Zuko turned around to see Zelda sitting against a tree with a staff. She looked exhausted. He had never seen her like this. Normally she was so strong, but there she sat looking so weak. There were dark circles under her eyes and the normally brilliant blue seemed to have faded from exhaustion. Even with the exhaustion, he noticed that she still looked beautiful. She had that shining golden hair that went down to the middle of her back. Her skin was pale and her eyelashes were long. She was petite and always wore her royal dress. Her dress was pink and had a long piece of fabric attached to a golden belt that bore symbols of Hyrule. She also wore many other items of the royal treasures including a golden headband high on her forehead that had a red stone in the middle. Zelda also wore golden shoulder plates. She always wore this outfit all of the time so that she is easily identified as Princess of Hyrule , Sage of Time, and bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom.

He decided to see what she would do if he attacked with a fire ball. She attempted to put up a shield, but it was too weak the fire ball grazed her left arm and she winced in pain, but did not fall to the ground or cry. She would not show pain. She never had. Zuko never saw Princess Zelda cry other than at the Agni Kai.

"What is the matter with you?" Zuko questioned sharply.

Zelda grabbed her staff and struggled to get up having to use much of her strength just to do that simple task, but eventually was able to rise to her feet.

"I used up half of my spirit energy saving your life."

"What are you talking about?"

"Last night your spirit energy was at a dangerously low level, you were on the border line between life and death. I couldn't just let you die."

"Why? Isn't your mission to protect the Avatar? It would be easier without me wouldn't it?" he asked roughly staring in the eyes of Princess Zelda.

"I couldn't just let my best friend die."

"You still consider us best friends? That was years ago and now we are after separate goals. You are in the way of one of my goals: capturing the Avatar."

"Do you not know of one of my other titles Prince Zuko? I am also Empress of Light."

"So what does that mean?" Zuko demanded impatiently.

"It means that it is my duty to protect the hope and light in the worlds most in need of it. This world is definitely in need of it. That hope and light in this world is the Avatar. The world needs him," Zelda replied coolly.

"You and the Avatar have become friends it seems," Zuko said ignoring her statement about the world needing the Avatar, "Are you two good friends?"

"Yes, I guess you could say that," Zelda said still leaning on her staff.

"Well then, maybe I can make the Avatar come to me."

"And how might you accomplish that?"

"By taking you hostage," he replied with a smirk. He began to walk toward Zelda.

Zelda knew she was too weak to fight which she normally would have done. So instead she started moving away still having her staff in hand. But Zuko jumped up to her quickly and she responded by hitting him with her staff, which gave her enough time to give her a head start. She jogged as fast as she could, trying to escape, but she was just too exhausted. Zuko had caught up with her instantly and had her by the wrist. Zelda gave attempts to pull away, but his physical strength was too great for her. He easily had caught her.

"Get off of me, Zuko," Zelda hissed.

"That's Prince Zuko to you, Zelda."

"Then that's Princess Zelda to you," she replied smartly with a smirk.

He was getting annoyed by her insolence and glared down at her, but let it pass. He slung her over his shoulder and began to walk back to his ship. She was quiet for a while but then began beating on his back and kicking. He sighed and rolled his eyes completely unaffected by her feeble attempts. Then she just stopped, too tired to continue.

Awhile later, she was completely silent and Zuko began to wonder if she had fallen asleep, which she had.