Uncle Iroh observed Kaida and Commander Zhao from the balcony of his room at noon time. He frowned at the older Firebender who sent dangerous blasts of hot flames towards the teenager, who defended herself with quick bursts of fire. Each time he would step closer and she would grow nearer to the white hot embers. She had been training all morning under orders from the Fire Lord, who wished to use her as a weapon against the other Nations. The timid girl was not bad at combat, but the experienced officer had the advantage of strength and size.
Iroh watched as the commander sent a large wave of heat at the girl who threw out a defensive fire blast, but changed her mind quickly to water from a nearby bucket, sending the two at the officer almost simultaneously. The officer backed away quickly ending his attack. She looked as though she were in shock when her eyes glazed over and uncle Iroh saw the girl collapse onto the ground. He went down to ground level to see if the young girl was alright out of his own compassion for teens and young children like his nephew. The commander kicked her with a sharp boot as if she were merely playing to rest a moment. When she did not stir, he grew angry at the protest. Uncle Iroh arrived as he began to shout at the limp girl strewn across the dusty ground.
"Is there a problem Commander Zhao?" His eyes flashed dangerously as he moved to the girl to try and wake her from her faint, or whatever it was. She looked as though she had fallen asleep and a pale blush graced her cheeks. "Allow me to take her inside to rest for a while, Commander. I think she's done enough for now." Uncle Iroh proceeded to carry her inside, despite the death glare and rude remarks Commander Zhao spat at him.
Uncle Iroh had just made his way inside when his troubled nephew rounded the corner and caught sight of him. "Uncle? What's going on?" His rage filled voice was cleared by concern.
"Your friend was training with Commander Zhao, she must have fainted from exhaustion. That man is just as brutal as your father." Iroh's face clouded with suppressed hate. "Now," he said quickly changing the subject, "would you mind carrying her to an empty room upstairs? My back is beginning to bother me." He heavily handed the limp girl to Zuko, who almost fell over at the sudden weight.
"But Uncle-," his protests did nothing. Uncle Iroh had begun to walk off in search of tea and to play a game with his new prized lotus tile, secretly smiling.
Zuko cast a confused look to the girl he held in his arms. She looked as though she was suffering in her sleep, or state of unconsciousness. He felt his stomach churn nervously and felt his cheeks grow warm. He began to walk quickly to the stairs for fear of anyone seeing him. He became confused once more at his reactions, which sent him into deeper thought as he mounted the stairs. For some odd reason, the warmth of her body pressed against his was comforting and her heartbeat that steadily pulsed was giving him a strange sense of calm.
He noticed her lower left arm had been burned and her pale skin was reddening furiously. He remembered his own burn from the Fire Lord, which never left him. Zuko carried the girl to a small guest room, sometimes used for the sons and daughters of a visiting lord. He sighed loudly and returned to his room lightly touching his scar. Her hair seemed to be hauntingly familiar for some odd reason. He couldn't think of how, or why, but it seemed as though he had seen her fair hair somewhere before. He felt a yawn coming on and decided, though did not enjoy, in taking a light nap. His dream however, wasn't as calming as he had hoped.
A seven year old Prince of Firebenders ran about a sandy beach chasing about the seagulls that flocked and gathered along the ground. He laughed his head off in his innocence. He dove at a large group of the white and grey birds, who flew away in a flurry of feathers and flapping wings. He laughed out loud as he tumbled in the soft sand, sending it flying in all directions. He stopped somersaulting and began to create a sand castle using seashells as tools.
"Can I dig the moat?" A soft yet melodious voice asked from behind him. He turned to see a pair of pale blue eyes smiling at him. His grin reappeared as he nodded. He watched a pale haired girl grab a large, flat shell and proceed to dig a deep trench around the growing castle in the sand. The little Prince stacked on more sand creating towers and dungeons as the girl made a drawbridge and a deep, winding moat. They worked for endless hours, occasionally stopping to play in the surf and find more shells.
They once came across a clear, scuttling crab that hurried across the sands leaving small tracks in the sand. They watched it curiously, the little boy even tried to imitate the crab, but succeeded only in tumbling over by a pile of seaweed. The little girl's light summer kimono had shades of blues matching the ocean, and the bow in her hair twirled in the wind as they played a game of tag, almost tripping over their discarded shoes.
The sun began to set to their dismay, but they were too happy to grow sad by any means. The vibrant purple and red sky lit up their finished sand castle and they sat in the wake of the tide washing over the sand. The two watched the sun set and with every wave, each little sand crab and clam hastily dug back into the delicate shore.
The boy looked over to his companion, watching the wind send her light hair blowing behind her and her happy pale eyes shine with the last rays of the sun. She looked over to him and smiled in such a serene way, like the quiet waves washing against a silent shoreline. He could not help but smile back, his gold eyes glittered with happiness that he had not felt for such a long time.
He watched the girl leave as stars began to gather in the cobalt sky above. He watched her turn and wave a final goodbye and she disappeared over a sand dune, past the green reeds and driftwood fence. He was alone. So very alone…
Prince Zuko awoke with a start, sitting up so fast it made his head spin. He put a shaking hand on his throbbing brow and tried to clear his thoughts and shake the remnants of his dream from his mind. In the silence of his room, he heard his own stomach call out for food embarrassingly. He stood up and stretched for a moment and made his way down to the kitchens area. It felt strange to be back, wandering through the hallways again. He noticed his uncle and pale haired guest playing a game at the table in the kitchen. His uncle whipped out his prized tile and put it into play triumphantly.
"Ah, there you are, Prince Zuko. I was beginning to wonder if you got lost." His uncle chuckled, the girl smiled faintly. Zuko felt a chill go up his spine.
"Very funny, Uncle." He haughtily made his way over to the table. He sat down heavily in a chair and crossed his arms. The silence in the kitchen was broken by Zuko's stomach protesting its emptiness. His face flushed a furious red.
Uncle Iroh laughed loudly at his nephew's embarrassment. He wiped a tear from his eye and stated with a chuckle, "There's dinner for you over there, Zuko. Seems your stomach is speaking louder than you are!" He began to burst into laughter again.
Zuko's cheeks blushed a deeper scarlet as he slumped over in his chair. He abruptly got up and went over to fetch his food, sharply adding, "I'm eating in my room."
"Nonsense Zuko, eat down here. Besides, you have been alone all afternoon, you need to visit with your old uncle, eh?" He smiled in his goofy little way and Zuko reluctantly made his way over to the table. He sat down loudly and remained silent. Uncle Iroh picked up a pair of chopsticks and grabbed a piece of sliced fruit he had on a plate beside him. "Now, I believe Miss Kaida, it's your turn."
Zuko ate quietly, studying Kaida as she played. She looked so much like that girl from his dream. No. Not dream. Memory. But that wasn't her. Was it? It couldn't have been. But, then again, he never found out the girl's name.
Zuko's thoughts were shattered as an acidic stream of fruit juice splashed him in the face. His uncle had picked up another slice of his fruit and accidentally squeezed too hard. Uncle Iroh burst out laughing again at his mistake, watching the young Prince squirm. Kaida found it hard to restrain herself from laughing. She merely shifted the weight of her burned arm in her lap while grinning. Zuko angrily tore at the liquid on his face.
"Uncle! Stop it!" He yelled in fury. His uncle merely slowed his laugh to a soft chuckle again.
"You're right, Zuko, I apologize." He smirked at his nephew's face. "Oh, and Zuko? Would mind keeping an eye on Miss Kaida here? Commander Zhao and your father are not making very good hosts if I may add…" His uncle added as the Prince turned to stomp off, who nodded once, turned, and continued to make his way out of the room.
Uncle Iroh smiled and shook his head at his retreating nephew. He shrugged and turned back to his game with Kaida, who watched with calculating green eyes at the fire prince. She sighed inwardly and heard bells announce the setting of Fire Nation's sacred sun. The day was ending, leaving way for a starry, moonlit night.