The Trouble with Fire
Ch.19: Ember Island
Zuko X OC
disclaimer: I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender. I own my OC
It had been two weeks since Fang had seen Zuko again. But now, here a guard was standing at her door again. "Prince Zuko requests that you pack vacation clothing.", he stated. Fang gave him a puzzled look but nonetheless grabbed a traveling bag from under her bed and pulled a thin robe, bathing suit and sandals out of her dresser.
She had no idea what Zuko was thinking but she guessed she would find out. She walked in front of the guard and held out her wrists obediently for the guard to tie them. Even the guard tied the knot loosely around her wrists, it seemed she had won the trust of him as well.
A good thing for when she planned to "take her leave" of the palace. She was led out of the palace and to the Firelord's private docks. She could see a bags already set by the dock but only the outline of one person on the boat.
As they made their decent toward the small boat, Fang made out the figure to be Zuko. The guard helped her onto the boat, holding her shoulders to keep her balanced with her arms behind her. Once he saw she was secure he gave Zuko a bow, then left. Fang looked up at her husband again, he seemed still so distant but he came close to her and untied her wrists once the guard was out of view. He wore a long sleeved red robe with a large Fire Nation symbol on it. "Why am I here?", Fang asked softly, looking up at him.
"My sister wants to go to Ember Island. I didn't want to leave you cooped up in your room for another week while I'm gone.", he answered. Fang nodded slowly and didn't ask anymore questions, she was just happy to be breathing the fresh air. He took her bag from behind her and placed a kiss on her lips, again Fang felt something was wrong within the kiss.
It wasn't love... it was sadness. Almost as if they were just going through the motions of being married. "What is she doing here?", Azula asked, walking toward the boat. She wore a large frown on her face as she stared at Fang as if she was less than dirt.
"I requested for her to come along.", Zuko answered, not bothering to listen to any protest from Azula. Fang stayed quiet, there was no way she was going to get punished for speaking out of turn, at least not right now while they were still tied to the dock. "She is supposed to be waiting out her punishment.", Azula retorted, glaring at Zuko with such hatred.
Zuko sighed. "Yes, but she is my wife and if I leave her in her room for months.. she will start to lose her mind.", Zuko said, turning away from his sister. "Would serve her right..", Azula whispered enough for Fang to hear. Fang turned her gaze to Azula who looked back at her. No words were exchanged as the two looked at one another with hostility prevalent in their eyes. Fang suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and instead turned her eyes out towards the sea. The fresh ocean air was so welcoming and she wasn't about to let Azula spoil it.
It had been almost two months that she hadn't been outside and Zuko was right, if he left her there.. she would start to loose her mind. A human could not be trapped in four walls for the rest of their life. Ty Lee, the ball of energy waltz up right behind Azula and smiled big. "Fang? You're coming to? That's great!", she exclaimed.
Fang nodded and smiled at the younger girl. Mai followed after that, in her usual dapper mood. "Hey.", her stoic voice sounded. Fang nodded and acknowledged her as well. It seemed the two didn't really care who was coming along. They were just excited to get on the island. Fang was even surprised to see Lo and Li coming. She had not seen the elderly twins in so long. They hadn't aged at all since she last saw them.
The boat slowly took off with the captain at the wheel. Fang's hair had grown a little longer since she had cut it, it now brushed her shoulders as it blew in the wind. Zuko hadn't mentioned anything about it so she decided not to cut it and perhaps let it grow long again. "I'm so excited!", Ty Lee yelled, jumping up and down.
Fang smiled a little again and looked toward her husband. He motioned for her to come sit by him. Not wanting to bring any attention to herself, she did as she was told and sat next to him on the wooden pew. It's going to be great to hang out on the beach and do nothing.", Ty Lee said, stretching her arms above her head.
"Doing nothing is a waste of time. I hate vacations.", Zuko muttered. Azula raised an eyebrow. "Lighten up.", Azula chirped, crossing her arms. "Doesn't your family have a house on Ember Island?", Ty Lee asked, looking between Zuko and Azula. "We used to come here all the time when we were kids.", Azula answered, smiling a little.
"That was a long time ago...", Zuko said under his breath. Fang hadn't been on Ember Island in some time as well. She remembered going there once as a child with Ursa and Zuko for the day. She had played on the beach and relaxed under the umbrella while Zuko made sand castles.
"Where are we staying?", Mai asked, slumping in the corner of the ship. "Lo and Li's summer house. They were gracious enough to offer us all a room.", Azula answered. Fang didn't like the idea of staying with two little old ladies but she would bit her tongue and enjoy the time outside.
Lo and Li held open a door for Fang and Zuko. "You two will be in this room and the other ladies will be in the room beside yours.", the twins said in unison. Fang looked around the room, purple pillows covered a nearby corner of the room and the furniture was a combination of gold, maroon and purple. An interesting color combination to say the least.
Mai sighed. "How long do we have to stay here?", she asked rudely. "You kids should all open your mind. Ember Island is a magical place. It can help you understand yourselves and each other. Ember Island gives everyone a clean slate. It reveals the true you.", the twins announced in unison again. Why don't we let you kids have an hours rest and then we'll head out to the beach.", they said, waving as they slowly walked down the hall.
Fang turned and made her way into the room, setting her bag down on the end table next to the bed. She slowly sat down on it, trying to act like everything was normal between her husband and her. In this past hour, Fang and Zuko had said a few sentences to each other. It was awkward and uncomfortable.
Unzipping her bag, she pulled out her bathing suit and robe. She was about to get up from the bed when she felt the bed depress under her and Zuko's lips at her neck. Fang closed her eyes and didn't move. The way Zuko was treating her was getting more and more confusing by the minute. Her hands gripped the bedsheets as she felt his hand pull her robe down one shoulder.
He placed kisses along her collarbone and moved his hands down her back, undoing a few of the buttons - exposing a little portion of her back. His lips followed his hands as he slowly unbuttoned each button on the back of her robe and brushed his lips along her spine.
Her heart started to race as she felt him reach the last button. She couldn't do this. Not when their relationship was in this situation. This was completely wrong. "What are you doing...?", she whispered, turning her head slightly to look back at him. Zuko froze in place.
Silence fell over both of them for what seemed like eternity. "I... don't know.", he answered, getting up from the bed. She winced as he slammed the bathroom door behind him followed by the shower turning on a few seconds after. Fang sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. Perhaps she should have just let him do what he wanted. With a frown on her face, she reached behind her and refastened each button on her robe.
They made their way onto the beach, the sand was warm and inviting on Fang's feet. Zuko laid a beach towel down for both of them. He was still moody as usual and hadn't said much to her since they left. Fang didn't pay any mind to him and instead took off her robe, revealing her red bikini and laid back on her elbows, enjoying the warm sun-rays.
Perhaps she would even be able to get a tan out here while watching Ty Lee. She started attracting the attention of quite a few boys. Not surprising, Ty Lee was a great girl with a wonderful personality - any guy would be lucky to have her. Even Mai had a few boys come and talk to her. "Stay here.", Zuko instructed her as he got up and walked down the beach.
Fang did as she was told and turned her gaze to Mai who had set up an umbrella for her to sit under as to not burn her fair skin. "Hey. How's it going?", a male voice asked, making Fang turn her head in the other direction.
"Well and yourself?", she asked, the boy about the same age as her. "Would you like to go grab a bite to eat with me?", he asked, smiling at her. Fang smiled a little and shook her head. "I would love to but I don't think it's appropriate as I'm-"
"Beat it.". Zuko's voice was full of such venom that it made Fang's eyes widened a little. "Oh sorry.. I didn't know you were here with someone.", the boy said, scratching the back of his head and walking away. Zuko sat next to her and handed her a pastry bun from one of the food vending carts they had passed by on the way to the beach.
Zuko looked at Fang with a deep frown on his face. "I was just about to tell him I was married.", Fang pleaded, knowing that she was in trouble for something that wasn't her fault. Zuko's eyes traveled to her hand. "You're not wearing the ring I gave you.", he stated, staring at her hand.
Fang bit her bottom lip. "I didn't know if you wanted me to... I don't know what our relationship is right now.", she whispered, turning her eyes away from him and back to the open water. Zuko frowned and sighed. Silence fell over them again until Zuko spoke.
"I don't want you to ever take it off. It hurts to not see it on your finger now.", he said, his tone very low. Fang was about to reply but was stopped when Azula stood up quickly and made her way to them. "It's too crowded here. We're heading to our private beach.", Azula said, getting upset that she was the only one not getting attention from any boys.
A loud sigh came from Mai. "Do I have to move again?", Mai asked Azula. "Yes. Let's go.", Azula ordered. Fang stood up and picked up her robe coverup, following Azula and deciding not to wait for Zuko. Until he told her more of what was going to happen in their marriage she didn't see a need to be around him.
Fang made her way to a few logs that had been set up in a circle with a firepit in the middle. Azula quickly fire bended a small fireball into the fire pit. "We'll need some more things to burn.", Ty Lee said, inspecting the fire. Zuko turned his head toward his family's beach house.
"There's plenty of things to burn in there.", he said. Just as quickly as he disappeared, he reappeared with a few things from the house. A small wooden table and chair. Then something that caught Fang's attention. Zuko was carrying a picture of his family in his arms. Fang frowned a little.
Surely he didn't intent on burning that but just as she finished the thought, he dropped the picture into the flames. "What are you doing?", Ty Lee asked, giving Zuko a puzzled look. "What's it look like I'm doing?!", Zuko yelled at her. Ty Lee frowned more. "But that's a picture of your family.", she stated, not understanding. "You think I care?!", Zuko yelled again.
"I think you do.", Ty Lee retorted back. Zuko crossed his arms and turned away from Ty Lee. "You don't know me so why don't you just mind your own business!", he exclaimed, turning away from the four woman. Fang fixed her red eyes on her husband. Why was he so angry?... Was he remorseful of what he had done? Ty Lee sighed.
"I know you...", she whispered. Zuko glared at her. "No you don't! You're stuck in your little 'Ty Lee World' where everything is great all the time!, he shouted. "Zuko..." Fang whispered, not believing what she was seeing or hearing. Ty Lee and Fang weren't the best of friends but she hadn't done anything to warrant this kind of treatment from Zuko.
"I'm so pretty! Look at me! I can walk on my hands!", Zuko mocked Ty Lee as he stood up in a handstand position and then fell to the sandy floor. "Circus freak.", he muttered as he stayed laying on the ground. Zuko! Leave her alone.", Mai defended Ty Lee.
"Yes, I'm a circus freak. Go ahead and make fun of me all you want. Do you want to know why I joined the circus?! Do you have any idea what my home life was like? Growing up with six sisters who look exactly like me.. it was like I didn't even have my own name!", Ty Lee shouted as she stood from her sitting position.
Fang could see the tears in her eyes and shook her head. Zuko should have never mocked Ty Lee, it hurt her to see the young girl holding back the tears as she spoke of her childhood. "I joined the circus because I was scared of spending the rest of my life as part of a matched set! At least I'm different now! 'Circus Freak' is a compliment!", she yelled at Zuko, glaring at him.
"Wow.. attention issues. Is that why you need ten boyfriends?", Mai asked. Fang frowned. Why was everyone fighting amongst each other? This was supposed to be a vacation not a therapy session. "Well your dingy and gray.", Ty Lee retorted back. Mai simply shrugged and let the subject drop.
"My life hasn't been that easy either Ty Lee.", Zuko said, pointing to himself. "That doesn't excuse what you said to her.", Mai chimed in. Zuko signed and stood up from the sandy floor once again. "For so long I thought that if my dad accepted me I'd be happy.. I'm back home now and my dad talks to me!", Zuko yelled, looking out toward the ocean.
Fang stared at him, her mouth fell a little open. He wasn't speaking to them... he was speaking to... himself. He's unhappy with what he's done. "My dad even thinks I'm a hero! Everything should be perfect, right?! I should be happy now!", Zuko said, balling his hands into fists.
Out of the corner of Fang's eyes she watched as the faintest smile crept on Azula's face. What an evil woman Azula could be. "I'm not! I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why!", Zuko said, running his fingers through his hair. "Who are you angry at?", Azula asked, looking at her brother.
"I'm not!", Zuko retorted. "Yes, who are you angry at?", Mai asked, leaning forward. "Everyone!.. .. I don't know.", he disagreed. "Is it dad?", Azula asked, showing fake concern on her face. "No!... No..", Zuko stammered. "Your uncle or Azula?", Ty Lee asked. "No!"
Fang finally spoke, wanting to know the truth. "Me?", she asked, meeting his gaze. "No.. No!", Zuko said, shaking his head. "Then who? Who are you mad at, Zuko?", Mai asked again. "Answer the question!", Azula instructed. "I'M ANGRY AT MYSELF!", he yelled as the flames in the fire pit shot up towards the sky.
Fang frowned and looked at her husband. She was right. He was remorseful.. and now was trying to figure out what to do or how to fix it. "Why...?", Azula asked, genuinely not understanding. "Because I'm confused... because I'm not sure I know the difference between right and wrong anymore.", Zuko responded. Everyone was silent until Ty Lee spoke with a smile on her face.
"What Lo and Li said came true... we did learn things about ourselves.". Fang looked toward her husband. More than anything... she wanted everything to be back to normal but he needed to figure out what was wrong and what was right. She had figured out something about herself. She didn't want to wait in her room any longer for him to figure it out. Fang had waited long enough and now she was done.
As soon as she was put back into her room.. she would formulate her escape plan.
End of Ch.19
