The Fifth Element

Appa flew through the air quickly, guided by the Avatar upon his back. In his lap was a crudely drawn map of Mt. Bali and the area around it. It was located in the center of a thick rain-forest and that was itself surrounded by tall rocky spires. Truthfully the only way into the valley was by navigating a twisted river upstream but the details of the area were lost on Aang as he was intent upon only one thing. To find the Life-bender.

The castle at the top of the mountain was isolated, and it reminded him of his home among the Air temples long ago. Though, to Aang, it wasn't so long ago, even though 100 years had passed, he had slept that time away. He reached down and petted Appa's fur sending a soft rumble of pleasure through the great beast as he squinted into the distance. He could see the mountain surrounded by a layer of clouds that loomed before him and the bison, sensitive to Aang's emotions, spurred himself a bit faster.

The castle seemed to be constructed from obsidian, soft angles and white marble that glistened in the diffused light with its moist warmth. Appa landed lightly in the center of the quiet, white sand filled courtyard and Aang jumped to the ground. The airbender looked around at the silence, all the more pronounced from the total lack of natural environmental sounds as well. This high up, he reasoned, no sounds carried. The only sound that broke absolute silence was the trickle of water over a water wheel into a reflecting pool.

The Avatar put his hands to his mouth and called out loudly. "Hello??" Normally he would have run around to look at everything, to see everything, but he did not have time for that now. The lives of his friends and family hinged on whether or not he could find this life-bender. "HELLO??" He called louder.

A small sound made Aang turn around to see an old woman, stooped with age, shuffle from a doorway towards him. Her eyes, long since blinded, were closed and she leaned heavily an a white alabaster walking stick. Though she was blind, it was obvious she knew exactly where Aang was as she headed directly, however slowly, towards him.

"Why have you come here, Avatar? I do not have what you seek."

Aang was taken aback slightly at her directness. "Um." He started, confused, "How do you know who I am...and how do you know what I'm after?" His words were innocent and he scratched at the back of his head.

The old woman smiled slightly. Youth, she thought. She turned around and began to shuffle away, back into the depths of the lightless temple. Aang, surprised, began to follow her. "Um...wait, please?" he called out as he tried to hide the desperation in his voice.

She turned towards him with a swiftness that startled him, and shook her stick under his nose. "You are the Avatar are you not?" She nodded once, unable to see Aang's own nod of confirmation. "Only the Avatar would ride a flying bison."

As if he knew he was being spoken about, Appa whuffled slightly and settled down to sleep. The woman smirked, "I could smell that beast a thousand miles away." She rubbed her nose and turned back away again, to walk off.

Aang blinked at the woman's intuition, but was not put off that easily. "Hey, uh...wait. I need—"

"Help?" The woman finished for him. "Of course you do, boy." She said firmly. "Otherwise you would not have come here." She turned down a darkened hallway and Aang had to struggle in order to not bump into her. "Many seek the Life-bender. You are no different." She opened a door to a similarly darkened room and walked in.

Behind her Aang followed along and grew more than a little annoyed at the woman's lack of haste. If she realized why he was there, then surely she realized he was in a hurry. Surely she understood that time was of the essence. "Um..." He started again.

The woman spun around quickly and handed Aang a crystal glass of cold water. Suddenly he realized how thirsty he was and accepted it gladly. As he drank it down she continued. "The Life-bender, Taya, is not here. She was abducted last night by the Fire Nation."

Water flew out everywhere as Aang choked. "Fire nation?!" he asked, aghast. "Where?!"

The woman stepped back to avoid the spray and remained silent a moment. "She went to the mountain's base to collect a rare blue spirit flower. That is where the exiled Prince took her. The stones have spoken thus to me." She turned around and began to shuffle away again into the darkness. "You'd better hurry young Avatar. She is in great danger, take this stone, it will lead you to her."

Aang nodded. He understood who had taken her. Zuko. But he didn't know why, and he cared little to know. He accepted the stone from the woman and glanced down at it. It was a blue stone, heavier than expected and as he held it, it began to glow softly and hum. He looked up towards the woman but she had disappeared. He didn't have time to search for her so he rushed back to Appa, who was stood ready to fly.

In moments he was airborne again and called out a quiet thanks to the old woman. This stone would lead him to the bender then and he rubbed it in his hand. Its low hum had turned to an even tone, hard to hear over the rush of the air around him, but unmistakable. "I wonder how this works, Appa." He mused aloud.

The bison did not answer him. Katara would have, she knew much about things like this. Immediately his thoughts turned towards her, and worry creased his youthful features. He would find this Bender, he promised. He would save her from the Fire nation.

As Aang flew over the water Zuko's ship cut through it smoothly. On board, its master paced the decks impatiently. They had not lost the Avatar's trail just yet. Witnesses placed the Avatar heading in this direction, so Zuko pursued relentlessly, and with an annoyance that grew by the hour.

He could not decide if finding Taya was yet a good thing or a bad thing. She could drive him to distraction with but a mere touch, and this was exactly what he did not need. However, with that same touch she could make him stronger, heal him, and keep him focused. Indeed after his bruising battle with Zhao he had woken up sore, but no longer injured. No. He thought to himself. It was best for everyone she was here, but, the thing that eluded him was where these healer's powers had come from. It troubled him.

"You must eat my lord."

He turned slightly towards Taya's voice behind him. She knelt in the doorway and set down a tray with a small tea pot, a cup and two sticks of sweet dumplings. She kept her eyes averted and her mannerism submissive. Zuko stared at her perplexed for a moment. Why would she act this way? Then he saw why. His crew had no idea of her significance to the young Prince. His crew believed she was simply a prisoner with a few benefits. After all, they were in the middle of the ocean, if she were to attempt an escape, where was she to go.

She did not realize he trusted his crew, and so she maintained the image of servitude. She believed she kept him safe by her refusal to acknowledge their relationship. Zuko knew she did this to keep him out of danger and he smiled at her misassumption. She even wore the same filthy old kimono. He decided to play along with the image. "You do not order me." He said harshly and watched her wince slightly.

"Forgive me, my lord." She whispered, and seemed to withdraw into herself. "I wish only for your well being." She began to gain her feet to leave the doorway but his words stopped her.

"I did not give you permission to leave." Obediently she settled back onto the deck. Truthfully it pained him to see her on her knees before him this way. She was not only just a princess, she was HIS princess. His queen and a queen should not supplicate herself so. He hid his smile well. "Stand up." He commanded. "And come here."

He could see the confusion play across her face briefly. Did she actually believe in what he was doing? Did she think it was real? All the better, he thought. All the better.

Taya gathered her feet underneath her and stood up. Why did he summon her so? Did he not realize that they must maintain the roles of prisoner and keeper? Did he not understand it was safer for him to not be shackled to her? To not be tethered down by his love to her. She was a liability to him. Didn't he realize that? She padded across the smooth deck towards him and was careful to keep her head down, and her eyes lowered. She stood before him, and crossed her hands in front of her demurely. "My lord." She said.

Zuko started to circle her. He seemed angry, and some of his crew smirked slightly. They knew his fiery temper would not distinguish between sexes, and even though she was a woman, he would show her his might. Mainly they were glad it she was the mark this time, rather than them. He stopped behind her and gazed at her silky hair. "Who do you think you are to worry about my welfare?"

She did not answer immediately, but he could see the way she wrung her hands slightly. She had always fidgeted that way when she was uncomfortable. "I...I am your prisoner my lord."

"No." he responded as he took her arm and spun her around. "You are my fiancé." He brought his lips to hers briefly, but passionately. Shocked into speechlessness she could only blink her eyes at his totally uncharacteristic display of affection. Those crew members who happened to be witness to the display could likewise not believe their eyes. Zuko's fiancé?! Could this be true? She was dead...wasn't she?

The prince released Taya, a smile in his eyes that did not reach his face. And she understood. He wanted her by his side, without lies or pretenses, but he could not afford to dote on her. He had to maintain his position of strength, of control. "Now." He commanded again. "Look through the ships stores and wear something more practical for life on a ship..." he turned to leave. "You'll be here a while." As he walked off. "When you are done, return. I wish to speak with you."

Taya smiled, and bowed her head once. "Yes, my Prince, as you command."

It was a while later that Taya reappeared on the deck. It had been difficult finding clothes for her as there were no other women on board. Eventually, however, with Iroh's help, they had found a trunk left behind by a traveling band. In it were several outfits that fit Taya well. She settled on a sea-green tunic that wrapped around with a black and gold sash. She wrapped the wide sleeves with black silken fabric embroidered with glossy ivy leaves in black floss and wore a pair of wide dark grey trews that were printed with a subdued flame pattern.

Zuko trained with his men, and did not notice her appearance at first. Unwilling to disturb him, she knelt, her back against the railing and watched him like she used to, a small smile on her face. He had grown up indeed. Powerful and beautiful he would someday make a fine king...if his father ever allowed him to regain his honor.

Truthfully Taya barely understood why this was so important to him. If she could have, she would have faced his father and forced him to give Zuko back all he had taken from him. But...the Fire Nation was ruthless, and a part of her realized that the Fire Lord would never willingly give up power. Not even to his only son.

Zuko would have to TAKE back his honor if he ever wanted it back.

She glanced up into the twilight sky, her earlier prediction weighed on her mind. Her shishou had taught her how to listen to the winds of fate. They didn't speak to Taya often, but when they did she had learned to trust them. She stared off over the water silently and dozed off.

She felt someone touch her and her eyes flew open. Iroh smiled at her warmly as she jerked awake. Zuko stood there as well, bare from the waist up, his training over. He reached down and took her hand, a concerned frown over his features. "Are you ok, beloved?" he asked quietly. The ship's crew had changed to night shift and most of them were in bed and none were near enough to hear their conversation.

Taya nodded her head. "I am fine, my prince." She said as he pulled her to her feet easily. His eyes traveled over her body and she blushed deeply, unaccustomed to such attention. "Stop." She said weakly.

He pulled her close to him with a smile. "What did I tell you about commanding me?" Taya giggled and they kissed.

Beside them, Iroh let out an exasperated sigh. "...teenagers." he rolled his eyes and wandered off. He had fully recovered from the poison that rolled through his body only the day before. Because of her power, he had recovered from the fatal wounds the creature had given him. Her powers were strong, and he still burned to know how she had come to get them. It would wait he supposed. She'd be here with them for a long time.

Zuko's eyes rolled slightly as his Uncle was driven away by their actions. He didn't care. No one made him feel this good for years. And no one had been able to change him so completely in so little time. She was truly his soul mate. She was already his in soul, and tonight he promised himself, he would make her his in body as well. They slipped into conversation easily and time flew past them.

A shout caused him to look away from her sharply. It was a shout of alarm, of danger. Zuko stared across the dark sky and searched for the danger. He didn't have to search long. He could see the Avatar's flying bison...and it headed directly towards them. His eyes widened. "Sound the alarm!" He shouted.