Chapter 10: Espionage and Reunion

Life on Admiral Zhao's ship was incredibly different for the obvious reason - Rinzen and Zuko had to be in disguise whenever they left their quarters - and because Rinzen was the only female on board, she had had to borrow the smallest suit of male armor Iroh could find in storage and still stuff it with padding to hide how loose it was on her and keep the metal from clanking as she walked.

Both her injuries and Zuko's had healed for the most part, but there were still ugly splotches of color on Zuko's face and a thin white scar left on Rinzen's forehead where the gash had been even weeks later as they neared the North Pole. The air became steadily colder to the point where Rinzen could see her breath curling out like wispy clouds every time she exhaled and each time the wind picked up, it felt like sharp pinpricks on her skin.

Aside from whenever Zuko and Iroh retired at night, she didn't see them very frequently, and it made her all the more nervous to know that if she was caught, she would more than likely be alone without even her glider to make a quick escape. The few times she ran into Zuko in the hallways of the ship, she couldn't even tell it was him behind the faceplate until he lightly brushed his arm against hers in passing each time, clearly recognizing her from the height difference and perhaps her too-loose armor, despite all the extra padding.

For all their bickering and arguing and his bitterness towards her for keeping him from Aang, something vital had shifted between them since they had escaped Zhao's murder attempt. Maybe it had been because she had saved his life, or vice versa, but there were some things that simply couldn't happen without a bond forming in the process - or perhaps she was thinking too much and he would turn on her the moment Aang was in his sights again. Still, it was the first semblance of friendship she could ever remember having in her life, and she wanted to hold onto it for at least a little longer.

"I checked a map today," Zuko told her as she dabbed salve onto one of the bruises on his back where he couldn't quite reach. "We're only about a day's worth of sailing out from the Northern Water Tribe."

"And then what? We just sneak off the ship with the rest of the soldiers?" she pointed out as she sat back, capping the bottle of salve and passing it over to him to finish applying it himself.

"No, we need to get ahead of Zhao," he answered pensively. "We can take a rowboat to shore before the ship even docks, get to shore before he and his men do."

"Right, because nobody's going to notice a rowboat missing," she said wryly, poking his leg with her bare toes.

"Give me a break, I'm thinking out loud here." He shoved her foot away half-heartedly before she could poke him again, a tiny smile tugging at his lips all the same. "Besides, it's a big ship. What's one little rowboat?"

She shrugged, her lips pursing. "If you say so."

Sure enough, as they docked just beyond the walls of the Northern Water Tribe, Zuko had a rowboat ready for departure, loading supplies into it as the last of the sun disappeared over the horizon. The ship had reached the Northern Water Tribe in the morning, launching a full-scale assault on the outer wall and damaging it badly. Rinzen had seen Aang and Appa flying overhead to destroy each ship individually, but he had fallen back after defeating at least a dozen of the ships, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of Zhao's forces. Zhao had only ended the attack when the sun had begun to set, acknowledging Iroh's warning that the waterbenders would grow stronger at night when the moon came out.

"If you're fishing for an octopus, my nephew, you need a tightly woven net, or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape," Iroh advised quietly from the doorway as Zuko set down a coil of rope inside the boat. Rinzen waited anxiously nearby, having lost her armor disguise in favor of a warmer jumpsuit to prepare for the upcoming mission. Her old Air Nomad robes hadn't survived the ship's explosion, which she was somewhat bitter about; not even the clothes on her back had been safe for long, eradicating the one last thing she had from her home.

"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle," Zuko answered irritably, frowning as he loosened the pulley holding the boat up slightly to prepare it for launch.

"I'm sorry." Rinzen, hearing Iroh's voice crack slightly, decided to back out of the way to let him approach Zuko. "I just nag you because, well...ever since I lost my son, I-"

"You don't have to say it," Zuko interrupted quietly, his tone softer now.

"I think of you as my own," Iroh finished anyway, swallowing audibly.

"I know. We'll meet again after I have the Avatar," Zuko answered and Iroh hugged him tightly, clutching him close. Rinzen dropped her gaze to the metal floor to give them some privacy. She was startled when she felt Iroh's arms wrap around her next, pulling her in for a tight embrace as she froze in surprise.

"Be safe." He pulled back to give her a watery smile and she felt her heart crack in sympathy for the older man even as she smiled and hugged him back properly.

"We will. Thank you for everything." She let go reluctantly before following Zuko to the boat to climb in beside him.

"Remember your breath of fire. It could save your life out there," Iroh cautioned to Zuko as the prince rolled his eyes, starting to lower the boat.

"I know, Uncle."

"You as well, Rinzen, remember to warm yourself with your breathing. And put your hoods up, both of you. Keep your ears warm!"

Rinzen couldn't help a soft chuckle even as Zuko huffed, calling back, "We'll be fine!"

"You don't have to be snappy, he just cares," she teased him as they reached the water and he began to row them towards an outcropping of ice near the damaged wall, turning back to wave to Iroh one last time as the former general watched them disappear anxiously.

"I know, I know. But he worries too much," Zuko grumbled, focusing back on getting them to shore without being spotted.

"How did he know about airbenders being able to warm themselves with their breathing, anyway?" she wondered curiously, but Zuko hushed her as they neared land, a Water Tribe guard scanning the area nearby just as their boat disappeared behind a protruding chunk of ice. Zuko climbed out of the boat, slinging the rope onto his shoulder even as Rinzen followed him.

"What now?" she hissed, nodding to the wall where guards were constantly patrolling. "We can't get past that, even with the damage done to the wall."

"You can," he pointed out. "You're not dressed like a soldier, and you're not Fire Nation. Tell them you escaped from your captors and need to find the Avatar."

"Well, what about you?" she demanded, clearly taking him by surprise at the question as his eyebrow rose.

"What about me?"

"Well, I'm not gonna just leave you here if you don't have a plan," she retorted. "You could die out here."

He pursed his lips in thought, glancing around, before catching sight of some turtle seals diving into a large hole in the ice. "I can follow them," he decided, moving to inspect the inky black water sloshing inside. "They have to be coming up for air somewhere." Abruptly, he turned back to her, his expression softening just the same way it had earlier in front of his uncle. "Be safe."

"You, too." She wanted to wish him good luck, but remembering what exactly his mission was, she bit her tongue, adding instead, "Your uncle needs you back in one piece."

He nodded, his arms lifting slightly before dropping as if he had changed his mind just as quickly as he had made it up. "See you on the other side." He tugged up his mask over his nose and mouth, taking a deep breath before diving headfirst into the water. Rinzen lingered for a moment, trying to catch sight of him in the pitch-black water, before giving up and turning around to begin running towards the wall.

"Hey! Hey, I need help!" Her cries caught the guards' attention immediately and they raised their spears instinctively as a warning, but when she finally approached the wall and shouted up her explanation to them, they ushered her in through the damaged opening. Luckily, they recognized her oddly-colored eyes enough to identify her as an Air Nomad and soon enough, she was being led up the steps of the royal palace, one of the guards' hands placed firmly on her shoulder.

"Chief Arnook," he said as they entered the main hall and the chief looked up, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. "We found her outside the wall. She said she'd been a Fire Nation captive and escaped. Her brother's the Avatar."

Chief Arnook's face cleared as he nodded. "Yes, I can see that. You're Rinzen, aren't you? Your brother has spoken very highly of you."

Rinzen felt her face warm slightly at the praise even as she nodded. "That's me. Is he here? And his friends, Katara and Sokka? They're all safe, right? I saw the attack earlier when I was escaping," she lied, feeling only a little guilty. She would warn Aang about Zuko to make up for it, anyway.

Chief Arnook chuckled. "You can relax, they're safe. I believe your brother and Katara are with my daughter, Princess Yue, on the balcony. You may see them now, if you wish. I'd offer you more hospitality if I could, but-" He gestured a little sadly to the destroyed wall in the distance and Rinzen shook her head.

"No, no, this is enough. Just...just knowing I'm safe now." She glanced back at the wall as well before looking back at the chief. "Thank you, sir." She hurried out onto the balcony, following the long hallway down to where she could see Aang, Katara, and a beautiful young woman with white hair and vivid blue eyes - Princess Yue, Rinzen assumed - gathered together and talking quietly. "Aang!" she shouted and Aang's head lifted abruptly as Katara and Yue looked her way as well, surprised.

"Rin!" He leapt to his feet and ran towards her. She broke into a run as well to meet him halfway and threw her arms around him, clutching him as she buried her face into his shoulder. "Rin, you're here!" Aang pulled back to smile widely at her, still holding onto her tightly even as she smiled back at him, unable to help herself. After going so long without seeing her brother, it was overwhelmingly relieving to see him safe and sound.

"Yeah, I got away, but listen, Zuko's here in the city. He's trying to get to you, but I don't think he knows exactly where you are," she admitted.

Aang's smile faded at that, but he nodded, glancing back at Katara and Yue as they approached the siblings. "We actually need to talk to the spirits, see if they have any ideas on how to stop the Fire Nation."

"I had an idea," Yue added, "I can take you to the most spiritual place in the North Pole and Aang can enter the Spirit World from there."

"You can enter the Spirit World now?" Rinzen asked, glancing at Aang with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, I'm kind of the bridge between our world and the Spirit World," Aang said with a sheepish grin. "Surprise? Oh, by the way, Yue, this is Rinzen, my sister. Rin, Princess Yue."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Yue said with a warm smile and Rinzen nodded in response.

"Same to you. Hey, Katara," she added to the other Water Tribe girl, who beamed back at her.

"It's so good to see you, we've been worried sick." She moved in to hug Rinzen and the older girl was surprised that Katara cared so much. Maybe it was just because she was Aang's friend and had only been worried about Rinzen because he clearly had been. She found herself hugging Katara back all the same.

"It's good to see you, too. Where's Sokka?" Inexplicably, Yue blushed slightly at the mention of his name and Rinzen decided she didn't want to know what was going on there.

"He volunteered to help the other warriors fight," she explained, "I believe he's in the armory."

"Then I'll go meet up with him, see if I can start working out a battle plan while you talk to the spirits," Rinzen decided, squeezing Aang's shoulder briefly as he nodded.

"Okay." He looked reluctant to let go of her again and she gave him a small reassuring smile, squeezing him close again.

"I'll be fine, really. Just keep an eye out for Zuko, okay?"

Aang nodded again, looking pensive as he left with Katara and Yue, and Rinzen began to head down to the armory to meet with Sokka, her lips pursing with worry. Something bigger than just Zuko going after Aang was clearly about to happen, especially with the rumors she had heard on the ship, but she wasn't sure what. Whatever Zhao's plan was seemed far more dangerous than just attacking the Northern Water Tribe, and she knew the Northern Water Tribe could use all the help they could get.

What? Another update within one year? Sound the alarms! Yeah, no, I have no excuse other than writer's block. Rewatching a little of the show helped rekindle my passion for it again, but it took a lot of effort to write even this small amount. Hopefully the next chapter will conclude Book One so I can really get into the second half of Book Two and Book Three, which I'm really keen about!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!