Chapter Two

Golden Thread

"A woman! How on earth is this girl in a dainty dress going to help my search for the avatar! They have gone too far uncle! I will not take her at our departure! She will only be in the way."

"Zuko, you must realize, even the most delicate of flower hides the sharpest of thorns. Sheng may be a Fire Nation general, but he is also a father. He wouldn't send his own daughter out to war if he didn't think she could protect herself. Look at this logically Prince Zuko…"

Zuko stared out of his bedroom window while his uncle's voice trailed off in his mind. With his arm crossed, he gritted his teeth at the thought of having Leiko as a part of his crew. She won't be able to do any labor on the ship, she can't fight, she probably isn't even smart enough to know which direction we are going. She will only be in the way. I don't have time to babysit the General's precious pride…he thought to himself.

"…She probably has some useful attribute." Said Iroh consolingly.

"An attribute other then her beauty?" Zuko fired back.

Iroh smiled at his nephew, "So you think she is beautiful, eh?"

Zuko's expression hardened even more at the absurd assumption of his uncle. "Beauty has no place in war! Weather she is beautiful or not doesn't matter. Physical and mental strength are all I need on my ship!" Zuko returned to his window with a growl, watching the activity in the palace courtyard with interest.

"Zuko, I'm sure she lives here in the palace. Perhaps you should find her and get to know her before you make wild assumptions. I'm sure Leiko wouldn't mind a visit from her prince." Iroh stated wisely. He walked over to his nephew, put his hand on his shoulder, and peered out the window, unsurprised by what Zuko was watching. He nudged Zuko and shot him a cheesy smile. "Apparently she enjoys the gardens in the courtyard as well."

Leiko wandered slowly around the garden, taking in all the sights before she had to leave it all behind. The crisp air flooded her senses. She smelled every flower, touched every bud, remembering the peaceful afternoons she spent there, surrounded by foolish young endeavors. She was anxious to leave, but at the same time knew how much she would miss her home.

General Sheng approached her daughter and she turned to greet him, smiling unconvincingly. "Saying goodbye?" he asked ambitiously.

"Yes…I'm going to miss it here so much."

Sheng looked at his youthful daughter, seeing past the mask to her discomfort. Consolingly, he placed his hand on her check, gently turning it to look in her eyes. He took his sleeve and wiped the makeup off her face. As any father would, he looked at his daughter with pride, his sweet little girl…

She smiled at him, knowing that no one would ever know her like her father knew her.

"You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, Leiko. You look just like your mother. But now you need to be strong, and I know you are." He reached to his sword tied to his belt, and handed it to her. "I know you will make me proud, you are doing a great honor for your country. But most importantly, I know you will come home to me safe."

Leiko took the sword from her father, and looked up at him with thanks. "I will make you proud father. And I won't let the Fire Nation down."

With a proud smile, Sheng embraced his daughter, and said good bye.

Zuko stood on the dock early the next morning, watching his crew load supplies onto his ship. Iroh yawned at his side, mumbling random nothings to himself out of fatigue. On occasion, Zuko would roll his eyes at his uncle's eccentric ramblings. But he noticed after a while, the absence of his new crew member.

"Uncle, if she isn't here in 15 minutes, we're leaving without her."

"Well, that's fair. If it takes her that long to walk that short distance then she will rightly be left behind." Iroh said looking over his shoulder with a smile.

Zuko turned around to see her approaching with a trunk. He was surprised to see she was wearing a standard soldier's uniform and armor. And with his surprise, he shook with an irrational rage.

"No dresses on this ship woman! You will travel lightly when you sail with me!" he bellowed across the deck. "Drop that luggage!"

Leiko slowed in pace, and raised her eye brow at Zuko. He stomped his foot and yeller at her to ditch her trunk again. "I didn't pack any dresses you idiot! I'm not getting rid of my stuff either!"

"Insubordinate! I will not put up with your unruly tongue on my ship!"

She coolly walked past him with her nose in the air and said, "I've never seen a more ignorant leader in all of my life." As she walked away, her long black pony tail, still intertwined with ribbon, swayed behind her. She went to board the ship, and looked back for an instant with a snide smile of victory.

Zuko threw a fit silently, clenching his fist and gritting his teeth. Iroh smiled and said, "Things should become very interesting…"