A/N: Sorry I have been taking such a long time to update. I've had finals to study for and other crap to do for school. . Alright, so this chapter is not very action-packed, but Zuko and Leiya get to interact. .
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, or anything related to Avatar. I can still pretend right?
Leiya lied on her bed for a few minutes collecting her strength. She had to find Iroh or someone who could tell her where she could clean out her various burns. No sooner had she stumbled out into the hallway had Iroh walked by. He raised his eyebrows at her.
"You know you shouldn't be wandering around." Iroh said, a bit suspiciously.
Leiya bowed politely, and said, "Yes, um…I was wondering if there was a place where I could shower off." She smiled sheepishly.
"Yes. Down the stairs, third door on your right. Oh, and I left you some cloths in your room." Leiya smiled and said her thanks.
"Your name is Leiya, correct?" "Yes". Leiya bowed politely, and started off towards her room.
She returned to her room and retrieved the cloths she had overlooked. She then trotted of to the showers. She took her bag, in which she had cloths and soap. She quickly scrubbed sea salt and soot off her body. She quickly washed off her old cloths and changed into the cloths Iroh had left her. She couldn't help but trust him, but she wondered why he trusted her.
Iroh had noticed the way the girl fought, and her overall attitude. It reminded him of General Lye, a good friend of his. He had reason to believe that Leiya was his daughter. In which case, he didn't mind helping her. He had picked up cloths for her at the port that they had stopped at while she had been asleep. He was also fairly certain that the girl would help Zuko, too.
Leiya put on the outfit. Normal red skirt that fell just above her knees, a golden shirt, and red pants that reached an inch below her knees. 'Not bad, except I look like a fire…' She thought. She decided to wander back to her room and work on the cure more.
"Prince Zuko" Iroh said to the prince. "I believe that the girl is awake and well. Except her hands were burned. She is not much of a threat."
"Good. She will lead the Avatar to us. We'll continue to head north, though. The closer we are to him the better."
It had been a few hours of work, and Leiya was stuck. She sighed, and decided to go for a walk. She ran into the lieutenant. He glared at her. "Great, I have friends all over." She muttered to herself.
"Do you realize how much trouble you've caused? If you weren't around, then we would've caught the avatar!" he snapped. He had obviously heard her last comment.
"And catching the Avatar is a bad thing? Seriously, stalking a twelve year old isn't healthy…" Leiya smiled. She was in a good mood, despite all that had happened. TH ship felt like home, since she had grown up in the Firenation.
She decided to walk on deck. It was around sunset. The sun's red and pink rays cascaded onto the ship, waking shadows from their daily hibernation. On deck, Iroh was watching Zuko practice his forms. Leiya smiled. She used to watch firebending practice a lot.
Leiya stood in a shadow, and watched. She soon was lost in thought, watching the flames pierce the air. It felt strange. She was more comfortable within the light of the fire than any other place. Perhaps she had not been born in the wind cycle. Her mother always kept things from her.
Zuko was almost finished with his practice when he noticed a pair of gold eyes watching from the shadows. He threw flames near the corner, illuminating the girl who stood watching.
"Sorry!" She said quickly. "I just got bored and came up here to see the ocean. But then I decided to watch your practice instead."
"If you're that bored, then you can do chores. All the floors on the ship need washing." He said. He resumed practice. Iroh shook his head. If this girl was truly the general's daughter then she would get Zuko back.
Leiya pulled some ribbon out of her bag, and fastened the brushes to her feet. She then proceeded to skate around the ship until it was clean. All she needed to do now was to dispose of the water. As she walked down the hallway, she spied a room whose door was ajar. She smiled, and trotted off to find some guards.
It was dark when Zuko returned to his quarters. It was strange. A lot of guards seemed to be loitering in the hallways. 'Probably just waiting for dinner.' He thought. He came to his door and found that the door was a crack open. He walked inside, and as the door opened, a bucket of dirty water fell on his head.
Leiya watched from a nearby hallway. She tried very hard not to crack up. She grasped her composure and went to entertain the guards who had waited in the hallways. They had told her whose room it was, and she asked if they could wait around in the hallway. She had lied about one thing or another, and as a result a few guards stayed. They were all shaking silently with laughter.
Iroh also walked by at that moment, curious why so many people were all in the same place. He saw the bucket fall on his nephew and couldn't help but chuckle. Leiya would definitely help lighten the mood on the ship.
"LEIYA!" Zuko yelled.
"Yes, Prince?" Leiya called from her hiding place. "By the by, I seem to have misplaced my bucket…" Leiya walked into the hallway "How kind of you! You found it for me!" Leiya smiled. The guards were shaking even harder now, and Leiya smiled. 'Play to the crowd.' She thought.
Meanwhile, Zuko was trying very hard not to burn Leiya on the spot. He was breathing heavily, and blew some fire into the air. The room filled with smoke. Leiya took a deep breath, and exhaled. The smoke cleared instantly, leaving most of the people dumbfounded that she could actually do some bending.
Leiya knew not to provoke Zuko anymore. She quickly picked the bucket and said "Well, I'll se you around." She gave him a smile "Especially because I'm stuck on this ship!" She gave him another grin and left.
Life on this ship was definitely going to be fun. Right then and there she decided that she was going to make Zuko laugh- or at least smile- by the time she tried to escape. In about a week or so she would have to escape and meet up with Aang. She realized that Jasmine wasn't on the ship. She would have to try to avoid running into her.
Zuko was drying off in his room. "I don't understand uncle! Why would she even try something like that! Someone needs to teach her a lesson!"
"Prince Zuko, I suggest you let it go, because…"
"Uncle, I will just teach her a little respect. I won't hurt her too badly."
Iroh sighed. Leiya would continue to make a fool of him to make the crew laugh. It was not in a lightbender's nature to enjoy a ship where the air was saturated with sadness and tension.
Zuko walked outside of Leiya's closed door.
"Leiya! Come out on deck! You may not disrespect my authority. I WILL see you there in five minutes."
"Okay." Leiya replied. She quickly ushered the power that had returned to her into her hands. She would do a little bending.
Many guards, the lieutenant, and uncle Iroh were waiting on deck in a neat circle. Leiya came up and the circle parted to where Zuko waited in the middle of the circle. Starlight bathed the deck in a golden light.
"Is this some sort of cult or something?" Leiya asked, but no one dared to laugh.
"No." Zuko replied shortly. "You have two choices. Either you apologize for disrespecting me, and remain in your room, or you fight me. If you were not hurt then you would be kept in the prison hold."
Leiya looked in his eyes. Sorrow filled her own, causing Zuko to take a step back.
"Look. I am not going to fight you, or stay in my room. Sorry if you are that offended. Everyone around here is sad to some point. I'm just trying to get people's moods up." She rolled her eyes and turned to leave, but the guards would not move.
She turned to Zuko. "It is not always like father like son." Her voice dripped with a cold anger. "Can you move please?" Leiya asked the guards of the circle. Her voice changed to her polite, easy-going tone.
Zuko was even angrier. He held out his hands in a fighting stance.
"Go ahead." Leiya's eyes were like ice. He shot fire at her. Leiya knew what she would do. Her reflexes were quick.
Leiya caught the flame in her hands. She flinched as the heat neared her burned hands. She gulped, and closed her hands over the fire. She opened her hands and blew the smoke towards Zuko.
Leiya sighed. She could tell that she wouldn't win. She gave a polite bow, and quietly said, "I apologize for disrespecting you."
"Go to your room." He said, still quiet. Leiya was at the edge of the stairs, before saying, " Suffering doesn't make a good teacher, does it Zuko?" She didn't even turn around. Her voice was not angry, but soft and gentle. Zuko just blinked. Her last comment had hurt him more than anything.
Leiya sprinted down the stairs before he could start something.
It had been about an hour since their fight, and Leiya felt guilty. She walked quietly to Zuko's room, and knocked before entering.
Zuko was deep in meditation when he heard a knock at his door, followed by a sheepish voice.
"I'm sorry Prince Zuko. I didn't mean what I said. I am also truly sorry if I was disrespectful." Zuko didn't even open his eyes, but the candles seemed to flare a bit.
Zuko then felt the candles calm, but it was not he controlling the flames. He opened his eyes, only to see his door close silently. As it shut, he saw the shadow of a slim figure. He could not help but like Leiya, even though she had disrespected him
'But how did she know about what my father had said?' He thought. 'Oh well, it must be just coincidence.'
A/N: I will try to write more soon! Sorry, I thought there would be more romance, but there will be eventually! I am trying to keep Zuko in character. Please tell me how I'm doing on that! Please review! I love getting reviews! They brighten my whole day! Thanks! .