DISCLAIMER: See chapter one, page one
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys, I was just wondering if after you read, you could post a review. I love feedback, and I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks! So, as you were...
CHAPTER 2
The afternoon sun shone in on the streets of Jazminra, the capital city, giving it a warm, loving glow. Of all his years living there, he had never noticed how beautiful the city was. Children ran between houses further up the street, stopping to wave at the Fire Lord and his friend.
"So, Jazz, how have you been?" asked Zuko, not thinking of a more original conversation starter. Jasmine smiled, a bit amused.
"You were never one to start a conversation, were you? Well, to answer your question, I've been doing just fine. I've been staying with my family, you know, helping them. It's been alot quieter since the Reign ended, I'll tell you that much. There's no one to fight against, so we just sit at home all day. It's not the life I had, but, it's the life I can most definetly live with." Zuko smiled at this answer, happy that her life was going as smooth as possible. "What about you? Is it everything you've wanted?" Zuko looked off down the street, seeing an old woman sitting on the steps of her home, humming to herself. His mother used to hum all the time. His face grew grave as he thought about the woman who was just within his grasp, but so far away, if only his father...
"Zuko?" Zuko blinked when he heard his name echo in his head. He looked down at Jazmine, and there was worry in her eyes.
"It's everything I should have expected it to be. I mean, I have work to do, and my life isn't 'easy', but I survive. It didn't take me long at all to realize that it was you who I missed. The palace just isn't home without you." Zuko smiled again. Jasmine realized that he was smiling much more, and his voice had an air of gentleness about it. She had never seen him like that before.
"Well, you most certainly seem more...content. I've never seen you like this before. You haven't yelled, or gone off, or anything this entire time I've been talking to you. It's wonderful." Zuko couldn't help but smile again.
"See! You're smiling! That is so awesome, you just have no idea! Excuse me for being excited, but I'm just proud of you. I always have been."
The day was a blur to Zuko. People. Lots of people. Fusing over him, talking over him, some even praying over him. He knew that he spoke out of turn, but, someone had to. Now, he had to pay for it. He had seen every face there was in court, and had seen his uncle for only a moment, but he hadn't seen Jasmine all day. He asked where she was, but no one would listen. No one ever listened.
Then there was fire. So much fire, and heat, and...fear. The room was packed with people, mostly nobles and military officials. Zuko stood on the stage in shock and fear. He never thought that his father would go to these extremes. He looked up and saw the dark frame of his father. He kneeled before him, begging to be forgiven, begging him not to make him fight. His fathe felt no pitty, no love. Ozahi prepared to strike down on Zuko, until a hush settled over the crowd. Zuko hesitantly looked up to see a pair of thin, long legs in front of him, defendind him. He looked further up to see Jasmine standing there.
"You will not touch him." she said in a firm, confidant voice.
"Jasmine, what are you doing?" Zuko whispered harshly.
"I'm not letting this egotistical 'father' hurt you." A deep, frightening laugh echoed from the throat of the Fire Lord.
"Girl, step aside." he said, making a quick gexture with his hand. Jasmine stood straighter, facing Ozahi completely.
"No." The word stung like the tip of thousands of needles. There was an even more profound quiet over the crowd. No one said no to the Fire Lord, not even his own children, obviously. Everyone glanced at the young, prideful girl, than back to the Fire Lord. His very prescence seemed to make the room darker. He stared at Jasmine with peircing, driving golden eyes that would have brought a grown man to his knees. A twelve year old girl was standing her ground.
"What did you say?" asked the Fire Lord. Even in his monotone voice, his anger was still terrifying. Jasmine gulped, now becoming a bit frightened.
"I said, you will not touch him."
"Oh? How do you intend on seeing that through?" asked Ozahi, raising his chest and increasing his stanture.
"I'll do anything to defend my prince. I'll even fight you." The crowd gasped. Kera, Jasmine's mother, prepared to leap onto the raised platform and fetch her daughter, but was stopped by Iroh. He knew that it was dangerous enough for Jasmine to get involved. He didn't wnt two brave people to lose their lives. The crowd was silenced as the Fire Lord laughed a deep, hearty laugh.
"You'll fight me? You have fire in you, and I admire that, but step aside, or the punishment will be harsh." Suddenly, the Fire Lord was knocked back by a jet of flame. He looked up from where he sat, his top not in almost undone, and embarrassment written across his face. Jasmine stood perfectly still, her hands up in a defensive stance. She wasn't smiling at her victory, not even smirking. Her face was like stone chisled from the hands of an angry sculptor. Determination.
Ozahi stood, angry that he was caught off gaurd, but enraged that this little servant girl, lower than a peasent even, dared attack him. He wondered, for her sake, if she intended on ending what she started. the Fire Lord spun his left leg into an ark, creating a tendril of fire that came down with his foot. A long trail of fire came charging at Jasmine, and she bent low, her legs spread wide, and held her arms where the left was facing down, and the right facing up, almost in the form of a ramp. The trail of fire went up her left arm, over her shoulder, and up her right arm, and disapeared into the high ceilings. This one exchange covered the course of thirty seconds.
Zuko sat on his knees, watching his young friend defend him, and he didn't feel grateful and amazed at her skill and devotion, but embarrassment at the fact that his servant, almost slave, had to defend him. Him. A prince.
The fight was becoming more heated, and it was showing on both of the bender's faces. Ozahi sent a wide wave like wall at Jasmine, and she spun on her heel quickly, collecting the fire around her, and sent it back at him. Ozahi was once again knocked to the ground, and rolled on his side from the impact. It was quite obvious that Jasmine had the upper hand. A gaurd was standing at the side of the platform, never leaving his post. The Fire Lord looked up, and grabbed the poor soilder buy the front of his shirt.
"Listen to me." said the Fire Lord between clenched teeth. "I am tired of this nonsense. Bring her down, but don't make it obvious. Understand?" Ozahi's eyes were wide, and his pupils dialated. The nervous gaurd nodded, and made his way to the other end of the stage.
Iroh watched in fear and amazment. He had never seen anyone fight as well as Jasmine at such a young age, not even Azula. If she did happen to maybe knock his brother out cold, or hurt him critically, the entire course of his reign would be shifted.
Jasmine, blocked the strong attacks coming from the Fire Lord, and sent out some of her own. Her raven hair was speckled with spots of sweat, and her chest heaved wildly. She couldn't believe that she was doing so well. She wasn't thinking at all when she decided to defend Zuko. She had broken an old, strict rule in the duel of Agni Kai. No one intervenes. She knew that if she lost, and even if she won, her punishment would be harsh. Maybe even death. Jasmine shook her head, clearing these thoughts. She would be fine, and even if she wasn't, she wasn't going to let her friend be hurt.
The gaurd had moved to the far left end of the stage, hidden in the intense crowds. Jasmine moved her feet quickly and gracefully. He would have to be quick. Ozahi was on the ground again, this time, very slow to rise. Jasmine's confidance grew. She may actually win this thing! Than, without warning, she felt a sharp pain in her back. She quickly lost focus, and arched her back in pain. the gaurd had hit his mark. Ozahi smiled at her momentary distraction, then kicked his foot out, sending a ball of fire directly at Jasmine. The force knocked her back, and she hit the floor roughly, rolling as she landed. Zuko hurried over to her, and she was almost unconcious. A bare, fringed hole was where a patch of fabric from her dress once was. Iroh and Kera rushed over to her, and when Kera called out her name, all Jasmine did was groan.
The Fire Lord stood straight and tall, smiling at his victory. He walked over to his fallen, young oponent, and air of victory around him.
"You're a brave girl, but you don't know when to be quiet and let things be. I warned you the punishment would be swift. And I always keep my promises. Take her away."
Two gaurds came and carlessly dragged her body off of the platform, and dragged her away by her arms. Kera followed them, begging them to let her go, but Fire Nation soilders always followed orders. They passed through the doors, and vanished.
The stunned crowd turned their attention back to the platform, and back to Zuko and his father. Zuko was still on his knees, but a depth of anger was rising within him.
"How dare you hurt her?" he mumbled between clenched teeth.
"How dare I?" roared Ozahi. "You speak out of turn, you refuse to stand to a challenge, and now your servant girl must come fight for you. You will learn respect, as I promised, but you shall also learn how to be a man!"
All Zuko could remember after that was pain. Scolding, merciless, unforgetable pain.
Zuko was sent to his room with nothing more than a bandage around the burned side of his face, like a scolded child. The pain was still fresh, and it hurt to even try and blink. He was lucky that his eye wasn't lost. He curled onto his bed, so many emotions running through him. Anger, sadness, fear. His father said that he was banished. A prince banished from his own kingdom? It sounded like something out of a fairy tale. But, he could return if he captured the Avatar. The Avatar had not been seen for one hundred years. How the bloody earth was he supposed to find him? After thinking over everything that happened over the course of that day, all Zuko had left to do was cry. He cried for himself, he cried for his mother, he cried for Jasmine who Spirits knows what kind of pain she was going through right then. She might even be dead. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Zuko was tired of sages and officials coming to get a closer look at the scared prince. Even his sister, who he thought had just an ounce of kindness in her blood, came to mock him. Could he just be left alone in his misery?
"Go away!" he shouted. There was another knock.
"I said leave me alone!"
"Zuko, it is me, your uncle. Please let me in. Your wound needs to be treated..."
"No! No it doesn't! Let it fester and become infected. Maybe the Spirits will be merciful and let me die from it!" Zuko was so upset, fire roared in his head, blocking everything so all he heard was his own sadness.
"Zuko, don't think that way. I am here for you." Zuko was starting to sob now.
"Please, uncle, just leave me alone." Iroh didn't speak again. Zuko could hear him sigh deeply, then his leathered shoes descend the hall. He was alone with himself once again. He was like this for about two hours. Nothing there but his thoughts to speak to. Then, there was another knock at the door. Zuko had calmed some, and was ready to have someone to talk to.
"Who is it?" he called. There was silence. "Who's there?" he asked again, rising up into a sitting position.
"It's Jasmine."
Without thought, Zuko jumped from his bed and hurried to the door, but before he turned the nob, he rememberes what he felt when he saw Jasmine fighting for him. He felt embarrassed.
"What do you want?" he asked, sounding like a spoiled child.
"Zuko, please, just let me see you." He could hear the remnants of crying in her voice. He became a bit more concerned.
"Why? Are you hurt?"
"No, no, I'll be fine. I just need to see you. I need to know that you're okay." said Jasmine as she put her hand to the door. Zuko's shattered pride returned.
"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? I mean, with my own special body gaurd, I should be perfectly perfect, right?" The spite on his voice drove Jasmine into confusion.
"What?"
"How could you do that, Jazz? That was an Agni Kai, not some schoolyard fight! You broke an old, old law, and you should be on your knees, giving thanks to Agni that you're not dead!" He jabbed his fist into the door on the last word, causing a dark, burned spot where his fist was. He could hear something like crying on the other end. He was overcome with anger again, but at his own self for making her cry.
"Jazz, don't cry. It's alright, you did the right thing. I thank so much for even daring to defend me. i was wrong to yell at you."
"No, you're right. I was foolish and stupid. I should be signing up for novice at the Temple to start investing in the thanks I have for my life." Zuko couldn't help at laugh at this statement, but only because it was true. "This is nothing to laugh about." she said through the key hole.
"You're right, but laughing makes it easier." Soon, they were both laughing. Zuko was right, laughing did make the pain easier to bear. Jasmine sat on the floor, her legs folded under her, and her back to the door. Zuko did the same, except he had his left leg stretched out, and his right leg up where his knee was level with his chest.
After a few moments of silence, Jasmine spoke.
"Part of my punishment is that I am banished with you." Zuko rose an eybrow, well, now the only one he could raise without feeling pain.
"Oh."
"We are to find the Avatar?"
"Yep."
"Oh."
"What was the other part of your punishment?" Zuko asked. He could hear shuffling on the other side.
"You don't want to talk about it? I undertand. I don't want to talk about it either."
"Thank you. So, what now?"
"I don't know. I guess we'll wait and see."
"Okay."
They spent the rest of the evening at that door. One on one end, another on another end. They shared the same pain. They were connected by it.
