Aang, Sokka, and Katara had left the cave and were on the fluffy flying bison. They were searching for Prince Zuko's ship in hopes of saving Princess Zelda, but so far they had been unsuccessful.
"I'm sooooo hungry," Sokka complained as his stomach responded with a loud growl.
"Sokka! Can you think of anything other than food for once! We are trying to rescue Zelda and all you can think about is food!" Katara shouted at her brother.
Sokka replied with a smart comment and they continued arguing. Aang sat there thinking of Princess Zelda and wondering if she was okay. He still felt guilty for leaving her behind. He was also thinking about what he had said to Prince Zuko still.
"Do you think we could have been friends?"
That question danced in his mind. It never stopped either. Aang hoped with all of his heart that he would someday become friends with Prince Zuko.
The trio continued their search for Prince Zuko's ship.
Zuko was the first to awaken. 'I feel so warm he thought, I haven't slept this well in awhile'
He then opened his eyes to see Princess Zelda snuggled against him and this shocked him, but he realized that he didn't mind it at all. In fact, he enjoyed it very much. Zuko pulled her even closer so that she was against his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist. He lay there staring at her as she slept peacefully. A few minutes later she stirred and awoke. Zuko pretended to be asleep. He felt her jump obviously shocked to be this close. So she grabbed his hands and unwrapped them from around her waist and pulled away. Zuko then "awoke" and saw that Princess Zelda was summoning her staff again. Zuko sat up and got out of bed. He went over to his closet and got his armor and other clothing out. Zelda looked up and asked, "Do you have anything that I could wear?"
He once again went to his dresser and got another outfit out. It was the exact same thing as the pajamas she wore.
Zelda grabbed her staff and snatched the clothes out of his hands again and went into the bathroom. While she was in the bathroom Zuko quickly changed into his armor. She came out again and was dressed. This time she just put on her pink pumps.
"Would you happen to have a brush or a comb?" Zelda asked
Zuko dug in his drawers and found a brush and handed it to her.
"Thanks," Zelda said.
"Breakfast is served in 15 minutes, in the mess hall," Zuko informed Zelda.
"Alright, and how do I get to the mess hall?" Zelda asked.
Zuko told her the directions and Zelda memorized them.
Zelda sat at the desk to brush her hair, still thinking about the position she was in when she awoke. 'I haven't slept that well in such a long time,' she thought. 'I was so comfortable, it felt so…right.'
Zuko turned and left without a word. Zelda sat there for 5 minutes brushing her golden hair to perfection. Then she made her staff appear then she headed toward the mess hall. She made it there a few minutes early. Prince Zuko was sitting at the head of a table, and he waved at her to come and sit next to him. Zelda walked over to the table and sat down.
"You seem to have found you way pretty easily," Zuko said surprised.
"I have a pretty good memory," Zelda said.
"That's a good thing because this place is like a maze," interrupted Iroh as he walked toward the table Zelda and Zuko were sitting at. "I still get lost on this ship."
Zelda chuckled a little, but Zuko just rolled his eyes.
"How did you two sleep last night?" Iroh asked.
Zelda turned a little red thinking about the position that they were in when she awoke, but Zuko just said, "I slept very well. Better than I have in a long time."
Uncle Iroh raised an eyebrow suspiciously and asked, "And how did you sleep Princess?"
"Very well actually. It was nice to get some rest. I feel a little better than I did yesterday."
"That is wonderful. Would you like a cup of ginseng tea?"
"Yes, please. I love tea," Zelda said.
"It is about time. I am the only one on this ship who ever drinks tea. What is your favorite kind?"
"My favorite is chamomile. It is very calming," replied Zelda.
"Ahhh, yes. Chamomile, I also enjoy that tea very much. It is very soothing."
"Do you like tea as well Prince Zuko?" Zelda asked.
"No," Zuko sharply replied.
"You should try it sometimes. It is very calming. I think you sometimes need something to calm you," Zelda said smiling.
"I need nothing to calm me," he said his temper rising already.
"Can I interest you in some now?" Zelda asked smirking.
"I told you already I don't like tea. Why are you asking when I just told you that?" asked Zuko, his hands beginning to glow.
"Because you're losing your temper," she said smirking.
Zuko just glared at her and went to get his breakfast. Princess Zelda followed him to the kitchen to get her breakfast.
Once they returned, they began to eat. Princess Zelda ate eggs, bread, and a piece of ham. The food was delicious for being on a ship.
After they finished eating, a man walked up to Zelda, he seemed to be intoxicated because he was swaying out of control.
"And who is this beautiful little tramp?" he asked, obviously unaware of who he was talking to.
Zelda just looked away and didn't even recognize his presence.
Then the man struck her across the cheek and said, "I asked you a question wench!"
Zuko and Iroh had already stood up getting ready to pounce on the man but something stopped them and now they looked at Zelda in a shocked way. The drunken man didn't know why they were looking at her that way, but then she turned her head towards him. She looked infuriated, but the oddest thing was that her eyes had no pupils and they were glowing blue. Then her body raised into the air her head and limbs hanging limp. Then her body began to glow blue her head lifted. And out of her mouth didn't come the normal, soft voice of Zelda, but the deep voice of a grown woman.
"You shall not touch the crown Princess of Hyrule!" the voice said and in a flash of blue Princess Zelda was in her royal dress.
"You shall not touch the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom!" her left hand rose with the backside of her hand showing. On her hand was the glowing shape of the Triforce.
"You shall not touch the future Queen of Hyrule!" in a flash of blue her clothing had changed again. It was a red, royal dress and she was wearing a great golden tiara.
"You shall not touch the great general of the Hylian Army!" in another flash of blue she was wearing golden armor. The top part seemed to come off into a skirt and she wore golden, metal boots that come up to her mid-thigh. There was also a sword hanging at her hip.
"You shall not touch the Sage of Time!" in another flash she was wearing a flowing dress of blue satin. It was strapless and bore the symbol of the Triforce on front of the bottom half of the dress.
"You shall not touch the Empress of Light!" in a flash she was wearing a dress of gold satin that open in the front to reveal a white piece of gold silk. It had a long golden cape and she wore a Japanese style crown.
"If you ever touch Princess Zelda again, you shall regret it!"
In a final flash of blue she was in her royal dress again and she went limp again. Her head drooped and her limbs dangled from her body lifelessly. Her body floated silently down to Prince Zuko, who still had his mouth agape as did everyone else in the mess hall.
Princess Zelda landed in Prince Zuko's arms and her eyes fluttered open, "That wasn't me Prince Zuko. That was Nayru, the goddess of wisdom in my land. She was protecting my honor. Nayru is always there for me," she whispered and then she fainted.
Prince Zuko glared at the man who struck her, "Guards throw this man into a cell. I'll deal with him later."
Zuko carried Princess Zelda to his bedroom. He laid her gently on the bed. Zuko noticed that the royal dress she had laid on the armchair was still there. Zelda's eyes opened and she sat up. Zuko was sitting on the end of the bed watching her.
"Are you alright, Princess Zelda?" he asked worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm alright."
"What happened back there?"
"Well, remember what I told you about Nayru?"
"Yes, about her being the goddess of wisdom in Hyrule."
"Remember how she said I am the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom," she said showing that backside of her left hand that had the golden symbol of the Triforce, which was 3 small triangles that touched each other forming a larger triangle, "well since she is the goddess of wisdom she protects me. Back there she was protecting me, but mostly she was protecting my honor."
"I am sorry that you had to go through that on my ship. I despise the wrong treatment of women. The man who struck you has been dealt with accordingly."
"Thank you, for being there for me as well Prince Zuko," Princess Zelda said as she hugged him.
Zuko was somewhat surprised by this, but slowly wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back. He again felt like he felt this morning. So comfortable, so warm, and it felt so right. He released her from the hug and said, "I must go train now." You can come and watch if you want to."
"Alright, I'll come," Zelda agreed and smiled.
He returned the smile a little, but then the smile was gone. He turned and strode through the door, Zelda followed with her staff in hand. She almost had to jog to keep up with Prince Zuko because he took such long strides. They took so many turns Zelda knew she would get lost of she tried to find the way there.
