I love Avatar. I'm sure you'll all agree with me that the movie was a sad, sad day for all Avatar: Last Airbender fans. So, that brought us here to fanfiction, to try to ignore that fact that that movie exists.

Furthermore, here is a story I wrote one day while dreaming about the firepalace. This is just an idea, so don't to too harsh on me. Though I absolutely love the show, I suck at writing fanfiction for it, in my opinion. However, this is un-beta-ed, so you can decide if it's as bad as I think it is. The time-frame is Season 2, when the honorable Zuko returns to the Motherland. "T" because I'm paranoid of suggestive themes.

Don't take me too seriously, folks. I'm just a psychotic Zuzu fan.

-Scarlet

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: Last Airbender. This is a work of fanfiction.

A Girl Named Kee

Chapter 1: The Girl

Zuko roamed the halls of the Fire Palace. With his honor "restored", it was a pretty boring place. He was upset by what Mai had told him about the War Meeting. How dare they not invite him? Or was he just assumed to be there? In any case, he remembered vividly what happened at the last meeting he attended, and he didn't want to take his chances. Not to mention the fact that Azula told his father that he had killed the Avatar. If there was the slightest chance that Aang was still alive, he would be responsible for it. He sighed at his misfortune as he veered his aimless course to his room.

He was somewhat surprised to see Koron, the head of the palace attendants, standing outside the door to his chambers. "Koron," he greeted, tilting his head.

"Fire Prince Zuko." Koron bowed respectfully. "I trust you are well this evening…"

"Just fine, Koron. What business do you have with me?"

Koron appeared hesitant. "Your father has instructed me to choose your first concubine, in accordance with your age."

Zuko went bug-eyed and shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, well, I wasn't aware that I had to have a, er, concubine…" he said clumsily, rushing the last word.

"Oh, yes," Koron explained. "It is the tradition of all Princes to bed their first concubine at the age of 16."

Zuko felt his mouth go dry. He had never felt so awkward in his life. The only person he wanted to be with was Mai. He cleared his throat. He dared not oppose his father at a time like this. "Very well. Thank you, Koron."

"Of course, Fire Prince. Her name is Sanae, and… welcome home."

The middle-aged man bowed away. Does he mean she's in there now? Should I knock? He felt sweat break out on his forehead, and his stomach tied into knots. This was definitely not good. Raising his fist to knock, Zuko shook his head and went for the doorknob instead. He opened it halfway and stuck his head in.

On his bed, sitting cross-legged, was a girl. She was tiny, not more than 13. She had thick, black shoulder-length hair, delicate facial features, and tiny hands and bare feet. She wore crimson servants robes with a gold sash. Even Zuko had to admit she was cute. But what struck him the most, besides her young age, was her eyes. Deep, golden orbs of liquid sunshine. He also noticed that those eyes were plastered to the scarred side of his face.

This could be a problem, Zuko thought. "Uh… hi?"

The girl frowned and shifted away.

Zuko noticed for the first time that the girl had a small stuffed rabbit-squirrel hugged in her small arms. This made him frown. She was so young… too young.

"P-Please don't take her. I hid her f-from the men," she mumbled.

Zuko nodded slightly at the strange request, and stepped closer. "So… Your name is Sanae?" he asked, hoping to reassure her. Her eyes were wide with fear.

"No," she stated. "But that's what the men at the market called me."

Zuko winced. "You were at a market?"

The girl nodded blankly, her eyes tracing the terrible scar on Zuko's face. "With the other girls taken from the North Pole."

"You were at the North Pole? But you're Fire Nation!"

The girl sighed dramatically, stroking her rabbit-squirrels' floppy ear. "It's a long story..."

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, what's your real name then?"

"Kee." The girl rubbed her tiny nose and blinked her large eyes. "You can see why they changed it," she said morosely.

"OK. How old are you, Kee?"

"Twelve. Last month."

This was ridiculous. "Do you know who I am?" he asked the fidgeting girl.

She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. Then opened it again, "You're Fire Nation. They said to do whatever you say."

Zuko sighed in impatience. "My name is Zuko. My father is the Firelord, and this is the Fire Palace."

Kee looked as if you had just handed her 100 copper coins. "You're the Fire Prince?" she asked, rising to her knees. Then, the excitement drained from her eyes, and her raised fists dropped. "But what do you want with me?"

Zuko couldn't help but smile. Her little eyebrows were together in confusion. He softened. "Well, I… I mean, uh – we could just be… friends?" he said weakly, slightly startled by his own words.

"Want to be friends," she repeated slowly, her face draining of expression. "…I've never had a Prince for a friend before."

Zuko resisted the huge grin that spread across his face. Stop that! he scolded himself. Obviously there was some sort of mistake. Why was she so young? Why were they doing this at all? I need to speak with Koron again…

The girl had sat back further on the bed, and was hugging her rabbit-squirrel shyly. She covered a yawn with the too-long sleeve of her kimono.

"Are you tired?" the Prince asked.

The girl curled up like a cat with the rabbit-squirrel in the middle. "No," she yawned. "But Dana is…"

Zuko stopped untying his armor. "Dana?" he asked curiously. He didn't think anyone else was there with them.

"Yeah, Dana." She held up the rabbit momentarily for Zuko to see. "She said she's tired from being sold today."

Zuko felt a pang. But, all the servants and slaves were bought from the market. Why was Kee so important? She wasn't. Zuko thought this, as he got ready for bed. It was late, and all he wanted to do was sleep his troubles away. When he came back to his bed in a simple robe, he could already hear Kee's steady breathing. She was still curled around Dana, her eyes closed in tranquil sleep.

Nevertheless, Zuko pushed her all the way to the edge and slid the red blanket over small form. Circling to the other side, Zuko climbed into bed, careful not to shake it too much.

Kee shifted and yawned again. "Goodnight, Fire Prince Zuko…" she muttered, only half-conscious.

"Goodnight, Kee," he said back quickly. He wasn't used to sharing a bed at all. With thoughts on the War Meeting, Zuko drifted into a shallow, uneasy sleep.

Thoughts? Good/bad/disgraceful? Reviews?

-Scarlet