Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar… shifty eyes yet. Reaches for water pistol hey! Don't patronise me.
Chapter 9: I am NOT sorry
A prince never apologises. Never, people apologise to princes, occasionally for princes but a prince never, EVER apologises. Especially never to a subhuman like an Earth-bender. She's just a stupid girl. She should be happy just to be in my presence. She is just an earth-bender, not worth the trouble. It's not as if I meant to make her cry. Apologising doesn't make everything alright any way. The last time I apologised to anyone I got burned.
Zuko could feel the burn that scarred his left eye beginning to heat up. Reminding him of the hell he'd been through.
A father shouldn't do that. A father should never scar his son, but what is a burn to a man that has killed thousands. Not just the lower elements soldiers but all those soldiers who are never going to come home, fathers, sons, husbands, wives, daughters, mothers, sisters, brothers that are never going to come home because of my father. All those innocent people, who have never tried to rise up, butchered. Women trying to protect their babies, found like charcoal with the scorched black bundle in their crumbling arms, little children huddling in a flaming house, old arthritic men unable to get out of the way. These people never tried to rise up never caused a threat but were butchered down like animals. Why am I related to this monster? He has never said a nice word to me since I can remember. I am going to have to try and pick up the pieces after him. After he dies I'll have to pick up the broken nations and try and piece them back together. That's if I ever get to be Overlord.
Zuko was sitting in a deserted corridor of the ship. He had NOT apologised and no intentions to apologise. There was the thud of slow heavy boots approaching. Zuko looked up, seeing the tall silhouette of a man approaching.
"Ah, Prince Zuko. Your Uncle sent me to ask if you have apologised to the young lady." The guard announced.
"Well tell my Uncle that I will not apologise to fucking earth-scum. Why should I apologise to that mongrel?" Zuko spat at the guard.
"Prince Zuko, I know that I am only a guard but I strongly agree with the General. I strongly think…"
"I don't give a DAMN what you think. There are more important things than that girl, we must think more about capturing the avatar than about pleading to a bloody girl for forgiveness! Now tell my Uncle I want her out my room" Zuko shouted at the guard.
"As you wish, but if I were you I'd be happy to have such a pretty girl sleeping in my bed." The guard turned quickly and marched off.
Zuko turned a deep shade of red.
Pretty? He thought she was pretty, that meant that most of the crew thought she was pretty, that meant that she was in danger. I am so stupid. I've left her alone in my room, unguarded. Anything could happen to her. She's only a girl, what I mean is she is wounded and she's only an earth-bender. Pretty? She is Ok. Stop thinking like that we've got an Avatar to hunt down, we don't have time to think of how 'pretty' the hostage is. Maybe you should apologise, I mean it would be nice to talk to someone that doesn't reek of tea. By all means apologise to the girl but do it quickly, we must capture the…Shut up, try something like…
"I'm sorry about…no that's stupid. I ask for your forgiveness…emm no. Listen about the whole commander thing…no . I get down on my knees and beg…no that's just desperate." Zuko was apologising to the wall as he walked to his room.
The crew thought it was hilarious, it reminded of them of the time when they were trying to ask a girl out. It was an event, Zuko apologising to someone, it was a one off so there was a buzz around the ship. Most of the crew tried to find a reason to walk past Zuko. Some gave Zuko pointers but received a "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU DID, I AM NOT TRYING TO ASK HER OUT, I AM JUST TRYING TO SAY SORRY!" There were many men sent to the infirmary with minor burns. Zuko was sweating, he had reached his door and didn't have a clue about what to say.
"I'm sorry, I…I didn't know about…oh shit this is going to be bad" Zuko whispered.
He opened his eyes, the corridor was bustling with guards, all looking intently at him.
"This is not a spectator sport. Haven't you all got something else to do?" Iroh walked down the emptying corridor, shooing the crew like they were primary school children. "Go on"
Zuko hesitated " I'm sure she'll be Ok." Zuko slowly backed away from the door, like it held a wild beast inside
" Have I taught you nothing about respecting others. Have I taught you nothing. Now get inside."
Iroh practically pushed him back to the door. Zuko straightened his ponytail, took a deep lifting breath and opened the red metal door.
She was sitting cross-legged on the bed, staring at her hand. She didn't move as he quietly opened the door. Zuko stepped inside the room and clicked the door shut. She flinched slightly at the noise. He was trapped with her now. She lifted her eyes to him.
They were a dejected, deep shade of green that reminded Zuko of a forest during the cold winter. They were rimmed in a painful red. There was a wet sheen on her cheeks, from where her tears had fallen.
Why? Why when ever I open my mouth does some sarcastic comment fly out? Why whenever I open my mouth to say something well mannered a biting, harsh, taunting sneer come out? Why did I have to say that? I knew it would upset her. No you didn't. Yes I did, deep down I knew it would hurt her. I didn't mean it but I knew it would hurt her. Am I a monster like my father. One-day will I grow up to destroy. Why did I make her hate me? Why did I make her cry?
Zuko opened out his mouth to say something, something that wasn't hateful. Carefully trying to find the words.
"Why is her here? Is he here to make fun of my bending? My lifestyle? Is he here to make fun of my scar, my hand? Is he here to jeer at me cause I'm his hostage? Why is he just standing there? What does he want? Hasn't he done enough? Does he want to hurt me more?
"What do you want?" Araic asked icily, breaking the smoothing silence
"I…I…I…" Zuko stammered
"Are you here to make fun of me. Are you here to criticise me, call me names, condemn me to slavery, condemn my bending, accuse me of theft, accuse me of MURDER!" She was getting herself worked up.
She had thrown herself off the bed. She had strode over and spat all the words into his astonished face. Her face was red with anger and there was a new wave of tears flooding her face, she cried as she shouted the words at him, letting them smack against him. Each word was like a stone getting thrown at Zuko with deadly accuracy. She hated him for what he had said and Zuko felt every ounce of hate in her voice. He had been hated by people before, civilians, the avatar, the Earth-kingdom, the Water-Tribes, the Air-Nomads. Even his own father wished him dead but he didn't care about their hatred, he cared about the hatred that was being thrown at him by the crying girl who was spitting at him like a cat.
"What do you want, Prince Zuko" she hissed, her voice low and filled with venom.
The wooden furnishings were shaking slightly in the room. Again the deadly silence.
Her eyes dark, narrowed slits. Hatred brimming in every tear shed. She stared into my eyes there was so much hatred in her eyes. I could feel it biting into me as she hissed the question. Everyone I ever known had hated me. My father thinks I was weak, my mother thinks I am a disappointment, my sister wants to kill me herself, the avatar thinks I am a over ambitious murder, my uncle thinks I am an idiot, my crew thinks I am an uncaring spoilt brat and now this girl. Now she thinks that I am an evil, brutish, thoughtless, uncaring, bastard of a beast.
"I was going to apologise but now I can't see why. Why would I apologise to such a half-breed mongrel of an earth-scum like you" Zuko's voice was making the walls shake but she did not cower.
"If I'm such a weak half-breed scum then why did you save me?" her voice was cracking, scratching her sore throat. The tears continued to flow down her damp cheeks.
"I do not know why I saved you but it's he biggest mistake of my life. So ,yeah, I'm SORRY. SORRY ABOUT YOUR DAMN FATHER AND SORRY I EVER SAVED YOU!"
"APOLOGY ACCEPTED!"
"GOOD"
"GOOD"
"FINE"
"FINE"
"BYE"
"BYE"
Iroh pressed his ear against the door, it didn't sound good. The door flew open,
"So how did it go?" Iroh asked hesitantly
"Don't want to talk about it" Zuko stormed off to some deserted part of the ship
Very smooth.Shut up You're never going to get a girlfriend with that attitude. I don't want a stupid girlfriend Of course you do. Ehh, no I don't. Yeah, you do. Stop it, can't you give the poor guy a break. You stay out of this. Make me. With pleasure.
And for once Zuko's thoughts were silent. Zuko was sitting in one of the empty storerooms deep in the depths of the ship. He went here to get away from Iroh. Very few of the crew came down here, it was haunted or something. Zuko carefully lit the candles he kept and slumped onto a worn beanbag, waiting for the voices to return.
I think you should apologise. I agree. Really. Yes. Wow, great minds think alike. That's got to be it. Hey, what's that supposed to mean. Nothing…nothing.
Zuko was shaken from his battling thoughts by the rhythm of quiet, steady footfalls, followed by a "tut-tut". It was Iroh
"Prince Zuko. Did you apologise to the young lady." Iroh inquired, a slight frown on his wrinkled forehead.
Zuko snarled, pushed past Iroh and stormed off.
"I'll take that as a 'no'" Iroh raised an eyebrow.
Iroh cautiously opened the dented, metal doorto his nephew's quarters.
"GO AWAY ZUKO!" a voice erupted. Forcing Iroh to duck as a wooden candleholder, equipped with candle, hurtled over Iroh's head.
"I SAID GO AWA…oh Iroh. I'm sorry. I thought you were" Araic stammered
"I'll get a new one at the next market. Gives me an excellent excuse to go shopping now" Iroh smiled, picking up the cracked candle holder and smooshed candle.
"I was wondering if you would like to join me for a spot of jasmine tea and a game of Pai sho?"
"Pai sho?" Araic asked " sorry I've never played that game before"
" I would be honoured to teach you" Iroh smiled happily.
He reminded her of Meva. Old, wise, slightly batty yet fun and playful.
"I sup…ahh" Araic gasped as a sharp pain shot up her hand. Like a bolt of lightning slicing a gash through the sky. Araic cradled her hand, moaning in the pain.
"Are you alright?"
"I'll be ok in a moment I just need some painkillers. It's nothing really" She said trying to keep the agony out of her voice. She could feel the tears welling up,
The little wooden table where the pills had sat was overturned. There was a crime scene of broken glass and a kaleidoscope of pills beside the overturned. Araic could feel the tears of pain ready to start.
"Ohh dear, you had better go to the infirmary. Hold on where is… Never mind" Iroh was quickly out the door in search of Zuko. " Mirrac! Where is the Prince? I need him to take this young lady to the infirmary"
"I don't know where he is but I'll take her"
"Araic, this is Mirrac. He will take you to the infirmary, then he'll bring you back to my quarters for tea"
Araic looked uneasily at the guard "Emm…why can't you take me"
"I need to find someone, I trust Mirrac you'll be fine"
Last chapter before the end of the holidays so I'll be unable to update as quickly as I used to. I hope you enjoyed. Next chapter looks good so stay tuned and review.
