It was two years after her banishment to the North Pole. Too bad her sentence was five because Arien couldn't take it any longer. She hated all the cold, snow, water, and shades of blue and white. She was from the Fire Nation, a strong, powerful, warm country filled with different shades of red. These pointless villages with their melting buildings and homes, the hunting with canoes; these people were so primitive in Arien's mind. All the same, she had to get used to it. The first year, when Zhao had literally thrown her off his ship, was the hardest. Every peasant in that pathetic Water Tribe village cowered in fear every time they saw her. Arien loved in a truly pathetic little hut on the outskirts for that year, easily producing fire while the peasants slaved over wet sticks for five hours. They finally realized that she didn't want to be a threat halfway through the second year, and surprisingly, she befriended a waterbender named Taka.

At sunrise, Arien dressed in her usual armor, typical of a firebender, and walked outside to tend her small fire. She gently blew on it, causing it to flare up into a bonfire. As she knelt there warming herself, she noticed Taka leaving her hut. Arien beckoned for her to come over, and she did.

Arien looked up, "Morning. Why are you up so early? You usually sleep in on days like this."

"Well, I heard you yell last night, so I thought I'd get up early to ask you about it," Taka replied.

"Tell you the truth, it was a dream," Arien began, and they went inside. So she told Taka of last night's dream...

Zuko turned to his Uncle, "Well, now that we've landed, you and I will walk that way."

Zuko pointed westward.

"Prince Zuko?" Iroh questioned. "Why didn't we just dock in...the... main city...Oh. So you figured she wouldn't be in the main city?"

Zuko looked at him nervously as they walked down the boarding ramp into the snow. "I... don't know what you're talking about, Uncle."

Zuko did know what he was talking about, and he hated walking, so Iroh knew what he was thinking. He had always weaseled his way into seeing her. Zula had hated her, Zhao had hated her, and Ozai had hated her. Only Iroh had seen that Arien and Zuko were practically meant to be. But what was Zuko thinking? He was a Fire Nation Prince, raised to be a brave warrior. Yet he was in love with her. Love... could this really be true about him? Prince of Fire - Zuko? He thought about this as he and Iroh walked through the snow toward the tiny village.

... "The prince gave you the necklace?" Taka asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah. Don't you believe me?" Arien asked.

Taka had a nervous look on her face. Arien knew why. Taka was thinking what the whole tribe had thought at first; Arien was a spy and she was plotting a raid. Arien got up.

"I know what you're thinking. Just..." Arien growled as she walked toward the doorway.

"Arien! I-" Taka stopped as she looked past Arien, who hadn't even gotten through the doorway.