The desert heat turned into the desert chill within minutes, and I stopped to grab the rest of our supplies from the ostrich and tie him to a hitching post before returning. Zuko had started a fire, and was trying to decide which tea leaves to use to make the white tea Uncle asked for. I pointed them out for him, before he made several dangerously bad mistakes, and poured the water I'd taken into the heating pot. Uncle still hadn't woken, and I began preparing our beds for the night.

From his seat next to the fire, Zuko asked, "What did you do, while I was gone?"

I was somewhat surprised by his sudden decision to talk, but glad he did. "Nothing, really. Drank a lot of tea, mostly. We met that blind earthbender girl who you saw today the other day on the mountain just outside the desert. Uncle was really worried about you," I added, looking for a hint of emotion. Zuko decided subconsciously, or maybe consciously, to anger me and stay emotionless for the time being.

I asked softly, "Where you safe?"

He looked down, ashamed almost, and replied, "Yes, most of the time."

"Good," I said honestly. "Actually, I was probably more frantic than Uncle." I waited for a reaction which wouldn't come. "It's embarrassing, but I've never been away from you for so long. I didn't know what to do."

This time he looked up, not at me, and nodded his head. "It was close to the same thing for me, and Uncle." He chuckled quietly to himself. "I think we need a new mode of transportation. These ostriches suck."

I laughed. "Agreed. At least you don't have to ride with Uncle and all of our belongings everyday," I said lightly, so Uncle wouldn't hear.

Zuko leaned back against a wall. "I've always wanted to ride a horse-bear. Fast like a horse, powerful and fierce like a bear."

I furrowed my brow. "I'm not sure I've ever seen one."

"I haven't either, I've only heard about them in stories," the prince said nostalgically. We sat in silence for a few minutes, Zuko reflecting on his childhood, myself worrying about the present. I was nervous about asking, but I finally asked slowly, "Are you going to leave us again?"

He looked at me with a confused look on his face until he understood what I was asking. He thought for a moment, and then answered, "If I have to."

I looked down, dreading and growing emotional at the thought that he could leave us alone again. I could feel his eyes on mine, and I glance up to see him looking straight at me. Embarrassed, I looked away quickly. "You don't want me to leave, do you?" he guessed, slowly and unsurely.

I nodded my head slowly without looking at him.

"Why?" He was curious.

I shrugged, not knowing for once what he wanted to hear. "I don't know how to handle myself when you're not around," I started. "I'm a servant girl with no Master."

"Wouldn't that make you free?"

I'd never thought about that before. Faithfully, I pronounced, "I'm only free if you say I am."

He took his eyes off me. "Fair enough," replied, nodding his head once in respect.