Chapter 11
Through the entire dinner Prince Zuko sat with his chin in his hand, thinking. Mostly he was thinking about how he would get Princess Zelda to tell him about the Avatar. He had gotten closer to Zelda since she had been on the ship. Zuko wanted to know the Avatar's weakness, what makes him vulnerable, and anything else that would be of importance. Looking over at Zelda, who was in a discussion with Uncle Iroh about their recent purchases at the port, he wondered if she would tell him anything. He highly doubted it. Princess Zelda is responsible, and would complete her duties in protecting the Avatar, by not telling him anything.
'I still should at least try,' he thought, now staring at nothing in particular.
Prince Zuko was unaware that Uncle Iroh and Zelda were now talking about him.
"Does he zone out like that often?" Zelda asked while trying to see what he was staring at.
"Only when he's deep in thought. Normally, he doesn't notice anything. Watch…" he said winking at Princess Zelda. "Prince Zuko would you like some tea?"
Zuko sat there still staring at something unknown, still oblivious to what was going on around him. "Prince Zuko, would you like some tea?" his Uncle repeated the question.
Never looking away from the same spot he had been staring at, he mumbled, "Hm? Oh… yeah, sure." Uncle Iroh looked at Princess Zelda and smiled again. She giggled silently, so Zuko wouldn't come out of his trance. Uncle Iroh whispered quietly, "I know how to get him out of his trance."
Pointing out the window, Iroh exclaimed, "Prince Zuko! Look! The Avatar!"
At this comment, Prince Zuko shot up out of his chair, eyes wide from being awoken so suddenly from his trance, and looked around at the window. Eyes scanning the skies, he shouted, "Where!"
Then Zuko heard something he hadn't expected to hear, Uncle Iroh was sitting behind him laughing heartily and Princess Zelda laughed as well.
"UNCLE!"
"What?"
"You said you saw the Avatar!" he shouted his hands beginning to become engulfed with flame.
"Well, I didn't. But, I had to get you out of your trance somehow," Uncle Iroh said smirking mischievously.
"Don't ever do that again!" Zuko roared, setting his chair aflame. Princess Zelda, stopped laughing then. She got up out of her chair and went over to Prince Zuko's flaming chair. Waving her hand over top of the chair, the flames turned golden and she lifted her hand up high, her hand open, and the flames lifted off the chair. She closed her hand into a fist and the golden flames died.
Then Zelda turned to Prince Zuko, smiling and placing her hand on his shoulder, and said, "Come on, Prince Zuko. Let's go back to the room so you can calm down."
Prince Zuko looked down at the hand she had placed on his shoulder. She had already calmed him just by putting her hand on his shoulder. Princess Zelda felt him become more relaxed under her touch. Uncle Iroh was still sitting there sipping his tea and watching the two royals, smirking. Looking over at Iroh, Prince Zuko glared when he saw that Iroh was smirking. Princess Zelda removed her hand from his shoulder as he turned to leave and Zelda followed him out the door. Prince Zuko was about to head down the corridor, but was stopped when Princess Zelda grabbed his arm and said, "Race you back to the room."
She smiled and began running down the hallway. Prince Zuko stood there for a second thinking how odd her actions were. She hardly acted like royalty when she was with him. Not liking to be beaten, Prince Zuko smiled and dashed down the hallway as fast as he could. He was gaining on her rapidly, because she was trying to run in a dress and pumps, which was extremely difficult. Zuko ran up beside her and smirked at her as he passed by with ease. Princess Zelda returned the smirk with a glare and attempted to pick up speed but failed. Prince Zuko sped past her and turned the corner that would lead to his room. Prince Zuko thought he would beat her for sure, but the he felt something touch his shoulders. He looked behind him and saw that it was Princess Zelda. She had a hand on each shoulder and put her weight on him as she jumped up and flipped over him, landing a couple feet in front of him, still running. Princess Zelda looked back at him and smirked. Zuko responded by picking up speed. He was right beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist and picking her up. Zuko ran to the end of the corridor and threw her down a corridor that went the wrong way. Zuko heard her exclaim, "Hey!" as he turned the corner. He saw his room. Prince Zuko was almost there when he saw a flash of green come out of the doorway to his room.
'That little cheater,' he thought. 'She used Farore's Wind.'
Sure enough, when he turned and entered his room he saw Princess Zelda sitting on the bed smirking widely. He glared at her and said, "You cheated. You used Farore's Wind."
"Well, you threw me down the wrong corridor," she replied.
Zuko thought for a second on what her punishment should be for cheating. He remembered how violently ticklish she used to be. When they were younger she would tickle her until she was actually crying from laughing so much.
'You are Prince of the Fire Nation! You don't tickle,' he thought to himself.
'It's just Zelda. I used to tickle her all of the time,' he thought, finally compromising with himself.
"Well, your punishment for cheating will be a violent tickling," Prince Zuko said walking slowly toward Zelda.
"Oh, no Zuko. Don't do it! You know how ticklish I am!" Princess Zelda said with a worried look on her face.
Prince Zuko was now standing above her. He lifted his hands and began the punishment by tickling her at her sides. She started laughing uncontrollably and screaming at the same time. After a little while, tears began running down her cheeks. Zuko stopped seeing that his punishment had taken the desired effect on her. Gasping for breath from laughing so much, Princess Zelda, still laying down on the edge of the bed, wiped the tears from her eyes.
Prince Zuko watched her in satisfaction, but then did something without even thinking about it. He bent low over Princess Zelda and pinned her arms to the bed with his hands.
Then he kissed her, full on the mouth.
Lifting his head up, he was smiling. Then he realized what he had just done. Shocked by his own actions, he went to go away from Zelda, but was stopped by Zelda when she grabbed his arm. He looked at her to see a smile had formed on her face. She slowly pulled him down toward her so that he was sitting on the bed. Wrapping her arms around his torso, she pulled him close to her and laid her head on his chest. Prince Zuko wrapped his arms around her and held her. But, it was not the normal, full embrace that he usually gave Zelda. There was something on his mind that was troubling him.
'Maybe she'll tell me something about the Avatar, now.'
"Princess Zelda…" Zuko said.
"…yes," she said with her eyes closed and head still on Zuko's chest.
"What is the Avatar like?" he asked cautiously.
Princess Zelda lifted her head and looked up into his eyes. She pulled herself out of the embrace and scooted over on the bed, away from Zuko. Prince Zuko instantly realized he had picked the wrong time to ask.
'Why couldn't you have waited? That was so stupid!' he mentally yelled at himself.
"He's a nice kid," she said smiling and remembering Aang. Prince Zuko was surprised that she had even said anything.
"That's it?" Zuko asked wanting more information now that he had gotten even that small morsel from Zelda. "No, weaknesses?"
Princess Zelda was now staring into Zuko's eyes with a blank, emotionless expression on her face. "Prince Zuko. Did you really expect me to tell you anything?" Zelda asked now smirking.
The only response Zelda got from Prince Zuko was a cold glare. She got up off the bed and walked toward the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Prince Zuko asked harshly.
"I don't think I am going anywhere. I know I am going to watch the sunset," Princess Zelda said as she stopped walking and turned to respond to Zuko. Then she turned to continue her trip to the deck to watch the sunset. Prince Zuko jumped up and grabbed her forearm tightly to stop her from going anywhere. Zelda tried to pull away, but failed in her attempts.
Zelda just stared into Zuko's eyes with a blank face. "Yes?" she asked smartly.
Prince Zuko grabbed her by her upper arms and slammed her against the wall by the door. Zelda didn't wince or even blink as she was slammed against the wall. Her feet dangled below her, Zuko pinned her against the wall so she was eye level with him.
"I give you hospitality and that is how you repay me!" he shouted, his eyes boring into hers. "I could've thrown you into a cell!"
Princess Zelda still didn't reveal her emotions and said, "I will tell you something about the Avatar, if you can answer one single question for me. Mind you, it has to be a good answer or I won't tell you anything."
Prince Zuko glared for a second, but then harshly said, "Fine."
"What is the purpose of this war? What will be gained from it?"
Prince Zuko opened his mouth for a second and then thought about it. He didn't know. Why were they fighting this war? What would any nation benefit from it? Her question had completely stumped him. Princess Zelda noticed that he couldn't think of a response and smirked at his confusion.
Zuko, being so stumped, didn't even remember that he had Zelda pinned against the wall, so he unknowingly let Zelda off the wall. Princess Zelda fell and landed on her feet.
"I asked you a question that I already know the answer to Prince Zuko," she said breaking Zuko from his thought. He turned and saw Princess Zelda smirking. He hated how she played these games. "I just wanted to see what your response would be."
"Nothing will be gained from this war. The purpose is simple to find. Ozai, your father, is power-hungry. Your people gain nothing from this war. Your father cares nothing for his people…or his family. He only cares about himself."
"You're wrong! My father has always had the best interest of the Fire Nation at heart!" he shouted not wanting to believe her words. But, deep down he knew she was right.
"Oh, so he does care about his people? Then why was he willing to sacrifice that regiment of soldiers you stood up for? Why does he continue a war that he will only benefit from? When there are men leaving their family behind and those men are dying because of Ozai's selfishness. Are you really willing to condemn the only one who can stop Ozai, the Avatar?"
"I must regain my honor!" he roared, becoming infuriated because he didn't want to believe her.
"When did you lose your honor Prince Zuko? Valuing life is not dishonorable. Protecting your people is not dishonorable. Your father is the dishonorable one. He is willing to risk the lives of people that believe he will lead them the right way. People trust in their rulers to lead well. You and I, we care for our people," Zelda said looking upon Prince Zuko as his hands began to glow. "Why not help to end this war? Why not help the Avatar on his journey? This world is doomed to ruin if the Avatar fails in defeating the Fire Lord. You can help him and when he overthrows Ozai, you can become the Fire Lord and restore peace to this world."
No, no, no! He didn't want to hear this. For the first time in his life, he hated Zelda. He hated how she was always right. He hated how calm she always was. But what if her words were true. He was so confused that it infuriated him. Nobody had called his actions against the general in the war chamber honorable before.
"What do you think, Prince Zuko?" she asked, backing away from him a little, seeing how infuriated he was becoming.
His body was starting to glow orange. Princess Zelda knew he wouldn't reply with words, he would reply with actions so before the angered Prince could unleash his rage, Zelda looked at him for a second and then turned and walked out of the room serenely.
Prince Zuko was stunned that she had walked out on him so suddenly. No one had ever walked out on him in the middle of a conversation. No one had ever walked out on him period. Other people seemed completely intimidated by him, but not Princess Zelda. Even grown men were more intimidated by him than she was. Zuko never saw fear in her eyes when he was losing his temper. The baffled Prince sat on the end of his bed, with his head in his hands, calming himself and thinking.
I am not sure about whether I should continue this fan fic. If I don't get many more reviews I might stop it all together, but I am not sure.
kayko15: I like Zelda because she can fend for herself too. Keep reading because I plan to have a fight scene between her and Zuko. I won't tell you who the winner is yet. >.>
