Chp 6.

Hours before…

Anonymous P.O.V. :

Closing the door she sat on the floor board. Mismatched pieces of paper and globs of dried glue sat on the floor alongside her. A lighted candle burned with the hot intensity of her hope. As she hoped that her loved one would come back to her.

Grabbing her book she looked at the enchantment's ingredient mixture.

A hair of she/he's relative

Using the hair she had managed to get earlier, she set it in the circle, under the pile of earth and above the bowl of rice.

Looking down she found that all she was missing was the main element: The blood of a demon

"Argh!" she shoved the book onto the ground, in result making the lock of hair shift slightly out of the circles radius. But she didn't notice. She stomped her way past the witchcraft, thinking that she shouldn't have trusted that blasted lady seated at the foot of the black market.

Everything was in her reach. Food. Money. A respectable husband. More Money.

Yet the thing she wanted most was out of her reach. All because of one simple predicament, but that wasn't going to stop her.

If all she needed was the blood of a Demon. She was going to get one.

She looked out of her window directing her gaze to the full moon. During fall, the moon hinted the color red, the color of blood. Farmers called it the harvest moon, because it would be the best time to grow their crops. But her, she called it the scarlet moon, the moon that would bring her hope, the moon that would get her demon.

"Priestess," Hiro called her from outside the door. "Priestess, it is time for you to see Fire Lord Iroh."

"I am coming."

Yes, she thought, I am coming my love- one way or another.

Kahealani:

Walking outside to the patio I sat on the edge of the railing, and waited for Iroh to finish his second meeting with the Prince of hatred. Already I've gotten stern looks from his friends and been spit on by a lemur. Yea, I'm guessing they don't like me either…

"Miss," a deep voice rumbled behind me. I turned around and found a young man covered in vibrant orange and red fabric. His entire body was something a sculpture would envy- chiseled face and defined muscles that showed everything even underneath all that cloth.

"I'm Aa-" he started but I cut him off, wanting to get as far away from him as I could- as politely as I could. They may not like me, but like hell I was going to be the one to give in first.

"I know who you are." As in the man who killed my father? Yes I know you just fine…

"Oh, right… Avatar…. Have to remember that." he muttered, rubbing the back his neck. I concentrated hard on my breathing, trying to keep myself calm.

"What do you want?" I sighed, he looked maybe my age? And he killed my father that was what? A middle-aged man? Just breathe Kahea….. In and Out…

"I wanted to say… sorry." I met his grayish-charcoal eyes. "Sorry?" I asked taking a deep breath. I smelt… his aftershave, but he was drenched with irritation.

"Yes. I. Am. Sorry. But I did it for the greater good-" No… No… Kahea Breathe… Don't let his irritation mix in with your own…

Throughout all his talking, and trust me this boy liked to talk a lot, all I seemed to hear was, "-he was an evil man, Kahea."

"JUST…. Just STOP! Stop talking so much-" I stalked towards him and he unconsciously moved back, until I had him up against a wall, "-stop trying to talk to me like I'm some petulant child! Let me tell you something, Avatar. I. Know. My. Father. But even if he did go insane is it still humane for you to murder him-" he stared straight at me like I wasn't even there and it irked me even more "-You sparred Ozai, why couldn't you spar my father!"

"Your father? Who is your father?" I think my head just exploded…

"You… I can't even… are you that dense-" I stuttered, trying to regain my balance.

"I was apologizing for this morning… what are you talking about? I haven't killed anyone!" Now he was angry, he pushed himself off the wall, and we stared at each other head-to-head…well more like head-to-shoulder.

"I am a humble monk. I have murdered no one!"

Zuko:

I looked for Jasmine, to smooth over the rough patches we have in the short time I've met her I told myself. I found her standing outside on the patio with Aang.

What is he doing here?

She shook her black hair, reminding me of a sea-hawks talons flowing in the wind when searching for prey.

She was like a sea-hawk in some ways- brilliant eyed, hot tempered, a wild animal both wounded and vicious.

I walked carefully towards them and decided, over my better judgment, to hide behind the flowing curtains which also gave me the perfect spot to hear exactly what they were saying.

"You don't even remember do you?" she asked, her face was beat-red and her eyes were the darkest blue I've ever seen.

"I swear on Agni's word that I have killed no one!" Aang's voice was as stern as his posture. She turned out towards the edge of patio and held onto the railing like it was the only thing keeping her from staying on the ground.

"He was a General. He went to the North Pole and used the Moon spirit to his advantage."

"You mean... That your father… is General Zhao?"

Aang:

Iroh told me nothing of this. Why didn't he warn me?

Kahea turned around, and held her head high. "Yes, and you killed him." Her eyes were a deep blue that held sadness beyond compare. But, she looked nothing like him.

Adopted? Right, like the Monks and I- a family of strangers, but that didn't matter, we were still family.

She stared at me and I stared back. She did look like him in some ways I guess; they had the same regal stance and arrogant demeanor.

"I didn't kill him though… I mean-"I tried to sort out what had happened that night, but it was all just a blur "-back then I couldn't control the Avatar State like I can now. It just took over." My whole way of life, the whole reason why I didn't kill Ozai was because it was immoral. But now, I don't even know what… I dishonored my religion; I disrespected my elders and my entire way of life.

"You think you're so damn powerful?" she remarked moving past me, but I caught her by her arm.

"No, I don't. I believe… I know what I did was wrong, but Kahea there is nothing I can do about that now. I would tell you I'm sorry, but I know you don't believe me-"she tried to wiggle out of my grasp but I wouldn't let go "-and that's okay, for now. Though, we are going to work this out one way or another."

She turned her head towards mine and I was met with a cold glassy stare of her almost-black eyes, "You mean before or after you decide to kill me too, Avatar."

Zuko:

Zhao's dead? I suspected but, was that what they were talking about this morning?

She's Zhao's daughter.

Zhao's daughter…. My worst enemy's daughter…

"You mean before or after you decide to kill me too, Avatar." Her voice was strikingly flat and her expression-filled eyes were as dark as the night sky. I shivered, she was… almost scary- I mean for a little girl, she was… intense.

And coming from me that means something.

"Hello." I said when I reached a good enough space between the two of them- so that I still had the upper advantage and yet could still be heard.

They both whipped around and I saw Aang let go of her arm. "What?" it was Aang who addressed me first.

"I need her for a second. Commander wants to talk with you about training." I looked at her and only her, not feeling the pulsing glare I got from Aang as he realized that I must have been there the entire time.

"Ok, let's go." She looked almost relieved as she rushed towards me. We started to walk away, until Aang called out, "I'll be seeing you again, Jasmine." Out of the corner of my eye I saw her wipe something from her face.

I felt a flash of anger towards him that I could barely see straight. She's crying. But I shouldn't care right? She's just a girl.

But, she's my girl, a voice whispered in my head.

"Are you okay?" My voice was frighteningly retrained; taking my anger towards Aang out on her would just scare her even more.

She looked at me startled, "Just fine, I mean don't I look it?" Her face was stained with tears as she tried to give a condescending smile, and there was a bruise on her left arm. The same place where Aang had touched her…

I am going to kill him.

She sighed unsteadily, "Can I ask you something?"

Surprised I answered, "Fine."

"Can we …. Start over? Let's just forget what I did this morning." she sounded exasperated.

"-I mean I guess I'm going to be here a while and I don't want everyone hating me," she continued.

"I know what you mean." I muttered, thinking of my own situation.

"Is that alright with you?" I looked at her eyes; I just couldn't keep my own off hers. She looked so innocent in that second.

I stopped in my tracks and glared. She stopped in her own and her big eyes, seemed to get bigger.

I put my hand out, "Fire Prince Zuko. Thank you for saving my life."

She smirked that half-smile of hers and grabbed my un-gloved hand, "Jasmin- I mean Kahealani, but everyone just calls me Kahea." I felt that odd magnetic urge to make even more contact with her skin, but I shook it off.

Her hands weren't cursed like the others, being touched by her felt like something that I wanted to feel, but something that I won't even admit to myself… that I needed.

During this morning meetings' all I could think about was what she did or was doing to make her hands the way they were.

But something I've noticed was that it was almost a small dulling pain to be without contact from her for a long time. It was like a dose of a drug that I was having withdrawal from.

"Nice to meet you,"

Kahea:

He held onto my hand for an awkward amount of time, but I didn't care. His touch was nice. It felt so familiar. It was warm and comforting; his hand was callused from years of battle and handy-work. I had the strangest urge to pull up his sleeves and fell more of him…. weird… Though, he was extremely handsome but, I don't even know him.

"There you two are, I've been looking everywhere!" A middle-aged man, in Fire-nation armor, walked up to us, and Zuko let go putting his hand behind his back. I mean not that I was looking at his backside or anything…

"Eer… Commander Wang. Wang this is Jasmin- I mean Kahealani."

"Nice to meet you," I said, politely.

"Wow, aren't you a looker! Haha, well you seem to be…. fit for the training I'm going to put you through." He said with a wrinkly smile, that reminded me of that old servant from home, he who seemed to take care of me more than my actual family did.

I wonder how he's doing? Maybe I should go back to the island, now that there are no more threats. I wonder if bodyguards get vacations….

"Fire Prince Zuko, was my apprentice at one point you know?" Commander Wang, but as he wanted everyone to call him- Wang - informed me when Zuko and I started to eat lunch in the private corridors of his office.

"Really, because I'm trying to imagine that in my head and I'm having a really hard time." I told him truthfully. Wang was a carefree man and Zuko… well he was very…stringent.

"Well believe it! Prince Zuko, my crew, and I scoured the entire Earth Kingdom looking for…" Wang said, his voice dying as he got to the end of his sentence.

"What did you look for? Buried Treasure?" I joked, but no one was laughing.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I looked Zuko's way to ask him what happened, but once I found those golden hued eyes -red and tired, fringed with jet black lashes it took my breath away.

It was like seeing an angel cry. The saddest thing you have ever seen but still you can't look away. He looked very, noble. His face was chiseled and I remembered his high cheekbones and alabaster skin. But now as he was hunched over his bowl of Gook he looked bigger than I remember.

"We were looking for my mother." Your mother?

"What happened to her?" I asked, knowing all to well of runaway mothers and trying to get them back.

"My father banished her after she murdered my grandfather to protect my livelihood."

"Oh," was all I could muster.

Good going Kahea…. Now why don't you shove his head in his meal and kick his dog while you're at it? Well first I would have to find out if he has a dog….

"Did you find her?" I asked, but then decided to shut my mouth with Gook. You are digging a very deep hole Kahea… Very Deep.

But Zuko surprised me and smiled. Well, almost smiled- it was like his mouth was twitching as he answered me with a small "Not yet."

I liked that he was determined. He was very inspirational; I guess the word would be.

"Well Wang, when are we going to start this so called training?"

"Does now sound good?" he asked as I washed my bowl into the sink.

"Do you need me, Zuko?" I asked, putting my dish in the pile of wet plates. He looked astonished, but shook his head I guess clearing some thought. "No I am fine. Go ahead."

"Good Good. Let's go!" Wang said, grabbing my shoulders and pulling me away from the dirty dishes.

"Wait- I'm not done."

"That is what servants are for Kahea, now come on!"

Do you like my mysterious character? I'll give you a cookie if you can figure who it is!