Chapter 3

Zuko hauled the unconscious man onto the waiting ostrich horse, slapping the animal from behind to start its return to the castle. As he hauled himself onto his own mount, he had to admit that with any other opponent, Sokka would have been a formidable fighter. The insensible warrior never knew that Zuko was Piandao's longest student. It was one of the few things the royal had to thank his father for.

That last minute distraction had been his downfall.

What was Katar?

It was unlike the disciplined warrior to be distracted. What had drawn his attention?

Knowing he had no time to dwell on it, Zuko beckoned to his mount to find the missing woman. Her ostrich horse's footprints were faint but he could track a falcon on a cloudy day.

The prince emerged from the tree line onto a picturesque clearing. Tall evergreen trees allowed beams of sunlight to filter in, painting the world in green and gold. A lone figure knelt by the shore of a clear lake.

He dismounted intending to give her an earful on leaving so suddenly, but the sight of the woman dressed in red stopped all of his thoughts.

Her bare shoulders were devoid of the crimson stripes, and the royal had obviously interrupted her after she had just washed her face. She was younger than Zuko had realized with features so similar to the Avatar's Steward. All Water Tribesmen look similar with their dark skin and hair, but her eyes. He had never seen another with eyes so bright.

A lone drop of water trickled from her soft cheekbone down her smooth neck. The man felt himself growing warm, as if he downed a bowlful of fire flakes. His hand itched to trace the bead of water's path.

"You beat Sokka?" The surprise in her voice was evident.

Zuko snapped back, "There's more to me than meets the eye. Don't think you know me from first sight."

Severe blue eyes narrowed at him. "I see a boy with issues running away from his responsibilities."

Th-That was unexpected, he thought with bewilderment.

"It's not true!" the shaggy haired man bit out. "I'm not running away from anything!"

The woman smiled unnervingly, "Uh huh. You just wanted to escape the kitchens to avoid scrubbing the pots and pans!"

Golden eyes widened with relief. That's right. She wasn't talking about his royal duties.

"What's your story? Why did you leave when Sokka caught up to us?" Zuko ventured, changing the subject.

A graceful curve of her shoulder arched up as she shrugged. "The Steward is a busy man with no time to waste on missions one of his knights could do." She pointed with an accusing finger towards the taller, pale man. "You on the other hand are a nobody from the kitchens who probably cheated to beat Sokka in a fight!"

Her face transformed from accusation to concern, "What did you do to Sokka? Is he hurt?"

"I knocked him out when his guard was down. He'll probably have a headache when he wakes up but he's on his way back to the castle," Zuko bit out still fuming from her slight.

A quiet sigh, "Oh thank La. He always did have a hard head."

Zuko frowned. The woman almost seemed visibly relieved for Sokka's welfare.

"Do you know him? You look similar, my Lady."

Dark hair and dark skin, a common trait to the Water Tribesmen, but there was something more between the pair. Identical facial structures and their way in speaking maybe spoke of kinsmen, but then again no one knew he and Azula was related until it was pointed out to them. Their personalities were like fire and, well, hotter fire.

His companion shook her head, "He is from the Chieftain's clan while I am from a family of no distinction, so you can stop calling me 'Lady.' I am only my mistress' maid, and if I want to make it back to her in time, I can't waste my time chatting with you!"

Ah there was that viper's tongue again.

"Well you never told me your name, and you came dressed just like the Painted Lady, so until you do, that's what I'll call you," he snarled out.

The woman gaped openly at him in wonder, "You know of the Painted Lady? She's only spoken about in old Water Tribe legends."

Zuko nodded. "She was in a few of the scrolls in the library when I was growing up."

In all honesty, it was the woman's unearthly beauty illustrated in the scroll that drew him to her story. As he read her tale, the spirit's kind exploits towards the poor caused Zuko to be interested in a gentler rule than his father's harsh reign. From her he discovered the Blue Spirit and both seemed to be a matched pair in benevolence.

"A library? What would a kitchen boy be doing in a library?" The woman emulating the mystical water spirit questioned him.

The taller man thought quickly to cover his slip. "My master was kind and allowed me access to scrolls as long as I got my work done."

That was an obvious lie, she thought, but the position of the sun signaled that now was not the time to interrogate him.

"I don't have time to deal with you. Do whatever you want, but I have to take the path that crosses the Black Knight's realm and I don't want to get caught out there."

Zuko frowned. "Then that gives me even more reason to go with you. You need protection."

"I can take care of myself! I'd been on my own for ages before that horrible woman stole-"

Her torrent of words was cut short by a gasp, and to the man's horror she clawed at her neck in an attempt to breathe again. The blue eyed woman dropped to her knees as her fit passed, as he gripped her slim shoulders with alarm.

His hands are warm, she thought as she recovered. The brunette imagined she would never be rid of the cold that encircled her frozen land or her spirit.

"Are you ok? What was that?" the worried man asked her.

She couldn't remember the last time someone looked upon her with concern. It had been too long. She couldn't allow anyone to get close to her.

"I'm fine," she rasped in a voice now similar to his own. Despite her convulsion, she climbed onto her ostrich horse, and started off without looking back at her companion.

Women these days, Zuko muttered before doing the same.

ATLAATLAATLAATLAATLA

The pair rode in silence, the girl never turning to address him or stopping to rest.

Zuko was about to call a halt to their travel when they rode through a thick hedge of flowering bushes only to encounter a sturdy wooden building. Its triangular roof had a large black banner draped across its eaves. A golden fan was the standard's only spot of color.

Where had he seen that emblem before?

"Turn back now," intoned the Painted Lady as she admonished him. "The Black Knight is very protective of the surrounding lands and only pays homage to the Red Knight who aggravates my mistress. Any trespasser will be challenged to a battle." She looked upon him from head to toe. "You might have been lucky against Sokka, but this is one fight where you will not win."

The man snorted with irritation. Did everything out of this harridan's mouth have to be an insult?

"I can take on any challenge," he said with arrogance.

The blue eyed woman only smirked at him. "You go on ahead then. I'm going to continue riding so I don't waste my time watching you lose." She clicked her tongue to her mount and pressed her transport on through the woods.

Now that he was alone, Zuko let out a scream of frustration. He expelled a cloud of heated steam through his nose allowing his bottled up fury a small respite. The scarred man thought by taking the nameless' woman's quest he would have an opportunity to hone his blade, but her sharp tongue may have been too much for him.

There was a golden shield hung upon a sturdy tree branch, so he took his sword and rapped it once upon the shining disc. A clear sound rang from the object, and a figure stepped out from the structure's door as he sheathed his weapon.

Dressed in long robes of dark green and clad with black armor on top, a low voice demanded, "Who has come to challenge the Kyoshi Tribe?"

The Black Knight was a woman?! Oh wait, now he remembered. The Kyoshi Warriors were based off of Avatar Kyoshi, a fierce woman who fought enemies with blade and fan.

Zuko stepped forward, his hands raised in the air clearly away from his sword.

"I have come on the behalf of a woman who says you serve the Red Knight."

The person nodded. Their face, painted heavily with white makeup and dark eyes and lashes, was a mask just as intricate as his Blue Spirit one. A katana and a folded fan rested within ease of the fighter's grip. She seemed to be Kyoshi incarnate.

With courage, the young man continued on, "I ask that you stop harassing those that pass through your lands, and come with me to Lord Aang's castle so he can pass his judgment on you."

A wide smile graced dark red lips. "You dare give an order to a Kyoshi warrior? I have been made strong through my master, and I have never been defeated."

There was something wrong with her voice. A dark crow cawed overhead.

Zuko sent a wave of his chi towards the girl. He had a brief image of a blank face standing behind her like a puppeteer. He barely had time to take a defensive position before she lashed out with her deadly golden weapon.