Chapter 10: A Family Trait

…

Azula: "Do the tides command this ship?"

Captain: "I'm afraid I don't understand."

Azula: "You said the tides would not allow us to bring the ship in. Do the tides command this ship?"

Captain: "No, Princess."

Azula: "And if I were to have you throw overboard, would the tides think twice about smashing you against the rocky shore?"

Captain: "No, Princess."

Azula: "Well, then maybe you should worry less about the tides that have already made up their mind about killing you, and worry more about me who's still mulling it over."

-Book 2, Chapter 1

…

Nami woke early the next morning as the pale yellow sun was just breaking through the windows of the white, three-room cottage they were renting. She inhaled, smelling the sea.

She slipped her legs out of the narrow bed and, yawning, dressed in simple, light clothes from her pack. The cottage seemed empty as she walked out and onto the sandy ground. She took a path that wound its way to the beach, and she smiled when she saw Iroh stooping over as he slowly walked, collecting shells. She walked along the beach with him in companionable quiet, helping him collect until they had a bag full.

They walked back to the cottage nestled in the cherry trees, springy green ferns, and palms. Nami walked barefoot, enjoying the sensation of the warm dirt and sand on her feet. Zuko was chewing on some toast when they walked in, and he sighed when Iroh spread on the table all they had collected.

"Look at these magnificent shells," Iroh said fondly. "I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come."

"We don't need any more useless things," Zuko grumbled. "You forget we have to carry everything by ourselves now."

"Hello, brother," came a hard voice from the shadow of the doorway. Nami whirled and lifted her arms in defense, smoke rising in delicate tendrils from her palms. She inwardly kicked herself for not hearing the intruder sneak up on them—the woman must have been incredibly quiet. Hello, brother, she had said. This must be the princess, Zuko's elder sister.

The young woman's pale, handsome face resembled Zuko's , and she would have been very beautiful if not for the dead, icy coldness in her golden eyes and the sneer on her cherry lips. Nami unwillingly lowered her arms. I must be respectful. But the young woman moved like a dangerous cat, and her fingernails were long and sharp. Something about her made Nami's hackles rise. She remained wary.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko snapped.

"In my country," the princess drawled, "we exchange a pleasant hello before asking questions." Her eyes narrowed, and Nami fought the urge to raise her arms again. The way the princess spoke and held herself spoke of power and knowledge that she had that power. She stood and crossed to them. "Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zu-zu?"

"Don't call me that," Zuko growled, watching Azula with blazing eyes as she picked up a shell from the table absently and inspected it.

"To what do we owe this honor?" Iroh asked in a measured tone. He is careful around this girl. From that, she could tell everything. She nerves coiled like springs. Perhaps this one—the elder—is Ozai's true protégé.

"Hmm," she mused in hard voice. "Must be a family trait. Both of you so eager to get to the point." As the said the last word, she dug her long nails into the shell and it splintered. Iroh scowled.

The princess shifted her gaze to Nami, only just now deigning to acknowledge her presence. "Who are you?" she demanded in a bored tone, taking in Nami's stiff posture and common clothes.

"Namura," she answered, meeting the princess's imperial gaze levelly and tacking on no 'Your Highnesses.' Azula's sharp eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Are you Fire Nation?" she demanded.

Nami nodded curtly.

"Then why aren't you bowing to your princess?" she barked, enunciating every word with a threatening bite.

Nami bowed to her handsomely from her waist, but when she looked back up, Azula's expression was unchanged.

"On the floor, peasant," she said condescendingly as if she were talking to an ignorant child.

Taking a deep breath to cool the fire that was rising inside her like acid, Nami did as she was told. Choose your battles. She prostrated herself before the princess, and only then did Azula's eyes flick back to her brother and uncle.

Zuko's eyes flashed with anger as he watched Nami lower to the ground. "That's unnecessary," he growled.

"I will decide that," she said in a voice that dared him to argue with her. The prince ground his teeth.

"I've come with a message from home," she said, her voice suddenly changing into a gentler tone. "Father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumors of plans to overthrow him. Treacherous plots. Family are the only ones you can really trust." She looked out the open window at the blossoms that glowed orange in the morning sun. "Father regrets your banishment. He wants you home." She looked back at her brother when he was silent.

"Did you hear me?" she demanded. "You should be happy. Excited. Grateful. I just gave you great news."

"I'm sure your brother just needs a moment—"

"Don't interrupt, Uncle!" she barked and went up to stand beside Zuko, peering at him with hard eyes. "I still haven't heard my thank you. I'm not a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way."

"Father regrets?" Zuko repeated, his voice horse. "He…wants me back?"

"I can see you need time to take this in," Azula said, her sharp eyes appraising. "I'll come to call on you tomorrow. Good day." She strode out.

Iroh pulled Nami up from her position on the floor, his face apologetic. "I am so sorry about that."

Nami shrugged. "It's my place to bow before the royal family, Iroh."

Iroh grimaced and shook his head wearily as if he disagreed. Zuko was still standing before the window, and Iroh walked over to put his hand on his nephew's shoulder. Zuko did not move, and after a while Nami left the room to go to the bath house.

As she lay in the hot water, rubbing a soapy cloth over her skin slowly, she could not relax. This news meant Zuko would no longer hunt the Avatar, and therefore would no longer have need of her. This was…the end of their time together.

On one hand, it rid the Avatar of an active enemy—a blessing, although she was sure Zuko's father had plenty of other people out hunting him. But the thought of parting with these two people also sent a twist of pain through her. Absurd. You've actually grown attached to General Iroh, famed ruthless dragon slayer and besieger of the Earth Kingdom, and his irritable, arrogant, thoughtless nephew, the heir apparent to the country that has ruined your life.

She would have laughed out loud if it had not been so fucked up.

Nami lowered her body until her head sunk below the water and she listened to the word become muffed as she tried not to think.

…

"We're going home," Zuko exclaimed, packing their things slowly, his face alight with hope. "After five long years! It's unbelievable."

"It is unbelievable," Iroh agreed, stroking his beard with a frown. "I have never known my brother to regret anything."

The crickets were loud from the open window Nami sat beside. She breathed in the warm, fragrant air slowly as she gazed solemnly into the evening. She did not want to admit it to herself, but she was hurt the prince was so obviously happy at this abrupt turn of events. He apparently did not care like she did that it meant they would part ways. She traced a pattern on the windowsill with her nail as the prince turned to look at Iroh with a frown.

"Did you listen to Azula? Father's realized how important family is to him. He cares about me." He sounded like he was trying to prove it not only to Iroh, but to himself as well.

"I care about you," Iroh fired back. "And if Ozai wants you back, well, I think I might not be for the reasons you imagine."

"You don't know how my father feels about me," Zuko growled, turning his back. "You don't know anything."

"Zuko…" Iroh sighed, "I only meant that in our family, things are not always what they seem."

"I think you are exactly what you seem," Zuko retorted harshly. "A lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who's always been jealous of his brother."

Nami stood suddenly like lightning, making a sharp, threatening hissing noise. Sparks crackled in palms of the arms that hung stiffly at her sides. The prince glanced at her with a deep scowl before stalking out of the room.

She sucked air in her nose and let it out in a sharp gust. Her palms cooled. Softening, she walked to Iroh and put a comforting hand on his arm.

Iroh sighed and said, "He does not mean those things. Those in our family lash out when they feel vulnerable."

"Of course he doesn't mean it," Nami replied. "How could he? He loves you. Eventually he'll learn who really loves him and who doesn't."

Iroh's eyes met hers. They both had their suspicions about Azula's news.

Nami walked over to her pack on the table. She picked at it. Iroh said from behind her, "I do not think it has sunk in yet for him that this means you will not be with us anymore."

Not turning, she shrugged as if she did not care. "It was fun while it lasted. Though I am going to miss you two." She turned to give the old man a fond look. "You're good entertainment at the very least."

Iroh smiled, though it did not reach his eyes. He watched as her good humor faded from her features as she began to pack what little she had and then as she walked back over to sit beside the window and rub absently at the peeling paint on the sill again.

She headed to bed a little while after, as did Iroh. The prince returned later in the night and finished packing to leave in the morning before he too went to bed.

…

Zuko stood from his hurried breakfast and shouldered his pack. He glanced at Nami's small pack of belongings lying against the wall and frowned.

"Where is she?" he asked Iroh who was sitting in the window seat Nami had occupied most of last night.

"She was gone when I woke this morning," he replied.

"I don't want to have to go look for her! She knows we're going to leave soon." He walked angrily to the door and peered out, glancing around for her.

Iroh looked back out the window and did not reply.

Zuko sighed, lowering his pack. "She's so much trouble!" he exclaimed, walking out the door and onto a path up the rocky hill that was littered with pink and white petals.

He found her where they had sat together the night before last. She was leaning against the same tree, looking out to sea and twirling a large cherry blossom in her fingers.

"We're leaving, Nami," he said as he got to her. When she neither moved nor looked at him, he added in a more commanding voice, "Come on."

She got up and walked briskly in front of him down the path and back to the pleasant little cottage they had been staying in. When she had her things, Zuko led her and Iroh along another path that led to the end of a rocky decline at the bottom of which Azula's ship waited in the small, circular bay.

Zuko began to descend the stone steps but stopped when he realized neither Nami nor Iroh were following. He looked back at them and was confused to see Iroh embracing the young woman. He patted her back and they pulled apart.

"I hope to see you again, Namura," he rumbled. He sniffed unhappily. Nami nodded and smiled tightly. She patted him gently on the upper arm when she saw a fat tear leak out one of his eyes.

"What's going on?" the prince demanded, walking back up to them. Nami looked at him and her eyebrows twitched.

"I'm not coming with you, Zuko."

Zuko blinked twice. "What? But…"

"You're going home. You no longer need to capture the Avatar, and that is what you hired me to help you do, is it not?" She smiled tightly, concealing the unexpectedly acute pain twisting in her chest.

"But…" He blinked some more as her meaning sunk in. His expression changed and her heart hitched to see the anxiety there. Pain of loss was in his eyes.

"Won't you…won't you come with us back to the Fire Nation?"

Nami shook her head slowly. "No, Zuko."

"But…" he murmured again. "So…what? You're just going to go? Just like that?"

"There's no reason for me to go to the Fire Nation."

The prince steeled his expression, and after a tense moment, replied, "Well, alright, then. Goodbye."

Nami's lips pinched tightly. She bowed to him and he nodded stiffly in response.

"Goodbye, Prince Zuko," she murmured formally. She slipped the cherry blossom she was carrying into Iroh's hand and patted his hand once, giving him a small, respectful bow as well. Without a last glance at the stoic prince, Nami turned away and began walking in the other direction.

Zuko stared after her for a long moment. His face was impassive, but Iroh could see the chaos of pain and conflict in his golden eyes. Then the prince turned his back as well, and Iroh followed him down the long, winding pathway to the dock.

This is wrong, Nami thought as her feet fell rhythmically on the soft ground. That she might never see the two of them again? That this partnership was cut by the strings with just a few words from Zuko's sister? That the prince could go back to his former life without looking back as if five years being banished from his home had never happened?

Nami scrunched up her nose to dispel the sting on the bridge of her nose that threatened tears. She would not ask to say with the prince. Her pride would not allow it. And there was still work to be done. Before I'd met the little boy, I never dreamed the Avatar could seem so small and vulnerable. He needs protectors. She would find him and work to keep him safe from the soldiers of fire.

And if my path crosses Zuko's again as he works with his father and sister to destroy our hope for balance…I will pretend he never meant a thing to me.

Something inside her was aching viciously, and so she stopped walking along the edge of the crest to take a rest. The bay was still in her sights and she felt her eyes drawn to it inescapably. She watched the progress of the two red-and-black forms that were Iroh and Zuko move in and out of sight as they traversed the winding path downward.

Zuko will go back to his throne under Ozai and become a twisted, power-hungry tyrant himself someday.

Her grip on the wooden fence tightened. Her knuckles turned white. Pressing her lips together, she watched as Zuko and Iroh walked up the dock and met another little red-and-black dot that was likely Princess Azula.

The soldiers lined up behind them as Azula walked up the ramp to the deck of the ship, Zuko and Iroh following behind another dot that was probably the commander. The figures stopped and were still for a few moments, then Nami blinked as Iroh began to move in a strange way. She squinted and realized he was…fighting Azula's soldiers. Why? What is going on?!

While Iroh was busy with that, Zuko fought his way past the commander and went up to his sister. Nami stood, helpless and far away, as she watched Zuko firing fireblasts at the princess. Azula nimbly defended herself without even firebending. Nami's eyes darted to the pathway winding behind her across the and down to the bay. It's too far. Everything will be over by then.

The prince and princess fought along the deck of the ship. Nami squinted to watch. Suddenly, there was a flash of blue light from Azula and Nami sucked in her breath. Lightning was a unique kind of firebending that was extremely dangerous. It was much more difficult to control and more deadly. She herself had never even attempted to summon it.

Azula did a strange swooping move with her arms, and there was a flare of electric blue lightening that followed her fingertips as she gathered the force in, preparing to strike at her brother. At the last moment, Iroh ran up to the raised platform on the deck on which she was standing, grabbed her hand, and whipped his arm up and away from his nephew, channeling the lightening away from them all. The jet crackled toward the side of the rocky cliffs on the eastern edge of the bay and hit the rocks with an explosion, dirt and rocks flying and dropping heavily into the water below.

Iroh then kicked Azula right off the side of her own ship. She fell into the water as he and Zuko sprinted away, across the dock, and back up the winding trail. As they reached the top of the ridge, Nami lost sight of them, but the trail went her way, so she was pretty sure they would come across her.

Sure enough, they came barreling out of the cherry trees straight toward her.

"What was that?" she implored, throwing her hands up.

"Don't talk—run!" Iroh exclaimed as they blew past her. She sprinted to keep up, surprised at the time the old man was making.

"One of you will have to tell me later!" she cried, ducking below a low-hanging birch branch.

"Fine!" Zuko hollered. "Just keep up!"

"Of course I can keep up," she snapped, insulted.

Zuko made an unintelligible noise and that was it for conversation as they flew along the path.

Finally, Iroh moved away from the path and they collapsed beside a stream. "I think we're safe here," he said, taking heaving breaths.

Zuko got his breath back and then slipped something out of his pack and held it up to his top knot. It was a long silver knife with an inscription Nami could not read from this angle. He held it to his hair for a moment and then ran it through, slicing off the ceremonial style. He handed the knife to Iroh, who did the same with his shorter, gray top knot. They dropped the discarded hair into the stream and watched solemnly as the pieces drifted away.

Zuko looked to his side at Nami and blinked at her.

"Have you been…crying?" he asked in a bewildered tone.

"I just ran half a mile," she snapped, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "They watered from the wind."

"Oh," he replied slowly.

"I think my left one might've caught a little bug in it as well. I had no idea Iroh could haul it so fast." She smirked briefly at her joke, glancing at Zuko's uncle and then away again, not meeting the prince's eyes.

Zuko watched her with eyes that saw through her for once. She turned her face fully away from him, and after a few moments, he looked away also.