Dismclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The last Airbender.
Chapter Four: Starving for... Thankfulness?
Amber clawed at the Prince's tightening grip. He saw the fear in her eyes as flickers of flames flashed around his knuckles, so he heaved her backward against the closed steel door. She landed heavily, gasping for a good breath. The Prince stood attentively glaring at the defiance in her eyes. She got to one weak leg, then another, grabbing the doorknob for "support". She stood there for a moment, glancing in his direction. She put her hand in the pocket of her jeans, pulled out a penny and threw it at the Prince. He stepped backward, thinking it was a knife. The penny thumped into his chest, and he almost laughed at her cleverness. She had already bolted out the door and was sprinting down the hall by the time he got his bearings and started after her.
"Oh no you don't." He growled under his breath.
Amber started laughing as soon as she remembered the look of horror on the Prince's face when she threw the penny at him. Her lungs heaved, reminding her to save her breath for the running she was doing. Still giggling with giddy, she slid around another corner, recognizing the stairs to the deck immeadiately. She skipped three steps at a time and was at the top of the stairs and on the lamp lit deck in no time. Unfortunately, the smile on her face dropped when she saw she was surrounded by four other firebenders, all knowing she had to be an escaped prisoner. She could hear Zuko's feet slapping the metal of the floor just below the stairs and she quickly ran onto the deck and copied a firebending move she had seen accomplished by the mysterious firbender as the show opened, feeling a wave of heat surge toward the two gaurds in her way. To her surprise, there were shouts and the other firebenders got into defensive stances. She landed, her hip screaming at her for bending too fast, and took another stance she had just made up. The Prince looked squarely at her, taking a calm defensive posture.
"So you are a firebender. Father will be pleased with you, even if you aren't the Avatar." He said, coming closer. Amber tensed and took a step back, deciding if he would taugnt her, she would fire back. She had no idea what she was doing as she imitated a waterbending move, and producing flames instead. She released the angry energy in the Prince's direction, who soaked up the flames and threw a simple fire punch at her. She gasped and threw herself on the deck, giving the Prince the oppurtunity he needed. Zuko bolted forward and dove on top of her, ramming her chest and face into the deck and getting her hands behind her back. To his surprise, she grunted and threw him off. Rolling away, she scrambled toward the rail and was about to make a jump when the Prince grabbed his captive with his arm wrapped tightly around her throat and grabbing her wrists. Amber suddenly started laughing. The Prince, put in a very uncomfortable position, leaned forward a little bit. The girl was laughing even harder. He frowned, loosening his grip a bit and shaking her.
"What the matter with you, woman?" She shook her head, laughing even harder. The Prince stared at her bizarrely, wondering if she was choking. The smile was suddenly replaced with a look of anguish as tears rolled down her cheeks. This suited Prince Zuko a little better, and he motioned for the gaurds to tie her hands behind her back. Amber slid out of the Prince's arms to her knees, only to be hauled back up by the guards, who dragged her back down the stairs. Prince Zuko straigtened, realizing he was without a shirt. The breeze felt warm as he placed his hands on the rail of the deck. The light was growing dimmer, and the sun had almost sunk beyond the horizon. There was a feminine sound behind him, and he spun to see Cassidy wearing the clothes that uncle had in store, just incase. She had removed the tail in her hair and let her hair toss in the wind, and the simple red silk dress looked like a fortune on her. His eyes glazed quickly over her, and he hid his pleasure behind a pair of stern eyes. She glances at him, then to the crew of soldiers taking Amber back to her cell.
"What happened?" she asked. Prince Zuko shrugged.
"She was pulling the expected. A half-hearted escape attempt, nothing more." He answered. "Guards, take this one back to her cell." Cassidy was hesitant, seeing as she just got there, but allowed the men to take her. Zuko finally got a moment of peace alone. He dropped his scowl and looked longingly over the sea at the dissapating ball of fire as it finally sunk beneath the horizon. Sighing, he went back to his room, still chuckling at the penny in his hand. Iroh poked his head above the stairs, immediately noticing the laughter in Zuko's eyes.
"What?" he asked. Zuko shook his head and put his walls up again. He cleared his throat and gripped his wrist behind his back.
"Just the cleverness of the girl. She just attempted to jump off the ship." he answered, hiding the penny in his merciless grip. Iroh walked Zuko back to his suite and stopped him.
"Prince Zuko, I'm not sure that the Cassidy girl is as sweet as she seems." Iroh warned him. The Prince scoffed.
"Please, Uncle. I am not as foolish as I look." he answered harshly. "Good evening." The steel door closed and General Iroh turned and shook his head.
"The poor sap!" he muttered to himself. "If only he knew what true dragons lay behind the eyes of a woman."
For the next two and a half weeks Cassidy used her charmful deciet on the Prince, and was growing in his favor every day. She would flash him sweet smiles, give him compliments, even on the small things. When they stopped at a port, Zuko had even privately purchased a small ruby bracelet that fit snuggly. As for Amber, her suffering greatly increased. She had sunken into what seemed like a deep depression and refused to eat. Her mouth was dry as parchment and her stomach rumbled, but her sadness eminated beyond the cell. The General noticed the malnutrition in the girl's face after the first ten days, while the young blonde had seemingly gained weight. He harumphed, missing the girl's spirit. He ordered for a table to be set out on deck, and a luncheon feast for two to be set out. He sent the physician from the infirmary to get her, along with the gaurds that usually accompanied her. Thankfully, without Prince Zuko's noticing, he had bought her a fitting maroon colored kimono, that wasn't extravagant, but would certainly grace her features. When the gaurds had finally gotten her above the deck, she cringed at the brightness of the sun. The young girl had to have lost a good ten pounds in the cell without eating. Iroh looked on her pale face with pity. He rose to meet her, having a servant provide shade and helped her sit.
"You look terrible!" the old general commented. He noticed, very happily, the glint of anger that hinted her eyes. She looked away and stared past him.
"I think I know that, General." she answered dryly. A juice was set before the two of them and Iroh took a long sip of it. Amber stared at it like it was poison. He laughed.
"Ever stubborn! You truly remind me of Zuko!" he laughed. Amber ran her tongue over her teeth at the name and grimaced.
"You must eat." Iroh coaxed. The chef placed a large plate of well cooked pork in a sweet sauce that smelled exquisite. A look of pained hunger surged behind her steel blue eyes. Iroh gently took her hand, put chopsticks in them, and helped her weak fingers grasp a hold of a piece of the pork. She hesitated when it rose to meet her lips, but then placed the morsel in her mouth and chewed greatfully. Her eyes closed with the pleasure of the savory flavors that attacked her mouth. Iroh watched as she finished that one piece with her eyes closed.
"Why are you starving yourself?" Iroh suddenly asked as she swallowed and took another piece of pork. This was a question Iroh had been brooding over since he learned of her health. It just wasn't her personality. Amber sat silently, then spoke carefully, choosing her words and presenting them with sincerety.
"I am teaching myself to be greatful." she answered. Iroh frowned.
"Greatful for what? You have been captured and will most likely be sent to the Fire Lord as a traitor. You may be tried and killed, or worse. What have you to be thankful of?" Iroh pointed out. A flash in her eyes sent a shiver down his being.
"Thanks for reminding me." she answered. "I'm reminding myself to look at the good things. Like this." Her hands splayed over the table filled with food. Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully and nodded after a moment.
"Eat, then. I don't know when Prince Zuko will be back from his luncheon with Miss Cassidy." Iroh noted the raised eyebrow and stone face that greeted the comment. He chuckled.
"Your friend has a way of wooing young men. She has managed to turn the tables on my nephew in just a matter of days!" The old general looked sadly toward the ocean. "She has already recieved the title of The Royal Escort." Amber ate another few pieces of pork in silence, then took a drink of cool refreshing water. She munched a few vegetables, and ate some fruit. When she had finally convinced General Iroh she was filled to the brim, they took the trays away.
"Desert?" he offered. Amber laughed for the first time in the luncheon.
"No, please. This is worse than torture by Zuko!" she pleaded playfully.
"By the way, what is this?" Iroh asked, placing the penny he had snatched from Zuko's personal chambers. Amber grabbed it and laughed.
"It's a penny." Iroh was still clueless. "It's currency from my village! I threw this at... " she stopped, then blushed, remembering the outcome of the escape attempt. But it was too late. She had accidentally caught the General's interest.
"Please, tell me." She took a deep breath.
"Well, while I was in the cell several days ago, I found my father's knife, and it has other things on it. I was able to pick the lock of the door, and sneak past the gaurd. I saw Zuko coming in another hall and went into his room to hide, but he found me. So while I was faking injury, I took that out of my pocket and threw it at him to distract him." she laughed, almost choking on the water she had sipped. "I couldn't believe it actually worked." Iroh shook his head. She was a clever little devil. Prince Zuko didn't give her enough credit.
"Will you teach me firebending?" she suddenly asked. Iroh blinked a few times at the abrupt turn of conversation. He looked stern.
"It is an ancient art, and I do not know that my nephew will approve." he answered bluntly. Her eyes begged. He grimaced as if it caused him pain and looked away.
"Now, none of that!" he laughed, peeking back at her. She still had a pleading look on her face, and he could not refuse her. "Fine, Fine!" he said, throwing his hands in the air.
"But if I get into trouble, you will pay the sentance!" he laughed, rising. A few minutes later she had come back with some of Zuko's training gear and her ever watchful gaurds. Iroh bowed to his trainee, and began to show her the basic moves. She jumped with him, swayed, spun, kicked, punched when he did. It was like watching a mirror. The Prince sat at the forgotten table without them noticing, waving to the other gaurds that were escorting Cassidy to take her back to her room. Though the young woman had pleased his eyes, she was becoming a nuissance. It was pleasurable to have such a beauty keep him company, but her conversation was empty and useless, and when he had kissed her, she did not respond with the passion he had emptied into his. He sighed and watched the training. It was amazing how fluent it was. Amber stumbled once or twice on the first few tries, but soon she was blasting fire like a master. Iroh would stop her, then have her watch the correct procedure. Then, he would repeat, having her copy his movement. Sweat dripped off of her brow as she put passion into it as Iroh had taught her. She twisted up slowly, creating a cocoon of fire and then blasting upward. She must have done something wrong, because the flames licked at her fingertips and she gasped in pain, the fire dissapearing.
"Ouch!" she exclaimed. Iroh grabbed her hand, inspecting it slowly, then patted it roughly making the burn sting. "Ow!"
"Oh now don't be a child!" he scolded gently. Then he noticed her glare leave her fingers and she looked at Zuko, who was now sitting at the long since abandoned table. Her eyes softened, and she looked away so he wouldn't see it.
"Sit." Iroh commanded softly. They sat and meditated for a moment, until Iroh interrupted the silence.
"What do you already know about my nephew?" he asked.
"I know that he is after the Avatar." she answered. "I know just about everything about him." Iroh's eyebrow went up, challenging her to tell him. She lifted her chin.
"I know how he got the scar."
"Oh really? Enlighten me." he said gruffly.
"He was listening to the highest general's intention of a suicide mission to begin the end of a nation. When he heard that casualties would be inevitable and high, he objected and challenged the man who came up with the ridiculous military move to an Agni Kai." she paused, noting the look of disbelief on general Iroh's face. "Not realizing that it was Fire Lord Ozai himself that had come up with the plan, he pleaded forgiveness, but was denied, defeated, and banished. The scar came from the Agni Kai with his father." The merciless Devil incarate! she almost added. She closed her eyes and worked on her breathing as Iroh had taught her, even as the Prince Zuko sat cross legged in their group. She stiffened visibly, but did not open her eyes to greet him. After a few more minutes of relaxing meditation, Amber stood and bowed to Iroh.
"General Iroh, would you be so kind as to allow me to shower somewhere on the ship?" she asked. Iroh, opened an eye, and looked thoughtful.
"You can borrow Prince Zuko's shower, so you won't be interrupted." he answered, closing his eye and continuing meditation. She bowed greatfully, and turned to leave, only to be stopped by Prince Zuko.
"Uncle, she can shower in the Men's." the Prince ground out. Iroh opened his eyes and looked cynically at his nephew.
"Would you like to go with her and keep watch? Surely if she went alone, she would be raped!" he pointed out. Zuko gritted his teeth and allowed her to leave. His lips tightened into a thin line.
"You enjoy this wench of a girl, don't you?" he growled at his Uncle. His uncle gave him a goofy smile and pulled him to sit in front of him.
"I just love to see the temper she rouses in you, Prince Zuko. It is amusing." he answered with a good nature slap to the boy's knee. Zuko snorted, but let it pass. That woman brought out the worst in him. Iroh left him to his thoughts in meditation until he heard him speak again.
"She looks great in my training outfit." he heard Zuko comment sardonically. A smile tugged his lips and he simply continued his peaceful meditation.
Author's note: Okay, I hope my previous fans got their cookies! Meanwhile, come one, Read and Review, It is so much better than you think! By the way, I just thought I would letya know I have already started a whole nother series! I won't start posting until I have finished at least three chapters.. Okay I LOVED... L O V E D the penny.. When I thought of it, I just started cracking up! Thanks! Godsspiker!
