WHOOPS! waited a little too long to update! MY BAD!

ok: so i have noticed an increase in alerts! thanks everyone! you rock!

soooo...can a few more ppl leave a review? feedback is generally nice- even if it's simply something like stating that you liked a certain part of the story. if you don't want to review, then that's fine too. i'm just whining...haha

alrighty! enjoy this installment! now that Zuko and Briar have gotten a tad intimate...what's gonna happen next? to be honest- i'm not even sure yet. lol

-TSA

Chapter 10:

"Obviously, in dealing with a relationship, sexuality has to be involved, and jealousy and emotions like that. And I don't know, I've always been intrigued by those emotions."Adrian Lyne

"You seem to be in a good mood, Nephew."

Zuko shrugged, hiding the tiny smirk that was pulling at his lips. He continued cleaning off the tables. Of course, he was in a good mood. Leaning against the wall to stare out the window, he closed his eyes to savor the sweet taste of her lips that had burned itself into him. He watched a vender set up her flower stand, and a thought hit him. He was certainly hoping that Briar would stop by.

"Uncle, what kind of flowers do girls usually like?"

Iroh chuckled as quietly as he could, "Depends on the girl."

Zuko grinned, his mind lost to the splendor of her skin against his, "She's a warrior, though a princess. She claims to be the 'thorn'…" He sighed, "…but that's only when her defense is up."

"Then roses."

Zuko glanced over at his uncle, blushing a little, "Do you figure I could get them sent to her at the palace?"

"I'm sure that young lady will be stopping by."

Iroh smiled as Zuko walked outside, his earnings in his pocket. He wasn't sure what Briar had done, but he wasn't going to complain. Shuffling into the backroom, he began to brew a pot of ginseng tea that reminded him of Hikaru. His thoughts did not drift too far when the shop owner strolled in with a letter in his hands.

"There's a letter for you."

Iroh lifted a brow while staring at Briar's royal seal, "Wonder what this could be…?"

Breaking it open, he pulled out the letter and began to read over the lopsided calligraphy, but it didn't take away from the joy of having received a letter from Hikaru. But her words were urgent and offered little comfort to the current situation.

My Dearest,

Things have taken a turn for the worse. I had refrained from telling you or your nephew this, though my motives make no sense. Briar has been promised to Lord Chronos, the ruler of a bordering city. I had insisted that she take more responsibility for her engagement, but you know teenagers. I regret to tell you that he knows of her disappearance and he's on his way to Ba Sing Se to hunt her down. Now, I can only hope that you will not be dragged into this matter.

I don't know where her and your nephew's relationship has gone, but I think it wise to separate them. She can't be responsible for broken hearts, though I blame her for trying to make something out of their acquaintanceship. She knew from the beginning that she would be marrying Lord Chronos and I apologize for her behavior. There is no justice for the broken hearted, and so much of me hopes that he has kept up his stubborn streak with her.

But things get worse. Lord Chronos believes that Briar has committed treason to the Earth Kingdom. I can't imagine this and I refuse to read the letter that he claims is proof. It's overwhelming me each night I stare at the damn thing. I have a feeling I've been wrong about my niece's intentions, and I think it best to tell you that she has lied about her reason for traveling to Ba Sing Se, though I know not what her real reason was. And if this betrayal is true then I have lost her.

As for me, I know you would ask, I am currently being held captive by Chronos' army that is stationed in the city. I am under watch at all times of the day, which is particularly irritating. Ulysses, Chronos' adviser, follows me every time I leave my chambers. I don't know what this lord expects to gain from finding Briar, but I fear that she will be "put in her place". It is as you said "She's too free spirited and too strong for any normal fellow." But I think she has met her match.

I apologize for the cruelties of my letter. I wish that my power went beyond diplomatic practices. But enough of the bad news…This palace is certainly lonely, though that's nothing new. You just had a way of battling the emptiness. It's true when I say that I miss you, though no matter the prayers, I understand the boundaries that will forever separate us. I've never been one to give up without a fight- Old age has made me senile.

My dearest wishes go to you and I hope that my niece hasn't brought a misfortune down on you and your nephew.

-Hikaru

Iroh folded the letter up, a tiny tear trickling from the corner of his eye. Stowing the parchment away, he heard the whistling of his pot of tea and decided to pour himself a cup, though each sip was harder to drink. What would she expect him to do? He should have known that Briar's name was as it meant- thorn. Shaking his head, he saw Zuko walk back into the teashop with four red roses bundled up by a gold ribbon. The sight of his nephew's dazed smile forced another tear from his eye.

But he composed himself as Zuko walked into the backroom.

"I didn't have enough for a bouquet, but I think these are enough." Zuko set them down on the counter, "I just hope she comes by later."

"Are you pursuing something with the young lady?" Iroh replied.

Zuko shrugged, "I don't know uncle. There are things about her that annoy me, sure! But…" He ran his fingers along the rose petals, "…it felt so right."

"What felt right, Nephew?"

Zuko blushed, "W-Well…k-kissing…her."

Iroh feigned a smile, "So, it was a date?"

"No-Not really!" Zuko's face was a deep scarlet, "Things just…happened."

Upon hearing the door to the teashop open, Zuko scrambled out of the room to see if luck was on his side. But it was just another customer, a cute girl with brown hair that Zuko had often seen in the shop. He gave her a nod as a 'hello'; too busy roaming through his thoughts about Briar to notice the shy smile on her lips.

"Could I get a ginseng tea?" she asked quietly.

Zuko lazily replied while telling his uncle the order. Drumming his fingers on the counter, he was off to the far corners of his mind with the image of her standing in the moonlight; the gold seams of her dress glinting like coins under a watery grave. When he handed her the cup of tea, she was still standing at the counter, eyes dancing around the room and ever so often falling on his face.

"What's your name?" she asked.

Zuko's brow knitted, reality smacking him upside the head, "It's Lee. My uncle and I just moved here."

"It's nice to meet you, Lee." She smiled, "I'm Jin, and, well, I was wondering if you would like to go out sometime?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm sort of-"

"He would love to!"

Zuko smacked himself on the forehead as his uncle barreled out of the backroom and swung an arm around his shoulders, mouth engulfing his face in a smile. His eyes were wide and his jaw taut while he tried to scramble for a way to evade this turn of events.

"Great!" Jin blushed, "I'll meet you out front the shop at sundown."

As she took her tea and sat down, Zuko grabbed his uncle and threw him into the backroom, closing the door so no one would hear him, "What was that for?"

"I'm simply helping you." Iroh began cleaning the dishes in the sink, "You need to get out more."

Zuko threw his hands up in the air, "But I'm sort of with Briar!"

"What you told me is that you don't know if you'll pursue it." Iroh shrugged, "So, you're not tied down until you commit to her."

"But what if she sees me with Jin? How am I supposed to get out of that?"

"I doubt the young lady will be venturing out into the Lower Ring."

Zuko glanced over at the roses, his eyes drooping sadly, "Uncle, I just bought her roses…"

. . . .

Briar danced around her room, amazed at the gown the Earth King had tailored for her. It was the finest silk in the land and the darkest green she'd ever seen. It was fitted to every curve, every gesture, every twirl, every step- She was enchanted by its astounding quality. Picking up a pendant necklace, she strung it around her neck and watched as the jade stone fell into the valley of her breasts where the dress was cut low. She smiled, hands touching her tattoo, as she thought of how gently Zuko's lips pressed to the tender skin.

She painted her lips with a deep red, shaking away her thoughts. There was a comfort to them, yes, but she knew what was to be done. But that didn't stop her from enjoying an embrace or two. It was what she had been after in the beginning, though plans had changed a thousand times. At the moment, she needed to retrieve something that was no longer in her possession. Twirling around one last time, she smiled at the perfection of her image.

Walking from her chambers, she strolled through the palace, assembling a few Dai Li officers to accompany her on her trek to the Lower Ring. It was already sundown, but she figured a little surprise for Zuko wouldn't be too out of question. Her hope was that he was in a daze about their minor tangle (as she, herself, was). Dismissing the officers once she neared the teashop, she saw something that made her skin turn cold.

Briar's hand pressed to her heart, though it wasn't aching in sadness. No. It burned with jealousy, far beyond the comprehension of any normal human. Stepping into the shadows, she rested against the alley wall, knowing well that the Dai Li were watching each of her movements. She couldn't even allow for one tear to fall. He wasn't worth that. Her little game was halted, though for some reason, it hurt more than she was willing to admit.

"Tsk, tsk…"

She chose not to turn around, knowing exactly who was behind her, "I thought I told you to lie low."

"You told me to find proof." Jet hid himself in the shadows, watching as the Dai Li officers stationed themselves on the roofs, "I just couldn't help noticing your minor setback."

"This is nothing but a meaningless obstacle."

Jet took her hand, pulling her further into the shadows, arms hooking around her shoulders while he pressed kisses to her neck, "But it hurts, doesn't it?"

Briar sighed, eyes cast to the ground, "Can I hurt when he's happy?"

"Such a shame that he's found something new…But it's not like you ever tangoed with him." Jet smirked as he saw a tear trickle down her cheek. He tenderly kissed it away, "Oh, damn, Baby. I hadn't realized you were intimate-"

Briar shoved him backward, furiously wiping the tears from her eyes with her sleeve, "Just shut up, Jet. You don't understand anything."

"But I do!" His arms encompassed her waist, his lips nestling behind her ear as he whispered to her, "No one likes to be alone. Intimate or not, he was something special to ya."

Why was he right?

She sniffled, eyes lost to boiling tears that soon cascaded down her cheeks. But she was just overreacting! It wasn't like he had kissed this other girl! Shoving Jet backward, she gathered up the skirt of her dress and decided her only course of action was to follow them and confront Zuko. She didn't have time for her knight to be straying too far across the board. She glanced over her shoulder as she strolled down the street, relieved that Jet had left her alone.

It felt like hours as she meandered through the empty streets of the Lower Ring. She came to the fountain where she had walked with Zuko, sitting down on the edge to rest her feet. Kicking her shoes off, she rubbed her aching arches that weren't pleased with the heeled sandal she had chosen. Sighing heavily, she stared at her reflection in the water, less than happy with her bloodshot eyes that had cried too many tears. Untying her hair from its twist, she watched it curl around her face and roll down past her shoulders. A pretty face in the water's rippling waves…

Voices soon interrupted her thoughts. Rushing off to hide behind the closest building, she watched with curiosity as Zuko appeared with Jin pulling him along. Her heart was thundering as they conversed and soon Jin's eyes were closed. Her gaze softened as Zuko quickly set ablaze the lanterns in and around the fountain, the light a glorious sight. She smiled as best she could while musing on how graceful and gentle his bending was.

But what happened next made her wish she had never gone after him. She could have been ignorant. When that girl stood up on her toes and pressed a kiss to Zuko's lips, Briar stumbled backward, covering her mouth to avoid a choking sob being heard. Watching as Zuko returned her gesture, she decided enough was enough. Rushing down the street, she ran as far as she could until she was well out of sight to start crying. She was back at the teashop having forgotten her shoes.

She sat down on the teashop steps, knees tucked to her chest as she stared at the dusty road. Her tears had dried and now she was just waiting for the chance that Zuko would walk by. She was tempted to pound him into the dirt again, but her only fear was ruining her dress, something so materialistically useless. As she closed her eyes, she heard footsteps creaking on the wooden steps she was seated on. Looking up, she swallowed her pride to let him see her defeated stare.

"I bought something for you today…" Zuko muttered, handing her forgotten shoes to her.

Briar laughed spitefully, "You sure you didn't just give it to that girl?"

"It was a date-"

"Of course." She rose to her feet, "That was impressive bending. I hadn't realized that you were willing to risk your identity to get a kiss."

She began to walk off, but Zuko grabbed her wrist and held her back, "That's not fair-"

"What's the point of being fair? Being fair means everyone wins, and we know that in life that doesn't happen."

"This isn't about winning or losing." He fought against her as she struggled to break his grip on her wrist, "Why don't you let me show you what I bought you-?"

She lashed out, fingertips curled down so they tore apart his cheek. He stumbled backward while pressing his hand to his torn flesh, but it didn't sting as much as the pain in his heart, "I don't want it!" She was fighting so hard against her tears, tearing herself away from him while balling her hands into fists, "Just forget it. I'm growing attached for no reason." She caught his gaze, brow furrowing at the hurt in his eyes, "You hated me, remember?"

Zuko fumbled after her as she tried to storm down the street. He yanked her into his arms, seizing her wrist before she slapped him, "I don't hate you. I was just confused for awhile-"

Briar covered his mouth, "I liked you better when you hated me."

She gave him a push, distancing herself as she stumbled down the road, though she didn't venture far. Zuko ran in front of her, though he made no attempt to keep her from leaving aside from holding his arms out wide, "Just hear me out-"

"I don't want to 'hear you out'." She hugged herself, eyes staring off to the right, "I just want to be left alone."

Zuko touched her chin, titling her face up to his, "Being alone, sometimes, isn't the best thing."

"It's worked for me." She hesitantly brushed her fingers along his cheek, "There's something I need to tell you."

Zuko caught his breath, but before she could speak, Dai Li officers were surrounding them. His arms latched around her waist and he held her close, eyes glued to the men flanking them.

"You are to return to the palace, Princess," an officer said, stepping forward.

Briar's eyes narrowed and she nestled her head against Zuko's chest, "You are here by my orders."

"I'm sorry, Milady, but the Earth King has demanded your return."

Briar stared up at Zuko, brow furrowed as she stepped out of his embrace. She turned her back, but he quickly seized her hand, halting her following the Dai Li. But no words were spoken, no gestures complete. She bowed her head to him and slipped her hand out of his languid grip, shuffling down the dusty road. No glance back, for even she knew she wouldn't be able to compose herself enough to continue walking away.

Zuko took his time getting back to the apartment. He was scorned by having watched her walk away so steadily, so dignified. Shaking his head, he saw his uncle give him a smile as he walked inside. He gave no response to his uncle's questions; instead, he stormed into his room and slid the door shut. His eyes immediately fell upon the four red roses tied by a gold ribbon. They sat so still on the windowsill, aglow in the moonlight that seeped inside.

He pulled one out, fingers dancing across the stem until he pricked himself on a thorn. A drop of blood formed, trickling like a teardrop down his finger. But it didn't sting. He took hold of one of the petals, blood smearing its delicate red color, and pulled it off. Before he realized it, the flower was bear, the petals scattered at his feet. He sniffled, staring at the thorns until he threw the stem onto the ground. Changing out of his tunic, he heard his uncle knock on the door.

"How was your evening, Prince Zuko?"

Sighing, he slid the door open, "Depends on the part."

"What do you mean?"

Zuko's hand balled into fists, "Briar saw us! And that Jin kissed me!" He threw his hands up in the air, "So much for her not knowing!"

Iroh lifted a brow, "Do you not find it odd that she was in the Lower Ring?"

Zuko chose to ignore that while pacing around his room. He sat down at the desk, burying his face in his hands for a moment, "I don't care about that, Uncle. I feel bad. I know we weren't serious, but just the look in her eyes-!" He shook his head, "If only you had seen it. She was defeated…"

"I think it would be in your best interest to keep your distance from her," Iroh murmured.

"You told me before-"

"It doesn't matter what I said before." Iroh bowed his head, "Circumstances have changed, Prince Zuko."

"I don't understand."

"Just trust me." Iroh set a hand on his shoulder, "She is as you've said before- trouble."

"I don't believe you." Zuko shrugged Iroh's hand away; brow furrowed, "She's different-"

"Listen to me, Prince Zuko. She's hiding something, as you have said before."

Zuko's eyes were plagued by disbelief, "Can't people change?"

"Not when they have a previous plan." Iroh began to leave the room, glancing over his shoulder, "Please, trust me, Prince Zuko."

Zuko nodded his head, leaving the silence to wash over them as his uncle left. He didn't want to answer that until he was sure of what he wanted. Lying down on his bed cot, he curled up under the blanket while trying to shake the pit in his stomach from his encounter with Briar. But he was confused mostly by Iroh's insistence that he forget about Briar. That would be more difficult that he imagined.

BROKEN UP ALREADY? idk. lol. that's ur call. poor zuko...he's just getting tossed around a little. whatever you do, don't forget about CHRONOS!

hope you liked it. please review! that would be astounding. :)

until next time!

-TSA