A servant stepped into the young fire prince's room.
"Prince Zuko! Your father has requested your presence."
"Oh okay… I was just about to write a letter to uncle but I guess that can wait." The twelve year old prince sighed. He followed the servant down the hall to the Firelord's chamber. When they reached the door Zuko's father greeted him with a nod and dismissed the servant. Zuko's sister Azula sat in a chair in the center of the room with a bored expression on her face.
"I have some good news. You and Azula wouldn't remember General Keigo but he met you when you both were very young." The Firelord said in his deep commanding voice.
"Yes, but who is he?" Azula said rolling her eyes with an exasperated sigh.
"Will you shut up and let Dad talk!" Zuko hissed at his sibling.
"As I was saying…" Ozai started, glaring at his two children willing them to be quiet. "Keigo and I are very good friends and when I received the news that he was badly injured in an attack on a rebelling earth colony; I decided that he and his family should move here and allow him recover in peace."
"And we should care why…?" Azula asked.
"Because they have a son that is three years older than Zuko and a daughter that is only two years older than you…"
"You mean Zuko's age."
"Well yes, but that's not the point. My point is I would like you to try and be friends with her, to make her feel more at home. After all, the Fire Nation palace will be a big change from her old home in the Colonies."
"WHAT!?! You want me to associate with some dirty peasant from the Earth Kingdom?!? HA! Not happening!" Azula shouted as she leaped out of her chair and stormed out of the room. Zuko could feel the heat coming from his sister's palms as she past him. Ozai stared after her at first with disbelief that his own daughter would treat him with such disrespect, but it soon turned to a proud and pleased expression.
"I had a feeling that she wouldn't take that very well, but I can tell that she inherited my passion." Ha! Passion… more like short-tempered with some anger management issues. Zuko thought to himself. The memories of how frightening his father and sister could be rushed through his mind, reminding him of his mother's always kind words and touch. He blinked the memories away, not wanting to dwell on them. Quickly muttering a goodbye Zuko slipped out the door and down the hall. Halfway down the hallway he noticed burn marks on the walls and the floor. Wow. She must have been really pissed. Passing an ancient portrait of one of the past Firelords Zuko noticed a burn mark only inches away from the priceless painting. That was lucky. Dad would have been angry. Even his perfect daughter couldn't get away with burning a precious painting like that. Zuko smiled at the fact that his flawless sister could have been so careless. As he walked along, the hallway's walls fell away and he found himself looking out into one of the many courtyards. This one happened to be a training center with all kinds of targets and natural obstacles that were used to teach the many specialty weapon classes. He heard a squeak of joy that could only come from one person, Ty Lee. He soon spotted her standing near Mai and Azula. They were taking turns shooting a target attached to the shot post in the center of the courtyard. Zuko watched as a burst of flame appeared from Azula's palm and burnt the inner circle of the target black. After the target stopped smoking a small yet deadly looking knife came from Mai with a flick of her wrist and stuck in the middle of a blackened target. Ty Lee was jumping around and doing flips shouting,
"Yay Mai! Ha! I made a rhyme! Let's see… Azula doozla! No… that's stupid… Azula… Azula… Oh! Azula Palooza!"
"That's possibly the most retarded thing I have ever heard." Mai said with a bored expression plastered on her face.
"Sorry Ty Lee. But I have to agree… I mean it doesn't even rhyme." Zuko said as he walked up. Mai looked up and Zuko almost swore her eyes sparkled when she saw him.
"Hello Zuzu…" Azula teased.
"Shut up." He growled. Suddenly Ty Lee whacked him on the arm and yelled, "Tag! You're it!"
Every one ran and Zuko only took a second to realize what was going on. A full out game of tag erupted and the four friends played for another hour. Zuko finally collapsed from "exhaustion" after chasing the girls for almost 15 minutes straight.
"What's wrong? Can't keep up?" Mai laughed as she sat down next to him.
"There's… too many… I'm chasing you… then you disappear… and Ty Lee takes your place…" Zuko gasped as he lay on the ground sprawled out with his chest heaving, gasping for air. Mai giggled and gave him a little push.
"You're faking. I can tell."
"Really?"
"Yes… you overdid it. I didn't believe you, even for a second."
"Well then… TAG! YOU'RE IT!" Zuko shouted at the top of his lungs as he jumped up and ran.
"That's not fair! I quit!" Mai yelled after him.
"Prince Zuko! Princess Azula! It is dinner time!" The cook called into the courtyard.
"Coming! Bye Ty Lee. Bye Mai. See you tomorrow." Zuko said as he gave each girl a quick hug. Azula noticed Mai's blush when Zuko hugged her and nudged Ty Lee. Ty Lee looked back with a knowing smile that seemed to create a wordless agreement; they are so going to help Mai with her little crush on Zuko.
Zuko looked out his window into the setting sun. He lit a little flam in his palm and gazed into it. The color was orange but there were many other colors hidden inside the flame as well. He heated it up a bit and the fire started to turn blue in the core and gradually engulfed the bottom of the flame. Zuko heard a noise outside his door and closed his palm immediately extinguishing the small flame. A knock sounded on his door and he opened it to see who had the nerve to disturb his peaceful moment. A young maid's apprentice stood there and seeing the angry expression on the prince's face she bowed so deeply Zuko swore she was going to tip over.
"I apologize for disturbing you my Prince but I was ordered to bring these clean towels to your room." She muttered apologetically.
"Oh. That's fine." Zuko replied. The apprentice quickly picked up a stack of big fluffy towels and hung them in Zuko's bathroom. As she was leaving Zuko stopped her.
"I'm going to go to bed early tonight because I have a bad headache. I don't want anyone disturbing me for any reason."
"Oh! Yes of course my Prince! I will see to it that you aren't disturbed by anyone!" The maid replied quickly. "Oh! Do you want me to make you some tea to take care of your headache?" Zuko smiled and declined the tea for he didn't really have a headache; he just needed an excuse to be left alone. Once the door was closed he grinned and ran to his closet. Zuko replaced his current shirt with a skin tight black one and replaced his normal pants with some black silk pants that were a little baggy but they fit well enough. He looked in the mirror and admired his reflection. Now I look like a spy! He thought to himself. Zuko untied the red string that was holding his hair back in a high pony tail and let it fall down. It was very long and it came all the way to his shoulders. He ran his fingers through the thick dark hair and his roots ached from being pulled back all day. Zuko looked in the mirror and scrunched up his nose when he saw his reflection. Aw man! I look like a girl with my hair down! He grabbed a black ribbon and quickly put his hair back up into a high ponytail. There! Now I look like a guy again. Zuko stepped back from the mirror and turned his attention to a big box in the back of his closet. He lifted the lid off the black leather chest and looked inside. Toys of all kinds lay inside; stuffed animals, wooden swords, and various games were packed to the brim but Zuko pushed past all his old toys to get to the bottom of the box. He felt around the bottom and grabbed a long rope. He fished it out and plunged his hand back into the box. Soon a triumphant grin appeared on his face as he pulled a double broad swords case out. The case itself wasn't very interesting but the swords inside it were real and sharp. Zuko had swiped them from the weapons room a couple weeks ago and as far as he knew hadn't been missed yet. He knew that he would have to return them if he was caught with them in his room so he had to hide them in his old toy chest. Not even the cleaning maids looked in the chest anymore so it made a perfect hiding place. Zuko slung the red case over his body and grabbed the rope. He walked over to the window and opened it carefully. His eyes peered over the edge looking for any life that might threaten his mission. Once he was satisfied with the apparent lack of servants using the door below, he turned around and tied the rope to one of the stone pillars that framed the window seat. Zuko jumped up to the edge of the window and took a deep breath. With the rope twisted around his body he eased himself out of the window. When he hit the ground he looked back up. The height of the window really wasn't very large and he probably could have jumped… but this is way more fun. Zuko grinned at his clever new exit from his room. Suddenly the door to his right opened and light flooded the back entrance. Zuko flattened himself against the wall and prayed to Agni that he wouldn't be seen. The servant girl that had brought him towels just a couple minutes ago stepped out into the light. She was carrying an empty water bucket and set it down to close the door. When she turned around she saw Zuko and let out a little gasp. Zuko heard one of the maids in the kitchen ask the cook if he had heard anything. Reacting as quickly as he could he kicked the bucket into the bushes next to them and grabbed the girl and covered her mouth. Pulling her into the bushes he flattened against the wall and held her tight against him. She struggled for a second but when the maid came out and started looking at the bushes the girl stopped her fight for freedom and pressed even closer to Zuko. Once the maid stopped scanning the bushes and closed the door, Zuko released his captive and let himself slide down the wall and sat on the ground. He felt his heart slowly slow back to a normal pace as the adrenaline disappeared. The girl was so shocked by the whole event she forgot that it was Prince Zuko she was with and that she was required to be respectful.
"What in Agni's name do you think you're doing?! Do you have any idea how much trouble I would be in if Hina had seen us?!" Zuko looked up at her surprised.
"I know… I'm sorry, but do you have any idea how much trouble I would be in if I was seen out of the palace at night? I couldn't risk getting caught so I kinda made it up as I went. Please don't tell on me. I really had no intent of pulling you into this." The girl stared at him for a second then fell over laughing. Zuko just stared at her fury building inside him. I let her outburst go… but laughing at me?! After a minute or two the girl sat up and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Yeah you really pulled me into this… I mean next time at least be a little bit more gentle. Oh, and so much for going to bed early!" She joked. Zuko suddenly realized that this girl wasn't laughing at him; she was just laughing because she was having fun, like any normal kid would do. He recognized that she wasn't just a maid's helper, she was a kid. Just like him. His hard stare melted and he started laughing along with her. After a couple minutes Zuko looked at the girl and saw someone totally different. He saw a girl that was probably only a year younger than him, a girl that was just as much a person as anyone else, not just a maid's helper that should be paying him the utmost respect right now.
"I'm sorry. I really would like to stay and talk but I've got to go. Hina might explode of frustration if she finds out I'm 'Dilly dally' in' again." The girl explained with a grin as she stood up and grabbed the water bucket lying next to them.
"Wait. What's your name?" Zuko asked suddenly.
"Lily." She smiled as she stepped away from the bush. Zuko returned his new friend's smile and headed the other way. Picking his way through the bush he kept one hand on the wall. Soon he saw the light from the flames that flanked the main gates shine through the bushes. He had reached the main entrance, ready to begin his mission. He crouched close to the wall where he had a good view of anybody who might be coming or going. Zuko smiled at his newest game, spy. Out of all of the games he would play this was the only one that required all of his skills and stealth to complete his mission. The other games he usually played consisted of fighting off 20 attackers with a dagger, or dodging fireballs; or maybe he had been captured by rebel earthbenders and he had to escape to warn his father about their secret plan. Those games were fun except they were just figures of his imagination; nothing bad would happen to him if he failed his missions. Spying on the other hand was totally different. It was a challenge, with real dangers and consequences. If he was caught outside the palace walls at night he would be assigned a guard to "Keep an eye on him." or even if he was in the palace walls and he was caught spying on an important guest he would probably get a scolding from his father and be confined to his room for a couple days. These consequences didn't scare the young prince though; it actually made the game much more entertaining to him. The fear adrenaline coursed through his veins every time someone almost stumbled upon his secret, Zuko had never felt that before this game and he loved it. He could just as easily spy on servants within the palace but that would be no fun. So, he was forced to come out here and find new people to spy on. Suddenly his eyes lit up and narrowed, concentrating, as a carriage pulled up.
Two black ostrich-horses tossed their heads and stepped in place at the front of the carriage. A servant boy ran up to them and held the regal looking animals still. The carriage itself Zuko recognized as a royal coach. Score! Whoever is in that coach must be really important! Another servant boy scuttled around the side and opened the gold rimmed metal door. A tall muscled man stepped out of the coach. When he reached the ground he turned and waited for the next person to come out. Zuko immediately recognized the dark crimson jacket that the man wore. A General! A gold dragon pin shined in the fire light and stood out against the crimson collar. And an honored one too! I guess this is my lucky night. As the general stepped back to allow more room for the servant boy that was helping a lady out of the carriage; Zuko noticed the general favor his left side. The man kept most of his weight on his right foot and he rubbed his left arm slowly with a grimace of pain that only lingered on his face for a second. The woman that stepped out was dressed as a fire nation noble with her hair twisted up into an elegant looking top-knot, but she carried herself in a very unsure and timid way. Zuko was somewhat confused by this but soon realized that she was just uncomfortable because she wasn't from here. Her hazel eyes gave her true heritage away; she was from the earth kingdom. Another figure started to step out of the carriage but stopped and stuck his head back into the coach to say something. Zuko couldn't make out what the boy had said but he heard a distinct girl's voice that replied,
"Oh, just get out. You're in my way." A small hand pushed her brother out of the coach. The boy managed to stay on his feet but it required some effort. After flailing his arms a bit he regained his balance and shot a glare at the coach door. The boy looked only a couple years older than Zuko and strikingly resembled his father. Some of his dark hair was pulled back into a top-knot and the rest of it hung loose, reaching just past his ears and eyebrows.
"This must be the family that Dad was talking about! And that general must be his friend… what was the guy's name again? Higo…? Kilgo…? Oh what was it? Keigo! That's it!" Zuko murmured to himself. The older boy stiffened and turned his head towards Zuko's hiding place. His eyes were a rich dark brown that seemed to darken as he furrowed his eyebrows and stared at the bush with a suspicious stare. Zuko held his breath and froze. Dammit. He heard me! I've really gotta work on keeping my thoughts INSIDE my head… The boy's stare deepened to an icy glare that caused a shiver to run down Zuko's spine. Man. That kid is actually kind of intimidating. I'll be sure to stay on his good side. A girl jumped from the carriage and landed neatly next to her brother with a smirk, pulling his gaze away from the bush.
"Come on Ryu! Stop staring at that bush like a lion-eagle is going to jump out and eat you. Let's go! I want to see the palace!" Ryu gave a threatening look to his little sister and sighed as he caught his mother's watchful eye. Zuko returned his attention to the girl and studied her for a second while the family waited for a servant to fetch them their guide. Her hair was a rich, dark chocolate that reflected a reddish glow as the firelight danced on it. Her skin was a healthy tan and Zuko could see that she had delicate hands and no trace of cuts or bruises on her hands or arms. She was petite and looked very small in the scarlet silk dress she was wearing. Her hair was pulled back into a high pony tail that trailed down the back of her neck and reached just below her shoulders at the ends. Shorter hair in front framed her face and some fell in her eyes. Zuko tried to study her face closer but she turned away and followed her family into the palace before he could get a good look. Waiting a couple heartbeats before following them Zuko watched the girl step on her brother's heel and attempt to dodge his hand that swung around to hit her. Ryu's palm collided with her upper arm with a satisfying smack. She jumped back surprised at the pain and tenderly covered the patch of red skin that was beginning to form. Ryu just gave her a smug look and quickened his pace until he walked beside his father. The girl had obviously gotten over the shock and was glaring daggers at her brother's back as she dropped her confident stance and slowed her pace. She began to trail behind the rest of the group, taking a moment to sulk. As they made their way down the hall Zuko could hear the guide chatter on about the architecture of the palace and how it was built. He ducked into the servants' hall that ran parallel to the main hall and ran to the end of the corridor. As he watched the family pass Zuko noticed that the girl was missing. He watched the group turn the corner and poked his head out to see if the girl was still at the end of the hall. He saw her slide open the courtyard door a crack and look inside. Her face lit up with her discovery and she glanced up and down the hall to make sure no one was coming. Once she was satisfied that she was safe, she slipped into the garden and closed the door behind her. Zuko darted down to the end of the servants' hall which happened to let out into the courtyard that the girl had disappeared into seconds before. He stopped at the end and peered around the corner. He stood along the middle of the far wall because the servants' hall followed the back wall and let out about halfway through right beside a big Japanese cherry tree. Delicate white flowers covered the tree and the petals blanketed the ground around the base. As Zuko looked around the rest of the courtyard he recognized patches of Azalia and White lotus; his Uncle's favorite flower. I really don't know why he likes it so much. It's a very simple flower…
As Zuko got lost in his thoughts the girl picked her way around the garden stopping occasionally to study a flower or plant. As she smelled a particularly sweet smelling flower she could feel someone watching her. She jumped up and looked around to see who or what had caught her trespassing in the garden.
Zuko ducked back behind the wall when the girl's sudden movement startled him out of his thoughts. He waited a few moments before glancing out into the courtyard again. The girl was standing with a little bit more relaxed stance and was watching the turtle-ducks paddle around in the shallow pond in the middle of the garden. Zuko took this opportunity to make the small leap between his hiding place and the tree beside him. He landed with no sound and he let himself lean back against the tree and listen for any sign of if the girl had noticed his slight relocation of himself.
The girl looked up just in time to see a flash of black disappear behind the tree in the far right corner of the garden. Being a curious child she decided to investigate. Besides there's always the chance that it's friendly!
Zuko felt his heart slow back to normal pace and he peered around the trunk of the tree to try and spot the girl. She had disappeared.
Wait a minute… she was right by the pond. Where did she… Zuko turned to the other side of the tree, confused at her absence and came face to face with someone. He gave a little yelp and jumped back startled. A hand reached out and grabbed Zuko's, keeping him from falling over backwards with on swift tug. He regained his footing and looked into the face of his rescuer. The girl he had just been spying on all night looked back into his face with questioning eyes. Her face was a combination of her mother's and father's features. She had her mother's delicate looking skin and nose, and her father's strong jaw-line and high cheek bones. Her eyes though… they were uniquely hers. Zuko had never seen such eyes in his life. They were a dark mahogany with shots of gold that burned through and sparkled in the dim moonlight. Suddenly her eyes changed from a questioning stare to a sparkly and soft look. A big grin spread across her face as she poked Zuko in the shoulder and asked,
"So, what are you doing sneaking around and spying on people?" Zuko gave her a dumbstruck look and then darkened his face into a threatening glare.
"Well, seeing as I'm the prince I think I can do whatever I want. You however are trespassing on royal grounds and are now in trouble for that and not being respectful when addressing me." Zuko finished with an intimidating look and straightened his stance as to leave the girl shocked at what she had just done. That should wipe her silly little grin right off her lips. The girl looked terrified and then took a couple steps away and began stumbling over her apologies.
"I'm… I'm so sorry… I, I didn't know it was you. I… please don't be mad. It was a mistake..." Zuko saw that utter terror began fill her beautiful eyes and he immediately began to regret snapping at her.
"Wait. I… I didn't mean to be that harsh. Please don't go." The girl stopped backing up and looked up at him.
"Um… okay. I mean I can still leave if you want me too…"
"No, you just surprised me. That's all." Zuko explained with a friendly grin.
"Oh… well in that case, my name's Akira! What's yours?" She asked with a little bounce forward.
"Zuko." He laughed at her sudden friendliness.
"Cool! Oh, uh… I'm still kinda wondering why you were spying on me… I mean you don't have to tell me if you don't want to!" Akira finished quickly in case the prince was offended by her curiosity.
"Um… well… I wasn't exactly spying on you I just happened to be here, behind this tree, and you happened to be there and… well… uh…" Zuko trailed off with an embarrassed grimace and sighed. Very smooth. Way to impress her.
"Right…" Akira finished with a smug look. "So… what's up with the black outfit and sword if you just happened to be standing behind this tree?"
"Okay. Okay. You caught me. I was spying on you but it was either you or the rest of your family and you seemed more interesting…" Zuko trailed off again realizing how stupid that sounded. "Hey! Speaking of your family shouldn't you be with them right now instead of snooping around the royal palace on your own?"
"What? Oh… Um, yeah; about that." Akira started as a guarded look passed across her face. "I was kinda mad at my brother and decided that a guided tour with him was not really at the top of my list of things to do."
"And trespassing is?" Zuko asked with a smug grin plastered to his face.
"Well, higher than spending time with my brother!" Akira shot back. As she continued her speech her eyes started to burn with passion and narrowed into slits. "And why should I be the only one getting in trouble? Even if you are the prince, I have a feeling your dad wouldn't be too happy knowing that his son is sneaking around the palace at night spying on innocent girls with a sword strapped to his back! What the heck is that for anyways?" Zuko's grin melted into a cold hard glare. He drew his swords and with a flick of his wrist he sliced one through a skinny lower branch of the tree. He brought both swords close to his body and then shot them out and pinned Akira against the wall with the sharp edges up so he didn't actually hurt her. Akira could feel the cold steel blades pressing against her shoulders and collarbone, holding her against the brick wall with surprising force. Zuko lowered his face so it was only inches away from hers and hissed with cold unfeeling expression,
"I carry my swords with me in case I ever have to kill anyone. So say your prayers, cause' you're on your way to the spirit world." Akira's mahogany eyes widened with fear and as she took a breath she realized how easily he could kill her. She wanted to scream, run, do anything to get away from the prince. A pounding fear formed in her gut and her mind told her to break the stare between them, but she couldn't bring herself to look away. As she looked deep into his gold eyes, Zuko's face broke into a smug grin.
"Scared you didn't I?" He laughed.
"That was mean! If you're not going to kill me with the swords than what the heck are you going to do with them?" Akira pressed.
"Well, you see… They help protect me from annoying girls that might tattle on me." Zuko replied.
"Oh. And I suppose I'm one of those annoying girls?" Akira laughed now somewhat amused by his new approach.
"Actually, you're the second one tonight. The other one I had to pull into the bushes and cover her mouth to make sure she didn't tell on me." Zuko replied with a smile as he relaxed his pressure on the swords pinning Akira against the wall.
"Yeah, right. I'm probably the first girl you've ever come this close too." Akira teased.
"Are you doubting me? Her name is Lily and she's one of the maid's helpers." Zuko said as he reclaimed his pressure on the swords, putting more pressure on Akira's shoulders.
"Lily?" Akira mocked in a high pitched voice. "Is Lily your little girlfriend?"
"No! I told you. She's the maid's helper." Zuko countered with an impatient tone.
"I see. So, you think she's cute though." Akira continued with a look of pure innocence on her face.
"I never said that!" Zuko growled through his clenched teeth.
"Ow! Ease up on the swords!" Akira cried out. "Ow! Seriously Zuko!" Zuko quickly released her and his indignant features immediately softened into a concerned expression. His eyes searched her for any sign of serious pain or anger and he found that she had a cut on her left collarbone.
Akira winced in pain as she touched the spot on her collarbone where Zuko's sword had pressed. A trickle of blood stared to flow from the spot where the fine edge of the blade had briefly sliced the delicate skin along the top of her shoulder. She glanced up at Zuko who wore an alarmed expression, obviously mortified at himself for hurting her. She could see his lips start to form words but then he swallowed them back down and dragged his stare away from her cut. He looked into her eyes with a pleading gaze and finally said,
"I'm… I'm so sorry. I didn't… I never meant too…" Akira matched his gaze for a second and then took a breath and smiled,
"It's okay. I know you didn't mean too and it doesn't really hurt that bad. I probably deserved it anyways. After all, I was the one teasing you." Zuko exhaled with a sigh of relief. As he regained his confidence in Akira's trust in him, he tore off part of his shirt and held it out to her.
"Here, hold this on it. It'll stop the bleeding." Akira took the piece of cloth from him and delicately touched it to her cut. It had a trickle of blood running along her collarbone and slowly beginning to pool in the dip by her neck. She winced, pulling the cloth away she glanced at Zuko to see what his reaction would be. Akira fully expected him to tell her that she was a wimp, but all she saw was care and kindness in his golden eyes.
Zuko gently confiscated the piece of cloth from her grasp and moved behind her.
"This might hurt for a second but I promise it will go away." He gently but firmly pressed the piece of cloth to the wound and held it there. Zuko placed his other hand on Akira's shoulder blade to steady her and to make sure the pressure he was putting on her collarbone wasn't too harsh.
"If you put more pressure on the cut it will stop the bleeding faster." Zuko explained as he slowly withdrew the cloth to check on her cut.
"Thank you." Akira murmured in a soft voice. "I've always been a wimp with the whole treatment stuff that comes with injuries. I mean, I can take the injury without even crying, but when it comes to putting on medicine or bandages I'm a huge wimp."
"Hey, everyone has their weaknesses. It's not something to be ashamed of." Zuko quoted from his uncle, who always seemed to know what to say to make you feel better. Even if his proverbs didn't always make sense. Akira let a warm, trusting smile escape from her lips as she turned and looked at Zuko. Her hair still had a reddish tinge even in the blue moonlight. Her lips parted slightly as if she were about to say something but a loud voice interrupted the silence.