A/N: Hiya people! I'm new to this so please, no flames. I may not finish this so be prepared to not get an end…or at least, not a very detailed one. This takes place shortly after episode 14 and chapters 15-20 may not exist unless I say so in this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. If I did, Katara and Zuko would be dating, and my OC would be in it.

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Chapter 1: The Girl in the Woods

Prince Zuko had once again cornered Aang on a small island. But, as usual, he escaped at the last minute. The island also had a village, but it was to small to be of consequence.

To say the Fire Prince was unhappy was an understatement. He walked through the forest, fuming the whole way. Then he heard a strange sound. It sounded like someone was…crying? His curiosity overriding his previous anger, he followed the sound to its source. It was a little girl; no more than 5 years old. The sight tore at Zuko's stone cold heart. Very slowly, he approached the little girl. She looked up at him, questioning him with her sad eyes. Then he noticed something. Her hair was pitch black, and her skin was a light tan, but what surprised him most were her eyes; her topaz orange eyes. She couldn't have been an Earth Kingdom native like the villagers.

"It's alright," he said in a soft very un-Zuko like voice. "I'm not going to hurt you. Why are you crying?"

"Your Fire Nation, aren't you?" she asked looking at his armor.

"Yes," he said his anger rising slightly, "I am Fire Nation. Is that a problem?"

"Oh no. That makes things much better. Now I know you won't hurt me once I tell you my story." She said, smiling wanly.

"Why would I hurt you?"

"You'll see. I'm going to start at the very beginning." She took a deep breath. "My mother was a firebender. My father, however was an earthbender. They loved each other and were married. But when my father brought her home, the villagers hated her and called her a monster because she was from the Fire Nation, but when my father told them to stop they did. My parents were happy and soon she was pregnant with me. She died giving birth to me nine months later. My father was completely grief-stricken, and when the villagers saw me, they hated me too because I was a firebender. My father didn't pay much attention to me, except to feed me and change me. I reminded him too much of mother. When he left to fight in the war, the villagers took this chance to get rid of me. They said if I ever came back to the village again, they would kill me. That's why I'm crying. I'm not wanted or loved anywhere and I have nowhere to go."

She bowed her head in sadness.

Zuko felt his heart go out to the sad little girl. He wasn't wanted in his home either.

" How about you come with me?" he said.

"Does that make you my new daddy? Are you a firebender too? "

"Yup, on both counts." he said making a small flame in his hand.

"Wow…" she said staring at it in awe.

"What's your name?" he asked suddenly.

Breaking her gaze on the flame, she replied, "I don't have one. The villagers all called me 'filth' and 'demon-spawn' and my father didn't remember to name me."

Surprised and disgusted by the treatment of the girl, he said, "Well how about I name you?"

"That would be cool!"

"How about…Aurora?"

"I like it. Its pretty."

"Okay, Aurora. Let's go to my ship." he said, beckoning to her.

"Wait, one more question; What's your name?"

"Zuko. Prince Zuko." He said taking her hand in his and helping her up.

"Does that make me a princess?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said leading her towards the forest and the ship. "Yeah it does."