A/N: I'm so sorry for how long this chapter took! College has consumed all the free time I have, and has started to suck out my soul (not really, but I just had to over exaggerate a little). Here's the chapter though. If you see any grammatical errors please let me know so I can go back and fix them. I hope you enjoy this chapter though. I had fun writing it whenever I could write it. Let me know how you all liked it.

Best,

Faithy Waithy

Chapter 19

"Land ho!"

The cry from the crow's-nest forced my eyes to turn from the card game Iroh was playing with some crewmen, out towards the horizon. Sure enough, a sliver of something could be seen where the sky met the sea. Zuko sighed beside me, glad to see the land that we were approaching.

We'd been on the ship for a week (longer than we intended), and over that course of time Zuko and I kept a lot to ourselves. Iroh managed to blend in well with the other men, but Zuko and I felt like social outcasts.

A day after we arrived onboard, Kahru gave me a pair of boots he'd grown out of. They were still rather big for my feet, but they would suffice until we managed to find money for new shoes. Kahru had also showed me to his father's own personal washroom, which was a small cabin room with a tub and buckets of water. He told me to freshen up, saying I looked like I could use the scrub. I honestly wasn't sure if I should've been insulted, but he had already turned to leave when I scowled at his remark.

It did feel very nice to freshen up. I washed off the grime and dirt on my skin, and managed to rinse out my salt drenched hair. After thirty minutes of scrubbing at my funk, I felt like a human being again. When I reemerged dressed in some of Kahru's old clothing, everyone was surprised at the girl underneath the rats-nest of hair. Zuko started to keep closer to me after that, feeling extra protective from the new attention I was getting from the men of the crew.

"Thank goodness," I said softly. "We can finally get on some land."

Zuko stared off at the shape in the distance that was starting to take the form of land, and I could tell he was suddenly anxious. We were headed into the Earth Kingdom, and he had no crew to journey with this time. My hand found his, and I squeezed it comfortingly letting him know it would be alright. He smiled weakly at me, understanding my intentions.

"Whelp… Looks like you three will be shuffling off today. Hope the trip wasn't too bumpy."

Kahru's voice surprised both Zuko and I. Turning, we saw the seventeen-year-old with his arms crossed over his chest leaning against the pole to the crows-nest.

"No," I began. "The rides been great. We'll never be able to repay you or your father for your kindness." I bent down to bow slightly to the young man before me. This took both Kahru and Zuko off guard. Standing straight again, I blushed when I realized I'd done something none of them knew how to respond to. It was always custom back at the Water Tribe to bow to those who you felt great gratitude towards. Kahru, his father, and the crew had saved our lives and I was eternally grateful.

Kahru seemed to be even more flustered. "Er… It was nothing. We would've done it for anyone. Last thing we wanted was the three of you starving to death." He scratched the back of his neck trying to avoid my gaze.

Zuko spoke for what felt like the first time in hours. "How long will it take for us to reach land?"

At the new voice, Kahru looked over at Zuko with surprise. The he smirked. "The mystery man finally speaks! I was beginning to think you were a mute." His playful eyes only heightened Zuko's irritation. "Shouldn't be more than three hours. We have to take it steady once we're in the shallows." He stepped over to us then, and I was amused to see Kahru was an inch taller than Zuko. "You'll be back home soon."

"That's all I want," Zuko said truthfully, his head bending down as the thought of home filled him with burden.

Kahru looked at my scar then, something he did frequently over the last few days. "Still not gonna tell me how you got your scar?"

Shaking my head, I answered, "Sorry. That story's personal."

He sighed heavily. "Then I guess it will continue to be a mystery." He shot his gaze between the two of us in even more curiosity. "It's interesting that you two have burns… Perhaps you two were destined to be."

Kahru had been able to gather that Zuko and I had more than a friendship between one another. He could see the way Zuko and I never really parted. He noted the way Zuko would pull me away from crewmen who were giving me more attention than either of us were comfortable with. He was aware that Zuko and I were sleeping on the same cot every night, falling asleep to one another's steady breaths.

Kahru wasn't a fool.

"Perhaps," Zuko replied. He took my hand then, saying, "Let's walk around. My legs are getting stiff from just standing." He began to tug me away from Kahru, who watched the two of us go with an avid gaze. Once we had some distance, Zuko muttered, "He's way too persistent."

I frowned. My hand tightened around Zuko's hold as he guided me away from the young man who had been breathing down our necks days for answers.

"I guess we're just exciting to him," I began. "He finds our situation curious."

Zuko scowled. "Way too curious for my comfort."

To Zuko's relief, the hours passed by pretty uneventful. As we approached the land, I could see the Fire Nation flag billowing in the breeze. The port was definitely a Fire Nation port, and I had a feeling it had once belonged to another nation a hundred years ago.

The ship weighed anchor, and the gangplank was dropped so that the crewmen could begin unloading the merchandise. As they started maneuvering what was to be sold off the ship, Zuko and I stayed out of the way waiting for Iroh to join us on deck.

"Shame you three couldn't stay longer," the captain suddenly said, herding Iroh towards us. "Would've loved to play some more tunes with you Shang."

Iroh stopped beside Zuko and I, turning to bow respectfully to the man. "Perhaps we can do so if we cross paths again in the future. Fate has a strange course to it."

The man nodded. "Yes indeed. Sounds like a plan." Kahru stepped over to us as well, stopping beside his father. They both weren't too different in height. The captain spoke on. "Was a pleasure meeting the three of you. Hope you all make it home alright. No more sailing out into storms now, ya here?"

"You speak wisely," Iroh said. "We wouldn't dream of placing ourselves in such a situation again."

This time I bowed politely to the captain. "Thank you for your kindness and generosity. We can never repay you enough."

The captain analyzed me for a moment, and when I stood straight again he smirked. "I finally figured it out."

I furrowed my brows at him puzzled. "Figured what out."

He looked me over with knowing. "I've been trying to guess where you originate from, and it has finally hit me. At first I was thinking Northern Water Tribe, but you don't have the same complexion and posture as them. The way you speak to your elders, and those piercing blue eyes are both clear indicators…" He pulled something out of his brown pants pocket and tossed it over to me. I caught it clumsily, and stared down at the trinket in my hand. My eyes widened when I saw what it was. "You're from the Southern Water Tribe."

The bracelet I held in my hand was delicately carved with the symbols of my people. The different figures indented in the ivory bend told the stories of my ancestral past. My Gran-Gran was the last of our family who practiced ivory carving. She got the ivory from the seal-mammoths that would wander on shore from time to time. Her ivory bracelets were always the talk of the village, and she loved to pass on her knowledge to the other women of the tribe.

"Found that in an abandoned Water Tribe Vessel a few months ago. The ship had been ransacked pretty well, but I managed to find a few treasures."

My eyes widened at his words. An abandoned ship?

He noticed my sudden change in expression. "So I was right. You're pretty far up north. How'd you come to travel with these men?"

Zuko and Iroh seemed a bit uneasy, not sure what I would say. They both didn't want word getting around about who they were, and they feared I'd tell the man everything.

Instead, I answered simply, "I just go where the water takes me." I stepped forward to hand the captain back the bracelet. He took it in his hands once more. "It's ivory… Made from the tusk of a sea-mammoth. The story on it is an old folklore of my tribe about a warrior and his bride." The captain analyzed the bracelet as I spoke. "As long as you have the bracelet on your possession, no harm shall come to you… At least that's the belief."

He nodded, taking in what I said. Kahru remained silent the whole time, bewildered by this knew knowledge. He knew I was Water Tribe. He didn't know I was from the south.

"Thank you," the captain said. "It's good to know there's more to it than ambiguous carvings." He then nodded to each of us. "Safe travels to the three of you."

"And to you as well," Iroh said with sincerity. He then nudged Zuko to head toward the ramp. As the two of them made their way, I went to follow. A warm hand stopped me though by grabbing my shoulder.

Kahru held my shoulder firmly, and I looked back at him with question. His father was already returning to captain business, beginning to walk over towards the pile of merchandise they were unloading. "You're a prisoner aren't you? You were taken from your home by the Fire Nation."

His perception astounded me. Jerking out of his grasp, I answered calmly and truthfully, "I'm here out of my own choice. You don't need to worry about me." Turning on my heel, I rushed to catch up to Zuko and Iroh. The eyes boring a hole in my back told me Kahru was still watching me, and that made me irritated.

What was his deal? Why was he so perceptive? Why was he so eager to know my story?

Walking behind Zuko and Iroh down the gangplank, my step faltered slightly as his questions rang through my head again.

"You're a prisoner aren't you? You were taken from your home by the Fire Nation."

Stopping on the gangplank, I looked back up at Kahru who was still watching me go from on deck. He met my gaze, and I felt my heart clench. It was that way at first… I was a prisoner… Now though… Now I wasn't sure…

Was I still a prisoner? Would Zuko ever let me leave if I tried to?

Would I ever want to leave him?

My mind raced with a million 'what ifs'. A hand grasping my shoulder gently brought me out of my reverie, and I turned to meet Iroh's concerned gaze.

"Crystal? Everything alright?"

Zuko had stopped walking as well, his eyes staring back at me with worry. I turned back to Iroh with surprise, and then smiled weakly. "Yeah… I'm fine." Taking a step forward, this time I didn't look back.

Once we stepped into the Fire Nation port, Iroh quickly led us through the streets knowing exactly where he was going. He admitted to us he'd been at the port before many years ago, right when he and his fleet were headed to Ba Sing Se. The men had a wonderful time at a spa not too far from the town, and he was confident that once he told the owner who he was we'd be cleaned up in no time.

As we headed through the town, my eyes scanned around me at all the Fire Nation men and women going about their business. A few Earth Kingdom citizens resided in the city, but it looked like their duties and dwellings were much less elaborate than the others. Clearly there was a line of inequality occurring in the town, and I knew it was because the Earth Kingdom people probably feared for their lives. Iroh explained to me about a month ago that Fire Nation colonies were towns taken over by the beginnings of the war. Anyone who remained in the town was imprisoned and forced to do heavy labor. Some of the benders would also be carted off to steel prisons in the middle of the ocean.

"It will be so nice to relax after such a trying journey," Iroh spoke calmly, weaving his way through the crowd. "Good bath, some sleep, and nice food will do us all some good!"

Zuko sighed heavily beside me as we continued to walk through the market. "We should only stay here for a day or two. I need to begin looking for a new crew as soon as possible. The Avatar will be coming to the Earth Kingdom soon to look for an earthbending teacher. His training at the North Pole will be complete."

Iroh slowed his excited pace, and then stopped in his step. Zuko and I came to an abrupt halt as well. "Prince Zuko… We need to talk about this plan. Even if you manage to attain a ship, and a crew, do you really want to continue chasing this boy across the world?" He turned to his nephew with wise but weary eyes. "We've been on this journey for three years, Nephew… Are you certain you want to continue?"

Zuko scowled. "Don't try to change my mind Uncle! I know what I want! I don't belong here! I don't belong among these peasants!"

My heart clenched at his words. I backed a step feeling slightly stung by the feelings he'd just conveyed. His eyes shot over to me, and quickly regret filled his expression. He knew what he said had hurt me, and I could immediately see he was sorry. I dropped my gaze from him though, knowing he meant every word.

Iroh sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Very well… We'll discuss this later. Let's focus now on getting the rest we need."

The three of us continued to make our way to the outer parts of the Fire Nation colony. As we went, I crossed my arms and hung my head wishing Zuko's words hadn't hurt me so much. He didn't want to be among peasants though… How could we be together, if he was so disgusted with the thought of being among peasants? No matter how much he loved me, I would always be the simple peasant from the Southern Water Tribe. If he felt such distaste towards the lower class, then how would he ever truly accept me?

When we finally left the town, we made our way to a stone bridge that crossed over a rushing river. The river dropped off only a few feet ahead into a huge waterfall. In the center of the river stood an enormous building with slanted roofs that was held above the water by giant pipes. The building was crafted with beautiful embroidered pillars, and the land on the other side of the river was covered by forest that seemed to stretch on for miles.

When we reached the center platform of the spa resort, women immediately stepped out of a large entrance with a floral sheet hanging over it. The women were also dressed in beautiful silk dresses, with hair pieces holding their black strands up in buns. Earth Kingdom women who appeared to be workers at the resort, were dressed in more plain brown dresses. The Fire Nation women appeared to be in charge of the resort, while the Earth Kingdom women were more of the foot servants.

"My goodness! General Iroh! It's been years," a woman exclaimed, walking calmly down the wooden steps to greet the three of us. The woman was probably Iroh's age, and looked to have kept her skin smooth with the herbs and methods of the spa which she owned. She was pretty for being in her fifties. She bowed to Iroh to show her respect, and then stood straight once more. She noticed our appearance then. "Great Agni! What happened to you all? You three look like you've suffered a hurricane!"

Iroh hung his head. "It has been a trying journey, Lady Hala. We've lost our crew and our ship. We've been floating adrift for days and could use some clean clothes and warm food. Also, we would find it of great joy if you had a place we could stay to rest."

The woman covered her mouth in horror, and then said quickly, "Of course, General Iroh! We would be honored to restore the three of you to health." She turned to the group of young women who had gathered behind her. "Ladies! See to it that each of these guests receive our greatest care!" She then turned to Iroh once more. "I will have our cooks prepare a fabulous meal tonight sir, and then will lead you later to the resort home in which you may stay."

Iroh bowed with gratitude. "Thank you, Lady Hala. You are too kind." He took her hand then and kissed it gently. Zuko rolled his eyes, while I watched with amazement. Lady Hala blushed, and smiled shyly.

Two young women approached Zuko then, saying, "This way sir. We will find you some attire and get you ready for a bath."

Zuko looked a bit perplexed about everything that was occurring. However, he let out a heavy sigh and looked over at me with tired eyes. His words from earlier flowed back to my memory, and I looked away from him with a twist in my gut.

I don't belong among these peasant!

Shutting my eyes, I wanted to forget what he said.

"Crystal…" Zuko had turned toward me, and his fingers suddenly grabbed my chin forcing me to look up at him. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier… I'm just tired…"

His sincerity forced my hurt to fade ever so slightly. Nodding, I said softly, "It's okay… I think we all just need some rest to clear our minds…"

He nodded, and then pressed his forehead to my own. "Find me if you need me." He kissed my forehead softly, and then left me. As he walked away following the two women, I felt the warmth of his lips linger on my skin. The twist in my gut loosened.

"This way miss," another young woman suddenly said. This woman was probably in her mid-twenties, and was definitely Fire Nation. "We'll have you washed up and get those knots out of your hair." She turned to a younger woman behind her who stood as silent as the air. I knew by her clothes she was Earth Kingdom. "Go prepare the west wing bath. We'll be there shortly." The silent woman bowed in obedience and walked off to go fulfill her duty.

Iroh was already being herded to a building, and Zuko was out of sight. The woman gestured for me to follow her as she started to walk toward the building she'd originally come out of. "Come along dear."

A few minutes later I sat on my knees as the same woman named Meela ran a brush through my hair. We were in a small room with cushions on the floor and some mirror stands. Incense was being burned in all four corners sending a lavender smell across the air.

Meela brushed out the knots, ignoring my cringing and sharp intake of breath whenever she pulled too hard. She was a woman on a mission, and kept telling me I'd thank her when she was done. She seemed to work on my hair for a good twenty minutes, even using a knife to cut away some of the dead ends. Then she ordered me to strip and put a silk robe on. She left the room to go grab a towel, and once I had privacy I shed my old clothes, and had the robe covering me. Meela returned a moment later, and then quickly shoved me out of the room and down a long wooden hall. The hall overlooked the waterfall and the sea.

We eventually arrived in a room with a steaming pool of water. Potted plants decorated the room, and with the plants came a relaxing scent. The Earth Kingdom servant from earlier was at the pool, and stood straight as she waited for her next order.

"Alright... Let's get you in the water. You're going to need some deep scrubbing to get all this grime off."

I stared at the water a bit anxious. I hadn't had a full body bath before. Most of the time I would just scrub my body with a cloth to clean up. The South Pole was too cold to have actual baths, so we'd just have a pot of warmed water to wipe our skin with. On Zuko's ship, I'd do the same.

"Come on dear… Don't be shy," she said. "You'll feel great once you're in. I had one of our firebenders heat up the water to a wonderful temperature."

Not being given much of a choice, I obediently shed my robe. As soon as my skin was exposed, I heard a sharp intake of breath. The young woman by the pool covered her mouth realizing her mistake. However, her eyes stared at the burn that stretched from my eye to my collarbone. Her eyes then trailed down to my stomach where a nasty bruise was still healing from Zhao's kick.

"My goodness child! These burns are terrible on your back!" Meela grabbed my shoulders from behind, while I blushed beat red as both of these women examined me. Meela shot another order at the woman. "Go get some aloe leaves! This must be treated immediately!" The woman jumped out of her shock and ran to do as she was told.

Her words surprised me. I knew Zhao's attack from back at the North Pole had been rough, but I'd forgotten all about the pain. My feet had been so messed up after we got on the raft, that the last thing on my mind was my back.

The next hour consisted of hard scrubbing and being lathered with scented oils. When Meela had me cleaner than I'd been my whole life, she helped me out of the tub. Once I was dry (which I helped with by bending the water off of me), Meela and the other woman managed to spread the aloe extract on my back. The burns were barely noticeable to me, but they bothered the two women so I didn't argue.

Eventually they left me some clothes to put on, and I did so quickly. The dress I slipped onto my skin was soft and light, having a hazel tint to it. It was mid-sleeved and flowed just above my ankles. The women left me some soft shoes to put on as well. When I finished, the women returned a moment later and brought me back in the first room I'd been in.

As we headed over, I felt my hand grip the necklace that I hadn't taken off. I couldn't help but wonder what would happen to us after we got the rest we needed. Zuko would look for a crew, and Iroh would assist him. What about me? Was it really wise for me to continue to travel with Zuko and Iroh?

Of course I knew the answer… By now the Northern Water Tribe would've sent word to the South Pole about my treachery… I'd have no home to return to…

The women finished pampering me after they did my hair up in a high ponytail. Once they were done with their work, Meela guided me out of the room telling me that Iroh and Zuko were already in the dining quarters. She led me back outside, down the stone path, and into a building where warm inviting foods were calling out. When I stepped inside the room, I found Zuko and Iroh seated at a long table already chowing down on the steaming food.

Zuko POV

It felt great to be clean again. I knew Uncle was happy about it as well. We both were out of our torn clothes and in some fine Earth Kingdom attire. Sitting at a long table, the women of the resort brought in numbers of plates with all types of food. They also poured us some wine which I couldn't wait for. I hadn't had wine since I'd left the palace so long ago. Of course, my mind wasn't entirely on the food or wine. My mind was on the Avatar.

I had to find a ship, a crew, and some resources once more. I needed to prepare for when the Avatar arrived in the Earth Kingdom. I would capture that brat! I wouldn't give up until he was my prisoner and we were back in the Fire Nation. I would have my honor back!

"I'm sure Crystal is having a grand time," Iroh said aloud as he bit down on another mango. His conversation suddenly brought me out of my thoughts. "She definitely needed some pampering after being Zhao's prisoner for weeks."

His words made me cringe. My thoughts left the Avatar and went back to Crystal. She had been in a rough state after the North Pole. I had no doubt she was in pain, even after she healed herself. Not to mention, her mood had been pretty grim since she'd become a traitor to her people. I wished there was some way I could cheer her up, but I didn't know how…

With a heavy sigh, I ate my food picturing her worn out face. The strong minded girl I'd come to know seemed to be left at the North Pole… Crystal was broken at the moment…

"Crystal? Is that you?"

Uncle's question forced me to look up as I went to take a bite of my fish. However, I felt the fork leave my hand as I stared at the girl in front of me.

Of course I knew it was Crystal immediately… Her azure eyes and the scar from her cheekbone to her collarbone were clear giveaways. However, everything else about her was different. Her hair was tied back by a ribbon, but the tail flowed down in gentle waves. Her clean skin looked smooth and soft, and there wasn't a trace of dirt. She bit her lip the way she did when she was embarrassed, and her arms were crossed over her chest. The chestnut dress she wore hugged her curves, shaping her hourglass figure perfectly. The crystal blue necklace I'd given her complimented her skin perfectly.

"Isn't she lovely," the older woman behind her said. "We made sure to clean her from head to toe."

At the woman's words, I saw Crystal's cheeks turn bright crimson. Her arms crossed tighter, and she looked at the wooden floor flustered.

"You look beautiful, Crystal," Uncle exclaimed. "Come and sit, dear! You must be starving."

She whispered a soft "Thank you, Iroh." Then she kept her gaze averted as she approached the table. She sat in front of Iroh and I, her hands placed in her lap. We were left alone then, the women leaving to attend their other duties.

Iroh resumed his feast, and I saw Crystal slowly reach for a roll on the plate in front of her. As she went to grab it though, she finally looked up toward me. I'm sure I looked like an idiot, gawking at how amazing she looked. Her cheeks only grew more crimson, and she pulled her hand back from the roll.

"It's just me, Zuko… There's nothing to get so shocked over," she muttered. Her eyes dropped once more completely bashful. "The women insisted I wear a dress… Not too happy about it, but I was afraid to argue." She grabbed a roll finally, and then bit into it. As she chewed it, I couldn't help but continue to stare at her. She looked so different…

She no longer looked like a prisoner I'd captured from the Southern Water Tribe… She looked like the daughter of a Chief… A princess…

Iroh chuckled. "Yes. Wouldn't want to argue when a woman is on a mission."

My hand itched to touch her skin. I wanted to run my hand over her soft hair. I wanted to kiss those trembling lips. All thoughts of the Avatar were pushed to the back of my mind as I stared like an idiot at the alluring beauty before me. The only thing keeping me from her was a table full of food.

"After we eat, Lady Hala said she'd take us to our resort home. She said we could stay as long as we like," Iroh said, trying to make conversation.

Neither Crystal or I responded, the both of us not having much to say.

Later that evening, Lady Hala led us away from the spa buildings towards the forest before us. As we followed, I stared at Crystal from the corner of my eyes. She had crossed her arms again, and was staring at the dirt below her feet. Uncle and Lady Hala chatted away in front of us as if we were in two different worlds. Eventually we arrived at the wooden cabin where we would be staying, and Hala left us wishing us a goodnight. Once she was gone, Uncle headed inside which left the two of us alone. Crystal went to follow Uncle's lead, but now that we were alone I took my chance.

"Crystal…"

My voice surprised her. She stopped walking and looked over at me with question. Her azure eyes shined from the golden sunset behind me. My voice caught in my throat, and I couldn't get out what I wanted to say.

"Zuko…? Are you o-"

Stepping forward, I cut her off as I slid my hand behind her head and pulled her toward me. She gasped at the sudden action, but before she could blink I pressed my lips to her own. Time stopped as I felt her soft skin, tasted her sweet breath, and sensed the warmth of her body against my own. My hand trailed up to her hair, as my other hand slid behind her back to pull her more to me. I found the ribbon, and pulled on it letting her long dark brown hair fall freely down her back. Our breaths intertwined as our kiss deepened. My fingers buried into her hair feeling the softness and warmth.

She was so gentle… She was so fragile… She was beautiful...

Her arms wrapped around my neck so she could get closer to me. We broke apart only for a second to breathe, and then we were one again. We stumbled slightly, caught up in the moment. However, we never broke our embrace. I wanted to stay with her forever. I wanted to be with her until the day I died. I grazed my teeth on her lips, and she shut her eyes completely. My heartrate accelerated, and I knew hers did as well. I never wanted the moment to end.

Crystal was the one thing that made me feel like a human being. She was one small element of happiness I could find in a world so full of pain. I hated the thought of losing the one girl I loved.

Breaking away from her lips finally, the both of us breathed heavily as air reentered our lungs. Our foreheads pressed against one another as we recovered from our slight moment of passion. She smiled with her eyes tightly closed, and I knew she was enjoying the moment. When she looked up at me finally, she asked, "What was that for?"

I leaned my head down towards her again. "I've been wanting to do that for hours." Her whole face turned beet red. My hand trailed up her back, and I felt her shiver. "You're so beautiful."

She was surprised by my compliment, and then I felt her hands press against my forearms. "Zuko… I… I don't think you're thinking straight." She tried to break from me, but I wasn't letting her go that easily. "I'm no different than I was." Her voice was shaking as she became too flustered for words.

I ignored her, my other hand finding its way behind her back. Pulling her to me, I pressed my nose into her hair smelling floral scents from whatever the women had poured on her. "You're wrong… You are different… You're not the same girl I picked up at the South Pole all those months ago…"

"What are you talking about?" She was too happy in my arms to pull away, but I could sense she was confused by my words.

Pulling slightly from her, I caressed her cheek making her breathing hitch. My thumb traced the top of her scar, and I had to resist the urge to kiss her again.

"You're not poor… you're not worthless… You're the strong and beautiful daughter of a Chief."

Her eyes widened at my words. She didn't know what to say.

Katara POV

Staring at the stone in my hand, I traced my fingers over the carving of water swirls. The blue choker connected to it draped over my palm carelessly. I was sitting on Appa's saddle, my back leaning against the leather with confliction. I could remember the day Crystal had sacrificed the necklace over to me. Mother had died, and Gran-Gran had passed the necklace on to the eldest daughter. However, Crystal could see how torn I was over mother's death, and she wanted to cheer me up.

"Katara… It's alright, sis."

My nine-year-old sister sat in front of me on the furs in our igloo home. Her face was covered by a bandage, and so was her chest. She was having a slow healing process, and I knew she was still in a lot of pain. When father had found her in our home, lying unconscious beside our mom's body, he had thought her to be dead too. However, he heard her breathe and immediately jumped into action. He carried her out of the igloo, away from mom's body, and into Bato's own igloo home. Bato's wife and teenage daughter immediately sprang into action, doing all they could to revive her. While they did so, my father returned to the igloo to be with his wife.

Crystal had taken weeks to recover, and still she was in pain. Her consciousness had come back to her three days after the raid, but her mental state was still broken. She hadn't spoken about what occurred, even though the elders of the tribe tried to get it out of her. She said she didn't want to talk about it. Father tried to encourage her, but no one could persuade her. Whatever happened that fateful day was too horrifying for her to recount.

"I know your sad," she spoke again. Her hand gently took my own, which was slightly smaller than hers. "But right now we all need to be strong… Gran-Gran and dad need us more than ever right now. We need to be brave."

I shook my head, my heart aching terribly at the emptiness I felt within me. The absence of my mom was too much for my heart to handle. My mom had been my best friend, and she was my coach too. She helped me strengthen my waterbending day by day, and told me she was proud of the strong bender I was becoming. She was gone now, and with her death came a deep regret for being a waterbender. I'd overheard the elders of the tribe, and I knew why the monsters had come.

The Fire Nation had come for me… Mom knew this and sacrificed herself to save me…

"Mom's dead… She's dead because of me…"

My sister squeezed her hand around my own. "No… Mom died because of them, Katara. You weren't the one to take away her life… Those monsters killed her. She knew they would hurt you if you were discovered… She protected you."

I let out a sniffle, and then scoot over to my sister's good side. Hugging her arm tightly, I pressed my face into her coat sleeve letting the fabric dry up my tears. "I miss her, Crys… I miss her so much!"

My sister hugged me to her with one arm, and rubbed circles on my back. "I know sis… I miss her too." I felt a warm drop of water fall on my forehead, and knew my sister was crying too. We stayed that way for a few minutes, two sisters mourning over the loss of our mother. When we finally pulled away, it was so my sister could do the most selfless thing she'd ever done.

Taking something out of her coat pocket, she said with sincerity, "I know this is supposed to be passed down to me, but I think mom would've wanted you to have it. She was always so proud of you and your strength..." Her voice broke off at the last word.

I looked at her with question, and then looked down at her ungloved hand. She held mother's necklace, the blue choker contrasting sharply with her skin. Crystal was always the palest of the three of us, and father said it was because she spent too much time cooped up indoors daydreaming. Gran-Gran explained it was because she got her skin complexion from our grandpa who died before we were born.

"No… I can't… It has to go to the oldest," I mumbled. "That's what Gran-Gran said…"

Crystal shook her head. "I already spoke to Gran-Gran about this, Katara… It's okay… I want you to have it." She forced me to turn around, and then helped clasp the choker around my neck. As the necklace loosely settled onto my skin, I felt Crystal's hands tremble. She whispered, "It's better you take it anyway… You deserve it more…"

I wanted to ask her what she meant, but by the time I turned my head she was already up and headed towards the entrance to our igloo home. "I need to go to Jala for my medicine… I'll be back in an hour."

As she left, I saw her hang her head in agony. I knew she wasn't headed to Jala. My sister was breaking down, and she didn't want me to see.

With a heavy sigh, I returned the necklace to its rightful place immediately feeling mom's presence. As the necklace settled back against my skin, I shut my eyes feeling the cold breeze of the North Pole winds. It was much colder up north than it was down south. I hoped wherever Crystal was, she was warm.

"Hey…" Sokka's voice suddenly sounded from the back of the saddle, and I glanced over to see him approach. He stepped onto the saddle and walked over to me with understanding. We'd both been trying to distract our minds these last few days, but we were equally worried about our sister. "Thought I'd find you here… Aang said you didn't make it to training."

I nodded, hanging my head warily. I knew Master Pakku would scold me later, but I was too distracted to waterbend today.

"I'm worried about her," I admitted. "I can't concentrate…"

Sokka let out a heavy breath, and then sat in front of me leaning against the other side of the saddle. "Yeah… I'm worried about her too."

My hand instinctively fiddled with the charm of my necklace, an anxious habit I'd picked up over the years. "Do you think she's okay?"

"Yeah… I'm sure Zuko and his crazy uncle are taking care of her," Sokka muttered. "Those two are too stubborn to let this little setback stop their quest."

I nodded slowly, but I wasn't convinced. "What's going on in her head…? Could she really love Prince Zuko that much to betray us like that?"

My brother ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't want to believe it… but I suppose Crystal has foolishly fallen for her captor…" He looked up at me with narrowed eyes. "I'm going to get her back, Katara. I'm not going to let this crazy fantasy of hers break our family apart. Crys will come to her senses when I'm through with her."

I wanted to agree, but deep down I knew what Sokka wanted was wrong. "If she loves him though… Well if she truly cares about him she won't just leave him…"

Sokka crossed his arms, but I could tell my words conflicted him. "She'll see… All we have to do is remind her what's more important. She needs to be reminded who the enemy is."

He seemed so determined and confident he could sway our sister's feelings.

"I just wish I knew what was going through her head," I admitted. "I try to think of all the reasons why she would fall for such a monster, and I keep coming up blank."

Sokka scowled. "That's because there isn't a valid reason! She's his prisoner!"

I had to ask. "Do you think it's still that way, though? From what Zuko constantly says, it sounds like she's more to him than just some prize."

"Open your eyes Katara! If Prince Zuko had to come down to choosing Crystal over his stupid honor, who do you think he'd pick? His honor comes first before anything else! He's just playing Crys so she doesn't run away from him." Sokka stood. "She's being suckered into a situation she doesn't need to be in… I'm going to save her…"

He turned and walked away then. As he went, I shut my eyes feeling the cold breeze hit me again.

I'm going to save her…

As much as I admired Sokka's confidence, the question still rang through my head: Did she really want to be saved?