A/N: About this. Funny story. One day several years ago, before I discovered fanfiction, I was rewatching A:TLA with my family. That night, I began to make up a story about Zuko accidentally capturing a mermaid who was sworn to protect the Avatar.

After a few days of mentally working on this story (I never wrote it down until now, but I somehow never forgot it), I decided I really liked it and would like to publish it someday. But, I thought, I couldn't publish it if it was set in the A:TLA world. Keep in mind I didn't know about fanfiction back then. So I began changing things. The setting, the characters, everything.

As I went on, that little story evolved until it became the basis for multiple series set in a magical world called Dedanan. (I have two books in different series written but unpublished.) I still have no idea how it happened, but it is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

I live and breathe Dedanan. I am obsessed with it. I have conversations with my characters, and randomly insert them into stories I'm reading or watching (that's where a lot of my fanfiction ideas come from). And I want to share my ideas. That's why I want to publish. Ideally, I'd write about Dedanan for a living, which is why I'm not publishing Dedanan on the internet, but if I can get my stories out in the world that'll be enough.

Thank you for reading that incredibly long author's note. I hope you enjoy the story it goes with.

Disclaimer: I own this AU, but sadly not the original show or characters. Wish I did, though; they're amazing.

THE MERMAID

Zuko

Prince Zuko sighed, slumping on the rail of his ship. Three years, and still no sign of the Avatar. He was beginning to lose hope.

"Prince Zuko!" a voice called. He straightened. Certainly the son of the Fire Lord hadn't been slouching! "Prince Zuko!"

Zuko turned. "Uncle?"

Iroh bent over, hands on his knees, panting. "One...second…"

"Uncle!"

Iroh held up a finger. "Patience… Prince… Zuko…" he sighed. "Ah. There. The sailors have caught something you should see."

Zuko turned back to glaring at the horizon. "I don't want to see another 'amazingly beautiful' fish, Uncle."

"It's not a fish."

"Or an eelphin."

"It's not that, either. It's not anything you've ever seen before!"

Zuko sighed, giving in. "This had better be good." He followed his uncle to the edge of the ship where the sailors had been fishing. Where the sailors were clustered round a full-looking net.

Oh, spirits, it is a fish.

"Move aside," Zuko ordered.

The sailors stepped away from the net to reveal…

...the most beautiful girl Zuko had ever seen, tangled in the net.

A girl with long hair like spun gold, who looked up at him with huge, frightened teal eyes framed by long, dark lashes.

A girl with three black slits on either side of her neck, wearing nothing but a bikini top on her torso.

A girl whose turquoise tail shimmered beneath her as she struggled to get free.

"A bleedin' mermaid," said a sailor in tones of disbelief.

She was. Bleeding. The net had sliced into her stomach and arms, and her tail was bent at an unnatural-looking angle.

Zuko shook his head, jerking himself out of his trance. "What are you doing?" he barked. "Get the mermaid out of that net and into a tank!"

"Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked. "You want to...keep her?"

Zuko turned coldly away from the girl's pleading eyes. "If the Avatar is dead, I'll at least bring Father something no one off this ship has seen. Maybe she'll be enough."

As he walked away, he could hear the girl thrashing as the sailors tried to move her to a tank. He heard her struggles grow weaker and weaker, then a sailor called out that they had her and were filling the tank.

"Uncle?" Zuko said, knowing Iroh would be nearby. "Once they've got her tank filled, have them put her somewhere out of the way and feed her. And make sure everyone knows not to breathe a hint of this to anyone off this ship."

"Yes, Prince Zuko."

A/N: What did you think? I'd love to know!