Arien and Prince Zuko walked into the palace, two days after returning from a wonderful vacation on the Southern Shores of the Fire Nation.
"I have to go practice firebending," Arien said. "My Master wants me to perfect the fire whip."
"OK," Zuko replied. "I'm gonna go take a look at the war chamber. There's a meeting today."
"You know you shouldn't, Zuko. Those generals are pretty touchy. You don't want to-"
"But I'm going to rule this nation one day, Arien. I've got to start learning," Zuko replied.
Arien knew she wouldn't change his mind. He was quite determined when it came to these things. They turned their separate ways with a smile. They were two firebenders, with dark hair, and a slight attitude. Arien never showed it around Zuko. He was much higher in place than her, him being a prince and her having worked for a merchant most her life. She had lived in the city of Salkathor, a small city, yet important. Her parents were mere farmers, raising komodo rhinos. She was abandoned in the capitol at 5, due to the fact that a fortune teller told her parents she was "immensely powerful" and would "bring bad fortune". She didn't believe it, because everyone in the city knew that fortune teller was insane. Arien met Zuko in a court meeting, which was held because of the fact that she was just dumped on the steps of the palace. Her parents were slightly mental too, but luckily she wasn't. Someone who had worked in the palace adopted her, and she became fast friends with Zuko, for what reason, even I don't know.
In the war chamber, lit by fire, the generals were discussing their horrid plan for an attack on the Earth Nation. The highest ranked, Admiral Daxian, suggested to use a new battalion as bait. Zuko, of course, spoke up, out of turn and place. He spoke out against the Fire Lord, apparently, and Zuko unknowingly accepted the Agni Kai that was to be fought. As Prince Zuko rose to meet his opponent in that duel, he realized something horrible. As he watched the shadowy figure rise at the opposite end of the arena, Zuko realized that it was his own father. Ozai told Zuko, "Rise and fight Prince Zuko."
Zuko fell to his knees, bowing and begging for mercy, "Please father! I don't want to fight you! I am your loyal son."
"You will learn respect, and I will be your teacher."
Zuko looked up at his father, the Fire Lord, with tears streaming down his face.
Arien knew what he had done in the war chamber was stupid. He should have known better. But she couldn't think about that now. She couldn't bear it. She ran, fast, from the arena as she heard Zuko scream a horrible, spine- wrenching scream, and she kept running.
Three weeks later, Arien sat in the rhino stable, fingering at her gift. It was a firebending staff, plated with smooth gems and steel. She had it made for Zuko, knowing he had always wanted one. It had cost her most of the money she had; about 300 gold pieces. She realized she would probably never see him again. Then, she heard footsteps. She looked up, seeing Zuko walking to his rhino's stall, petting it kindly. He looked over at her. She saw that he still had several bandages on his face from the Agni Kai. Arien got up, then realized his present was clearly visible, so she quickly tucked it behind her back. "What do you have?" Zuko asked. The fire that was usually in his voice and heart had disappeared, leaving a hollow version of his old self. "I... um... it's...a... a present. You know... since you're...um..." Arien couldn't find the words. She felt like an utter moron. Here she was, talking to a prince, and she couldn't say a sentence. She brought the staff out from behind her back, and kind of presented it to him. Zuko took it gently, and looked at it carefully, his eyes wide with wonder.
"You had this made for me?" he asked. "Yeah," Arien answered. "300 gold pieces. All my saved money. But that doesn't matter. You like it?"
"Of course, it's wonderful. Here, I had something made for you, too."
Zuko reached into his pocket, and pulled out something small. It was a red satin necklace, with a ruby pendant. The pendant had the symbol for firebending carved into it.
"It's wonderful!" Arien exclaimed.
"You like it?" Zuko asked.
"Do I like it? I love it!"
Zuko smiled. It was the last time anyone would see him smile for months.
As smart as she was, Arien did some pretty stupid things. For instance, what she did later that day. As Zuko and Iroh were boarding the ship to depart into Zuko's exile, Arien ran forward. "Why exile? Hasn't the prince been punished enough already? Shouldn't... he..." she turned slowly around. There was Captain Zhao, and he didn't exactly look happy with Arien's actions. He slapped her across the face, knocking her backward. Zuko saw, and tried to make a move, but Iroh ushered him quickly onto the ship. They hoisted the ship's boarding ramp up, and Zuko ran to the bow. The last time her saw Arien, she was on the ground, Zhao standing over her, and guards lifting her up. As she regained herself, she looked up to see Zuko's ship drifting away. "Zukoooooo!" she yelled after it, her hands held behind her back. Zhao kicked her and told her to "shut the sorry words that were coming out of her mouth". She looked up, only to see Zuko's ship fading into the distance.
Zuko shot up out of bed. He was breathing hard, astonished by his dream. He looked over to the wall of his room on the ship, and looked at the painting there. There was white sand, aqua water, and amber grass. There, on the sand, a boy and girl sat together, foreheads touching. Just then, there was a knock at the door, and Iroh stepped in. "I heard you yell Prince Zuko. What is wrong?" he asked. "Nothing," Zuko answered, and went back to sleep. Iroh turned and said, "You know, we're nearing the North Pole."
Arien woke up. She wondered why she had never had that dream in the two years she'd been at the North Pole. She looked to the wall of her igloo to look at the painting. It was two people in love on a white sandy beach. She was filled with memories of that day before everything went wrong, and turned to fall back asleep.