It was a few days since Leiko had killed Shei in mêlée. She had proven to all who could see well what she was capable of. A master at master arts and fire bending…it definitely put her at an advantage. Zuko just couldn't get enough of her, and he didn't know why but he was obsessed with her day and night. He just had to know everything about her! So he set up a special dinner between the two of them, without anybody else. He had a special talk with the cook to arrange everything and made sure that there would be no interruptions. Leiko approached the mess hall that night and was greeted by Zuko who motioned for her to come in.
"You must be hungry from practicing so much." He offered with a slick smile.
"Actually I was meditating most of the day, but I am hungry." And she stepped in. She was bolted from the blue when she saw the fancy table mats and the two candles set up. She looked at the set up and back at Zuko who closed the door and walked up to her.
"I wanted a private dinner just the two of us." He said. Leiko turned and blushed.
"Oh…that's nice. Why?"
"I have yet to hear every thing about you." He said and sat down in his spot. She took her seat in front of him. "I want to know everything about you."
"Everything?"
"Yes, tell me all. It's been a long time since we spoke heart to heart." Leiko stared at the candles.
"Yes, I know." And Zuko clapped his hands. The cook walked in with some other men and they set down trays of food. There was pheasant instead of fish, and it smelled delicious! Next came greens along with fruits and bread. And the chef set down a bottle of wine and two fancy grails with fire nation jewels along the rim. Leiko looked on and licked her lips. Zuko smiled and took the bottle as they left. He popped the cork off and poured Leiko and himself some. Tila was on the side, perched on a hook cleaning her wing. Leiko smiled as Zuko handed her the cup.
Before serving herself she whistled and held up a piece of bread. Tila flew over and took it, and then flew back. Leiko served herself the other leg and some of the rest of the food on her own plate. "Well," she started, "I don't know where to start. Why don't you ask the questions?"
"Okay," Zuko replied after taking a bite of his own pheasant leg. "How often did you train when you were back in the fire nation?"
"Everyday from sunrise to sunset. The only time I was excluded from practicing that long was when there was a war meeting. My father insisted my presence for those so I could learn what strategies were best. It was quite boring now that I remember it."
"I still don't understand why you left with me. You could have been a great general, even greater than your father. You could have been the next great hero of the fire nation, even better than my uncle."
"I could have been a lot of things." She told him, "But I wanted to be free more than anything. I can be a hero without leading armies of men."
"But it would have been amazing. You knew exactly how to take down Zhao's ship and every man who you've come up against. You're what the fire nation needs to achieve world domination and win the great war."
"Believe it or not," and she took a sip of her wine, "I couldn't care less the war." And she took a bite of her vegetables.
"What?" he was shocked, "Why not?"
"Forgive me for opposing your father's orders and plans, but I see no reason in obtaining rule over all land. If we are so superior and stronger, than why do we need to have authority over all the nations? Why can't we be satisfied with the land that we have? We have armies and seas of ships, but we still want more. Greed wins nothing."
"You realize that if you said that to my father…"
"It'd be my head." She interrupted him, "Same for my father. But I do not fear them. I fear no one, that's how I've been raised. But I will do right and hold my tongue."
"I thought I'd never say it…but you have a point. This war is…almost pointless." Leiko smiled.
"I'm glad you see it my way." And they both took a bite of their food.
"There is another thing I would like to know how you killed those men your father wanted you to do away with." Leiko just sighed and wiper her mouth.
"I used an ancient technique. It's a single strike to a certain place on the body that causes a natural death in a matter of seconds." Zuko looked astounded and held his cup to his mouth. "Let me explain. You do this," and she stuck up her pointer and middle finger together and held it out. "I strike them in the heart and it causes the heart arteries to explode. I strike the back of the head and I cause the brain to bleed extensively, and if I strike the spine I cause them to have a seizure."
"That's amazing!"
"It's a very powerful move and it only takes a few second for the hit to kill the person. My father doesn't even know it, neither do a lot of people, and when I say a lot I mean a lot. Only a few people in the world know how to do it. I'd sneak in, do the move and leave." And then she bowed her head, "I did a job just before you left. His name was,"
"Hikoro." Zuko finished. "I remember. Everybody was so curious as to how he died because he was so healthy, and out of the blue he had a heart attack." Leiko nodded.
"There were nine others. Sho, Kint, Susin, Alarik, Okoz, Zuri, Kari, Trako and Murik; I felt horrible after doing my job for every single one of them. But they died at the hands of my father, not mine."
"One day the world will see just who Zhao is."
"How come the other people you killed had two names?"
"Because they've been dubbed warriors. Warriors, once they've completed their training are given a second name a metal tag that dignifies them. When I complete my training, if I ever do, I will get one as well."
"What name are you thinking of?"
"I was thinking of Leiko Sikari." She said and took another bite. "It's a strong name; all together it means Veiled Panther. The concept of a hidden panther sounds cool."
"Yeah, it actually does."
"What would you call yourself, Zuko?"
"I dunno." And he took a sip. "You think of one for me."
"Okay, how about Prince Zuko… Naru. It means Burning Flame."
"Zuko Naru…I like it." Said Zuko. "But yours sounds better, Leiko Sikari. It fits you perfectly."
"So does yours." She said with a laugh. But then she bit into a fig and cursed. "Sht!" Zuko just looked on as she picked out a pit and touched her jaw tenderly. "Dmn pits!" and he chuckled.
"Any names for a dirty mouth?"
"Most warriors have…a different language from mine." She said while looking at the pit.
"I have one last question."
"Shoot." she took a sip of her wine.
"Why did you kiss me?" and she choked on her drink, coughing and her eyes watering. After the ordeal she cleared her throat and wiped her eye. Zuko just sat and watched the performance. Truth was, she didn't know why she kissed him.
"Caught up in the moment I guess." She answered. "I wanted to make my father mad, and kissing you seemed like a good idea." She admitted. Prince Zuko just winced and sighed. "What's the matter?"
"All this time I thought it had a deeper meaning." He told her. She looked sadly at him.
"Oh…oh Zuko, it's not that I don't like you."
"No, no, I understand completely." He said and picked at his food. "I guess it didn't mean anything."
"It was a kiss among friends." She told him with a shrug. He just nodded and stood up and made his way to the door.
"Well, I enjoyed this dinner with you, Leiko Sikari." He said, and she smiled.
"Same here, Zuko Naru." She smiled. He just nodded and left. Leiko turned to Tila who flew over onto the table and looked at her master. "Bad answer?" she asked, and Tila chirped. "I thought so too." And she sighed, "I just didn't know what to say." The bird chirped again, "No, I didn't mean to hurt his feelings. And even though it feels weird to admit it…that kiss…I kind of liked it."