This is my first 'love' story. I hope you like it. It's not really the usual 'love' story you might find. Please tell me what you think of it.

-xxx-

KelseyWhiteleaf

Surely not love!

The ship rocked. The waves were very high and it seemed as the ship could fall over any minute now. Men were running around as wild beasts as the thunder flew through the air as a whip slash. The beginning of the end, was the lightning strike at the steersman's post.

Admiral Zhao stood in the middle of his ship and looked around. Were these his men? Running around like unordered earthbenders? Fire was the supreme element! A little storm along the way wouldn't ruin anything!

That was what he thought, but as the waves got higher, the wind colder at any blow and the lightning heavier the ship couldn't hold on much longer. A gigantic wave came near, and threw admiral Zhao off board like he was a feather. Men ran towards the edge to find their commanding officer. They saw him gasping for air, splashing around in the water. They really wanted to get him out….but how?

Zhao was splashing around, until he eventually had no energy left and sank. The ship had been thrown away by waves and he was all alone in the water. Barely alive, he was thrown around, even under water. Would he die like this? Die without any honour to it, drowning, in stead of dying in battle while he was serving the Fire Lord…

The storm lay down and the sea returned to its normal self.

Somewhere in a small village at the coast a woman picked up a basket. The woman was around the 35 years old and very beautiful. She was well known in the small village, she used to help people with a smile. Very kind was the first thing you noticed about her.

That day, she went to collect some edible shells for one of the elderly women. The soft sound of the water together with the happy chirping of the birds gave her a sense of calmness. Her long skirt waved a little in the wind, but when she suddenly saw a man on the shore she fell on her back of fright. She gave a small scream with it when she noticed the clothes and what state the man was in.

Zhao, with his clothes soaked and ripped, lay on that beach. The sea had washed him up that shore. His head was on the soft but wet sand and his eyes were shut. Cuts and bruises were spread across his face. He was lying on his stomach with his face looking side wards.

The woman slowly crawled towards him. She looked at his face and felt by his neck. A heartbeat…he was still alive! But in what shape. She stood up slowly and wanted to pick up her shells and walk away like it had never happened. But she just couldn't. Of course she had noticed he was Fire Nation, and of course she didn't like Fire Nation because they had started this terrible war. But wouldn't she be exactly the same if she would leave him there and let him die? She laid back all her shells that had fallen out of the basket. Then she walked towards Zhao. She would help him.

A couple of hours later Zhao woke up, lying in a bed with a blanket over him to his chest. He looked around, he was in a small room which only contained the bed in the corner, some space to walk to it and a small table with a bowl of fresh water and a cloth. On the piece of cloth were some spots of blood. Zhao got up a little and felt by his face. Cuts, in his face. So the blood on the cloth was his!

The woman entered the room, full surprise that Zhao was awake.

"You're awake….!" She said astonished.

"Where am I?" Zhao asked, for the time being polite.

"You're in my house. I am Ji. I found you on the beach, and…I didn't want to leave you there."

"Thank you." Zhao said.

For now, Zhao had only been looking around. Now he looked at Ji. He immediately turned a little red. Ji really was a beautiful woman. Her long black hair was combed back and she had brown and sparkling eyes. She wore a brown dress, with a belt around her waist. She smiled to him.

"Please, if you're strong enough, I might have something to eat for you." Ji said.

Zhao stood up and walked after Ji. They entered a big room with a low table and some cushions to sit on. In the corner were fruits, vegetables and clams on a table. Ji signalled to Zhao that he had to sit and she got some vegetables and sorts and started to cook food. When she had finished she put in on the table. 2 bowls.

Zhao ate a bowl, and another. But then he stopped…

"What is wrong? You can have more if you want to." Ji said polite.

"I have to leave. I shouldn't even be eating what you are giving me."

"Why not?"

"You must have noticed, I am from the Fire Nation."

"Yes, I have noticed…." She said like nothing was wrong.

"Y...you don't mind?"

Ji shook her head.

"What is you name Fire nation soldier?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"Zhao. And my rank is not just a soldier…I am an admiral."

"Admiral Zhao. Sounds good"

Zhao didn't say anything. He just kept looking in her eyes. Zhao turned all red when he saw that Ji was looking at him. Also Ji started to blush.

Zhao had fallen in love had fallen for a normal woman, without even noticing that she wasn't Fire Nation.

A normal woman had fallen for a Fire Nation admiral, knowing who he was, but accepting that not every Fire Nation inhabitant had to be bad.

To Be Continued