Chapter 9: Hot Springs

Standing on deck, I stayed to the shadows as I silently followed Zuko. He was out for a morning walk; his face appeared conflicted as he strolled along the edge of the ship. He let his hand trail along the ship railing as he stared at the horizon.

For twenty-four hours I'd been debating what I should do. I desired to speak to Zuko, but I didn't know what to say. Late last night, I walked down the hall to the room he was staying in. I'd thought I was ready to speak to him, so I knocked on his door. However, as I heard the latch on the inside start to move, I panicked and took off down the hall. Quickly, I darted around a corner and hid, covering my mouth so he wouldn't hear me breathe. I assumed he realized no one was there, and shut the door to return to bed. Sighing heavily, I kicked myself for panicking and being a coward.

Here I was again though. I was being a coward once more as I tailed Zuko but kept out of his sight. I fumbled through my mind for what I should say, but words just didn't come. Every once and a while, Zuko would stop and turn his head; I jumped out of sight quickly behind a crate or barrel. When he would continue walking, I'd let out a heavy sigh and start forward again. The crewmen near me snickered at my actions, and I blushed trying to ignore them.

It seemed I followed Zuko for half an hour, and there were numerous points where I thought I was going to say something.

Coward! Just talk to him!

He stopped walking again, and I knew it was my chance. "Zuko…"

He didn't hear me, his eyes set down at the water below and his brows furrowed.

"Um… Zu-"

The ship tilted suddenly, and I gasped as I lost my footing. My body stumbled back and I hit the rail rather hard. Zuko had gasped too and clutched his rail for dear life. The ship was turning direction, and as it tilted more I felt my body press harder to the rail. The water below looked intimidating, and I feared I'd fall overboard.

"What?! Crystal?!"

I shut my eyes not wanting to fall in the water. My hands started to slip as the ship finished its turn, and I felt my body lift as I almost dropped over the rail. Then a strong arm wrapped around my waist, and I was jerked to a very warm body to be weighed down.

The ship started to even out, and the rail's pressure on my body let up some. A few seconds later, once the ship evened out, I'd fallen to my knees. My savior was on his knees as well, and he breathed heavily as he continued to hold me close. My body shook and I clutched onto my savior's shirt with tight fists. I had not wanted to fall into the water… I couldn't swim… Thank the spirits Zuko had grabbed me...

Zuko muttered in my ear, slightly irritated. "What the Agni was that? Are they trying to capsize the ship?"

Looking up at Zuko, I saw his eyes were shut as he caught his breath. My gaze looked over his face, which was extremely close to my own. I could feel his breath blow on my skin each time he exhaled. It still smelled like mint-tea.

"Um… Thanks," I said softly.

The young prince holding me calmed his breathing and looked down at me with question. Then realization struck him, his cheeks reddened, and he quickly let me go. Standing swiftly, he stepped back to give us some distance. I shakily got back to my feet and wiped sweat off my brow with the back of my hand.

"Uh… You're welcome," Zuko muttered. His eyes stayed on me, and I could tell he was puzzled to see I wasn't trying to kill him. He kept cautious though, ready to block me if I for some reason did lash at him. "I'm guessing you're the one who's been following me then?"

I winced at his realization. "Yeah… I wanted to talk to you."

He looked around the deck and then spotted what he was searching for. A guard walked by, a bit dazed himself by the sudden turn of the ship. "Hey!" The man stopped and looked over at Zuko with question. "Go to the helm and question why we changed course! Report back to me when you find the answer!" The guard bowed and took off to do just that.

As the guard disappeared, I realized there was no turning back. Zuko shot his gaze towards me again, only this time he looked at the bandages still wrapped around my injuries. Placing my hands behind my back self-consciously, I dropped my gaze with uncertainty.

"Sorry…" Zuko said. He dropped his gaze again. "You were saying?"

Well, here we go…

Opening my mouth, I went to say something but different words came out. "You can have your room back."

Silence fell between the both of us. I mentally kicked myself. You follow him all day and that's the first thing you say! Idiot!

"Oh… uh… That's okay. I thought I'd give you some space," he muttered. "I don't mind being down the hall for a little while longer."

More silence fell between us. I swallowed and rubbed the back of my neck. "Oh… Okay…"

My knees shook and I felt my mouth go dry. What was I doing? I shouldn't be talking to Zuko anyway… He was probably still mad at me for not telling him about Aang's destination. I couldn't believe everything Iroh said about Zuko caring… right?

"Is that all you needed to tell me?"

Swallowing again, I shook my head. "No…" Taking in a deep breath, I met Zuko's eyes once more. "That wasn't it… I've been trying to find the words to say all day long, but I just end up saying gibberish." I rubbed my arm to try and calm my nerves.

"You don't have to worry… I won't get mad at you again," Zuko promised. The sincerity in his voice was enough to ease my anxiety. "You can talk to me."

Nodding, I finally spoke. "Okay… I'm just going to get this off my chest then… I'm still not entirely over the whole restraint and cell thing, but I don't hate you."

He was listening, but I could tell he was surprised to hear my words.

"I know it was partially my fault anyway," I continued. "I was digging my own grave when I attacked you; it wasn't just you who lost your temper that day… You had a right to defend yourself, and you did give me multiple opportunities to take the easy way out…" I let out a heavy breath. "However, you need to understand that these kids you're chasing aren't just kids to me, Zuko." My eyes started to water. "They're my family. I'll protect my family even if it means defying my captor. As long as Aang is with them I can't help you… and I honestly can't turn on the Avatar either…"

Zuko stared at me for a moment, searching for the words to say. Then he let out his own heavy breath. He nodded in understanding. This action threw me completely off. "I know… but you should also understand that anyone who gets in my way of the Avatar won't be on my good side."

I frowned. "Then I'll have to be on your bad side a lot."

These words made him cringe.

Sighing heavily, I spoke again. I crossed my arms to calm my nerves. "Look… I'm not entirely over what happened the other day. But… your Uncle spoke to me and I understand now." Looking out towards the horizon, I continued. "I know why you're after Aang, and I also understand why you took me as your prisoner. Is it worth it though?" I shot him a questioning gaze. "Is all of this chasing and fighting really worth trying to win back honor from a man who wants nothing to do with you? You have your whole life ahead of you Zuko… You have a chance to be free… why do you want to return so terribly to a life that brings you only pain?"

He fell quiet as he searched for answers that even he didn't know. "Because… It's the only life I know… It's the only life I want." He tried to sound more confident. "I will earn back my honor and restore my birthright! That is all I want!"

"I don't believe that," I responded. "There has to be something else you desire…?"

He crossed his arms, turning his gaze from me towards the sea, "That's it. I want my honor and my throne. That's the only truth there is."

"No… That's just what you tell yourself is true. It's what you believe to be true... You tell yourself that returning to the Fire Nation and earning back your father's blessing for the throne is all you want, but I know differently. Inside Zuko, you're just a young man who wants a home and family. You won't find that there."

He scowled. His eyes shot back to me in frustration. "And how would you know?"

"Because… Family forgives and loves unconditionally. If the Fire Lord really loved you, he would've accepted you back years ago."

Zuko scoffed. He tightened his fists. However, he didn't firebend or yell at me. He just stood there in silent conflict. He finally asked softly, "What would you know about family?"

"I know enough," I spoke. "My mother died, and my father left us, but my family stood by my side during our trying moments. My brother Sokka was always there for me when I needed comfort... and my sister Katara found ways to make me laugh when I needed a cheer up… plus, my Gran-Gran took over being our caregiver once my father left. Even after so much suffering, anger, heartbreak, and fear, the remnants of my family have stuck together through it all. That's family… no matter what happens, we always love one another and care for each other."

When I finished, I could tell immediately that Zuko was greatly afflicted by my answer to his question. He hung his head heavily, shutting his eyes as he thought back to a time long ago. .

"I had that once," he said softly. "When my mom was alive… Now, I just have Uncle."

"Then what's wrong with just being happy with Iroh? Isn't that enough? He loves you as a son and clearly wants you to be happy..."

He stubbornly shook his head. "No… It's not. A girl like you would never understand."

"Then help me understand," I begged as he turned to walk away.

His gold eyes suddenly burned into my own. There was nothing but pain etched across his expression. "Why? After everything I've done to you, why do you care so much about how I feel?"

His question left me speechless for a moment. I had to search for an answer, and when I did, I closed my eyes with a deep sigh. "Because… You and I are more similar than we think."

The both of us fell into a drawn out silence after I spoke. I kept my head down not wanting to see Zuko's expression. I was a bit anxious that I was overstepping some boundaries.

He finally spoke. "You know about my scar then…? How I got it…?"

Nodding, I still refused to meet his eyes.

He let out a heavy breath. "I guess I'm not surprised Uncle told you… He said he would, but I didn't really take him seriously..."

I rubbed my shoulder, still too nervous to meet his gaze. "He said I needed to hear it… sorry if that upsets you."

Zuko fell quiet again. Then he sighed again. "I guess it's okay… It's better than having to tell you myself."

I was relieved to hear. I looked back over at him to see he was looking at me with a gaze I couldn't really read. A blush formed on my cheeks from his deep gaze, and I ran a hand through my hair dropping my gaze again. The movement of my wrist made me wince though, and I dropped my hand quickly. My wrists were still taking some time to heal. My ankles were doing a lot better.

Zuko noticed my discomfort though and gently grabbed my lower arm, pulling my hand towards him. "Does it still hurt that much?"

His question and concern surprised me. I blushed even more and shrugged. "It's blistered up some… I'll be fine. I've been through worse." I looked at his face then, and couldn't help but stare at his left eye.

"Come on," he suddenly said. He started to pull me away from the rail.

I was surprised as he started to pull me away from the rail. "What…? Where are we going?"

He kept walking, leading us back to the door that led below deck. "To the ship physician. It could be infected."

My cheeks burned and my heart pounded heavily from his warm hold on my arm. Zuko was worried about me.

He really did have a heart…

However, I really did not understand why I was reacting in such a way… why was Zuko making me so flustered?

Zuko POV

"A break! That's why we turned course so roughly?! So you can walk on land and take a break!"

My fists were clenched tight as I glared daggers at my Uncle. He sipped his tea nonchalantly as he sat in the helm. "That… and I hear there's a wonderful hot spring at this stretch of the land. I could use some relaxation."

I scowled. Stomping over to him, I saw the other men in the helm try to ignore the two of us to their best effort.

"Do you realize how dangerous that turn was?! We both almost fell overboard! If I hadn't been near Crystal, we'd be searching for a body in the water right now!"

Uncle cringed slightly. "Yes… I saw that. We were lucky you grabbed her when you did." I scowled. "On the plus side, it looks like you two sorted some things out!" He smiled widely. "See! I told you she wouldn't hate you forever!"

My scowl turned into irritation. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I breathed heavily. "Why did you tell her all of that? That was my story…"

Uncle lowered his cup. "Would you have told her? This makes things easier for you. Now she has a look inside your head."

I scoffed. "I don't need her to look in my head!"

Uncle ignored my last thought and looked, meeting my gaze with pondering eyes. "Where is our friend Crystal, by the way?"

I went to snap at Uncle again, but then stopped. With a heavy sigh, I tried to calm down. "She's getting fresh bandages. Her wrists were infected so I took her to the ship physician. He was mending her up when I came over here."

Uncle smiled mischievously. "So I was right… You do care about her."

I heard a few snickers from nearby. My ears heated. Narrowing my eyes, I crossed my arms and turned sharply on my heel. "We're not staying on land forever! Three hours tops! We have to stay on the Avatar's course!"

Leaving the room, I headed out of the helm and back below deck. Walking down the hall, I reached the same door I had walked out of about ten minutes ago. Going to open the door, I heard laughter and stopped. Pressing my ear to the door crack, I could hear the physician and Crystal having a full blown conversation.

"That sounds pretty painful," Crystal spoke up.

"I know… It took three men to pry the needle from my thumb. Took another two to stitch me up."

There was more laughter from her. I was surprised by her lighthearted mood. It sounded nice to hear after days of fearing her bitterness and rage.

"That's pretty ironic. Tell me the ones who stitched you up were physicians at least?"

The physician let out a bellow of chuckles. "Nope… Just a couple of rookie soldiers with shaky hands."

Opening the door finally, I entered to see Crystal was seated on the wooden table bolted to the floor. Her feet swung carelessly back and forth, and I saw her freshly bandaged hands were resting in her lap. She was smiling at the fifty year old man who was holding up his thumb to emphasize whatever crazy story he was telling. When I entered, her eyes shot towards me with surprise. She probably hadn't expected me to return so quickly. She slid off the table and walked over to me.

"Did your uncle tell you why he almost killed us?"

I rolled my eyes. "He said something about a hot spring and wanting to walk on land. In other words, he's just wasting our time."

She smiled. "He's an interesting man. He seems to have an unique personality.."

"Don't remind me… Come on. I'll walk you back on deck. We should be dropping anchor in an hour."

She nodded. She turned back to the physician and gave a polite bow. "Thank you! I loved chatting with you!"

He nodded. "You as well miss. Visit anytime you like. Although I'm certain Prince Zuko is quite entertaining enough for you."

I scowled. I grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room. She stumbled but managed to match my pace. As we headed down the hall back towards the stairs that went up on deck, I asked her if her wrists were feeling better. Her cheeks turned red and I saw her slightly nod. Her eyes darted to my hand holding onto the area below her elbow. I still hadn't let her go. Embarrassed, I jerked my hand away in a fist and pressed it firmly to the side of my body.

What was happening to me? Why did this girl fluster me all the time?

Shutting my eyes, I felt my heart pound heavily.

Crystal POV

Skipping beside Zuko, I looked at the trees around me with amazement. "They're all so tall! How tall do you think they are?"

He shrugged. "I don't know… fifty… sixty… beats me. Why does it matter? They're just trees."

I pouted. Of course they were just trees to Zuko. To me though, they were strange and new. At the South Pole all of our trees were pine and covered in snow. The trees around us were made of more colors than I could name. Everything was a first for me.

An hour ago we anchored off shore and the ramp was dropped so we could walk onto land which was covered in grass. While Iroh walked off to do whatever he had planned, and other members of the crew ran off to go explore a nearby port, Zuko offered to go on a walk with me. We walked through the forest at first in silence, but then I finally started to converse.

"Are there a lot of trees in the Fire Nation?"

Zuko shrugged. "Depends on where you search. The Fire Nation has a variety of landscapes."

Looking up at the sky through the tree tops, I watched as a few leaves fell down towards us. Birds flew up above from one tree to another. Everything around us was beautiful and peaceful. "I envy this warmth. The South Pole is freezing compared to this air."

"Why didn't you ever leave?" His question made me falter in my step. "If it's so cold, why don't you and your people head into the Earth Kingdom?"

His pondering sent a pang to my heart. Hanging my head, I kicked at a few rocks on the ground. "And go where…? The South Pole is our home. It's all my people know. It's where our ancestors lived and died. Anyone even mentioning the idea of leaving would be highly rebuked by the people of our tribe. My mom had brought it up once, especially after getting frustrated with my dad… she wanted to take Katara and I away… she wanted Katara to learn waterbending and to give me some freedom… my grandma quickly shut her down. Leaving the South Pole and abandoning our land was completely unheard of."

Zuko soaked in my words. "You keep bringing up your mom… Were you close to her?"

I grimaced, my hand pressing to my cheekbone where my scar was. My eyes started to water. "Yeah… She was my best friend. She understood me so much… and she protected me from a lot of my dad's foolish desires… I miss her..."

Zuko seemed to want to pry. "What happened to her?"

My breathing hitched. I stopped in my step. My heart pounded painfully as the memory tried to creep back from the deepest parts of my mind. I shook the thoughts. I tried not to remember that fateful day. "She died… That's all you need to know."

He seemed like he wanted to question me some more, but he only sighed heavily and looked back at the forest in front of us. The mood grew glum and I wondered if I should say something.

He beat me to the punch.

"So… If you've never seen trees like this, I guess you've never seen wildflowers."

"Huh?" I looked at him in bewilderment.

He took my hand and led me over to a spot of grass between two trees. My eyes widened at what I saw. A variety of flowers were grouped together, their petals looking soft and smooth. There was a mixture of blue, gold, purple, and white. My eyes were mesmerized at the beautiful scene before me.

"Wow… it's… Beautiful," I whispered.

Zuko crouched down and picked a flower from the dirt. He turned back towards me and held it up by the stem between his thumb and finger. I stared at the red sprouting bud with amazement.

He taught me. "It's a Peony. My mom used to grow them in her garden. They come in a lot of different colors."

I surprisingly blushed, staring at the Peony he held in his hand as he extended it towards me. "Here. We can take it back to the ship. It will love for a few hours."

As I stared at his hand, I thought back to a conversation I once had with my grandma at a young age.

"Gran-Gran! How did mommy and daddy end up together?"

Kanna sat on a log mending the fire before her. She gave my eight year old self a wrinkly smile. "Your father had been trying to earn Kya's love for years. Then during one of his outings to the Earth Nation, he found a beautiful present that would symbolize his love towards her. When he returned to the South Pole, Hakoda presented Kya with a beautiful white rose. Of course it wilted from the cold a few days later, but your mother treasured it. Your father's persistence and heartfelt gift won your mothers heart and her love."

I beamed. "I hope one day a boy will give me a flower!"

Gran-Gran chuckled. "You're still too young to worry about that right now, dear. Besides… Flowers aren't the only things that reveal love; it's how a man treats you as well. Don't forget that."

I nodded to let her know I wouldn't.

She sighed. She brushed a kind hand on my head. "I just want you to make me a promise, dear: promise me you won't ever let any of these men force you into love. Your father may one day pick a husband for you, but at the end of the day you need to follow your heart. I'll be there to support you as much as I can… but please don't let any man choose who you belong to… you are a beautiful and strong young lady… your heart is your own to give."

I was a bit confused by her words. However, I nodded. "I promise, Gran Gran. I'll fall in love with the right person… I'll know in my heart who my future husband is." I then huffed. "Kona joked the other day that I was Areto's future wife. Areto's definitely not the one! He's too boring!"

Gran Gran smiled, but her eyes were saddened. "Then you make sure you find the right one… always follow your heart."

My hand reached for the flower, my cheeks burning as my blood pounded in my ears. As my fingers brushed against his own to take the floral gift, I saw him look away with his own cheeks flushed.

My heart pounded in my chest. Why? Why was I reacting this way? Was I really starting to feel something for the prince more than a friend?

I tried to shake the thought.

"Thank you," I began. Taking the flower, I pressed it to my nose and smelled the sweet scent. "It's-"

A sneeze escaped me, and I yanked the flower from my nose. Another sneeze, and I felt my eyes start to water. What in the world?

Sneeze. Sneeze. Cough. My throat felt scratchy suddenly.

Zuko ripped the flower from me. "You should've told me you were allergic!"

I sneezed again.

"Well how-"

Sneeze.

"Was I supposed-"

Sneeze.

"To know?!"

I sneezed again and backed away from the flower. The whole time I sneezed, Zuko watched me with both amazement and concern in his eyes. I went to rub my eyes, but Zuko rushed forward and grabbed my hand to stop me. He'd dropped the flower as he did so. "Wait. We need to rinse your hand off. Touching your eyes will only make them itch."

He pulled me away from the flowers. "How-" Sneeze. "Do you know so much-" Sneeze. "About this stuff?"

He kept pulling me along. "My little sister has horrible reactions to Fire Lilies. The palace physician would have to treat her all the time. Let's just say the Fire Lilies never survived. Is your throat hurting?"

I shook my head. He sighed with relief.

A moment later we arrived at a small stream. I was still sneezing and quickly picked up some water to wipe off whatever the Peony had left on me. Then I washed my face which quickly calmed my reaction. When I was done, I stared down at the water in embarrassment and then guilt: Zuko had tried to give me something, and I couldn't accept it.

Zuko knelt beside me, having washed his own hands so he didn't get the plants chemical on me again. He looked over at me with concern, especially when he saw the frown that formed on my face. "What's wrong? Are you still having discomfort?"

I hung my head. "No… I'm sorry… I couldn't accept your gift."

For a moment Zuko was silent. Then he said with a shrug, "It was just a weed." He stood. "Besides, flowers end up dying after a while anyway. I'd hate to receive a gift that doesn't last forever."

I stood too, staring at my feet. "Well… That was embarrassing."

A small chuckle escaped the young man beside me. I looked over at him with question. He covered his mouth in surprise. Then he took his hand away and I saw he was smiling ever so slightly. "I thought it was pretty entertaining. You have a baby sneeze."

"What?" I went to retaliate, but quickly stopped. Zuko had dropped his smile, and an expression I couldn't register suddenly came on his face.

He stepped forward and reached his hand towards me slowly. Gently, he pushed my hair back from my face. As his skin touched my own, I felt my breathing hitch. His touch was like fire as it sent my blood pounding through me. Electric shocks flowed from his fingertips through my spine. He stared at me with a puzzled and curious expression. His eyebrows furrowed in uncertainty.

"What are you doing to me?" He suddenly asked. "I've never felt this way before."

His question and words took me off guard. Before I could sputter out an answer though, he ripped his hand away and shoved it back to his side. My cheek still tingled from where his skin had made contact. His cheeks were more flushed than I'd ever seen them before.

"Come on." He turned from me swiftly. "We need to go find Uncle and get him back to the ship."

As Zuko walked away, I watched him go with bewilderment.

What are you doing to me…? I've never felt this way before...

I pressed my hand to the strand of hair he'd pushed back.

I felt exactly the same.

After walking for almost another hour, and Zuko shouting for his uncle, we found what we were looking for. A bundle of craters indented in the earth had water in them that appeared to be steaming. In the center crater was Iroh, his upper half revealed above the water and his eyes closed. He was shirtless, and I hoped that's all he was.

Zuko stepped forward to confront his relaxed uncle. "Uncle? We need to move on, we're closing in on the Avatar's trail and I don't want to lose him!"

Iroh ignored his nephew, his eyes still closed as he leaned farther back against the crater wall behind him. "You look tired, Prince Zuko. Why don't you join me in these hot springs and soak away your troubles. There's a few on the other side for Crystal to have privacy."

Zuko gritted his teeth. "My troubles cannot be soaked away. No one else is stripping in the woods! It's time to go!"

"You should take your teacher's advice and relax a little. The temperature's just right. I heated it myself."

The young prince pinched the bridge of his nose trying not to yell at the man. "Enough! We need to leave now! Get out of the water!"

Iroh sighed. "Very well. But I'd shield young Crystal's eyes."

Zuko gasped. My vision was suddenly blocked by Zuko's hand. I jumped slightly as dark consumed my vision. I could only assume Zuko was blocking me from a sight I had no desire to see.

"On second thought… why don't you take another few minutes, but be back at the ship in half an hour or I'm leaving without you!"

Zuko still kept his hand over my eyes and grabbed my arm to lead me away. When we were a safe distance, Zuko sighed heavily and dropped his hand returning my sight.

"That man is crazy!"

I giggled. "At least he's having fun though."

Eventually we returned to the ship, but didn't go inside it. We waited for Iroh to arrive, and Zuko paced back and forth with irritation. Half an hour passed, and still there was no sign of Zuko's uncle. We waited another thirty minutes, and still there was no sound or peep from him. The crew had returned by this point, so it seemed the only person missing was Iroh.

"Where is he?!" Zuko stomped back and forth getting even more frustrated. "That man never listens to me!"

One of Zuko's guards, waiting on shore with us while the remaining crew had gone back on the ship, asked, "Should we go retrieve him, sir?"

He stopped in his pace, rubbed his face, and then took in a deep breath. "Gather a few more men. We may have to branch out and search. He could've gone for a walk knowing that man." The guard bowed and headed towards the ship. He was back a few moments later with five other guards.

We ended up heading through the forest again. Zuko had debated sending me back to the ship, but he decided he didn't want to risk giving me an opportunity to run. I reassured him I wasn't running. "Do you want me to get lost?! I don't know anything about this place! And I might run into more flowers." I shivered at the thought.

Zuko couldn't stop himself. He laughed again. The guards looked over at us with surprise. Zuko quickly cleared his throat to try and cover the noise. His attempt was futile. A few guards smirked beneath their helmets.

We eventually returned to the hot springs where we'd left his uncle originally. When we got there, the area was silent and vacant.

"Uncle! Uncle, where are you?" Zuko stepped near the hot springs, and I could see he was starting to get worried. My eyes shot to the crater his uncle had been in. There were stones jutting upward as if to restrain someone.

The soldier who offered to help earlier stepped forward. "Sir, maybe he thought you left without him?"

Zuko shook his head. "Something's not right here."

"I'm with you on that," I said, stepping over to the crater and pointing at the rocks. "I don't think Iroh's at fault for being late. This wasn't like this when we were last here."

Zuko stepped over to the crater realizing what I was saying. "That pile of rocks…"

The soldier stepped over to investigate too. "It looks like there's been a landslide, sir."

It was my turn to speak. "I don't think so… Look at how the rocks are. They look uphill, not down."

"You're right… Land doesn't slide uphill. Those rocks didn't move naturally." Zuko thought about it for a moment, and then his face paled. "My uncle's been captured by earthbenders!"

His words stumped me. Earthbenders? I'd never met any before, but from the way Zuko said it I assumed they weren't friendly towards the Fire Nation. Which of course made sense since the Fire Nation was everyone's enemy.

He glanced at the same guard. I really needed to try and learn their names. "Return to the ship and bring out our fastest rhinos. We're getting my uncle back."

The man quickly did as he was told, a few of the other men following behind. There were two guards that stayed back with us to give us protection. I had a feeling Zuko could protect himself. As we waited anxiously for the men and rhinos, I asked Zuko what earthbenders were like. He explained that they were relentless and brutal. They would do whatever it takes to keep their nation safe. That's why the Fire Nation was having so much trouble conquering them.

"So... earthbenders are pretty powerful then?"

"Yeah… If you're not a great fighter they can drag you underground without any trouble," he muttered.

"Do- do you think they did that to Iroh?"

He shook his head. "No… They probably recognized him as soon as they saw him. I'm sure Uncle's on his way to a very secure prison right now. They most likely want to use him to get to my father probably."

"Like a hostage situation?"

"Yeah."

I frowned. My fists clenched at the thought of Iroh being in danger. Iroh was the one man on the ship that I found comfort speaking to. He was like an uncle to me as well. He cared about me.

A few minutes later we heard a very loud grunt. My eyes widened and I turned my head sharply at the owner. Three rhinos emerged from the shadow of the forest. They were the largest beasts I'd laid eyes on apart from Appa. Their hide was black and smooth, and their horns looked like they could pierce through anything.

"Wow… I know what Rhinos are now."

The guards looked over at me in surprise. Zuko seemed amused.

"Is everything going to be a first for you?"

I stared down at my feet with a small smile. "Probably."

"Alright... Let's move out. We need to catch up to them before they get too deep in the Earth Kingdom." He moved over to a rhino and pulled himself up on the saddle.

"Sir..." A guard spoke from beside me. "What about the girl? Bringing her along may not be best."

I sighed. Part of me wanted to argue because I was worried about Iroh, but another part of me was intimidated by the giant rhinos.

Zuko stared at me for a moment in contemplation. Then he let out a heavy sigh. Glancing at the man who asked, Zuko said, "It's fine. She can ride with me. We don't have time to get her back to the ship."

I stared at the massive beast with terror. It was much taller than myself and looked deadly. I honestly was petrified. I had never ridden on any animal but Appa before, and he at least had a large enough back that I didn't have to fear falling off.

"Uh... you know… I probably will just get in the way… I'm okay going back to the ship."

Zuko seemed amused by my uncertainty. He gestured for the guard nearest to me to grab me. I shrieked and tried to leave. The man grabbed my arm not too roughly and managed to hoist me up towards Zuko. Zuko quickly took my arm and pulled me up. "I'll try not to run us over too many bumps," he promised.

The next thing I knew, I was behind Zuko on a giant rhino holding my arms around his waist for dear life. I was honestly too petrified to have fun. I was off the ground and really didn't want to fall.

We moved quickly through the forest, eventually leaving the area and arriving at a path towards some mountains. I wasn't really sure how Zuko knew which direction to start looking. He just kept his eyes straight on the path and his hands tight on the rhino's rein. I wondered if he was fully following his instincts; if so, I hoped his instincts were better than Sokka's.

Eventually, Zuko stopped the rhino and told me to hold onto the saddle. I was confused, and watched him slide off. Wait… What?! He was leaving me on this thing? My fingers clutched around the edges of the saddle for dear life.

"Is it his sir?"

Looking down at the guard's question, I saw Zuko holding a sandal in his hand. He grimaced as he held it in his hand. "Yup, that's Uncle Iroh." He tossed the sandal to the guard who asked. The man gagged at the smell tossing it quickly in a bag connected to the saddle.

I asked, finding my voice despite my fear of falling, "Is your uncle leaving us bread crumbs?"

Zuko returned to the rhino and hoisted himself back in front of me. When he was resituated, I immediately returned to holding onto his waist. He didn't seem to notice (or if he did he tried to hide his amusement), and answered my last question. "Yep… He's definitely a wise old man."

We continued forward again, heading farther around the side of the mountain. While we headed deeper into Earth Nation territory, I could tell some of the guards were getting quite anxious. I assumed the Earth Nation was definitely strong when it came to fighting against the Fire Nation.

"The Avatar!"

Zuko suddenly jerked his rhino to a halt. The jerky movement sent me bumping forward into him. I gasped and hugged him tighter as I feared falling. I pulled away a second later once I figured I would not fall, slightly dazed, and looked up at the sky. Sure enough, Appa flew very high above.

"Sir…" A man spoke on the rhino beside us. "What do you want to do?"

The prince took a moment, let out a heavy sigh, and moved his rhino forward away from Appa. "Let's go. There's no telling what that man's getting himself into."

As Zuko led the rhino away from Appa and farther around the mountain, I watched the giant furry beast fly further and then disappear from my sight.

Appa… Sokka… Katara… Aang…

I sighed heavily. My arms had stayed tightly wrapped around Zuko's waist, and I rested my head on his upper back trying to hide my worry. I missed them, but I was glad to see they were okay. Then I felt panic. Unless Appa was alone, and they weren't okay…?! No! I quickly shook that from my mind. They were fine… Aang would protect them no matter what. I had to believe they were in good hands.

We carried on a little longer, and I began to think the earthbenders were too fast for us. However, we eventually reached a wooden wagon with two strange animals at the front. They had two thin legs, some wings, and a furry head. I'd have to ask Zuko about them later.

Zuko suddenly slid off the rhino, and rushed over to the wagon. He looked around for its owners. Then he rushed to the mountain edge and looked down. His eyes widened. "Uncle!" He turned to the rest of us, shooting orders to his men. "Keep an eye on the girl! I'll handle this!" He suddenly dropped down a steep slope, and I watched him disappear with terror.

Somehow, I managed to maneuver my body off of the rhino and drop myself to the ground. I was so relieved to be back on solid dirt. The guards were talking to each other behind me, so they really didn't pay any mind to me. Heading over to the spot Zuko had slid down, I saw the slope was steep at first but seemed to even out at the bottom. Then I noticed at the bottom of the slope, Iroh's hands were about to be crushed by a hovering giant boulder. Just as it started to drop, Zuko arrived and jumped at the rock kicking it hard. It fell out of the earthbenders reach crashing to the ground. Then Zuko swung his leg down at Iroh smashing his heel into the chains restraining the old man's wrists. The earthbenders had backed off, but looked ready to fight. I was bewildered by Zuko's strength.

"Excellent form, Prince Zuko," Iroh praised, standing up. He wore a tied towel around his waist. I assumed it was because he was in his birthday suit.

"You taught me well," Zuko commented.

As this all occurred, I started to realize they were outnumbered. I looked back at the guards who were not too concerned. I glanced back at the earthbenders who were surrounding my captors.

I was so concerned for Iroh and Zuko's safety… I was more concerned for my enemy than my allies at that moment. Was I losing it?

Probably…

I glanced around the area where the men stood below. I saw some flasks at the earthbenders' waists. Water… I could help.

With sudden determination, I managed to slide down the steep slope to help. My body moved swiftly and skillfully. I'd gone down glaciers much steeper and slicker.

As I headed down I heard one of the earthbenders say, "Surrender yourselves, it's five against two. You're clearly outnumbered."

Reaching the bottom of the incline, I heard Iroh say, "Uh, that's true, but you are clearly outmatched!"

As Zuko and Iroh prepared to attack, I yanked my hands back, jerking water from two of the flasks at the earthbenders' sides. The water rushed through the air towards me, while the men who previously had the liquid followed its floating trail with surprise. When they saw the water coming towards me, I could tell they didn't know what to think.

"Hey! You're a waterbender?!"

The earthbender who shouted at me turned to attack. He could see I wasn't fighting on his side.

"Crystal!" Zuko looked over at me with horror. "What are you doing?!"

I ignored him and shot a harsh blast of water at the man who had spoken to me. He fell back and hit the dirt hard and in a daze. While he was down, I froze his hands to his body and then his body to the dirt. As I did so the other earthbenders started to attack. Zuko and Iroh went straight into action. Iroh still had chains on his wrists, and used the long links to his advantage. He hit two of the men, while Zuko attacked another. Fire started to blast through the air, and I backed up quickly to avoid Zuko's strikes.

Just as the battle started, it suddenly came to an end. All of the earthbenders around us were either unconscious or pinned to the dirt by ice. I hadn't done much, but what I did was enough to make me wonder why I did it.

"Well done you two!" Iroh exclaimed. "That was excellent fighting."

Zuko ignored Iroh and stomped over to me. "What are you doing down here? The guards were supposed to keep an eye on you!"

Shrugging, I answered, "Your men seemed busy. I thought I'd help you out."

He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I can't believe this… I tell them to do one thing…" He crossed his arms and let out a hard sigh. "It can't be helped I guess. What's done is done." He turned to Iroh then. "Now would you please put on some clothes?!"

Iroh nodded, and then turned to head back up the steep hill. Zuko covered my eyes again as the man got higher, protecting me from a sight none of us wanted to see.

As he covered my eyes though, I thought back to the last five minutes with shock. What was I doing…? Why was I protecting firebenders?

And why was Zuko's touch on my face making me blush again?

I was so confused...