Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender in any shape or form.
They finally arrived on land a few days later. Iroh was ecstatic at the sight of earth and the two teenagers would be too if they were not off in their own world. Ameya had been quiet and distant since the night she learned of Yue's sacrifice and Zuko's mood had darkened even more at her gloominess.
Ameya had been prepared to separate from Iroh and Zuko once they landed. She was tired of being stuck on a raft with barely any food, uncomfortable sleeping platform, and haunted by memories of the Water Tribe princess.
And yet, Iroh had somehow managed to convince her to stay. She could not remember the exact details, the days were lost to her, but Iroh could not leave the girl alone after what she has been through. Ameya had worked tirelessly during her spare time to waterbend them to land, cutting down the time from three weeks to a little bit over two. Her waterbending abilities had been useful during their drifting and although it was a pain to hide the secret from Zuko, she felt a slight improvement with her training.
They had managed to drift towards a Fire Nation village resort by the Su Oku River. Ameya admired the village surrounded by cherry blossom trees and water briefly but said nothing as she followed the two Fire Nation royalties. They were greeted with welcoming faces and lavish treatment at the resort for being royalties despite the curious stare they directed to Ameya, still in her Water Tribe clothes.
Iroh ushered her to a room quickly, throwing a muted colored tunic in her hands for her to change to after a bath. He had reassured the younger girl all her expenses were paid for but she was suspicious as to how—she does not remember Iroh having any money after fleeing from the Northern Water Tribe.
She shrugged off her blue dress, eyes lowered to see dirt and water stains on the beautiful fabric that belonged to Yue. She set it off to the side, sinking into the hot water and closed her eyes to the scalding pain. Ameya had no doubt she looked less than a beggar when they arrived but the civilians had treated Iroh with utmost respect.
Royalties sure had their perks, she thought cynically, mind wandering back to Yue.
She lost track of time. No one had bothered her while she was in the bath and she relished in every minute spent in the water even if her skin had turned bright red. The cherry blossom scent clung to her as she washed her hair and body, so different from the scent of salt and fish from the past few weeks.
There was a knock on her door just as she put her pale robe on, decorated with a red trim and sash. Deeming herself presentable again, Ameya opened the door to stare at a refreshed Zuko, donning a similar outfit as herself but with a large straw hat to hide his face.
"Uncle invited you to dinner," he turned away from her, heading back to the direction of their connected cabin.
Ameya followed wordlessly once more. She had been starving for something more besides fried fish and she bet her current companions were as well. There were an assortment of scents of cooked meat filling her nose as she walked into Iroh and Zuko's cottage, mouth watering at the large quantity of food laid out on the table.
"Ameya! Glad you could join us," Iroh welcomed wholeheartedly, already sitting on one side of the table with a bowl of rice in front of him.
"Thank you for inviting me," she thanked politely, taking a seat across from him.
Zuko said nothing, taking a seat by his Uncle and picked up his bowl of rice. They ate in silence; Iroh attempted a light conversation and Ameya only followed with short phrases. Zuko would answer once in awhile but the conversation felt strained and unnatural.
"There is a lovely hot springs nearby and this resort offers relaxing massages. You should give it a try when you can Ameya, you would not be disappointed," Iroh offered happily, already planning his own massage trip.
"Thank you, Iroh, but I should really be leaving soon. I'm not accustomed to lavish treatment in the Fire Nation," her voice was even and held no ill-intent yet Zuko was displeased by it.
"Let her leave, Uncle. It's obvious she does not belong here."
Ameya's grip on her chopsticks tightened. Zuko had been making snide remarks since a day ago, always nitpicking at her every little word and decision. At first, she ignored it, thinking that he may be trying to rile her up but he did not relent. Even now, he spoke the words she least expect to hear and she sent a sharp glare his way.
"I apologize, My Prince, if my short upbringing is unfit for royalties such as yourself," she spat out distastefully, appetite lost. "You already made it crystal clear how I did not belong in the Water Tribe and no less the Fire Nation. I will leave first thing in the morning." She stood up abruptly, food forgotten, "Thank you for the meal."
Ameya slammed the door behind her, leaving Iroh to stare at disapprovingly at Zuko seething.
She went back to hide in her own room, closing the door behind her and sunk to the ground. She bit back her tears pitifully, ignoring the sting behind her eyes and the pain in her heart. She took in a deep breath, reminding herself to breathe deeply and waited.
It doesn't matter, just forget it.
She repeated the mantra to herself quietly, leaning back against the door with closed eyes.
Once calm, she stood up again. Ameya refused to cry just because Zuko was belittling her. She had cried enough on the boat ride and although Zuko had not pointed out her pathetic appearance in the beginning, she knew he was getting tired of it.
She frowned; he could ignore her for all she cares. Ameya is free to grieve however she wants—he is not the only one allowed to throw a temper tantrum.
The door to her bathroom was open and she peered in, remembering she had left it closed. Panic arose in her when she did not see her familiar blue clothing by the dresser. She searched the room frantically, not able to find the blue dress Yue had given her what felt like forever ago and ran out the door.
Iroh jumped when they heard her hurried footsteps run away from the cottage. Zuko's eyebrow furrowed, anger radiating off him to wonder why the woman was acting so rashly and went out the door. Iroh followed immediately, not wanting to risk a fight between the two.
Ameya tried to look for an employee—anyone who may be able to help her. Someone must have gone into her room after she left and collected her things. She did not have much to begin with besides the clothes on her back but it was all that mattered to her at the moment.
"Where—who—" she spun around rapidly, trying to find another human figure nearby in the dark.
"Ameya!" Iroh called out to her, jogging lightly to follow the frantic woman but she did not hear him.
She spotted a figure walk along the hallway and dashed towards them. Her eyes widen to see a pile of blue in the worker's hands and almost crashed into him, startling the young male worker.
"Where did you get that?" Her heart hammered against her chest, trying to control herself from stealing the clothes back.
"I-It was in your room, Madam. W-we were only washing it—I meant to return it now-!" The worker was nervous in front of her piercing gaze and offered the bundle of clothes to her anxiously.
Realization dawned on her and Ameya accepted the garments with shaky hands. The fabric felt warm against her cold fingers and relief filled her, clutching the clothes against her face to mask the little droplets falling from her icy eyes.
"Th…thank you," Ameya choked out, the scent of cherry blossoms enveloped her again, cradling the soft fabric against her.
The worker stood there awkwardly, slowly raising one arm to pat her shoulder. Before he even touched her, someone else had already interrupted them. Zuko wrapped an arm around Ameya's shoulder delicately, careful with his grip around her figure but strong enough to startle the worker. There was a glare in his golden eyes at the other male and began to guide the young woman away. Iroh hadn't even realized when Zuko left his side but said nothing, watching his nephew guide the fragile woman back into her room.
"…Get some rest." Zuko mumbled and closed the door gently behind her.
But rest was far from her mind.
She sat on her futon, holding the blue dress close to her body and felt drained of energy. She was tired but could not sleep, replaying the night of the invasion if her mind step-by-step.
Would things have been different if she was not there?
Would Yue still be alive if Ameya was not captured?
Would she have stayed in the Northern Water Tribe if they had successfully forced the Fire Navy back?
Her mind filled with the possibilities of 'what ifs' and that only tormented her more. She could not rewrite the past but she continued to dwell in it, creating a future that is not probable in the first place.
This is why I must keep traveling, she thought bitterly, so bonds like these do not form.
But most of all, Ameya blamed herself.
Ameya had revealed too much of herself in the North Pole. The familiarity of the situation had lowered her guard. A few months ago, she would not have dreamed of even allying herself with the Avatar or return to the Northern Water Tribe so soon but everything changed when she was held captive by the Fire Nation Prince. Or maybe it was sooner—when she stole from him originally.
Ameya shook her head, frustrated beyond reason. The moon was at its peak in the night and unable to find sleep, she sneaked out of her room.
Zuko found himself in a similar situation. Sleep had eluded him again despite the soft comforter but his uncle's snoring was impossible to sleep through. He heard the sound of a door creaking and stood up, walking out of his cottage to see Ameya's retreating back.
"Where are you going?" His voice was quiet in the night. He had told her to rest and yet—was she leaving now? He quickly scanned her and saw her hold nothing except her sullen ambiance.
"Roof."
She did not bother to look at him and walked away.
Zuko frowned. He shouldn't care if she leaves or not—he was the one that welcomed it. He should not have these confusing feelings for a lowly thief that stole from him—that sav—
No, there was no reason for him to care.
Zuko turned away, heading back into his room to try and get some sleep. His body did not even hit the bed; his hand clenched the light blanket from his futon and followed Ameya towards the roof.
The winter air did not reach the Fire Nation resort and yet Ameya had never felt so cold. She had never minded the cold before—not even when she arrived at the North Pole wearing a thin tunic and pants while everyone else was covered in thick coat of fur. It was only when she was away from the snow and ice did she notice the chilling cold that had followed her since her discovery of Yue's sacrifice and she shivered within herself.
Ameya was sitting on the red tiles quietly, her arms wrapped around her legs for warmth and icy eyes stared at the bright moon. It was almost full again, she realized, and wondered if Yue's spirit could see her now. Would she think she is pitiful now or scorn her for leaving?
"You're gonna catch a cold," his gruff voice mumbled as Zuko climbed on next to her, dropping the blanket over her head gracelessly.
"I didn't think you'd care," she replied softly, not sparing him a glance. She fixed the soft blanket around her shoulders, fingers gliding over the soft cotton and shielding her from the night wind.
"I don't. I just want to stare moodily at the moon too," was his sarcastic reply.
Ameya looked at him then, a blank look on her face and shook her head. Silence lapped between them. Zuko was content with sitting there, his inner fire keeping his body warm against the night air. She kept her gaze on the moon, thoughtful and contemplative.
"Her name was Yue."
He side glanced at her, realizing that she had just spoken. Zuko said nothing, waiting for her to continue.
"I met her when I was twelve. Her family took an orphan like me in for about a year," the side of her pale lips twitched upwards, "She called me her sister. I never had siblings before but when I think of one—I imagine her."
Zuko envisioned Azula and her mocking gaze. He never did get along with her and was always on the receiving end of her ridicules. She was always better, perfect, compared to the banished prince. He had never known what sibling love was but sibling rivalry—he knew that all too well.
"You should be so lucky. Even blood siblings do not have a close relation as you."
Now it was her turn to observe him. His lips thinned in a line, border lining a frown while glaring at the sky. She briefly remembers Iroh telling her about Zuko's sister and the comparison between the two.
"Do you hate her?" She wondered out loud.
"No," but he stayed quiet after, thoughtful, "We were just raised differently."
Ameya hummed in response.
"I wanted to blame you, you know," Ameya stated softly, her eyes down casted, "If you hadn't captured Aang, if you hadn't captured me—I wouldn't have rushed back to the North Pole like I had."
Zuko felt the anger boiled in him at the mention of the Avatar. What does she know? How dare she criticize his decisions? But before he could retort, she continued.
"But I realized it was silly. The only one to blame is myself. It was my fault that Zhao toyed with our lives—it was my fault that I let him kill the Moon Spirit," her voice was bitter and angry, "If I hadn't stolen your dagger—I would have never returned to the North Pole in the first place."
He frowned, staring at the pitiful woman.
"Are you going to keep feeling sorry for yourself then?" He scoffed, "You think 'Yue' would be happy to see you so pathetic and deplorable? You're not the only one who lost her too."
Ameya returned the frown, glaring at him heatedly.
"What do you know?! You never met her—you don't know me! What am I supposed to do now?!" She fought back the tears threatening her eyes again, the image of Zuko starting to blur in front of her.
"Nothing! I know nothing but at least I would do something about it! If you're upset then get angry! If you're sad then cry! Just get it all out and rise up stronger instead of always weeping by yourself."
She froze, flinching away from his words and Zuko almost hesitated, realizing what he had just said in his distraction. Ameya shook her head, turning away from him with a dry laugh.
"Right—and this is coming from the prince who always lashes out in anger with a loving uncle who would do anything for you."
Zuko stood up abruptly, glaring at her huddled form and she returned his gaze just as passionately.
"You don't know anything about me too! You don't know what I lost, who I lost! You think I want to sail around the world chasing a twelve year old monk when I could be in the Royal Palace grooming to be the future Fire Lord?!"
Ameya rose to her feet quickly, matching his fervor to stop him from looking down on her.
"You are—still the same, foolish Prince! Don't you—Ah!"
Her feet slipped from the tile, her eyes widen as she began to fall backwards. Zuko followed after her, his arm reached out to grasp her hand and pulled her close. He twisted his body in mid air so his back faced the ground and her arms wrapped his head, cushioning his fall.
They landed with a thud on the soft earth, pulling back to stare at each other, argument forgotten. Ameya withdrew her hands from his head and his arms around her waist dropped, both of them scrambling away from each other.
Ameya yelled at herself to stop her rapid heartbeat, reasoning it for the rush of adrenaline and Zuko pushed the thought of their kiss and close encounter away.
"We're…too different," she finally stated, "Yet you still help me even after I stole from you. I don't know what you want from me—I have nothing else to offer."
She sounded so tired and confused. This was not the first time Zuko helped her. She knew of his little acts of kindness but did not understand why. She didn't understand why he decided to take her from the North Pole, did not know why he shielded her earlier from the employee and now—why he bothered to save her.
Zuko did not know the answers himself. He was certain that she did not belong in the Water Tribe and he even brought her along with them on the raft. When he saw her cry into the dress in front of the resort worker, he interfered without a second thought. Ameya looked too delicate, too broken in the past few days that it unnerved him. The confident, playful smile was fitting on her—that was all he understood.
He sighed, rubbing his forehead with a frown and opt to stare at the ground, as if it could provide the answers for him.
"I don't know either," Zuko admitted and stood up, "But you saved me too. A life for a life."
Her brows furrowed in confusion and got on her feet, brushing the dirt from her robe and pants. Ameya picked up the blanket from the ground and crumbled it together.
"Zuko," he turned at the sound of her voice, ignoring his drumming heart again at his name spoken, "Goodnight."
She tossed the blanket at him and walked away, back to her room.
When morning came around, Ameya readied a light travel pack, Yue's dressed folded neatly within and the blue ribbon tied on her wrist. She stood in front of the Fire Nation duo's shared cottage, her arm raised in midair for a knock.
She wanted to say goodbye before she left. Iroh had been nothing but kind to her and even kept her secret. He had also saved her against the Fire Navy soldiers and provided her a brief shelter.
But she couldn't stay with them.
Zuko and Ameya clashed too much. They were two polar opposite—fire and water. He was a fiery spirit; angry and blazing bright among the rough. She was mellow and serene, drifting along with the flow of her path.
She could not understand how Iroh saw the two to be similar.
But Ameya knew, even if a little, that Zuko was not as shallow as he appears. He was definitely more complex than he let on and she felt his actions contradicted his words more than often. He was so driven to capture the Avatar that he loses sight of himself—chasing after a shadow of his dream.
Yet he did express kindness to her—it was subtle but it spoke volumes. He did not have to comfort her—she spent the whole night contemplating over it and yes he was comforting her—but he did it regardless. Even if they did end up fighting (again), he cared enough to talk to her.
Ameya knocked on the door at last, hearing a small shuffling from within and the wood opened to reveal Iroh's kind, old face. He smiled at the sight of Ameya and opened the door wider.
"Ameya! Come in, come in," he ushered her in happily, ignoring her confused stare and half hearted refusals. "We've been waiting for you all morning! Zuko would not eat without you."
It was then she noticed the arrangement of dim sum on the small table. The said prince was sitting on the side, avoiding her gaze at the mention of his name and scowled. She connected two and two together, realizing that none of the food was touched, probably slightly cold, and she felt a familiar tug on her heart.
"I—thank…you," Ameya was speechless as she sat on the side of the table, waiting for Iroh to join them.
"I didn't say that, Uncle! I just said we were missing a dish of ours!" Zuko fumbled heatedly, fighting back the pink of his cheeks.
"But Zuko—they have delivered everything we requested. What else did you order?" Iroh asked curiously.
"Fire flakes! They forgot the fire flakes!" He listed from the top of his head.
Ameya clamped a hand against her lips but it still did not contain the small giggle that left it. Zuko was a horrible liar and Iroh was not at all subtle with his teasing. But they waited—just like the time they spent on the raft together, they waited and ate together.
She felt the sense of déjà vu when she noticed their bright amber and gold eyes on her and she flushed lightly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
"I didn't know you had such an unhealthy eating habit Prince," she regained her composure, a sly smile on her lips, "I can go get it if you wish."
Zuko rolled his eyes, "Just sit and eat. I don't need it that badly."
"About time! I'm starving!" Iroh dug in without further ado, taking one of each appetizer from the tray.
The two followed the elder's lead and began to eat, although with less vigor than Iroh. She wondered if she should bring up her separation again, lost in thought of how they may react once more.
"We won't stop you if you wish to leave, Ameya." Iroh seemed to have read her mind, bringing her attention to the elder man. "You have been more than helpful the past two weeks for always catching fish for us! But we understand you have no obligation to stay with us as well."
Ameya's eyes softened at his consideration. Iroh was worried for her—he always had been the past few weeks. She felt herself unable to leave—not when they were providing a small sense of comfort in her time of need.
"I think…I will stay a few more days. I would like to try the masseuse's hand at the resort first…you did say my expenses were paid for," she pointed out coyly.
Iroh laughed and nodded his head, joyful to hear her natural response once more. It's been awhile since they had seen Ameya act like her old self.
"Of course! I know these sore muscles of mine need a good kneading for a fact!"
Zuko did not point out her travel pack nor did he contribute further to the conversation but as he sat there and ate with Iroh to his left and Ameya to his right, he thought this was typical to their everyday life.
Author's Note:
I wrote a draft for Book 2 and realized it will be a lot of chapters to fit before it will get to Book 3—the one I'm most excited for. But many things will happen and change between then so I can't wait to get to it and share it with you all!
In the Avatar timeline, it said they drifted on the raft for three weeks—not two but I cut down the time for this chapter. Next chapter will follow episode one of Book 2.
I'm really glad people seem to be viewing this more but also…a bit disheartening at the lack of feedback? I don't know…I just want to write and draw many things because I love this story and want to share it but it feels like I'm the only one that's excited aha.
Sorry for the rambling. I do appreciate the faithful reviewers though! You know who you are. Thank you for reading and check out my Tumblr for more doodles as always. I would like to draw a comic for The Fated Meetings too…