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Chapter 10:

Araic looked uneasily at the guard before her. She hesitated. She didn't know this man. She didn't know any of them. Mentally, Araic had given them names like Tache, Mono, Toothless Joe, Beardy, Big Man but she called them 'Sir' to their faces. They would probably be offended if she shouted 'Hey! Toothless Joe! Where's the infirmary?' Instead she addressed them as 'Sir'. She didn't know their real names apart from Iroh, Zuko and, now, Mirrac.

"It's alright Araic. You'll be perfectly safe with Mirrac. I trust this man to deliver you to the infirmary unharmed"

There was something about Iroh that made you immediately forget that he was the brother of a bloodthirsty Overlord, or a General of a ruthless army. There was something about the old man that made you immediately trust him. Was it the smile always present on his beaming mouth, or was it the friendly tone in his voice. Who knew what it was about Iroh that made you immediately trust the ancient man but Araic believed that Iroh would make sure that she made it alive to the infirmary. Iroh trusted this man so Araic trusted this man.

Mirrac was in his early twenties a lot younger than most of the crew. He was starting to grow a beard and the fire-nation style sideburns. But they were still short and the beard was little more than a tuft of hair like new spring grass. He was tall and towered over Araic like a cliff. His amber eyes were like two golden coins on his pale skin. An easy, gentle smile calmed Araic's nerves and she followed him out the blood-red room.

"So, this way to the infirmary" He said a kind-hearted laugh hinting in his deep voice.

They walked in an uncomfortable silence for awhile. The silence was like a gag round Araic's mouth, a sweaty hand clamped over her smothering her breath and her screams.

"So your younger than the rest of the guards" Araic asked uneasily, trying to break free of the invisible palm.

"Yeah, I am the youngest onboard next to you and the Prince." He answered unemotionally. Putting a damper on any conversation.

After a few minutes of steady marching it was Mirrac who broke the silence.

"Can I make guess here?" His voice seemed lighter

"About what?" Araic asked a slight note of suspicion.

"Was your mother, by any chance, a fire-bender and your father a earth-bender?" He asked his question and turned a slight shade of red.

"Other-way around" Araic answered, slightly pained by the mention of her family.

"I see. I knew this guy, once; his grandmother was an earth-bender healer. Normally you only get Water-bender healers but occasionally an Earth-bender healer turns up. I remember I would go to her everytime I burnt my finger" He laughed, openly.

Araic laughed with him, the deathly silence was broken down. Araic told him about the time she was nearly beheaded for calling one of the noblemen's sons a weakling and Mirrac told her about how, once he got so drunk at music night he nearly fell off the ship and drowned.

Zuko slipped behind a metal crate. Silently springing to the shadowed corner in the ship's outer-wall. A crewmember, who wishes to remain anonymous, tipped Zuko off about his Uncle's stupid 'surprise' tea party. Probably some stupid peace attempt between him and that bloody earth-scum.

There were the steady patters of footsteps approaching; Zuko pushed himself into the shadows, willing them to swallow him up. The footsteps past him, Zuko sighed with relief. He continued on with his break for freedom.

Zuko, like most people, could not stand his Uncle's lengthy conversations, his tedious stories, tiresome games and worst of all, the offering of 'calming tea'. Why the hell did he need calming tea? It wasn't as if he was prone to eruptions and what was in that stuff any way? Zuko doubted that it was only jasmine. Hearing of another tiresome tea party Zuko decided to make himself scarce and was slowly inching his way towards the depths of the ship. Some may call this cowardliness, but the person who said this has not been to one of those infamous tea parties with the deranged man.

Zuko smirked to himself as he stepped out of the shadows and bolted towards the stairs.

Uncle will NEVER find me down here. Hahaha once again Zuko the Amazing-1, Insane Uncle-0.

This particular plan never failed, if given enough warning of the dreaded tea affair.

Zuko sauntered down the abandoned corridor of the lowest deck. This corridor contained mainly empty storage rooms. He carefully peered into the doorways searching for room 42G.

In room 42G there was an assortment of candles and cushions. This was Zuko's new hideaway. His old room 61C had been discovered and had resulted in a tea party and the removal of Zuko's bootlaces and sharp objects.

Zuko smirked, lighting his meditation candles with a single punch of his hand. Closing his eyes he began to meditate.

"Are you sure we're going the right way" Araic frowned after he finished one of his tales.

To Araic, every corridor looked the same. They were made from the same dried blood red metal and each smelled of burning and fire. She was lost in this labyrinth of corridors and she wasn't entirely sure if she could trust her thread the way out. The sightings of other crewmembers were becoming infrequent and the air seemed hotter and staler. The corridors remained the same apart from the lighting, the corridors down here torches had been snuffed out in places like candles on a sinister birthday cake.

"Mirrac, my hands sore" She whimpered

"Quit moaning about your stupid hand" Mirrac snapped back.

Araic jumped back at the jagged reply.

The silence was killing her but she had no intentions of breaking it. Something wasn't right. Araic didn't know what but she was beginning to doubt she'd ever get to the safety of the infirmary.

Ohh quit moaning. He's been on this ship longer than you have. He'll know the way. Stop being so bloody paranoid, girl. He probably knows exactly were we're going and it just seems to be taking a long time because your hand hurts. Then again maybe you should ask.

Araic cleared her throat.

"Are you sure we're going the right way" Araic asked quietly preparing for a bitter reply from her now moody escort.

"Of course I know where I am going. I've been on this God-forsaken ship for two fucking years. I think I know my way around it" Mirrac's snapped at her.

"Sorry" Araic muttered to his back, surprised by his jagged response to her innocent question.

After several minutes of walking in the gloom, the only sound was the heavy footsteps in front of her and her own heavy breathing. Mirrac turned round, his eyes wide with delight

"But I have been wrong before" He grinned maniacally at her.

"What do you mean?" Araic clutched her bandaged hand protectively and stumbled back.

He grabbed her and hissed in her ear.

"I mean, down here not even that fat, asshole Iroh or that spoilt brat can hear you scream" Mirrac's grin became wider, more savage and his eyes glinted demonically in the light of the single torch. He barbaricly shoved her into the dark corridor where none of the light could reach. She cried out in shock

Ohh no! What will hapeen to Araic? Will Zuko save her? Will Zuko get their in time? Will we ever find out what is in jasmine tea? Find out in the next chapter!

Would like to thank my reviewer breathelesslove

To all readers, I know your out there so begin reviewing or I'll send you to a tea party with Iroh, and we wouldn't want that…would we?