Chapter Three: Visitors

"You have a very nice house on your hands, Miss Kaya," Kao commented.

Kaya looked at her house from a few yards away. It certainly was a nice house. Not a huge abode, nor a small one. The furniture had already been moved in and they had just finished the painting.

"Two weeks," she said. "Two long weeks and it's finally done." She looked up at Kao. "Thank you for helping."

"But you hired us," Kao said modestly.

Kaya shrugged. "I still consider it an act of kindness."

He smiled. "I have a feeling you're going to be doing just fine here in Kaihen."

She said her thanks, bid him goodbye, and walked into her house. It was so peaceful now that it was finished. She sat on her bed and looked around her. No red glow, no view of the Fire Nation to haunt her window, and it was overall very welcoming. This is exactly how she wanted it. Exactly how she desired it to be. She lyed down and rested her eyes.

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Two days after Kaya settled into her house, General Iroh and Prince Zuko trudged farther through the spacious wood, their stomachs grumbling and their mouths dry.

"This is hopeless, Uncle," Zuko said, clutching his stomach. "We'll never find a town by sundown."

Iroh ignored him. He was starting to grow tired of his constant rants and complaints. He looked ahead and started to see an opening in the forest.

"Hurry up, Zuko," he said, pacing a bit faster. "I see the end."

With much difficulty, Zuko walked more quickly and kept up with his uncle.

As they lifted their legs as if they were bags of sand, a small house came into view. They both sighed in unison at the sight of a sanctuary.

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Kaya was sitting on her windowsill, watching the waves blanket the shore repeatedly. She closed her eyes and took in the moment. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Visitors? Already?

She jumped down and paced to the door, wondering who it could be. When she opened the door, however, all her guesses were dead wrong.

Two men were standing at the door. One was an elderly, tubby man, with a pleasant smile on his face. The other seemed to be about her age and was only an inch or two taller though. He had a severe scar on his left eye, ash black hair, and eyes that glowed like ember flames much like hers.

"Can I help you?" she said politely.

"Yes, miss," the old man began. "We are refugees searching for a place to stay. Do you mind having guests?"

Kaya found it a bit awkward having strangers in her house, but she eventually concluded that they seemed trustworthy enough.

"Sure, come in," she said, letting them inside.

"Oh, a very nice home you have here," the old man said, looking around. "Surely a young lady such as yourself does not live here all alone."

Kaya closed the door behind them. "Actually, I do," she said. "The guest beds are in the room at the end of the hall by the way."

"Thank you," the elderly man responded making his way down the hall. The boy, however, stayed behind leaning against the wall. She looked at him suspiciously.

"Would you like some food?" she asked politely. "I just bought some fruit from the market."

He hesitated, so used to refusing meals while he was this moody, but as his stomach argued, he nodded silently. She went into the kitchen and began to cut up some mangos. The old man must've heard, for he was at the table sitting next to his companion so fast, Kaya hardly heard him come. She smiled and placed the plate on the table. They tried not to scarf their food rudely, but they were so hungry, they couldn't resist. The plate was spotless in only five minutes.

Kaya laughed. "That was fast," she said, picking the plate back up.

"Might we know your name, miss?" the old man said.

She smiled. "Kaya. My name is Kaya."

He grinned as well. "That is a lovely name for such a lovely young lady," he said.

"Thank you, sir," she said. "I'll be outside. And if you don't mind, I wouldn't like to be disturbed."

"No problem," the round old man said.

And with that, she left, closing the door behind her.

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"What do you think she is doing, Uncle?" Zuko asked, an hour after Kaya had left them alone.

Iroh shrugged. "I'm not sure. But try not to interrupt."

But his curiousity was already pressuring him to find out. He walked out of the guest room and walked into the kitchen to look out of the window, wanting to see what she was up to. She was standing her ground, her amber eyes shining, while holding her fist in front of her. She breathed in deeply and then did a great number of firebending moves almost flawlessly. His eyes widened, and she finally stopped to stand and breathe in steadily again. He could not take it any longer. He ran out of the house and went to her, an eagerness to know if what he saw was true.

"You're a firebender?" he exclaimed.

She jumped as the boy walked up to her. She was caught.

"Please don't tell anyone," she pleaded to him. "If anyone in the city knows, they'll run me out for sure."

"So, you're from the Fire Nation," he concluded.

"Yes, but don't tell!" she begged. "I don't want to go back!"

He felt a bit offended. "Why not?" he questioned.

She sighed and looked down. "It's a very long story. You wouldn't care."

"But I'm from the Fire Nation, too," he explained.

She looked up. "You are?"

He nodded. "Why don't you want to live there anymore?"

"You sure you want to know?"

"Yes."

She sighed again and told him everything. Her mother being killed by her father, having to do hard labor for him, always been shoved around and being treated like dirt. . . Then she told him about her run away. How she didn't plan on going back ever again.

"Why don't you try earning respect from your father?" he asked when she was done.

She looked at him strangely. "Are you crazy? I am not going to prove anything to him."

"And why not?" he asked, frowning.

"Why would I want to prove myself worthy to someone who already has proved himself a murder, a tyrant, and a drunk?"

Zuko could not think of any comebacks. She was right. People like that don't deserve respect of any kind. So why was he still so determined to find the Avatar?

"Who are you?"

Zuko looked up. "What?"

"I've told you my entire past. The least you can do is tell me something about yourself. Like how you got that scar for example."

Zuko ran his fingers slowly against the left side of his face, feeling every fold of his scar. He did owe her something. But should he really tell her this? It was better than telling her his name. If he did, he and his uncle would be reported to the authorities for sure.

He hesitated, but then said slowly. "I stood up for the life of a fellow Fire Nation citizen. My father did not approve at all and challenged me to Agni Kai. I did not know I was going to be battling him at first. If I had, I would've never accepted. I begged for mercy, but he still attacked and purposely shot at my left eye, giving me this scar."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Kaya said truthfully. "Why are you not in the Fire Nation now?"

"My father banished me. The only way to go back now is to earn his respect. But my older sister is doing her best to make sure that never happens."

Kaya looked at him thoughtfully. "Our problems are not that different. But we chose different paths. May I offer you a piece of advice?"

He thought it over, and nodded slowly.

"Think about the things that really matter in life. Glory and respect have their limitations. But happiness and freedom holds no boundaries."

He rolled his eyes. "You're starting to sound like Uncle."

Kaya giggled softly. "Just keep it in mind."

There was a knock on the front door to Kaya's house. She ran inside and answered it, while Zuko went into the guest bedroom with Iroh, in case it was someone looking for them.

There was no one at the door when Kaya opened it. Instead, there was a scroll on the doorstep. She picked it up and read it. It was a list of wanted criminals to be turned into the Fire Nation, with a picture next to each name. She scanned down. . . The Avatar. . . The Blue Spirit. . .

Kaya's eyes widened.

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Kaya walked slowly into the guest bedroom, gripping the scroll firmly in her hand. Iroh and Zuko looked at her, confused.

"What seems to be the problem, Kaya?" Iroh asked.

"I just recieved a newsletter full of wanted criminals, General Iroh and Prince Zuko."

The two were taken aback and stepped away from her slowly.

"Are you going to turn us in?" Zuko asked.

Kaya paused, looking at them intently. She sighed and shook her head. The two were even more surprised.

"Why?" Zuko said.

She took in a shaky breath. "I'm not going to judge you by what's written on this scroll, but by what you've told me today, Zuko." She sat on one of the beds and looked up at him. "You're not cruel or evil like so many people tend to say. You're misunderstood, and I won't turn you in for false crimes."

Zuko stared at her for the longest time. This girl knew who he was and knew he was a wanted man, yet refused to turn him in. She understood him, and, in a way, he understood her. He was lost for words.

"Thank you," he finally said, though he knew thank you was not enough.

She looked up at both of them and said softly, "You two may stay as long as you please, but you must be careful. Kaihen is one of the busiest places in the Earth Kingdom."

"We'll do our best," Iroh said, bowing his head.