A/N: I've never written an Avatar story in my life, but when they aired an "Avatar - the last Airbender" marathon on Nickelodeon last weekend, I wanted to write one. This is therefore my first try, so please, be gentle.

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing. I'm a fan, this is fiction.

"The Prince is dead"

He didn't like this ship.

Lieutenant Jee remembered how much he'd disliked boarding the prince's small ship a few months ago.

Back then, the former Lieutenant (if only he could recall his name!) and almost the entire crew had either retired or been called elsewhere leaving the prince's ship, and he'd been assigned to it instead.

That small boat.

He remembered the sloop in the harbour, less than half the size of a regular battleship. His eyes had widened at that sight.

'What, in Agni's name, have I done to deserve this?'

Oh, he could think of a few reasons. Talking back to a superior officer certainly had been a bad idea. Yet, he'd been horrified at the prospective of serving on that little boat.

And the crew!

A bunch of screw-ups; either a liability or a shame to any proper ship in the Fire Navy. There were only two or three men left of the original crew and it didn't take him long to see the reason why.

The prince was a spoiled, arrogant brat who held no respect (especially towards his honoured uncle) and who couldn't care less about his men. If this insufferable young man should ever become Fire Lord… Agni, be merciful!

Only… He was, wasn't he? It was unlikely for the prince ever to become Fire Lord. These days, Lieutenant Jee was hoping that the young man could regain his proper place as an heir to the throne.

He had a heart, was determined and worried about those under his care.

Lieutenant Jee wasn't a fool. There had been things he'd noticed before that storm that would change his opinion of Prince Zuko forever.

Of course, he'd noticed that he was always the first awake, was already training when everybody else was still asleep. He'd also flinched more than once, when that insufferably quiet prince suddenly spoke right behind him.

He'd also known that, for one of Sozin's line, his skills with fire were limited.

He'd make a good soldier (if only he could hold that temper of his), but he wasn't powerful enough to be a leader.

That was what he'd used to think, at least. These days, he preferred such a Fire Lord over someone like Zhao any time. Besides, the boy had beaten the latter in an Agni Kai (not that he'd actually seen the fight, but rumours spread fast in the Navy). That counted for something.

So, he truly disliked this ship.

Yes, it was a real battleship, not the prince's personal boat. Yes, he was first in command for there had been no captain available.

However, it felt wrong.

It lacked the old, honourable general. Half of the men currently working on the ship he didn't even know by name.

He was supposed to lead them, but he didn't even know their names!

It was strange however just how much he missed that small form aboard the ship, always the first to greet the sun.

That young man whose inner peace and quiet seemed nonexistent. Whose entire existence was built on his quest to find the Avatar.

He was alone now, no crew, possessing an abandoned ship. General Iroh had stayed, at least. Otherwise, Prince Zuko might have lost all hope.

Their ship had been navigated so far outside; they had no partnership to their right and only two other ships behind them.

He remembered Admiral Zhao's smile when they'd been told where their place was. Not for the first time, he wondered if they'd been sent there to die so the Admiral could slam the news into their prince's face. It wouldn't be below that man to do such a thing.

Lieutenant Jee was so deep in thought, he didn't hear Karu arrive. He was in charge of the messenger hawks and had been under Prince Zuko's command long before he'd set foot aboard the small sloop.

Wordlessly, he handed over a scroll with the Admiral's seal. With a frown, the Lieutenant extracted the message and started to read it. It had not been written by the Admiral personally but his secretary, yet it had been clearly dictated by the powerful firebender.

He went paler and paler until his face resembled an ashen colour when he'd finished the letter.

"Sir?" Karu asked worriedly, "Bad news?"

"Call the prince's crew together, everyone else shall continue working," he whispered without really knowing what he was saying.

'Prince Zuko is dead. His ship exploded… Pirates, most likely.'

It didn't take long to gather the prince's crew. All looked at him in anticipation.

"I've just received word that Prince Zuko is dead," he said firmly willing himself not to waver, "The pirates we've come across of a few weeks ago sought revenge and blew up the prince's ship," he took a deep breath before adding, "While the prince was still on it."

Gasps of horror were uttered by a third of the crew. Everybody else seemed to be in shock. He took a quick glance at the Helmsman who owed his life to Prince Zuko. Horrified, the young Marine took a step back and swallowed heavily shaking his head in disbelief.

Karu, who was still standing beside him, decidedly shook his head, "It can't be, sir."

"It happened, Marine," he hissed, sharper than he'd intended. He felt so helpless, and briefly wondered whether this was one of the reasons why the prince had seemed so angry all the time.

He'd been looking for the Avatar for three years before finally finding him, a seemingly impossible quest, not so impossible all of a sudden. But the Avatar escaped, time and time again. Yet, the prince had not given up.

And now, it was over. That young, stubborn man no longer walked this earth. Scarred by his own father.

A wound deeper than a mere burn into flesh.

Gone.

Karu was unimpressed by his outburst, "Don't think so, sir."

Sharply, he turned his head around; he felt the fire within him begging to be set free, to burn. Life was so unfair; he simply wanted to scream.

He'd been a mere child; he had not belonged on that ship in the first place.

"Why?" he didn't know why he asked, but he couldn't understand how Karu was unable to accept simple facts.

No matter how painful they were.

"Been on that small sloop for three years, sir," Karu shrugged, "Saw the lil' boy come aboard, few hours after the Agni Kai, though I didn't know back then it had been that. Everybody spoke of train accident, but really, ever saw such a wound by accident? Don' know why I believed it. Guess I didn't want ter know. He could barely stand on his feet, but he did. Half of his face covered in bandages, he'd looked so pained, but he didn't cry when he had been introduced to his crew. Didn't say anythin', though, guess he was too caught up not to pass out. That night we all heard him scream, it was cruel, but the boy never cried in front of us, not even sure if he did around the General. I remember the first time his bandages were no longer… Horrific. Nobody wanted ter look at him that day. Last time I saw him for weeks. Every mirror aboard had been either destroyed or removed on the prince's order, but we never saw the kid. Guess about a month later, he appeared again, occasionally, never without his uncle, he didn't look at anyone but the General, really."

"And?" Lieutenant wasn't an impatient man, but the Marine's babbling got on his nerves.

"Moved in the shadows, the lil' kid. Took me several weeks to find out. He wasn' hiding in his room. Yeh're a Bender, you know how they are when they're hurt. They crave for the sun, he had to see it, but he didn' want to be seen, so he wasn't. Slipped past the guard, the Lieutenant, everyone. One mornin' I saw him sit atop a roof, only 'cause I was lookin' after one of my birds. Wouldn't have noticed him otherwise. Out there, in plain sight, without bein' seen. Scary lad, the kid. Three years, Lieutenant, don't know if you understand how long that is. Nah, that boy will not have been stopped by a couple of crooks. He ain't that type."

Oh, how much he wanted to believe him. But he was dead. Stealth will not have helped the prince when the ship was torn into pieces.

Prince Zuko was dead.

So, that's the first part.

It's meant to be a story in four parts, but it depends on how interested you are... Are you?

Thanks for reading and please, review!

And thank you, MissGoalie75, for beta-ing a story of yet another fandom. You are the best!