had to do to protect Zuko. And my father had no right to
ask for such a sacrifice, especially when one had already been given,” he said deeply.
He filled her cup.

“I never had a chance to express my condolences over the loss of Prince Lu Ten.” Tears
sparkled in her eyes. “He was a treasure to our family, and I cherish every memory of him.
Zuko looked up to him as a big brother.”

He gently nodded. “And Lu Ten cared just as much for Zuko.”

She took a sip of her tea. “I have to tell you something you might not have known about your
son, Iroh.”

He eyed her curiously, yet he was worried about what she could know about his own son that
he himself did not know.

“Shortly after the wedding when Ozai and I moved next door to you, I was sitting in the
garden by myself.” There was a sadness in her eyes as they were focused on her tea cup. “I
felt so alone. Ozai forbade me from having any contact with my parents.”

That Zuko had no knowledge that he was the great grandson of Avatar Roku now made sense
to Iroh, but he found himself even more disgusted by his brother's cruel behavior towards his
wife. He could never imagine having forbidden his own wife from seeing her parents.

It took him by surprise when he saw Ursa's lip curl into a small smile after revealing such a
sad memory of her life in the royal household.

“I wasn't alone for long though,” she said. “Lu Ten couldn't have been much older than ten
when he climbed over the wall that day. He sat with me at the pond where he joined me in
feeding the turtle ducks.”

The image brought a small grin to Iroh's face.

“And it wasn't the only time he kept me company,” she continued. “He visited often,
especially after Zuko was born. We would have little picnics in the garden.”

“He was an infant when he lost his mother,” said Iroh. “I'm grateful that you were able to
offer him the comfort of a mother and that he was able to relieve your loneliness.”

“As I am grateful that you were able to be the father that Zuko needed. Thank you for taking
care of him in my absence...and in Ozai's...neglect.”

“Yes,” he chuckled. “But Zuko might not see it that way.”

She was shaking her head. “He may not have understood at the time, but he understands now
what you did for him.”

“Maybe now, but there were times when only Chiara could shake him from his darkest
moods,” he said softly, remembering how often he had sent her to deal with the
temperamental prince when they were traveling the seas.

“They were always so close.” She smiled to herself at the memories of their childhood.
“It seems that my son influenced yours when it came to climbing over that wall,” he said,
chuckling at the times Zuko scaled the wall between their manors in order to spend time with
Chiara.

Ursa let out a soft giggle. “Whenever I couldn't find Zuko, I knew he was next door.”

His amber eyes sparkled. “And now he no longer needs to climb the wall,” he said with
another grin.

“Zuko said you were reluctant to allow them to marry,” she said after taking a sip of her tea.
“I'm happy you relented.”

“Had our lives not taken so many unexpected turns, they might not be married. Ozai never
would've allowed it.”

“That's certain,” she said darkly. With her memories returned, she remembered how much
Ozai detested Chiara because of her obvious foreign blood.

Iroh stared thoughtfully at the cup in his hands. “And for a time I regretted allowing them to
wed.”

She had not expected his regret. “Really? But why?”

“In Ba Sing Se we had started our lives anew. I was sure we were safe from the Fire Nation.
But then the city fell. When we were being hunted in the Earth Kingdom, I knew we wouldn't
be able to run from the Fire Nation forever. It was clear that we would have to dethrone Ozai,
and it worried me that Chiara would never be accepted as wife of the Crown Prince or future
Fire Lord. She would be a target for those who would only have pure Fire Nation blood on
the throne.”

Ursa also felt troubled by the threat. “After the attack outside the caldera, I understand your
concern,” she said softly.

He nodded. “It is unfortunate to see this group attempt to harm her. She has proven herself to
be an asset to our Nation, and she's quite loved by many.”

“Hira'a certainly appreciates and adores her.”

Iroh suddenly looked a little sheepish as his eyes dropped to the table. “I suppose, I also was
afraid to let her go,” he admitted.

Ursa was grinning at his disclosure. “It's always hard with daughters,” she said thinking of
her own two girls.

“Especially after...after Lu Ten,” he said sadly. “I never imagined losing my son. Even during
the Siege when I saw the fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters of our people sent home to
their family in ashes. Of course it was war, and I knew the possibility existed, but...I...I was
arrogant. As a child I had a vision that I would take Ba Sing Se. I couldn't lose that battle.”
His amber eyes stared blankly at his tea. “But I did lose. I lost my world...my Lu Ten. I paid
for my arrogance with my son.”
Tears filled Ursa's eyes upon hearing the pain in his voice.

“When Chiara came to the camp...no one could ever fill the hole left by such a deep loss, but
her presence...it was balm to a deep wound. She made me feel like a child burning with a
fever being held in my mother's comforting arms. And traveling through the Earth Kingdom
and North Pole that year, I think she took care of me more than I did her.”

“She was quite insistent that she would get to you whether or not anyone helped her,” Ursa
gently smiled.

“Yes, she can be just as determined as Zuko,” he smirked. “Just not as impulsive.” He took a
long sip of his tea. “I'm not sure I would be Fire Lord if it wasn't for her,” he said in a quiet
tone.

“Do you think so, Iroh?” she asked. “I can't imagine Ozai still being in power.”

He was shaking his head as his eyes met hers. “Once Ozai was defeated, Zuko could have
rightfully taken the throne, in fact, I encouraged him to do so.”

“He told me he didn't want it,” she said.

A small smile graced Iroh's face, but it was a smile filled with pride. “He found peace outside
of this palace. And he has more than earned it, as has Chiara.”

“Yet here he is.”

Iroh nodded his head. “With Chiara by his side he has agreed to take over the throne one
day.”

They continued their conversation until they drank the last of their tea.

“I appreciate you taking your time to talk with me, Iroh,” said Ursa.

“Of course,” he said getting to his feet. “With the exception of this afternoon's attack, this has
been quite a tea-filled day.”

Ursa followed him as he walked to the door.

“You and your family are welcome to have tea with me anytime I'm free, Lady Ursa.”

“Thank you.”

“I will see you all at dinner.”

She bowed before leaving the Fire Lord's office.

By the end of the week, everyone had settled into their palace routine. National Tea Day was
declared and most of the Fire Nation was excited to learn a new royal was to be born in a few
months.
One morning Azula woke up before sunrise and made her way through the palace quietly...or
so she thought. The soft footsteps she heard behind her made her wonder if a guard might be
tailing her—as if she needed to be watched and spied on because somebody did not trust her.
Turning the next corner she quickly pressed herself against the wall and waited. As soon as
the footsteps neared the corner, she stepped out with fire at her fingertips threatening to be
hurled at the offender.

“Why are you following...?!” Her demand ceased abruptly as her golden eyes dropped down
to the big brown eyes staring curiously at her.

Despite her older sister's threatening posture, Kiyi did not cower.

Azula had not been expecting her stalker to be her little sister, especially at such an early
hour. Her blue flames died as she relaxed her stance.

“Shouldn't you be in bed?” she asked her stiffly.

“I couldn't sleep,” she explained. “Her hands are so cold,” she added softly.

“Mother's?” asked Azula.

Kiyi nodded, and her eyes drifted away from her sister in shame for speaking about the
woman who acted like her mother but did not look like her. “Every time she sees that scary
man.”

Azula was puzzled and irritated that someone might be scaring her mother. “What scary
man?”

“In the hall,” she pointed ahead of them.

Azula turned towards the Royal Gallery where the portraits of the Fire Lords were hanging.
“He was in there?”

She nodded again. “On the wall.”

The princess walked down the hall with Kiyi at her heels.

“There he is,” she spoke softly.

Azula glanced down to see Kiyi nearly hiding behind her pointing at the wall. Following
where she was indicating, she saw the portrait of Ozai.

“He's so scary looking,” Kiyi whispered as if afraid the picture might hear her. “And he has
black fire over his claws.”

Azula's eyes narrowed at the portrait and at the thought that Ozai still held power over her
mother.
“He's nothing to be scared of,” she said. “Not anymore.” She looked down at Kiyi again.
“You should go back to bed.”

“But why aren't you in bed?” asked Kiyi.

“I was going to practice firebending.”

“Can I watch?”

She had risen early that morning in order to be alone during her meditation and practice. “I'm
not sure...”

“I don't want to go back to bed. Her hands are too cold.”

Azula was not sure if she should allow her to go along.

“I like seeing your blue flames,” Kiyi continued.

She raised her eyebrow at her little sister's insistence. “Fine,” she conceded. “Just don't get in
my way.”

“I won't,” she said happily, taking her big sister's hand. Azula did not fight it.

When they walked out of the Royal Gallery, Azula took her to a corner in the hall. “I want
you to wait here for me for just a minute.”

Kiyi was looking up at her curiously.

“I'll be right back,” Azula assured her. “Don't move.”

She nodded and watched her big sister disappear around the corner from which they had just
come. When she reappeared, she continued walking down the hall.

“Come on,” called the princess.

Kiyi ran to catch up with her taking her hand again.

The training area was dark when they first entered, but it was soon lit up as Azula sent a few
fireball blasts to several of the braziers. Kiyi followed her through the room and out to the
patio on the other side where she imitated her big sister and knelt down facing east where the
light of the sun was just beginning to break through the black sky near the horizon.

“Are you going to firebend?” asked Kiyi when Azula sat still and quiet.

“Not yet,” she answered.

--------------------

Though the sky was growing brighter, the sun was still below the horizon when Kiyi began to
fidget.
“Are you going to firebend now?” she asked, breaking the silence.

“No,” she said.

“Are you thinking about firebending?”

“Sort of,” answered Azula. “I'm meditating.”

“Why?”

“Firebenders draw their power from the sun.”

“Oh,” she said simply. “How do you meditate?”

“I focus on the sun and on my breathing.”

“Why do you have to focus on breathing? Wouldn't you be dead if you weren't breathing?”

Azula sighed softly. “I focus on keeping my breathing steady.” She demonstrated with a calm
inhale and then exhale.

“How do you focus on the sun if it's not up yet?” she asked pointing out at the golden sky.

“I can still feel it,” she answered patiently. “I can sense its power and I can feel the strength it
gives me as it gets closer to the horizon.”

Kiyi closed her eyes and softly inhaled and exhaled for a minute. “I think I can feel it too.”

Azula's lip curled slightly as she continued her meditation.

--------------------

Soon the sunlight began pouring over the sea and land.

“I can really feel the sun now,” said Kiyi as the bright rays warmed her skin. “Are you going
to make fire now?”

Azula got to her feet. “Fine. You want to see fire?” she smirked.

Kiyi nodded excitedly and followed her back inside the training area where Azula began
practicing advanced firebending katas. It was not long before Kiyi, anxious to imitate her big
sister, attempted to mimic the kata movements. Azula laughed to herself upon seeing the non-
bender trying to copy her, and she was reminded of Chiara practicing with Zuko when they
were children.

She stopped her kata. “You may not be a firebender, but if you're going to practice the moves,
you should at least do them properly.” Despite Azula's expertise in firebending, given her
high status she had never considered training anyone in the art, least of all a non-bender, but
the way Kiyi looked up to her made it difficult for her to refuse offering a few simple
instructions. Kneeling before her, she adjusted her little sister's stance. “Bring this foot out,”
she said, tapping Kiyi's left leg. Kiyi moved it ahead while Azula gently moved her left
elbow and lifted her right fist. “Now, rotate your body and punch forward with this fist.”

Kiyi followed her directions.

“Now do it again, but take a breath, and then let it out as you punch, like this...” Azula, still
on one knee, turned sideways, took a breath, and exhaled as she demonstrated the move
releasing a small blue flame and making Kiyi's eyes grow bigger with delight. She followed
her big sister's instructions again.

“Good,” she complimented her.

Standing next to her, Azula practiced the same reverse punch without fire, but slowly at first,
syncing herself with Kiyi's pace and then gradually increasing her speed encouraging her
sister to keep up with her. They continued practicing reverse punches side-by-side with Azula
eventually throwing out a few blue flames. When orange sparks caught her eye, she relaxed
her stance and looked at Kiyi who was frozen in position with her fist forward, eyes wide,
and mouth agape after throwing her last punch.

“Did you...?” started Azula.

“I...I made fire,” said Kiyi.

“Try it again.”

Kiyi moved into her starting stance before throwing the punch and sending out a small stream
of fire.

“You're a firebender,” said Azula, her voice nearly a whisper.

“I am,” she said happily.

Azula was not sure why she was so excited to see her little sister produce flames, but she
could not deny what she felt. “We should tell Mother.”

She took hold of Kiyi's wrist and they ran out of the training room, down the hall, and
through the Royal Gallery where Kiyi was too excited to notice the missing portrait of Ozai.
Heading for the family wing, they burst into the bedroom from where Kiyi sneaked out
earlier that morning.

“Mom!” called Azula.

The room was empty.

“Daddy?” called Kiyi looking around. “They're not here.”

“Let's find Uncle.”

Once again they ran through the halls of the palace until they reached the Fire Lord's office.
“Princess,” greeted Ezo with a bow.

“I need to speak with my uncle,” she said pulling the door open without waiting for approval.

She entered the antechamber pulling Kiyi along with her.

“Uncle...,” she started when she entered the office.

Iroh was standing in front of his desk when she entered, his face breaking into a grin.
“Mystery solved.”

Ursa's and Noren's worried expressions turned to relief when they saw Kiyi. Ursa knelt down
wrapping her arms around her youngest daughter.

“Oh, Kiyi,” she cried, “we were so worried about you. I woke up and you were gone.”

“I was with Zula. I'm a firebender, Mommy!” she said excitedly. “We were practicing and I
made fire.”

Ursa released her and looked up at Azula. “She did?”

Azula nodded.

“You'll have to show us,” said Ursa tenderly caressing Kiyi's head. She was ecstatic to see her
daughter smiling at her after seeing fear in her eyes the past week.

“I need Zula to help me.”

Ursa softly laughed.

“Is it okay with you, Uncle?” Azula asked him, requesting permission to firebend in the Fire
Lord's office.

“Of course,” he smiled.

Azula took a stance which Kiyi imitated. “Don't forget to breathe,” she reminded her little
sister making Iroh chuckle softly.

Kiyi followed her moves, and while Azula held back from creating fire, Kiyi produced a
small orange flame.

“Wonderful!” said the Fire Lord. “Another firebender in the family.”

“That was most impressive, Kiyi,” said Noren.

“Yes,” said Ursa. “Very impressive. I'm so proud of you, both of you.”

Ezih stepped into the room. “Fire Lord, breakfast is ready.”

“Thank you, Ezih.” He looked at Ursa and Noren. “I'm quite sure Prince Zuko and Princess
Chiara will be excited to hear the news.”
“I can't wait to tell Zuzu!” said Kiyi happily. “I'm a firebender just like him! Maybe Zula can
show me how to make my flames blue.”

“It will certainly be something to talk about over breakfast,” said Iroh. “Lady Ursa, Noren, if
you and Lady Kiyi would like to go to the dining room, there is a small matter which I would
like to discuss with Princess Azula before we meet you there.”

“Yes, thank you, Iroh,” said Ursa as she and Noren bowed.

Kiyi bowed, too, before turning with them and leaving the Fire Lord's office while continuing
to happily tell her parents about her newfound skill.

Azula still stood before Iroh wondering what she might have done wrong that her uncle
wanted to speak to her privately, but his gentle smile never left his face indicating that she
might not be in trouble.

“You have already solved the mystery of your missing sister, Niece, but I was wondering if
you might help me with another.”

“Uh...sure, Uncle,” she said with a puzzled expression. “What is it?”

“It seems there was an incident involving the portrait of Ozai in the Royal Gallery.” He
reached behind him on his desk picking up a metal can. “This is all that's left of it,” he said of
the ash inside the tin.

“Yes...well...it was brought to my attention that the portrait was causing undue stress to my
mother,” she said boldly. “And as I am responsible for the damage, I'm ready to accept any
punishment.”

Iroh chuckled. “I do not wish for Lady Ursa to suffer any undue stress, so this hardly
warrants punishment. In fact, I'm quite impressed that you accomplished such a task without
causing a single bit of damage to the surrounding wall.”

Azula was surprised by her uncle's carefree attitude over the destroyed portrait.

“With such skillful firebending, I believe you would make a good instructor for Lady Kiyi.”

Azula's mouth dropped open.

He held his hand up. “Do not feel obligated to do so if it doesn't appeal to you,” he added.
“And you may take as much time as you need to consider it. But you are more than qualified,
and your sister really looks up to you.”

“I...I think I can do that, Uncle.”

“I imagine you would find that more appealing than say...an arranged marriage to one of the
young nobles.”

She frowned at him. “I see Chiara let you in on her little prank.”
 He raised his eyebrows. “Prank? I'm afraid I don't understand.”

Her eyes grew wide at the thought that he seriously considered arranging a marriage for her,
but he began chuckling at her worried expression.

“Yes, she did mention it,” he grinned.

Azula visibly relaxed at her uncle's sense of humor. “It seems you're just like her, Uncle,” she
said wryly.

“That's quite a compliment,” he chuckled again. He dropped the tin of ash into a waste bin.
“Well, another mystery solved and a firebending instructor for Lady Kiyi...all before
breakfast.” He clapped his hands together. “I've accomplished quite a bit of work for today.”

Azula's lip curled at Iroh's joviality.

“Shall we join the others?” he asked.

She nodded and they left the office to go to the dining room where Kiyi was animatedly
describing her firebending discovery to Zuko and Chiara.

Soon the whole family was sitting in the dining room while the staff served their breakfast.
Fire Lord Iroh sat at the head of the table. His amber eyes sparkled as he quietly gazed over
his family cheerfully conversing. Azula was filling Ursa and Noren in on her new
responsibility of training Kiyi. Zuko was intently listening to his littlest sister who was
excitedly talking about her morning training session with her big sister. And Chiara was busy
trying to fend off the extra pig chicken bacon a servant was trying to add to her plate at
Amiku's unrelenting insistence. Iroh could not remember a more happy experience growing
up at that same table, and he was filled with indescribable joy.

Chapter End Notes

The last few chapters have been influenced by "The Search" and "Smoke and Shadow"
comics.

Now cue music and closing credits, but stay tuned for the post-credit scene with a
glimpse of the future.
 Epilogue
Chapter Notes

Welcome to the finale. There are several italicized flashback scenes intermixed with
current events, so I hope it isn’t too confusing.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

It had been over ten years since the war ended and the Nations had reconciled and had grown
to help each other.

It was the tenth anniversary of the official end of the war, and the royal barge was docked at
Full Moon Bay as the Fire Lord was on his way to Ba Sing Se. Refusing any special royal
treatment, he and his entourage traveled by monorail to the Upper Ring where they all packed
into two large carriages which took them not to a large residence or even the king's palace,
but to the most famous tea shop in all the Earth Kingdom, the Jasmine Dragon.

When the carriages stopped in front of the closed shop, the Fire Lord stepped out and glanced
up at the familiar building. He wore simple Fire Nation clothes, but the royal headpiece
shone brightly in his topknot. Turning back towards the carriage, the Crown Prince stepped
down looking nearly identical to his father with fiery gold eyes, and though he looked like his
father, it was his mother's gentle temperament that he inherited from her. The Fire Lord
watched as the prince helped his sister out of the carriage.

After helping his six year old sister Chiana, Crown Prince Lu Ten reached up to help his eight
year old brother Kolos. Fire Lord Zuko was smiling as he watched his oldest son assisting his
siblings. In three more years after Lu Ten's thirteenth birthday, Zuko was planning to take
him on a quest to the Sun Warriors' island.

“Can I go inside and see Grandfather?” Kolos asked his father anxiously, staring up at him
with his mother's sea green eyes.

“Wait for the others,” said Zuko placing his hand on his second oldest's head.

Suddenly, four year old Roku jumped out of the carriage by himself and was just about to
make a run for it towards the tea shop, but his father's quick reflexes caught him before he
could escape.

“Oh, no you don't,” laughed Zuko.

“Grandpa! Grandpa!” said Roku, his arms stretched out towards the shop.

“Wait for the rest of the family.”

Kiyi walked up from the other carriage. “I've got him, Zuzu.” She took Roku from him.

At fourteen years old, Kiyi still enjoyed teasing her big brother with his nickname. But he
had to admit he found it more endearing than when Azula said it at that age, or at any age
since the princess would still tease him with the occasional “Fire Lord Zuzu.”

“Stay with Aunt Kiyi,” Zuko ordered Roku.

He turned back to the carriage to see little two year old Rina, named for his maternal
grandmother, standing at the carriage door. He reached up and took her in his arms. As Rina
released her mother's hand, the Fire Lord glanced up and his fiery eyes brightened when they
fell upon his Fire Lady, her long loose black curls reflecting light like obsidian and her eyes
containing the ocean. Her diadem sparkled around her head as it wove through her hair, while
her golden royal headpiece rested on top. He offered his free hand to her helping her out of
the carriage.

“Here, Zuko...,” said Ursa walking up to him from the other carriage. “Let me take Rina for
you.”

Rina reached out to her grandmother.

“Lord Zuko, we’ll take care of things out here,” said Kaito riding up on an ostrich horse as
part of the royal family’s security detail.

Kaito had wanted a full Royal Procession for the royal family, but Zuko insisted on a few
select Imperial Firebenders including Nai and Izin.

The Fire Lord gave a nod. “You guys are welcome to join the reunion.”

“As soon as we’re finished, sir. It doesn’t look like the Avatar is here yet, and Izin will want
to take care of Appa.”

“Of course,” said Zuko.

Chiara took Kolos’ hand. “Stay together, my little turtle ducklings.”

Zuko placed her other hand on his arm before taking hold of Chiana’s hand, and they ushered
their little ones towards the tea shop.

From inside the shop Iroh had been watching his family as they unloaded from the carriage.
It had been four months since their last visit, and two months before that. Now, what he
missed most from the Fire Nation was once again on his doorstep and he felt complete. He
watched his oldest grandson helping his younger siblings, and he softly laughed to himself at
how much the young boy looked so much like his nephew, even at his birth—an exciting, yet
anxious event he would never forget.
It was unnerving sitting in the palace waiting room. The cup of tea in his hands had long
grown cold. At that moment, his calming cup of jasmine was not very calming, and he was
too tense to even firebend warmth into it. His nephew was even more tense as he anxiously
paced back and forth in the sunlight that shone through the window, subconsciously adjusting
his path as the sun slowly moved across the floor. Iroh knew this day was coming, but
somehow knowing it was not the same as being prepared for it. It was of great comfort to him
that Katara had agreed to come during the last month of Chiara's pregnancy, but after his
experience with his own wife, it was not comforting enough to completely alleviate the worry
that anything could happen. Mina had never recovered after Lu Ten's birth despite a year of
hopefulness, and he was relieved that Katara agreed to remain for at least another month
after the birth of his grandchild...just in case. But even amid the comforting thoughts of
having a waterbending healer present, he could not help feeling nervous, and it was clear
that his nephew felt the same way considering the worn path on the carpet. Iroh could not
wait for the birth to be over. The longer it took, the more worried he became. He could not
imagine losing his daughter in a similar way in which he lost his wife, nor did he want his
nephew to suffer the same pain of loss he did.

When the main door opened, neither of the two men looked up. Any news from that door held
little interest to them at the moment.

“She's still in labor?” asked Azula.

“Yes,” Zuko answered shortly, not missing a beat in his steps.

Her eyebrows rose as she stared at the two of them. “I thought having a baby was supposed
to be a joyous occasion. You two are about to become a father and a grandfather, but you
both look like you're preparing for a funeral.”

Her words stopped Zuko in his tracks and he looked at her. “It's been hours. I'm worried
something is going to go wrong.”

“Zuko, you have a waterbender in there with her. If anything goes wrong I'm sure she'll be
able to fix it. Not to mention Mother's had three kids and she's with her, as is Amiku and the
doctor...and you even let her own bodyguard in there with her...which just seems awkward...”

“She and Nai are good friends.”

Azula rolled her eyes. “Leave it to Chiara to be friends with her personal guard,” she
muttered in a slight undertone. “You have nothing to worry about. She's survived the worst
prisons, a sword in her chest, and...and even me. I think she can handle having a baby, so
don't go throwing her onto the pyre yet.”

Zuko resumed his pacing clearly finding little comfort in his sister's blunt words. “I...I just
wish she had agreed to give birth at the North Pole.”

Iroh felt the same way. He knew, just as Chiara insisted, that it was important for the Crown
Prince's child, especially first born child, to be born in the Fire Nation, but he would have
been less worried if there was a team of waterbender healers by her side, and that would
have been provided if she had gone to Agna Qel'a to give birth.
When the other door finally opened, Zuko stopped pacing and stared anxiously at the doctor,
as did Iroh whose grip grew tighter around his cup of cold tea. Neither could tell from Doctor
Asa's expression what he was about to say, but in those few seconds both men held their
breath expecting bad news.

“You have a son, Prince Zuko.”

Iroh got to his feet while Zuko's golden eyes lit up at the announcement.

“How's Chiara?” asked the prince.

“She's doing fine. They both are.”

Iroh and Zuko both breathed a sigh of relief.

“You may all come in now,” invited Asa.

Zuko anxiously disappeared through the door.

“Asa, send for Sage Shyu,” ordered Iroh.

“Yes, my Lord,” he bowed.

Iroh and Azula walked through the antechamber and entered the royal birthing room where
they saw an exhausted looking Chiara sitting up in the bed cradling the tiniest red bundle.
Katara and Nai moved to allow Zuko and Iroh to get closer.

“It's customary for the Fire Lord to hold his first grandchild after the mother,” said Amiku
standing on the other side of the bed near Ursa.

Iroh smiled. “That is a custom that is about to be broken.”

Zuko looked at him and his uncle nodded his head. “Thank you, Uncle.”

Chiara held out the little bundle which Zuko delicately took into his arms as if he were
handling the most fragile crystal. He stared at the tiny infant whose head was covered with
thin black hair. When the baby lifted his eyelids, Zuko was drawn to the purest gold eyes he
had ever seen outside of a mirror. He had been in love with his tiny, little creation from the
moment he and Chiara learned of his existence. Every flame that she summoned was a
reminder of what their love had produced. Every move or kick they felt as their baby grew
brought forth a joke that he was practicing his firebending katas. Now his eyes gazed upon
him whom he had loved before he could see him.

“He looks like you, Nephew,” said Iroh adoring the sight of his nephew holding his
grandnephew/grandson.

Ursa, too, admired her son as he cradled his own child. “He's beautiful, Zuko.”

“He's so tiny,” said the prince tenderly running his fingers down the infant's soft cheek.
He could not fathom how Ozai could not feel the same love he himself now felt holding his
own son.

Even Azula could not take her eyes from the tiny human and the loving gaze which her
brother had fixed upon him. There was no greed in his eyes, just pure love. She felt the tiniest
spot of envy for the child who would have her brother for a father just as she felt towards Kiyi
who had a genuinely caring father in Noren.

Zuko sat down on the bed facing Chiara, and he leaned towards her gently kissing her lips.

“You made the most beautiful baby,” he said. They were words he would repeat to her after
the birth of every child.

“I couldn't have done it without you, my Prince,” she responded with a tender, yet tired smile.
Her words, too, would be her repeated response after each addition to their family.

“How are you feeling?” he asked her.

“Exhausted, but happy.” She reached up to rest her hand on his as it cradled their son.

When the door opened, High Sage Shyu entered.

“It is for you to christen him, Fire Lord,” said Amiku.

Iroh looked at Shyu before turning back to Zuko.

“What name have you chosen for him?” he asked his nephew.

Zuko tore his eyes away from his little one to look at his wife. She nodded her head, and he
looked at Iroh.

“If it's all right with you, Uncle, we would like to call him Lu Ten.”

Zuko spotted the tears that instantly welled up in Iroh’s eyes.

“We can call him something else,” he said immediately upon spying the emotion in his uncle's
expression, fearing he might have offended him.

Iroh shook his head. “No. It is perfect. I'm sure my Lu Ten would be honored to have your son
named for him.”

He held his hands out to his nephew. Zuko looked down at the infant gently moving his head;
the rest of his body was tightly swaddled within his blanket simulating the womb in which he
had been confined for nine months. It almost hurt to part from him, but he held his son out to
his uncle who took the little bundle into his arms and gazed lovingly at his grandson.
Flashbacks of him holding his infant nephew filled his mind as well as images of his own
infant son.

Zuko looked down at Chiara who held out an empty hand palm up. “No more fire,” she said
sadly. “I miss the warmth of the little flame inside.”
He took her hand in his and kissed it. “I have fire and warmth enough for both of us.”

She found warmth in his fiery gaze.

“Fire Lord, follow me,” said the High Sage who walked towards the window and opened it.
“Bring him into the light.”

Iroh stepped into the sunlight shining through the open window.

“Whenever you're ready, you may proceed,” said Shyu.

Iroh loosened his grandson's tight wrapping before shifting the little bundle so the rays of the
sun fell upon the top of the infant's head. He gazed down at his golden eyes.

“Child of the sun, child of fire, I christen you Lu Ten.” His voice broke slightly upon speaking
the name as he was reminded of Azulon speaking the same words over his Lu Ten, but he was
filled with joy.

Shyu anointed the baby's forehead with oil. “Lu Ten, may the sun ever shine on you.” He next
anointed his chest over his heart. “And may your fire burn brightly.” He looked at Iroh.
“Congratulations, Fire Lord.”

“What if they didn't know whether or not he was a bender?” Katara whispered to Zuko. “Do
they say different words?”

He shook his head. “Even for children who aren't benders, fire is life.” Turning his eyes to
Chiara he gently brushed loose strands of hair from her forehead.

“Did you contact Aang?” she asked him.

Zuko's eyes grew wide and he stiffened when he realized he had forgotten.

“I took care of it,” said Azula to their surprise. “While you were busy struggling to bring his
child into the world, he was unable to function short of pacing a hole in the floor.” Chiara's
lip curled when she took in Zuko's slightly shamed expression confirming the truth of her
sister-in-law's accusation. “And Uncle was no better,” Azula continued. “I had a hawk sent
to the Southern Air Temple.”

“Thank you, Azula,” smiled Chiara.

Katara was happy to hear it. “I'm sure he'll be on his way as soon as he gets it.”

“It's good that the others are with him,” said Zuko. “At least he won't have to fly all over to
pick everyone up.”

“I can't wait to find out how he and Toph are doing on the temple repairs,” said Katara.

After indulging himself, Iroh carried little Lu Ten back to his parents, but he, too, was finding
it difficult to let go.
“He has your eyes, Nephew.”

“He does, Zuko,” smiled Ursa who was getting up from the bed on Chiara's right.

“And he has your disposition, Daughter,” said Iroh to Chiara.

“Oh, he is a sweet one,” cooed Amiku.

Zuko grinned as he took his son into his arms again.

“Congratulations, Prince Zuko,” said Nai who stood watching.

“Thanks.”

Ursa placed her arm around her son's back and leaned against him gently caressing her
grandson's small head. “Treasure each moment they're this tiny and completely dependent on
you because it goes by so quickly,” she said tenderly. “There will be a day when you realize
you'll never be able to hold him like this again.”

His mother's words struck him deeply. Holding his son so close to his heart, he knew he
would do anything to protect him and keep him safe. There was the thrill of hearing his first
words, helping him take his first steps, watching him create his first flame, and even sparring
with him when he was much older, yet there was a part of him that did not ever want him to
grow up. He was small and safe in his arms, and at this moment he would fight like a dragon
to protect his child. He suddenly understood his mother's sacrifice on a deeper, more
personal level. He even understood the patient and fatherly care of his uncle who had for so
long put up with his teenage moodiness.

While Zuko continued gazing at his son, Iroh stepped closer to Chiara and took her hand and
held it to his heart. “You've done well, my daughter. I'm so proud of you.”

Iroh pushed open the door of the tea shop and stepped outside. At the sight of Grandfather
Iroh, most of the kids, including Kiyi, ran to him while he knelt down and tried to hug them
all at the same time. After greeting his grandchildren, Iroh stood up and took Chiara in his
arms.

“It is good to see you, my daughter.” He released her and tenderly touched her cheek. “You
are glowing. How do you feel?”

“A little tired,” she admitted. “But happy to see you, Father.”

As Iroh hugged Zuko, he glanced at the two carriages that brought them to his shop. “I'm
surprised, Nephew, you didn't bring everyone by air balloon. I find them to be much faster
than the ships.”

Zuko shrugged. “I enjoy spending time at sea with the family. It's...nostalgic,” he grinned.
His uncle let out a laugh. “Then I shall have to join you some time to make it even more so.”

The young Fire Lord chuckled. “I look forward to it.”

“Are you enjoying your retirement?” Chiara asked Iroh.

“Very much.”

“So you don't want to trade jobs then?” asked Zuko.

“Never,” laughed Iroh. “And speaking of jobs...how is Azula doing?”

“She’s doing good,” he said. “She’s been a big help whenever I have to leave the palace.”

“It’s wonderful that you can rely on her. I’m very proud of how far she’s come. And tell her I
expect another visit from my niece soon.”

“I’ll make sure she takes her next vacation here.”

Iroh turned to Ursa and Noren. “Lady Ursa, Noren, I'm pleased you could come.”

“Thank you for having us, Iroh,” said Ursa handing over Rina.

“And here's my little one,” he said as Rina wrapped her little arms around his neck. “But
you're no longer the youngest, are you?”

She shook her head.

He turned his eyes to Chiara. “Five more months?”

“Yes...unless he's anxious to make an early appearance like Roku.”

Iroh chuckled.

“Will you be back in the Fire Nation by then, Uncle?” asked Zuko.

“Of course. I haven't missed one of my grandchildren's births yet,” he said. “Or their Tribal
presentations.”

He opened the door to the shop inviting them all to enter.

Sokka was the first to enter the palace garden where Chiara and Katara sat by the pond
fawning over a tiny bundle in Zuko's arms. The Water Tribe boy had been too young to
remember when his sister was born. And though he had been around a few babies at the
South Pole, it was not the same as seeing one of his best friends holding the anticipated
bundle of joy.

“I told you they'd be here,” he said to Suki who was right behind him.
The couple hurried over to the group on the grass.

“Sokka, Suki!” said Katara excited at their arrival. “Isn't he adorable?”

Chiara made room between her and Zuko where Suki knelt down and started cooing at the
baby. “Oh, he is so adorable.”

“Where are Aang and Toph?” asked Katara.

“They wanted to pay their respects to the Fire Lord,” answered Sokka. “We snuck away and
figured you'd be here.”

He knelt across from Zuko and peered down at the infant. The little one might be his distant
cousin, but Sokka could only see him as his little nephew. Of course, he did not envision
himself as a tea and Pai Sho kind of uncle, but he would be more of a boomerang and fishing
kind. He could definitely teach his nephew how 'not' to get a fishhook out of his thumb.

He took in the baby's dark hair and wide gold eyes. There was no doubt he was Zuko Jr. But
Sokka refused to admit that. “Look at Little Sokka,” he said earning a glare from the Crown
Prince.

“Just for that you can't hold him,” he snapped.

Lu Ten started crying.

“See what you did? You upset my nephew.”

Zuko gently rocked the infant trying to calm him down. “Me?” he hissed “ You upset him.
His name's Lu Ten.”

Sokka crossed his arms. “I'm telling you, he looks like a little Sokka.”

The girls were giggling at their exchange.

“It's okay, Lu Ten,” said Zuko softly, calming the baby. “Don't listen to Uncle Idiot.”

“Hey!” Sokka reached out. “Okay, let me have him.”

Zuko scowled at him. “My son is not some toy you can just snatch out of my hands...”

“I know that...”

“Have you even held a baby before?” Zuko asked him.

“Yes, I have. Have you, Crown Prince Jerkbender?”

“Yes.”

“Before now?”

“Yes,” Zuko insisted.

Sokka stared at him incredulously. “I’m supposed to believe that the Prince of the Fire
Nation—the same jerkbender who was banished and chased the Avatar all over the world—
found time to hold a baby before now.”

The prince rolled his eyes. “Chiara babysat nearly every kid in our apartment building in Ba
Sing Se,” he explained. “So, yes, I've held babies.”

“Well I grew up with Katara, so I'm pretty familiar.”

“Pretty familiar at passing out,” she laughed.

Suki joined in the laughter having remembered entering the shelter to see Sokka lying
unconscious on the ground after the birth of baby Hope when the Gaang was on their way to
Ba Sing Se.

“That was one time!” he glared at his sister. “And...and that was different…I didn’t have to
watch him be born,” he indicated towards Lu Ten. He turned back to Zuko. “Now hand over
my nephew.”

Zuko's brow furrowed at the demand for his child, but he carefully held out his son making
sure he was secure in Sokka's arms before pulling back. A big grin grew on Sokka's face when
he stared down at the tiny infant.

“Hey, little tribesman.”

Suki stared at Sokka holding the infant. She was not expecting the slight tremble in her chest
as she watched her boyfriend holding a baby.

“He’s trapped in these wrappings; he can’t even move.” Holding the baby in one arm, he
started undoing the bundle to free the baby’s hands.

“Babies like being swaddled,” said Chiara.

“But he can’t take his gift tied up like this. I brought you something, Little Sokka...” Zuko
rolled his eyes. Sokka pulled out a small boomerang carved from bone. “I'm going to give
you your first boomerang.”

Chiara giggled when she saw it. “That’s adorable.”

“Where did you get that?” Katara asked him.

He held it against the baby’s palm and Lu Ten's tiny fingers closed around it.

“I carved it while Aang and Toph were busy rebuilding the air temple.” He could not take his
eyes from the baby. “I can't believe Prince Angry Jerk could make something this adorable.
This had to be Chiara's doing.”

Zuko chuckled. “I agree.”

“Are you kidding?” said Suki. “That baby looks just like you, Zuko.”
“Except for the skin color,” said Sokka. “He's definitely got Water Tribe skin.”

“How are you feeling?” Suki asked Chiara.

“Great,” she said. “I'm so thankful Katara was able to be here.”

“The Fire Nation has finally arrived,” said Sokka, setting down his three year old daughter,
Akoda, in the middle of the Jasmine Dragon.

Suki stood up from a table revealing her very pregnant belly. “It looks like it's the whole
nation.”

Zuko was chuckling. “I told Chiara we would make our own Fire Nation one day.”

“You weren't kidding,” laughed Suki.

“And at the rate you two are going, we'll never catch up,” said Sokka.

Before Akoda's little legs could carry her too far, Chiara grabbed her up.

“Aunt Chara,” she squealed with her little arms wrapped around her aunt's neck in a hug.

Chiara kissed her cheek. “My little Akoda. Two moon cycles is too long.”

“Unca Zuzu,” she said now reaching out to the Fire Lord.

He softly laughed as he took her in his arms. “Hey, Akoda.”

Chiana was at her father’s side reaching up. “Daddy, I want to hug Akoda.”

He set her down to allow his adopted niece to join his own clan most of which were gathered
around Grandfather Iroh.

“I meant what I said,” said Chiara as she embraced Suki. “Two moon cycles is too long.”

“I know,” said Suki hugging her tightly. “I'm so sorry. It's really hard to break away from
Great-Gran Gran and Great-Gran Pakku...especially since we found out Akoda could
waterbend.”

“You can always come and visit us, cuz,” Sokka said to Chiara.

“I plan on being there next month for the birth of my niece or nephew,” she said.

“Maybe this time you will have a boy you can name after your father,” said Zuko.

“Yeah...” Sokka softly rubbed the back of his neck with embarrassment. “I was sure Akoda
was going to be a boy.” His eyes sparkled as he watched his daughter with the other kids.
“But she’s going to be a beautiful Kyoshi Warrior just like her mother.”
“Aww.”

Suki’s eyes were fixed on Sokka, but he was suddenly distracted as he glanced around the
shop.

“So...uh, did Azula come with you?” he asked trying to sound casual rather than
apprehensive.

“She’s taking care of Fire Lord business for me.”

“Good,” he breathed. He had not meant to sound so relieved.

“She might come with me when your baby’s due,” said Chiara.

“Oh?”

“You’re not anxious to see her, Sokka?” asked Suki.

“Uh...let's just say, whenever she looks at me, I feel like she's about to shoot me with
lightning.”

“That means she likes you,” said Chiara.

“If that's her liking me, then what's her hating me?” he asked.

“You'd have been burned to a crisp already,” smirked Zuko.

Chiara chuckled. “Just don't get on her bad side and you'll be fine.”

“I don't think that's possible after the boomerang incident,” said Zuko.

“It was one time!” said Sokka. “And I thought she was attacking your wife.”

Chiara and Suki started giggling.

“Hey, how was I supposed to know it was perfectly okay for her to throw fire at Chiara?”

“Maybe because they said they were going to practice firebending on the tundra,” said Suki.

“Yes,” he said crossing his arms. “But I didn't think that meant throwing fire at each other.”

“That's the only reason she visits the poles,” said Chiara.

Suki looked at her. “So that's why she only comes down there when you're pregnant?”

“Pregnant with a firebender,” she nodded. “We can only get away with sparring outside the
Fire Nation. When Amiku catches us at the palace I never hear the end of it.”

“I think you're getting too far along to spar with her now,” said Zuko. “Azula gets kind of
rough.”
“Sometimes, but she still goes easy on me, just not nearly as easy as you or Father, or even
Nai.”

“But you haven't been feeling well...,” he said.

Suki took Chiara's hands in hers, worry in her expression. “Is everything okay?”

“I've just been a little tired lately.”

“Which means you need to stop sparring with Azula,” said Zuko.

She smiled at him. “You sound like Amiku.”

“And you can't stay at the South Pole long either,” he said putting his arm around her lower
back and his other hand over her abdomen. “You need to be back home for our own.”

“It's not so easy to get away from royal duties anymore,” she said.

Suki was giggling. “Bearing the royal children.”

“That's what you get for marrying Fire Nation royalty,” said Sokka.

“Hey, I was just a tea server when she married me,” Zuko reminded them.

Chiara giggled. “And the most handsome tea server in all of Ba Sing Se.”

His eyes lit up at her compliment, and he lifted her hand to his lips. “And you are the most
beautiful tea maker in all the Nations.”

“And speaking of tea...”

She was slowly pulling her hand from his, but he gripped hers tighter.

“Uncle will take care of it,” he said.

“Oh, let him enjoy his grandchildren,” she grinned glancing over at Iroh surrounded by the
children. “And making tea is hardly strenuous.”

“Fine,” he caved. “But you rest later, or else I'll sic Mom on you.”

“Yes, my Lord,” she said bowing her head before flashing him a smile that made his heart
flutter.

He wanted to pull her closer and press his lips against hers, but he settled for another tender
kiss upon her hand before reluctantly letting her go.

“From tea server to Fire Lord,” started Sokka to Zuko, whose eyes were still watching his
bride head towards the kitchen. “That's a pretty big leap.”

“Sometimes I wish I could go back to being a simple tea server,” he said wistfully.
“Hey, cousin Sokka,” said Kiyi giving him a hug.

“Kiyi, when are you coming back to the South Pole to visit?” he asked her.

“Soon. Mom's going to let me come down for the birth of the baby,” she said, now embracing
Suki.

Sokka looked at Lu Ten who had just walked up. “Hey, there's Little Sokka.” He ruffled the
crown prince's hair causing his headpiece to shift to the side.

“Hey, Uncle Sokka.” He was trying to readjust his headpiece.

“Seriously, Sokka,” glared Zuko, “stop calling him that.”

“Come on, Zuko, he's my little prison baby.”

The Fire Lord sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. “Don't say things like that in front of
him.” He looked down at his son. “Lu Ten, don't listen to him. You're not a prison baby.”

“But Uncle Sokka said you and Mom were in prison.”

Zuko briefly glared at Sokka again. “Yes, but...but that's not where....look, just trust me,
you're not.”

“So then Aunt Toph's right?”

“What?”

“She said I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her.”

Zuko sighed again. “I'm going to have to have a talk with your Aunt Toph,” he grumbled.

“Hey, I was part of that,” said Suki.

“Don't you start too,” warned Zuko.

“Don't start what, Princess?” came Toph's voice behind them.

She had just walked in the door, and though she had grown upward quite a bit in the past ten
years, so did Zuko who still had to look down at her.

“I think you need to calibrate your vibration sensors, Toph,” said Zuko. “And your hearing.
You're talking to the wrong person.”

She laughed. “I know who I'm talking to, Sparkles...oh, wait...Fire Lord Sparkles.”

Zuko found himself pinching the bridge of his nose again. 'Fire Lord Zuzu' was not sounding
so bad now. “Okay, I'm sure there's a law somewhere on the books against insulting the Fire
Lord.”

Toph only laughed louder. “Doesn't matter. I have diplomatic immunity.”

Zuko chuckled as he embraced her. “See how that works when you're former ambassador,”
he playfully threatened.

“Yeah, you've been threatening that for ten years, but here we are,” she smirked. She turned
towards Lu Ten with open arms and he stepped into her hug. “I swear you've grown twice as
tall since I last saw you.”

“Then that means you need to visit more, Aunt Toph.”

She laughed at his response. “You sound just like your mother...speaking of which...where is
Princess Preggers?”

“Where do you think?” said Zuko wryly. “She's in the kitchen hovering over the teapots. Like
father like daughter.”

“Princess, Toph?” asked Suki. “She's been Fire Lady for almost a year now.”

“Yeah, but Fire Lady Preggers doesn't have as nice a ring to it.”

“She's got a point there,” said Sokka.

“Then how 'bout Fire Lady Chiara,” deadpanned Zuko. “You know...her official title.”

Toph punched him in the arm and laughed. “Where's the fun in that, Sparky?”

“Oh, wow! He looks like miniature Zuko!” Aang floated down next to Sokka putting his face
close to the infant Lu Ten to get a good look at him. “Can I hold him?”

Sokka protectively cradled the babe away from the Avatar. “Have you ever held a baby
before?”

“Of course I have,” he said indignantly.

“When?” came Toph's voice. “You're a baby yourself.” She turned to Sokka and Suki. “Way
to sneak off, you two.”

“I just wanted to be the first of the group to hold my nephew...,” started Sokka. “...after
Chiara and Zuko...and Katara...and the Fire Lord...and Amiku and Nai...”

“Yes, we get it, Uncle Boomerang,” Toph cut him off before he named every person in the
palace. “You were anxious to see the baby. So did you pass out already?”

Katara, Aang, and Suki started snickering.

“No,” he snapped.

“Well, you’ve had your turn,” she said. “It's time to share.”
“Iroh said you named him after your cousin,” said Aang.

“Yes,” said Zuko. “Lu Ten.”

The Avatar held out his arms and Sokka gently laid the infant in them. Aang's wide gray eyes
gazed down at the gold staring back up at him. “So you're my great, great grandson Lu Ten.”

“Grandson?” asked Toph. “How did that happen?”

“Avatar Roku's my great grandfather,” said Zuko.

“Yeah,” said Aang. “So it's kind of like I'm his great grandfather too. And Zuko Jr.'s great,
great grandfather.” He looked up at them. “And from Chiara's side, I'm his great, great,
great, many more greats, great grandfather,” he said excitedly.

“You're descended from an Avatar too?” Toph asked Chiara.

“Avatar Ikkuma on my father's side.”

“Okay, this is really confusing.”

“Yeah, it's best not to think about it,” said Sokka. “Aang wouldn't shut up about it for a week
when he found out he was their great, great whatever...”

Katara was laughing. “Like you didn't shut up about it when we found out Chiara's our
cousin.”

“You guys are cousins?” asked Toph.

“Distant cousins,” said Chiara. “We share great, great grandparents on my mother's side.”

“Wow, you're all really family then.” The earthbender's voice carried a tone of
disappointment as if she were missing out on something.

“Yes, we're all really family,” said Chiara wrapping her arms around Toph. “Because not all
family is by blood.”

Toph chuckled allowing herself to lean into Chiara's hug.

“Okay, Airbrain, my turn to hold my nephew...who of course would not be here if it weren't
for me.” She reached out and Aang laid the baby in her arms. She shifted him gently until she
was comfortably holding him with one arm and had one hand free to feel his soft hair and
skin. No one had ever seen such a content and happy expression on the little earthbender
before.

“Dad,” said Lu Ten, “Roku's trying to climb the wall.”

Zuko turned around to see his youngest son halfway up a tapestry. “Roku...!” He took off
after him leaving Sokka and Suki laughing.

“I think he's trying to teach Akoda,” said Lu Ten.

That stopped the couple mid-laugh.

“Wait...what?!” Sokka followed the Fire Lord. “Hey...”

“I want to be the Blue Spirit,” Roku was saying to his father who was pulling him off the
hanging.

Akoda had her little arms in the air reaching towards the tapestry. “I wanna be Boo Sprit.”

“Oh, no you don't,” said Sokka picking up his daughter. “You do realize he was wanted by
the authorities, right?”

“But Mamma and Uncle Aang said the Blue Spirit saved them,” said Roku.

“And Uncle Aang said the Blue Spirit broke him out of the Pohuai Stronghold...,” started
Kolos.

“That's what I wanna do!” said a hyperactive Roku.

“That doesn't mean you get to climb Grandpa's walls.” Zuko set his squirming son down
amid the boy's audience of siblings.

“Mamma has a picture of the Blue Spirit,” said Chiana.

“Is it a poster for Love Amongst the Dragons?” asked Zuko looking down at his daughter.

“I don't know,” she said. “But it says that he stole the Avatar from the Fire Nation.”

Zuko's jaw dropped. “That...that's a wanted poster.”

“Aunt Suki gave it to Mamma.”

He raised an eyebrow at Suki. “And where did Aunt Suki get it?”

“I found it years ago near Yu Dao,” she answered. “Chiara asked me to get a wanted poster
for her if I ever found one while traveling through the Earth Kingdom.”

Zuko was surprised he had never known about it.

Sokka started laughing as he put his daughter down. “Looks like your wife has a secret crush
on the Blue Spirit,” he teased elbowing the Fire Lord. “You might want to start pinning up
those posters again...bring this criminal in.”

“Why would Mamma want to crush the Blue Spirit?” asked Roku, his large gold eyes staring
up at his dad.
“Ha!” laughed Toph. “Have fun explaining that, Sparks.”

Zuko scowled at Sokka for putting him in his predicament. “That's not what he means,
Roku.” He smirked at his son. “Why don't you show Akoda how to be like the Blue Spirit
with your practice dao.”

The boy's golden eyes lit up. “C'mon, Akoda.” He took her hand pulling her along.

“Hey,” started Sokka, “she's a little young to be playing with swords.”

“You've been trying to teach her how to throw a boomerang,” said Suki.

“Yeah, but...but that's different...,” he spluttered.

“They're not real swords,” said Zuko. “Besides, I think it's cute that your daughter wants to
be like the Blue Spirit.”

“I'm not sure it's a good idea for her to idolize someone who went around stealing the Avatar.
That sounds way too much like you back in the day.”

Zuko could not help smirking, and his self-control nearly wavered as he fought to hold back
his laughter.

“The Blue Spirit didn't steal Uncle Aang, Uncle Sokka,” said Kolos. “He rescued him.”

“Still,” said Sokka, “we don't know who he was...”

“Or she,” added Suki.

Sokka looked incredulous. “You really think the Blue Spirit could be a...”

Suki's piercing glare prevented him from finishing his sentence.

“A what?” she and Toph asked simultaneously.

“Uh...around. It's been over ten years, you know. He...or she...is probably not even around
anymore.” He was pretty proud of his save.

“Maybe Akoda can pick up his...or her legacy,” suggested Zuko with a smirk.

Now it was Sokka's turn to scowl at the Fire Lord.

“According to that Ember Island play Chiara was the Blue Spirit,” said Suki.

Sokka's eyes grew wide. “Hey, you're right! That makes sense that she would want a self-
portrait.”

“Mom was the Blue Spirit?!” asked Lu Ten.

“No way! Really?” said Kolos.

“Is it true, Daddy?” asked Chiana.

“My sister's the Blue Spirit?” Kiyi joined in. “And I'm just now hearing about this?”

Seeing their big eyes staring up at him curiously made Zuko laugh softly to himself.

“Well...um...nobody knows who the Blue Spirit really was. Some think it was really a
spirit...”

“But I read Mamma's picture,” said Chiana. “It said 'disregard rumors that he's a ghost.'”

Zuko could not help chuckling at his daughter’s perfect recitation from memory.

To his relief they were all quickly distracted when the doors blew open and Aang and Katara
practically flew into the shop.

Sokka rolled his eyes at their windy entrance. “Really, Aang?” he said. “You'd think you were
the Avatar or something.”

“Uncle Aang!” the kids cried in unison as they ran over to him. Roku and Akoda dropped
their practice swords and went running to him from the other side of the shop.

As Aang landed Appa on the beach at Ember Island, the Avatar's eyes lit up. Lu Ten, Kolos,
Chiana, and even two year old Roku were running across the sand towards the giant, furry
bison.

Aang lightly drifted down to the sand before them.

“Uncle Aang!” said Lu Ten running up and hugging the Avatar followed by his brother and
sister.

Little Roku came toddling up last and Aang swept him up in his arms while the others now
fawned over Appa.

“Hey, Roku.” While Aang was hugging him, his eyes fell on Katara. The Crown Prince and
Princess were walking with her, and in Chiara's arms he could see the little bundle that was
the newest member of the Royal Family.

“Aang, you finally made it,” said Katara hurrying towards him.

He wrapped his free arm around her and kissed her.

“Yeah. I'm sorry it took so long. You know how King Bumi can be.” He turned to Zuko and
Chiara. “Sifu Hotman, Hotwoman, congratulations.” He looked down at the sea green eyes
peering out from the bundle.

“This is Rina,” said Chiara.

“Another little Chiara,” he said.

“But a firebender,” added Zuko.

“A green-eyed firebender,” Aang grinned.

“Chiana's certainly happy to have a sister this time,” smiled Chiara.

“And you have another sister,” Aang said to Roku who was squirming in his arms.

He set the boy down and watched him run towards Appa.

“If he wasn't a firebender, I'd suspect he was an airbender.”

Zuko chuckled. “Yeah, he takes after you more than me or Chiara,” he said making the
Avatar laugh.

Chiara held out the baby as Aang reached for her taking her in his arms.

“Hey, Rina.” He ran his fingers down the babe's cheek. “I'm your Uncle Aang.” She softly
cooed making the Avatar smile. “She's so beautiful.” He beamed at the couple. “You guys
make the cutest babies.”

Zuko's eyes turned to Chiara. “She's a prodigy at making beautiful babies.”

She was smiling at him. “I can't make them without you, my prince.”

He lifted her hand to his lips while Aang flashed Katara a grin.

“Mamma! Mamma!” cried Chiana running towards her. “Come see Appa.”

“I see him, baby,” she said picking her daughter up.

“He's soft.”

“Yes, he is.”

Zuko followed his wife as she carried Chiana over to Appa who calmly chewed on beach
grass while the kids crawled on and around him.

“Daddy, look!” Kolos called from atop Appa's head. “I’m like Uncle Aang!” He was holding
the reins pretending he was steering the bison.

Little Roku was standing next to the bison stretching his hands up towards his brother.
“Up...Appa...”

Zuko picked up his son and carried him up to Appa's saddle where Lu Ten was playing with
Momo.

Aang and Katara gazed at the family and softly chuckled.

“They really are a cute family,” said Aang.

Katara turned to him, her blue eyes sparkling. “I'm glad you're here.”

“Me too.”

They started walking towards the water.

“Do you want me to take her?” she asked him.

He smiled down at Rina before holding her out to Katara. Aang stared at her taking in the
joyful expression on her face as she gazed at the infant.

“I...I think you would make beautiful babies too,” he spoke timidly.

She smiled.

“I mean...I think we would make beautiful babies.”

Her mouth dropped open as her eyes left the infant and rose to meet his.

“Will you marry me, Katara?” He had daydreamed about proposing to her many times,
imagining how, when, and where he might ask her. But seeing her again after another
separation due to their duties, he could not stop the words from falling from his lips.

Her eyes grew wide. “You...you mean it, Aang?”

“We've spent the last eight years working for and maintaining peace between the Nations. I
think it's time we...well...I don't think we'll ever be able to completely settle down, but...but I
think we should try. We should have a family of our own.”

Her blue eyes filled with tears of happiness. “Yes, I'll marry you.”

He leaned towards her and kissed her.

As soon as the kids became distracted with their “catch Momo” game, Aang and Katara
walked over to the others.

“What was with the dramatic entrance, Twinkle Toes?” asked Toph as they hugged her.

“We've got some great news we want to share with everyone,” said Aang. He stepped up to
Zuko. “Flamey-O, Fire Lord Hotman,” he said giving him a hug.

Zuko playfully rolled his eyes at the greeting his friend settled on this time. Sometimes it was
Fire Lord Sifu or Sifu Fire Lord or even the original Sifu Hotman.

“I just saw you last week,” said Zuko, though he did not reject the hug.
“I know, but this is a reunion, so hugs are in order,” Aang cheerfully responded. “Where's
Chiara?”

“In the kitchen of course.”

“Hey,” said Sokka, “no hug for your big brother?”

“We just saw you a few days ago, Sokka,” said Katara.

“That doesn't mean I don't get a reunion hug,” he said wrapping his arms around his sister.
“So what's this great news? Are you moving back home? 'Cause Dad's been hoping you
would.”

“We...,” started Aang.

“Wait...,” interrupted Katara looking around. “...Chiara needs to be here for this too.”

“I'll go get her.”

Zuko walked off towards the kitchen past Iroh who had been sitting at a table talking to Ursa
and Noren.

“...and your tea shop looks amazing, Iroh,” said Ursa as she was gazing at the decor. It was
her, Noren, and Kiyi's first visit since he opened the shop eight months earlier.

There were tapestries representing all four Nations, but being located in the center of the
Earth Kingdom capital, the Jasmine Dragon was predominantly decorated in green.

“Thank you, Ursa,” he said still holding Rina on his lap. He looked up at Noren. “Chiara told
me your new play has been very successful at the theater.”

“Yes. I was quite surprised.”

Ursa placed her hand on his grinning at him. “I don’t know why, my love. I’ve told you
before you’re the best director in all the Fire Nation, and now playwright.”

He gave her a modest smile. “I was sure you were just being biased.”

She was softly laughing. “And by the success of your work, now you know I’m not.”

“You might want to consider bringing your troupe here,” suggested Iroh. “I wouldn’t mind
enjoying a night at the theater, and I’m quite sure King Kuei would find it entertaining.”

“I’ll think about it,” Noren nodded. “I’m sure the troupe would enjoy the trip. It would give
them a chance to see some of the places that are in the play.”

“How long will you remain here?” Ursa asked Iroh.

“I'll leave about a month before Chiara's due date. I'm quite confident that my senior
executive assistant manager will able to handle everything by then. I've been training Pao
since day one, and he's picked up my secret to tea-making quite well.”

“Will you be opening a shop back home?”

He chuckled. “I promised King Bumi that Omashu will be next, and then Gao Ling, and then
Yu Dao. My last shop will be in Capital City where I can retire with my family...and speaking
of tea and family, I should see what's taking so long in the kitchen.” He kissed Rina’s cheek
before standing up and holding her out to Ursa who took her granddaughter into her arms.

Zuko entered the kitchen where he spotted Chiara preparing tea. He stood behind her and
crossed his arms. “My Lady, I've been hearing rumors that my lovely wife is infatuated with
another man.”

She paused working wondering what he was talking about. “There are several men who have
my interest, my lord. About whom might you be referring?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Several?”

She turned around and met his eyes. “I keep the company of three special firebenders and a
waterbender. You must be more specific.”

Gazing into her green eyes he held back a smirk as he realized she was referring to him and
their sons.

“It seems you've fallen for a criminal,” he said deeply.

She was even more puzzled.

“Not specific enough?” he asked.

She gently shook her head.

“Then would a certain blue mask and dao swords be more specific?” he asked softly.

She did not hold back her grin, but she now wondered why he was bringing it up.

“I didn't realize my Lady keeps an image of her beloved.”

She softly giggled finally understanding. “Oh, that. I just thought it would be nice to have a
picture of my hero. After all, he did save me from the Rough Rhinos...and steal a forbidden
kiss,” she added in a whisper.

He moved closer to her. “Then I guess I should be grateful for this hero...” He tenderly ran
his fingers down her cheek. “...but somehow I'm insanely jealous.”

“I don't know why,” she smirked. “I think you two might get along.”

He softly chuckled before leaning down to press his lips against hers.
“Now, now,” said Iroh walking into the kitchen. “It's not appropriate for the Fire Lord to be
fondling my favorite tea maker.”

Chiara started giggling.

“Hey, if it wasn't for me fondling your tea maker, you wouldn't be a grandfather several times
over,” said Zuko.

Iroh stared at him. “You make a good point, Nephew, but everyone's waiting for you
two...and their tea.”

“Fine,” he said with faux annoyance.

He picked up the tray of tea and began carrying it out while Iroh took Chiara's hand and
escorted her.

“Hey, Chiara,” said Aang cheerfully while he and Katara approached her and gave her a hug.
“Now that everyone's here,” he started, “we've got great news. We're...”

“We're expecting a baby,” blurted out Katara excitedly before he could finish it and making
the adult Avatar look twelve years old again with his slight pout at not being the one to
deliver the news.

Chiara hugged her again. “Oh, congratulations!”

“Yes, congratulations!” said Iroh.

“It's about time,” said Toph. “You’ve been married for six months.”

“She’s right,” said Zuko embracing Aang. “We already have a ten year and six child head
start on you.”

“Well we would’ve been married sooner if everyone hadn’t argued over where the wedding
was going to be,” said Aang.

“Right?” said Katara. “It nearly started another war.”

“I thought it was beautiful at the air temple,” said Chiara.

“Dad really wanted you to be married at home,” Sokka said to Katara. “You know, he wanted
to give his only daughter a traditional Water Tribe wedding.”

“I agreed with Aang,” she said. “The Western Air Temple was perfect.”

“And the wedding was a mixture of both their cultures,” added Suki.

“Look at us,” said Zuko, his arm around Chiara’s back, “we didn’t get married in our native
lands.” His eyes gazed into his wife’s. “And I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Katara smiled at them.

“I'm so happy for you, Aang, Katara,” said Ursa. “Have you already told Hakoda?”

“Not yet,” said Katara. “We...we just thought we'd share it with this family first.”

Ursa smiled. “He's going to be so thrilled.”

Chiara spotted Toph and started towards her.

“There's no need to announce me.”

Zuko looked up from his paperwork to see Toph entering his office. He stood up unable to
hide his relieved smile at her arrival. The kids' routines were not the same without their
mother. She had never been gone for so long a time, and the kids missed her, especially Rina,
but Toph would prove a helpful distraction.

“It's about time,” he said with a false tone of aggravation.

“Take it up with the Avatar, Sparky. He's the one that held me up…”

“You're going to blame it on Aang and not the Earth Rumble tournament?”

“Hey, I had to prove I'm still a better earthbender than the Avatar.”

He smirked before wrapping her in a hug. “And did you?”

“Do you actually have to ask?” she grinned.

“No, I guess I don’t.”

“Though I suspect his mind was probably still stuck in his honeymoon,” she added.

He chuckled.

“So the Fire Lady’s gone already?” she asked.

“Yes. She wasn't happy about missing you, but she really needed to be present at the
meeting.”

“Yeah, Sokka was going on about it...big Northern Water Tribe meeting...all ambassadors
must be present...blah, blah. I'm surprised you even let her go on her own.”

“She's not on her own,” he said, mostly to assure himself. “Nai is with her, and she'll be with
Sokka and Katara.”

“But you two always went on those diplomatic missions together.”

It was the first time they had been separated since they had kids. Chiara was not anxious to
leave her children for so long, and Zuko did not want to send her off to the North Pole
without being by her side, but they both agreed it was the best way they could handle the
situation. “Uncle advised me to delegate those missions to people I trust. There's no one I
trust more than Chiara to be ambassador between the Fire Nation and Water Tribe.”

Toph laughed. “Have you two ever been separated for so long?”

“Umm...Boiling Rock,” he reminded her.

She grinned. “So I'll have to return when she gets back so you two can work on expanding
your family. It’s been two years; I think you're due for another one.”

She felt the change in his heartbeat and her mouth dropped open.

“Way to go, Sparky! You didn't even need my help.”

“Yeah,” he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“So it must be early if I'm just hearing about it.”

“About two months. We found out about a week before she had to leave.”

“And you still let her go...good on you.”

“Aunt Toph is here!” Chiana's voice echoed through the palace halls as Amiku chased after
her and Kolos.

“Slow down, you two,” called Amiku.

The two waterbenders ran into the firebender training room.

“Aunt Toph is here!” Chiana announced again.

Lu Ten, Roku, and Azula stopped in the middle of their katas. The boys looked anxiously up at
their aunt.

“Can we go, Aunt Azula?” asked Lu Ten.

She smirked. “Sure. You shouldn't keep the ambassador waiting.”

The three boys immediately took off followed by Chiana.

“Slow down, children,” called Amiku chasing after them again.

As the kids ran towards the Fire Lord's office, Ezo opened the door for them without
announcement. They stormed into the antechamber where Ezih stopped them.

“Whoa...”
“We're here for Aunt Toph,” said Lu Ten.

“Goodness, children,” said a breathless Amiku finally catching up. It was the first time their
mother had not been around to help, and she was sure she had lost weight running all over
the palace after the royal children. “The ambassador just arrived. It's not like she'll be
leaving any time soon.”

“I thought I felt an octo-elephant stomping around.”

The kids' eyes lit up when they saw their aunt enter the room. The earthbender suddenly
found herself engulfed in four pairs of arms. Zuko appeared behind them smiling at his kids'
excitement.

“How long are you staying?” asked Kolos.

“Two weeks.”

“Yay!” the kids cheered.

“One of you is missing,” she said.

“Rina's with Mom,” said Zuko. “My mom.”

“Actually she’s here, Daddy Zuzu.” Azula walked in carrying Rina.

She set her niece on the floor and watched her toddle over to Toph who picked her up. “Now
I have all my little turtle ducks. So what do you want to do first?”

“Grandpa Noren’s directing a new play about the end of the Hundred Year War,” said Lu Ten.
“It’s going to have the airship battle in it.”

Toph grinned. “That sounds exciting. I can’t wait to hear who’s playing me.”

Roku was excitedly jumping up and down. “I learned some new firebending katas.”

“And Dad taught me some advanced forms,” added Lu Ten.

“Then I can't wait to practice with you,” she said.

“Mom’s been teaching us new forms, too,” said Kolos of himself and Chiana.

“Maybe Daddy Zuzu’ll let us take a trip to Ember Island,” said Toph. “We can have our own
Nation Rumble.”

“Yay!” the kids called in unison.

“Oh…,” started Zuko, “I, uh...I have a lot of business to take care of before that ten year
reunion coming up.”

“That reunion isn’t for three more months,” she argued. “And who said anything about you
going to Ember Island?”
Zuko shifted uncomfortably. “It’s just that the kids have always had either me or Chiara
around.” His eyes drifted down. “And the palace will seem empty without them,” he added
softly.

“If you want, Brother, I’ll help with some of that business so you can go away with the kids
for a few days.”

He looked at his sister. “Are you sure, Azula?”

She produced a blue flame in her hand. “I’ll make short work of that paperwork,” she
smirked.

He raised his eyebrows.

“I’m just kidding,” she said laughing at his expression. “I took care of it when you went to
visit Uncle months ago. And I’m going to be handling it again when you leave for the
reunion. A couple days’ll be nothing.”

“Thanks.”

The kids started jumping around excitedly.

Chiara wrapped her arms around the master earthbender.

“Ambassador Toph, it has been too long.”

“Princess Preggers!” she said returning the hug. “You were gone the last time I was in town.”

“Yes. I couldn’t get out of the meeting with the Tribe. But I missed you.”

Toph suddenly felt concerned about her. “Are you feeling all right?”

“I'm fine.”

Toph raised her eyebrows. “Princess...”

Chiara smiled sheepishly. “Okay...I've just been a little tired lately. It's no big deal.”

Considering the vibrations she was sensing, Toph suspected it might be a big deal. “How's
the baby?”

Chiara waved her hand creating a small stream of fire Toph could hear and feel. “Another
little firebender,” she smiled.

Toph nodded, but she still wore a troubled expression. “Maybe you should sit down and rest.”

“I'll be okay,” she assured her. “Besides, I need to get everyone's tea.”
“How about you sit down, and I'll get the tea,” offered Toph.

Chiara was puzzled by her offer. “You want to pour hot tea for everyone? Are you feeling all
right?”

Toph wondered whether or not to mention the worrisome anomaly she detected. “I...I think
so,” she said settling on the decision to wait.

“I can check you out if you like,” the Fire Lady offered, ready to draw up a handful of water.

“No. I'm good.”

“Mamma, look!” called Roku.

Chiara looked up to see Roku perched on Aang's back with his practice swords in hand as the
Avatar hopped around balancing on the chairs throughout the shop.

“I'm the Blue Spirit escaping the Pohuai Stronghold with the Avatar!”

Chiara giggled trying to imagine the original scene with a larger Blue Spirit on the back of a
smaller Avatar.

“Watch out for those arrows!” cried Aang as he bounced from one chair to another to avoid
the imaginary incoming projectiles while Roku swung his swords around pretending to slice
them out of the air.

Aang continued dodging the invisible arrows as well as real flames that were now coming
towards them.

“Lu Ten!” called Chiara. “Don't shoot fire at your brother and uncle in your grandfather's tea
shop.”

Lu Ten dropped his hands, as did Iroh next to him while wearing a guilty expression. Chiara
raised an eyebrow at her father.

“We...we were just trying to make it realistic,” said Iroh.

“Uncle...,” started Zuko in a scolding tone, “...don't encourage him.”

“The flames weren't hot,” said Lu Ten.

“Even still,” said Chiara, “that's not something you should be doing inside the shop...and that
goes for both of you,” she added towards a sheepish-looking Iroh.

Aang gracefully alighted in front of her setting Roku on the floor next to him. “It's okay,
Chiara, it was a lot of fun.”

“I'm sure it was, but we don't need Rina trying to imitate that yet before she can control the
temperature of her fire.”
She was thankful that Ursa and Kiyi had been entertaining Rina during all the activity.

“Again! Again!” cried Roku jumping up and down in front of the Avatar.

“Mom, were you the Blue Spirit?” asked Lu Ten.

Zuko and Chiara froze, and Aang's eyes grew wide.

“Yeah, were you, Mom?” asked Kolos.

She looked down to see him and Chiana both staring up expectantly. Even Roku stopped
bouncing around and stared up at her.

“What...what would make you think that?” she asked.

“Aunt Suki said you were the Blue Spirit in an Ember Island play,” said Lu Ten.

She softly chuckled. “And you think there's any truth in their production of anything?
Besides, the Blue Spirit saved me and Aang from the Rough Rhinos.”

“Dad's really good with dual dao,” said Kolos. “Maybe he's the Blue Spirit.”

“Oh, hey!” called Zuko more enthusiastically than he intended. “Here's the tea.”

He picked up the tray he had set down before Aang and Katara's joyous announcement, and
he moved it to a table near the center of the group while Iroh quickly rushed over to pick up
the teapot.

“Yes, tea sounds good,” said Aang leaping towards Iroh who was pouring it for them.

Toph would have laughed at the anxious vibes emanating from them, but she was still busy
trying to decipher the puzzling and worrying vibrations coming from Chiara's position.

When Chiara stepped back, Toph grabbed her wrist. “Wait, Princess...” She held out her
hand. “May I?”

Chiara understood what she wanted, and she took her friend's hand and placed it on her
stomach. Toph's expression changed to one of deep concentration until she finally interpreted
the unusual vibrations. “I...I feel two heartbeats!”

Zuko rolled his eyes at her. “You know she's pregnant, Toph.”

“I mean I feel two other heartbeats, besides Chiara's.” She was filled with a sense of relief
and excitement.

Zuko's eyes grew wide, as did Chiara's.

“We're going to have twins?” asked Zuko, nearly whispering.

The shop went dead silent except for the clattering of tea cups when Iroh absorbed the news.
 “Oh, come on, Zuko!” yelled Aang with playful frustration. “We just found out we're having
a baby, and you still manage to show us up by having two!”

Toph was laughing. “You really are going to fill those rooms at the palace.”

“Does that mean we won't have a place to stay when we visit?” asked Sokka.

“We...we might have to expand the family wing for our little Fire Nation,” said Zuko
grinning at Chiara.

“I think we're going to need an entire island just for our little Fire Nation,” she said.

Ursa stood between Zuko and Chiara putting her arms around them. “Twins. How exciting.”

“This calls for an extra celebration!” exclaimed Iroh. “I will make my special blend tea for
the mothers, and I think two bottles of fire wine are in order for the rest of us.”

Iroh disappeared into his office, and a few minutes later he reappeared carrying two bottles of
fire wine he had brought with him from the Fire Nation. He paused as he stepped out of his
office and allowed his amber eyes to scan all the happy faces in his shop. The Jasmine
Dragon was full, but not of strangers or regular residents of Ba Sing Se. It was full of his
family and close friends. And though the pain of the loss of his beloved son would never fade
away, destiny had offered him a daughter. As he looked upon his family, he realized that the
decision he had made more than twenty years ago changed his life in a way he never could
have imagined. Yes, destiny is a funny thing.

Chapter End Notes

Thanks to every one of you who left comments.

And thanks to all of you who never gave up on this. For those who found it entertaining,
I'm happy I could offer that. For those who found it boring or otherwise unenjoyable,
I'm sorry that I couldn't provide something more creative, but if you managed to drag
yourself through it anyways and make it this far just because you needed closure, your
suffering has now come to an end.
I can now claim that I finished a fanfic before the end of my life.

Also, I know I said I was retiring from writing fanfic after posting this story, but I started
working on an ATLA AU featuring Zuko/Yue. It won’t be near the size of this story, but
it’s coming along slowly, and I have no idea when I’ll start posting it. I don’t want to
post anything until I have a complete rough draft to avoid any temptation to give up and
leave readers with an unfinished story. Now that this story is finished, though, I’ll try to
devote downtime to my other one.
Please drop by the Archive and comment to let the creator know if you enjoyed their work!