The Fifth Element

She thought perhaps she should be happy that he remembered her at all, but the ache remained. That inner longing for something more then she knew he could offer. She sighed softly, and wished she could have stayed away from this place, stayed away from him.

It had been a long time since she'd seen him, but her feelings for him remained strong, yet distant. She had believed those feelings gone entirely, replaced by those more practical. They all flooded back onto her with an intensity that scared her the moment their eyes met. She'd dreamt about this day, long ago, before things changed so drastically.

Things HAD changed...for both of them.

Taya remembered the last time she'd seen him. His head was full of hair, and he studied intensely in order to please his father and someday become a good ruler. He was kind and just, even if he was a bit headstrong and impulsive. But that had only made her love him more. Despite his schedule, despite a desire to learn and train that nearly overwhelmed him, he always found time for her. Zuko had loved her as much as she loved him.

It was only icing that they had been promised to one another. The Fire Lord's most powerful ally, Taya's father, would unite their powerful families with the marriage of their children. They were 6 when they were betrothed, but they grew up together, first as playmates, then as friends, finally as lovers.

Zuko stared at Taya. She had grown up. No longer was she the gangly youth from his childhood. The short haired tomboy with the flat chest that used to climb trees with him and tend his wounds was gone. She had blossomed into a beautiful young girl who was about to become a beautiful woman. Fondly his mind remembered the times they shared together and a smile nearly quirked his lips.

He thought back to the days when they'd sneak away from their parents and climb to the top of the Fire temple. He'd show her all his new moves and even some of the old ones and she'd watch him every time, encourage him, and even sometimes tell him something he might have overlooked. They'd watch the stars together or the ocean and just talk about everything. For hours they would sit beside each other never once running out of things to say, and even those moments of quiet between them were comfortable and warm. He couldn't remember a time in his life where he'd felt so calm. So loved.

But all that had ended when he disgraced himself, when he was disfigured and exiled. He had wanted, needed, Taya to come with him. He thought she would have, but she disappeared. He didn't have much time to search for her, but he was told she refused to see him. That she wanted nothing to do with an exiled Prince. So he'd left, more pain in his heart from both her and his father.

She had betrayed him, and he'd put her out of his mind completely. To focus so completely on his mission there was no room in his mind any more for her, and so, he forgot about her.

Until now.

The pain and anger of that day, rushed back to him and his eyes narrowed spitefully. Taya sensed this change in him and she shrunk back a bit. Beside her, Iroh, aware of the sudden tension, chose to break it with his usual flair. "What is the matter Prince Zuko? Do you not recognize your own fiancé?"

Although he'd already reached that very same conclusion in his own head only moments before, somehow, his uncle saying the words aloud struck him a nearly physical blow. He stared at her and she raised her eyes to his. The same crystal green eyes that once promised to be his forever. Those same eyes, that used to crinkle with mirth at his lamest of jokes. The same infinitely deep crystal green eyes, that bore open her soul for him.

The same crystal green eyes that now bore a deep sorrow and anguish.

"My fiancé is dead, uncle."

Zuko nearly winced at the look of pain that flashed across her face. Her eyes fell away from him. "Is that what they told you?" She asked softly. She could not bear to continue to look at him when so many painful memories were being dredged to the surface. It would not be good to burst into tears here in front of him. He would see that as weakness. See HER as weak. So she looked at the ground, to hide her face, to contain her sudden emotional turmoil.

Taya wanted to kick herself. This was not how she'd been taught by the old Earth-bender. She'd been taught to be strong, like the stone, to weather any happenstance. And she'd taken her lessons seriously as she believed that one day her life of serenity would be ripped away from her and she'd have to fight for both her life and her freedom.

She was not ignorant of the world events, even sequestered as she was on that lonely mountain peak. She'd watched as the Fire Nation waged war against their only remaining foe, the Earth Kingdom. Although she was Fire Nation herself, she felt little kinship with her people any longer. She longed for the day she could return home, back to the deserts of the south. But even she was not naïve enough to think things would be the same.

No, things would never be the same again.

Zuko turned away slightly. "What does it matter now?" His voice was forceful, but there was a miniscule tremble in his voice. Unnoticeable by most but it was not missed by his Uncle. "It was a long time ago." The prince himself could not bring himself to face her, face eyes that threatened to strip away his delicate control. He reminded himself that no matter what she might say, the fact remained that when he needed her the most, she abandoned him.

Taya inhaled deeply and let it out with a sad sigh as she dropped to her knees and lowered her head. "Then...I am your prisoner." She said softly. "Do with me what you will." She kept her eyes closed now, to hold back the very real tears that were swam dangerously close to the surface, but she calmed her emotions, centered herself, and lifted her chin up slightly in pride. Pride she did not feel.

Behind her, Iroh stood up. He couldn't believe what he now saw. He alone knew the depths of Zuko's feelings for the Princess. He spent over a fortnight at Zuko's side right after they'd left the Ozai's nation. The prince had said things to Iroh he'd never say in front of his men, things he'd never admit to, even now, to have said, but Iroh remembered. He remembered the sound of Zuko's heart when it shattered, right before it turned to stone.

Still, as the old man gazed at Taya it was obvious, even to his elderly eyes, that she still held the Prince in the same regards as she did the day they parted. He could see how every caustic word was like a physical slap to her. He could see that she desperately maintained a brave front, that she bit her lip so hard to draw blood in order to be strong, to look strong in front of his nephew. Iroh held his tongue, and even as the prince commanded several of his men to haul her to the brig, he watched her go in silence. It would have been nice to talk with her, to find out where she really HAD been, and why she suddenly possessed legendary abilities, but he knew that would come later. Perhaps, after he had a talk with his overly headstrong student.

The old man was also the only one who saw the plaintive look Taya gave Zuko as the men hauled her away. When she was gone he turned to Zuko to comment but sudden vertigo clouded his vision and he staggered.

In an instant the prince was there to support him. "We will call her back Uncle." He started to say, but stopped as Iroh shook his head.

"No no," the old man said. "I am fine. Just some rest at a nice inn would be nice...one with a bath." He smiled. "I could use a soak."

In minutes the ship was headed to the nearest port.