So, another review! I have a question though…cause everyone keeps saying "great chapter one" or stuff like that…sooo…is anyone reading these later chapters? Uhh…let me know. I'm going to write now…instead of study… Yay : )

XxXxXxXxX

Chapter Six: My Kingdom Home

"Yes, yes, yes, this looks perfect!" The man surveyed Zuko's look, smiling widely. Zuko had cut more wood than originally planned, but it had been a good way to take out his frustrations. Each piece of wood was perfectly cut and the man was beaming. "You've certainly earned that boat, young man!" he exclaimed, slapping Zuko on the back. "Bring back lots of fish!"

Zuko nodded, unable to thank the man- his work showed that enough he assumed. He turned on his heel, heading back to his room to prepare his things. He would leave tonight.

XxXxXxXxX

Kaori walked along the beach, putting one foot in front of the other, as if she was balancing on a rope. Her hands were held out, supporting her. Next to her walked a short girl, perhaps a year younger. She was a pudgey girl, pretty though. Her black hair was cut to her chin and her eyes shown blue.

"I had to tell him, Aliruko, he would have found out," Kaori said, staring at the sand as she walked.

The girl shrugged, Aliruko, and said, "Oh, don't worry so much. I'm sure Tonu will forgive you,"

Kaori glared at the girl. "I wasn't talking about Tonu,"

Aliruko looked at Kaori and giggled a little. "I know. You were talking about that boy, what's his name… Teken, right?"

Kaori sighed rather wistfully, nodding. "Yes…" she said softly. "Teken,"

Aliruko rolled her eyes, kicking a shell into the water. "I don't know why you've got a thing for him. He barely talks, has this scowl on his face and you don't know anything about him. And that scar on his face-"

Kaori cut her off quickly with a look. "Makes him possibly the only one who could really understand," she finished for Aliruko, who merely rolled her eyes.

"Still," Aliruko continued. "I don't see why you've got a thing for him."

Kaori stopped, digging her feet into the sand, hiding them. "It doesn't matter anyway…" she murmured. "He knows I'm betrothed now."

Aliruko shook a finger at Kaori. "Hey, just because you're betrothed doesn't mean you can't have a bit of fun…" She tapped her finger against her chin, looking thoughtful. "Hmm…you could hide Teken in your closet and when Tonu is gone and you're feeling in the mood, you just take him out of the closet and-"

"Aliruko!" Kaori exclaimed, a blush creeping up on her cheeks. "What a terrible thing to say!"

Aliruko giggled. "Well, I'm sorry, I can't help it if my imagination runs wild,"

Kaori grinned at her friend, rolling her eyes. "Oh, it certainly runs…"

"Well," Aliruko said with another giggle. "I think you should do what you want for once in your life. If something is speaking to you about this….Teken….and even if I advise against it…I guess you should go for it."

Kaori sighed, poking her toes out of the sand. She stared at them as they wiggled at her. "I just… He doesn't know the other things…I don't know what to do…"

"Kaori," Aliruko said, raising an eyebrow. "Since when do you not do what you want to do…no matter what anyone says…?"

Kaori smiled slowly and glanced at her friend. As the waves hit the beach, both girls started laughing.

XxXxXxXxX

Zuko threw his bags into the boat. It had floated- that was a good sign. As he had shoved it out into the water to test it, he had thought for sure that it was simply going to sink and disappear. Life seemed to do that a lot to him, but fortune was on his side. It had floated lazily in the calm water and he sighed. The sky was dark, it was late out but that was how he wanted to go. He didn't want the villagers to see him leaving he just…wanted to disappear. His boat was in the sand, pulled up so he could put his bags in it.

"Teken," He heard and he turned around to face Kaori, who stood there blinking.

Zuko frowned a little. "What are you doing here?"

She pointed down the beach a little. "I was going to check on my moon plant…I didn't expect… You weren't going to say goodbye?"

Zuko shook his head, tossing his last bag into the boat. "I never liked saying goodbye," he muttered. He put his hands on the boat, ready to push it into the water.

"Teken…I don't…I don't want you to leave like this…" Kaori said quietly. She glanced up at him. "You're mad at me, right?"

Zuko was silent for a moment and then turned to look at her. "No. I'm not mad." he said simply.

"It wasn't my choice," Kaori said quickly, as if this was her last chance to explain. "I never thought I would be betrothed. I don't want to be,"

Zuko nodded slowly, keeping all emotion out of his eyes. "I know,"

Kaori took two quick steps forward, her eyes wild. The wind blew through her hair, making her look crazed. "Teken, take me with you,"

Zuko froze, staring at her as if she was insane. "What?" he exclaimed. "No," There was no way she could go with him- if she did then everything would be ruined. She would be extra baggage and she would figure everything out, making her only unhappy.

She came towards him and grabbed onto the neck of his shirt, looking at him like she was about to have a panic attack. "Please Teken," she said quickly. "Please take me with you,"

Zuko shook his head, taking her hands slowly and pulling them off his shirt, but she did not let go of his hands. "You can't go. It's dangerous,"

Kaori shook her head, hair getting in her face. "I don't care,"

"You will," Zuko muttered, to himself or to her he did not know.

"Teken!" Kaori shouted, her eyes wide and intense, stepping closer to him and holding onto his hands tighter. "Please, I want to go with you!"

Zuko glanced away from her. Why was it becoming so hard to say no to her? Why did it feel like if he said no one more time, that something would tear inside of him? Why couldn't she be like any other girl and run away from this answer and cry a bit but then move on? Why did it feel like she truly wanted to go with him?

"I have to go with you," Kaori whispered. "I have to. I don't know why but I have to. My friend, Aliruko, she'll tell the people that I've gone away for a little, they won't worry, they'll be fine without me, but please, please don't leave me standing on this beach tonight watching you disappear. Let me come,"

Zuko closed his eyes for a moment, frowning deeply. She couldn't come, he knew she shouldn't. He was the Prince of the Fire Nation and she was…she was Kaori. She didn't belong where he wanted to be.

"Kaori…I'm not…I'm not who you think I am," he said slowly, not looking at her. "You would hate me,"

Kaori reached out, touching his cheek and then pulling her hand away. "I have my secrets too. And you have to let me come,"

Zuko looked at her for a moment. "I don't have to let you do anything,"

Kaori shook her head. "Yes, yes you do. You stomped on my garden,"

Zuko stared at her, perplexed. "What?"

"That first day. You stomped all over it,"

"Kaori…"

"It's true," Her face softened and she smiled at him. "Please Teken… Please say I can come…please…"

Zuko closed his eyes, not able to look at her as he nodded his head the slightest. He heard her squeal and felt her throw her arms around him. No, she shouldn't come…but he couldn't say no any longer. When her arms disappeared from around him, he opened his eyes, turning to see her beginning to push the boat out into the water. He silently joined her, climbing into it and pulling her in with him. She was smiling so widely but doom was in Zuko's chest. This was a horrible idea, he knew it.

Kaori stared out at the island as it grew further and further away. Her smile was faint and she felt something in her own heart. Excitement, sadness, all sorts of things, but she knew she would see her island again. Her home. Her kingdom.

XxXxXxX

"Come on, you know you want a bite,"

Zuko shook his head, focusing on a map and the direction of the wind. Kaori was cutting an apple with a knife, looking at him expectantly. She cut another piece. "Just a little?" Kaori asked, and Zuko shook his head, waving a hand at her to shush her.

Kaori rolled her eyes and took a bite of the piece she had just cut off. With a moan she threw her head back. "Oh this is the best apple I have ever tasted!" she gasped. "It's so juicy and filled with flavor! I can't think of anything more delicious than this apple!"

Zuko glared at her and felt his mouth dry. It did sound rather good and his stomach was in pain with hunger. "Fine," he snapped, defeated, "Just a bit,"

Kaori laughed and cut him off a chunk, passing it over to him. Zuko glared at her as he ate it- it was good though, and his stomach felt better on the first bite.

Kaori sighed and leaned back in the boat, closing her eyes for a moment and letting the sun sink into her skin. It was strange, being at sea with him…being alone with him. She wasn't sure what she felt, she only had an idea. And Zuko…he wasn't sure what he was feeling at all. Most of the time he stared at the map, figuring out where they were and how close they were to an island. How soon they would reach his ship…

"Oh, you picked a day to sail though…" Kaori sighed, opening her eyes and looking at the sky.

Zuko looked up at her. "What do you mean?" He asked, his tone sharp. He had picked a wonderful day, he knew that.

"It's going to storm," Kaori sang, smiling at the sky.

Zuko looked up at the sky. There were only a few clouds in it so he wasn't sure what she was talking about. "No, it's not,"

Kaori sat up, leaning forward, and put a finger to her lips. "Shh… Teken, you're going to anger the clouds,"

Zuko rolled his eyes, looking back at his map. "Clouds can't be angry," he muttered.

Kaori shook her head, leaning back and looking up at the sky. "They sense anger, they can feel ours. When it rains, it's a sign that something has happened, that there has been some great emotion in the world. It's common knowledge, Teken,"

Zuko lifted the map up, blocking his view of her. "It's not going to storm," he repeated.

Kaori clicked her tongue. "You're going to make the clouds angry…" Off in the distance, there was a rumble of thunder. "Told ya," Kaori said, raising an eyebrow.

Zuko merely shook his head. Kaori leaned forward, moving towards him, and reached out, taking the map from his hands.

"Give that back!" Zuko exclaimed, reaching for it, but she held it away.

"We know where we're going, the wind is blowing us in the right direction," she laughed, moving closer to him. Zuko felt himself freezing as she moved against his side, picking up his arm and draping it around her shoulder. "I'm tired," she murmured.

"Then-then I'll roll out a blanket for you," Zuko stammered, unsure of what to do or say, his face red.

She smiled and with her hand, turned his face towards hers, closing the distance between them and touched her lips to his. Zuko felt himself freeze up completely, unsure of how to respond. She had the softest pressure against his lips, not forcing anything upon him. He wanted to kiss her back but he kept the wall between them up, not wanting to be vulnerable. She pulled her lips from his gently, keeping her eyes closed, and snuggled her head against his chest.

"Be a good pillow," she yawned. "And be quiet,"

Zuko stared at her, watching her drift off into sleep. She was warm and her skin was soft but he just…he wasn't sure how to act around her. It wasn't in his nature to be flirtatious and so outgoing. He knew that if he were normal, he would kiss her back and touch that soft skin of hers, but he wasn't normal. He was stubborn and goal oriented and Kaori…she was something different. New. Exotic almost.

Slowly, cautiously, he placed his other hand against her waist, barely touching her. There. That was normal, wasn't it? Holding someone while they slept? That was something that any regular person would do. At least, he figured it was, he wasn't quite sure. Either way, he watched her sleep, looking so peaceful, and he felt himself slowly drift off into a slumber of his own.