Chapter 3

Zuko sat silently at the table, not looking up. He could feel Ellen's and his uncle's eyes on him as they watched him pick at his food. "Is something wrong, Prince Zuko?" his uncle asked.

"I'm not hungry." Zuko replied, keeping his head down.

"It seems like you have something on your mind." said Iroh.

"I'm just not hungry, alright?" Zuko said, looking up with a scowl on his face.

"If you say so." his uncle said.

"I'm going to meditate." he said, getting up and leaving the table.

Ellen watched him walk out and slam the door shut behind him. Ellen and Iroh looked at each other.

"Perhaps we should talk to him." Iroh suggested.

"You go ahead. I don't think he is interested in listening to what I have to say." Ellen told him. Iroh stood up and headed towards the door, taking his breakfast with him.

Zuko sat, with is eyes shut, in front of a table with four candles on it. When he inhaled, the flames would get smaller and when he exhaled the flames grew rather large.

Iroh opened the door, "What's bothering you Prince Zuko?"

"Go away. You're interrupting my meditation." Zuko said, keeping his eyes closed and his attention on his meditation.

"Something is bothering you." Iroh said as he ate.

"Yeah," Zuko said, "You're bothering me. Did you write to father yet?"

"Yes, I did," Iroh said, "I should be getting a reply from him shortly."

"Alright, now leave." Zuko ordered.

"Fine." Iroh said, turning and closing the door behind him.

Out on the deck he stopped by Ellen, "He didn't listen."

Ellen turned and walked toward the room that Iroh just came from. When she entered she found Zuko lying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. She walked up to him and looked down at him.

"What do you want?" he asked, glaring at her. She shrugged her shoulder, "Nothing really." Zuko stood up and walked to the other side of the room.

"I just thought I would stop in a see what was bothering." Ellen said, smoothing her sky blue dress.

"Nothing is bothering me now leave." Zuko said.

"Did I strike a nerve last night? Did I bring something to the surface that you weren't ready to deal with?" asked Ellen folding her arms in front of her, a grin spreading across her face.

Zuko ran across the room and drew his fist back. Ellen didn't even flinch. Zuko stood with his fist drawn back and a vary angry look on his face.

"If you're going to hit me then do it. I'm not afraid to fight." said Ellen, looking him straight in the eye. He scowled and lowered his fist, "Get out of my sight."

He turned and walked back to the table her was sitting at before. Ellen walked out of the room, back on to the deck with Iroh.

"Well?" asked Iroh.

"I think it went well. He was going to punch me." Ellen answered leaning on the rail.

"I don't know why he always act like that." said Iroh.

"It could be for a number of reasons. It's just an act to hide how he is really feeling. Fear or lonelyness. Maybe something else." Iroh looked at her, "How can you tell?" "I used to be just like him."

Somewhere over the ocean

"What would Zuko want with a Waterbender?" asked Katara.

"I don't know," replied Aang, "But we gotta' help her."

"When are we going to stop to find food?" asked Sokka. Aang and Katara stared at him. "What? I'm hungry, alright?" said Sokka slouching.

Aang and Katara looked at each other. "Well, I guess we can make a quick stop. Besides, it's getting dark and Appa could use a rest." said Aang. They headed down toward the first island that came into view.

Fire Nation warship

Ellen laid staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep because Zuko couldn't decide how he wanted to lie and would roll over every 3 seconds.

"Don't you ever hold still?" asked Ellen.

"So sorry for disrupting your beauty sleep." he rolling onto his stomach.

"About earlier," Ellen said a moment later, "I didn't mean to make you mad. I'm just trying to help you." He grunted. "You know, you don't have to put on an act around me or your uncle." Ellen said, turning her head toward him. He said nothing.

"You know, I used to act just like you." Ellen said.

"You did?" he asked rolling on his side, still facing away from her.

"Yeah. I was scared to let my true feelings show. I was afraid of what everyone would think if they saw the real me. After a while I stopped caring what people thought of me. I didn't want to pretend I was someone I'm not. Being mean and nasty might just be part of who you are, but I know there's a better side of you, hiding away somewhere." Ellen ran her hand up and down Zuko's arm.

He rolled onto his back and looked at Ellen with a blank look. Ellen slid closer to him and rested her head on his chest. At first he didn't know how he should react. Part of him wanted to shove her of the bed, but another part of him liked being close to her. He had finally met someone who kind of understood him. He closed his eyes and relaxed, thinking of what Ellen said to him.

Zuko woke up the next morning to find himself alone. He got up and got dressed, then went out to look for Ellen. He stepped out on to the deck and found her leaning against the rail, reading something.

When he got close she looked up, "Oh, Zuko, you got a letter from your father. He said to head for the capital and the wedding will be the day after you arrive." She looked back down.

"Well, then it won't be much longer. We're almost there. We should arrive late tomorrow night." Zuko said crossing his arms. He turned to leave, pausing to say something. He could find the words he wanted to say so he continued on his way. Ellen watched him as he left, not blinking or taking her eyes off of him.

"You know, Zuko," He turned and looked at her, "There's usually a reason for they way a person acts. Happy, mad, sad, afraid. It doesn't matter. There's usually a reason." She smiled at him. He gave her a blank look before leaving.

"Whenever you feel like telling me your reason." she said after he was out of earshot.