Chapter 13

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Prince Zuko trudged through the forest, he didn't know where he was going and frankly he didn't care. He was just too angry at everything. His weakness, his failure, at Yumi, but mostly at Zhao. The idiot, what was he thinking, stupid fool. Now he had no ship, and was miles away from uncle and anyone he knew. Unless you count Yumi, but she was probably huddled somewhere crying like a baby that's been separated from it's mother. He rounded a herd of trees and almost tripped over his feet because he was at the edge of a grassy hill that led down to a small town. He peered down into the town. Zuko recognized the town but couldn't draw up the name of it.

" Will you help me?" Yumi asked, again and again.

" No, just leave me alone!" Zuko shot his hands out as to back away from the girl.

Zuko recalled this memory involuntarily of course. He shook it away and tried to refocus on what it was he was doing. He looked around and decided to ask—demand where the Avatar is from the villagers. Zuko strutted down the hill and made his way into the small agricultural town. People looked up at him as he passed and watched him until he stopped at a man. He was tall, grizzly and wore a scowl. Zuko walked right up to him; he was considerably shorter and had to crane his neck to see him.

" You!" He pointed at the man. The man growled under his breath.

" What do you want?" He hissed.

" How dare you speak to me in such a manner, obviously you don't know who you're talking to." Zuko said, the man didn't change his look.

" I know exactly who you are, Prince Zuko, the people in this town don't owe you anything and neither do I." The man said confidently. Zuko looked taken aback for a moment, but soon shot back.

" Are you asking for a fight?" Zuko growled.

" PAPA!" A little boy cried as he pushed past Zuko and attached himself to the grizzly man's leg. The man pat the little boys head, as if to reassure him. Zuko looked uncomfortable as he stared at the boy.

" Whatever you need, take it and leave." The man said quickly, avoiding imminent conflict. The boy whimpered. Zukos' eyes darted to the boy then back to the tall man.

" I don't need anything," It looked like the man let out a sigh, but Zuko continued. " Yet, If you would tell me where the Avatar is or his friends, then I'll leave you." He finished.

" Avatar?"

" Don't act like you don't know." Zuko was getting irritated. " I know for a fact that everyone in the Fire Nation was informed about the Avatar's return."

" I know nothing about the Avatar. Now leave." The man said, slightly more timid. Zuko scowled and turned on his heel, stomping away. " What does Kiyotakas' daughter see in a person like you?" The man said quietly. Zuko whipped around.

" You know Kiyotaka?" He called down.

" I did," He coughed. " Until he disappeared. Sad affair, his poor family…" Zuko walked back up to him.

" What's your name?"

" Kyoshiro, are you going to rat me out to your father now?" Kyoshiro answered, clenching his fists. Zuko waved his hand. The little boy inched further behind his father.

" There would be no use to turn in some peasant. How do you know Kiyotaka?" Zuko wanted to know how he knew a high-ranking officer in the Fire Nation army. Suddenly a woman's scream was heard and both Zuko and Kiyoshiro turned to look where the noise was coming from. It seemed as if the woman was airbending at the speed she was running over to the two. Kyoshiro put a hand to his forehead and Zuko didn't know what to say.

" Prince Zuko!" She screamed, holding him by the forearms and shaking him profusely. Zukos' head lopped from side to side, and Kyoshiro eventually pulled the woman off of him. Zuko panted, as he held his chest.

" Are you crazy?" He questioned, looking from Kyoshiro to the little woman.

" Prince Zuko!" She screeched again.

" WHAT? What is it?" He yelled back.

" My daughter and my son, where are they? Please, you have to tell me!" She demanded, reaching out for Zuko again, but Kyoshiro put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

" I don't know what your talking about, woman!" Zuko replied.

" Settle down now, Meru." Kyoshiro said softly to calm Merus' now apparent sobbing. She turned her head and began crying into his arm.

" What's her problem?" Zuko asked, standing up straight. Kyoshiro turned his head sadly.

" Why, she cries because of her lost family."

" And, what does that mean?"

" He son, Aru and her daughter, Yumi are not with her." He answered.

Yumi. Her image flashed through Zukos' head and his eyes widened. So this was her mother. She had never mentioned her before. Although he didn't really take the time to ask her. So what? He didn't want to know her soap opera life, anyway.

" You must tell me!" Meru was at Zuko again, pleading with him.

" Listen, I don't know where your son is, and," He paused looking into the woman's' frantic gold eyes. " I don't know where Yumi is anymore." It was hard for Zuko to say this, but he wouldn't lie. Meru looked as if a weight had been put on her shoulders as her cheeks became sunken and she started to weep, her hands trembling as she brought them up to cover her face. Zuko was tempted to turn the other way and run for it, but he didn't. He just stood there; watching her cry until Kiyoshiro ushered her and his son away. He came out of a small wooden house after he brought them in.

Zuko looked up. " You're Yumi's uncle aren't you?"

" Yes, I am."

" It seems odd that you didn't go look for your brother when he disappeared." Zuko said, turning his head.

" Let's just say Kiyotaka and I were never close." Kyoshiro answered, crossing his arms. Zuko grinned.

" I couldn't imagine why that would be." Zuko noted Kiyoshiro's unapproachable nature. All the same, he didn't have room to talk.

" I swore to never talk to my dear little brother after he became involved with the war," He sighed. " And that's exactly what I did."

" Spare me the theatrics."

" So, why did you come here, Prince Zuko?" Kyoshiro persisted on. Zuko looked at him sideways.

" I already told you, I need to find the Avatar, and nothing will get in the way of that." Zuko explained.

" Is that so?"

" It is."

" Then why do you act so distressed around Yumis' mother?" Kyoshiro pinpointed a feeling of regret in Zuko that Zuko himself hadn't even caught. He snorted.

" Distressed? Are you blind? I was not distressed." He replied, unconvincingly. He was curious to where the man would go with such an accusation.

" It's simple. I know naught of your character but I know of your reputation." He smiled a simple knowing smile. " Even if that is so, a prince is no different then a peasant. They feel the same emotions we all do and I know that you yearn for my niece." He concluded. Zuko stared at him, mouth hung ajar. He blinked a couple of times.

" You have absolutely no idea what your talking about, old man!" He growled and narrowed his eyes. " My only mission is life is to regain my honor. I don't 'yearn' for anyone. Got it?"

" It's as you wish, Prince." Kyoshiro mused, walking away. He stood in the doorway, before looking back, a gentle look in the mans' eyes that wasn't present before. " Don't be a fool. It is said that few people still care for you in this time. Don't let her leave you forever." With that, Kyoshiro disappeared behind the doorframe and shut it behind him.

Zuko stare at the ground, his teeth grinding and his fists clenched with such force that droplets of blood caressed his palms. His stare was trancelike, unmovable and full of thought. Suddenly he roared and fires bursts from the back of his fists. He turned and ran back up the hill, when he got to the top he stood and peered over it. The forest was deep and it was now dark. The sun had set not too long ago and it would be quite hard to venture through the woods now. Rouge assassins stalked the night. It was not safe. Not safe indeed. Yet Zuko crept into the forest anyway. He would have to find the shore; Uncle would most certainly be there, awaiting his return. Zuko sped up and started to run through the forest. He kept a finger propped up to act as a makeshift candle so he didn't trip over anything. He ran for at least two hours when it was generally getting lighter out, not enough to put out the makeshift candle, but enough so he could see where he was running. He made his way past a group of trees that were oddly close together when he stopped suddenly in his tracks.

" Yumi?" He mouthed, but the words wouldn't come out.

Yumi was sitting in the crook of a trees' roots. She was either unconscious or sleeping because her eyes were closed. Zuko's poorly wrapped bandage was still on Yumis' shoulder, she hadn't touched it. He was convinced that Yumi had gone back into town, or at least get some shelter, but she stayed here. What was she waiting for?

He took a step towards her. She stirred, he hesitated. " Yumi." He finally managed, it was unusually soft and gentle. Yumi heard him and her eyes fluttered open. She was laying on her back so she tilted her head up at Zuko. Yumi opened her mouth slightly and her eyes got small as she smiled endearingly. Zuko fell to his knees in front of her and flung himself at her. Yumi was shocked, but caught him and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. He came closer and cradled the back of her head in his hand. Yumi's shoulder fell on his and she held her breath. She understood now.

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