CHAPTER 3: Glory of Love

Just like a knight in shining armor
From a long time ago
Just in time I will save the day
Take you to my castle far away
I am a man who will fight for your honor
I'll be the hero you're dreaming of
We're gonna live forever
Knowing together that we
Did it all for the glory of love
- "Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera

"This is bad. Real bad," I said, pacing around the room. Prince Zuko dropped us off in a room that was anything but fancy. All it had was one table and a couple of chairs around it. I would have settled with being locked up in the control room, so I could push the right buttons to make a distraction while Aang and I escaped. I would have settled with being in a room with opened windows, just as a last resort in case we haven't thought of other way of getting out.

But apparently the Fire Nation isn't THAT stupid.

The walls weren't soundproof either (I just realized they were metal, which sound vibrates through), and you could hear Zuko yelling and demanding for two watch guards to stay outside the door just to make sure we wouldn't do any tricks. Apparently no soldier wanted to be near me after I broke Lieutenant Jing's ankle. Mr. Angry-Hotcakes opened the door, stuck his head in just to make sure we were still there, and closed it. I could hear the jangling of keys and a click. The door's locked.

That insubordinate creature… "AAARGGGHHH!" I practically threw myself against the door and banged on it like it was a punching bag until my throat cracked and my fists started to throb red. It isn't fair that life isn't fair… Because honestly, I wanted to be in my own happy little world. I wanted to be in a world where nothing hurt me and my friends. I wanted to not feel seasick.

"You know, Aang? Jumping out of open windows seems like a pretty good idea right now."

Aang jumped up from where he was sitting, and started hovering on a little air-ball he made. He looked so funny and childish. Figuring in his goofiness and height, I considered him 12 or 13-ish. Me? Sitting in one of the little chairs, I just looked depressed. "Just relax Anastasia! We'll think of something."

Here comes that cranky teenage attitude… "Oh yeah? Like what? Turn ourselves invisible, steal back your staff and my duffel bag, and fly away all happily ever after?" I asked.

"…Well. It's a good start!" He yelled, while spinning around the room. "Our main goal is to find our stuff-"

"Like that's possible."

Aang whizzed by me. "-And escape."

"In case you haven't noticed, Aang, Prince Zuko locked the doors. The windows are closed, and crashing into them isn't exactly the quietest way to do this. Besides, we're surrounded by WATER. Escaping into water = drowning. I can't swim."

ZUKO'S POV

Damn. That girl can scream. My eardrums are STILL ringing…

Walking with my uncle from his bedroom to the makeshift conference room, I thought of what was to happen. I regret myself for bringing my uncle into this. It's not like I had the choice. There are two captives. Both exhibit exceptional fighting skills, but the girl was good enough to break Lieutenant Jing's ankle. But the boy has those mysterious tattoos…

"So Prince Zuko, how was your raid in the Southern Water Tribe? Find the Avatar? Found any beautiful ladies?" My uncle asked to fill in the silence.

Did I hear him right? "We found two primary suspects. A young boy and a teenage girl."

"I see. And which one am I interrogating this time?"

"The girl."

"Why not you, Prince Zuko?"

"Because I'd rather interrogate the person who's more likely to be the Avatar." I said slowly, not bothering to hide my impatience while squeaking a finger into my ear.

But my uncle, who was as patient as ever, didn't raise his voice. Thankfully. "Who's not to say that the girl isn't the Avatar?"

"Who's not to say the boy ISN'T?"

"Zuko, the Avatar hasn't been seen in a century. The girl, from what you told me, is a teenager. The boy, from what you told me, is a little boy. Now I don't know about you, but it's only logical that since she's a bit closer to 100-years than the child, she should be interviewed by YOU."

I knew I shouldn't have interrupted him from making his tea…

"Besides, Prince Zuko, you might make a new lady-friend!" Uncle grinned, slapping the back of my shoulder. He forgot that I was still wearing my armor, and seconds later started massaging his hand to relieve the pain. I would have laughed at him, if it were not for the fact that we reached the conference room door and could hear every bit of the conversation that the boy and girl were having.

ANASTASIA'S POV

Aang finally stopped spinning, pulled out a chair next to me, and sat down. "Well, unless we go with your 'jumping out of the window' idea, then we're stuck here."

"Is there a way to keep myself from getting bored?" I groaned, thudding my head on the table.

He thought for a moment, and then his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "We could spend this time learning more about each other! Not just 'What's your name?' or 'How old are you?', but 'What's your favorite cookie dough?' or 'Name six different words to describe yourself.'"

I started leaning on the back legs of my chair. "Whatever. Shoot."

"Hobby?" Aang asked, leaning forward. Like he was hungry to learn the culture of an American 17-year-old girl.

"Writing. Poetry, nonfiction, fiction, fanfiction… Oh it's my turn. Favorite animal?"

"Flying lemur monkeys. If you were stuck on an island and could have brought anything with you, what ONE ITEM would you bring?"

"Sneakers, 'cause I hate it when sand gets into my sandals. Biggest fear?"

"Getting eaten alive. YOUR biggest fear?"

"Getting BURRIED alive. If you could eat one thing in the world before you died, what would it be?"

"A pie. I love pie. Every single kind known to mankind. Or at least in this world. What do you want to do before you die?"

"Go skydiving, go cage diving with sharks, visit all the fashionably fabulous places in the world, be in two places at once (checked, dead in one alive in the other), win the lottery. Describe your style."

"Conservative. Tea or water?"

"Tea. Water is so plain. Coke or Pepsi?"

"…Um, what's a Coke and what's a Pepsi?"

"Ahhh, right. I forgot we're not from the same worlds. My bad. Carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore?"

"Herbivore, or vegetarian."

"Woah. You're vegetarian?"

"Yeah. The monks at my temple taught me that all life is sacred, so I took it to the next level and became a veggie."

"Seriously? Because I'm vegetarian too!" Aang and I are officially brotha and sista!...

"No way."

"Way."

"So why are YOU vegetarian?"

"My mom's a semi-vegetarian. She always wanted to be fully committed, but like twice a week she'd treat herself to some beef or sirloin steak. And, I don't know, I guess I wanted to show her it's not that hard. I got used to the idea of living without meat, but my mom hasn't changed."

Aang and I heard a click on a door. We both jumped up to turn around. I thought that somehow Katara and Sokka had got on board, and are trying to escape with us. It was a thought of desperation, but it kept me cheerful. Unfortunately what came into the room, aka Prince Zuko, didn't make me happy. But he came with someone older, like in his late 40s and early was the first one to speak up. "What do you want from us?"

"My nephew wants me to do an interrogation with you. I've done this hundreds of times. It only takes a few moments. And then you're both free to go." The elder man said and smiled at us.

For the first time, I saw someone from the Fire Nation smile…

Wait… "Then who's questioning me?" I asked.

By the time I finished putting two and two together, I realized I didn't want that question answered. But the nice elder, who was already pulling up a chair in front of Aang, just smiled and said "My nephew." And then he turned to Zuko. "Maybe the interrogation should be in separate rooms? I'd like to stay here."

I looked at him, expecting him to say it wasn't him who was going to question me. It was, I could tell because until now I hadn't realized that he was watching me while I listened to the uncle. Analyzing my facial expressions, studying where I moved to since he last walked in here, watching how I fiddled my thumbs. I personally, could not understand how the nice, older gentlemen, was a relative of… I know it's totally clichéd, but… How can he be a relative of a spoiled, bratty, stuck-up, prince?

He motioned out the door and muttered "Follow me." So I did. Oh how I wanted the uncle to be the one interrogating me! While we both walked down the hallway, I could hear the uncle questioning Aang. "So… what kind of tea do you like?"

Yeah. That's probably better than what I'll be going through…

"In." Zuko said, holding out the door for me after we reached my conference room. Well at least he learned some manners…

It was an empty room, except for two chairs and a table with a vase to the side. Similar to the one Aang and I were stuck in a couple of moments ago. I quickly scanned the room for escape routes while sitting down. No air vents. No open windows. No weapons to use on a perpetrator. None, unless you counted the door. Unfortunately Zuko came in, closed it and pulled out a chair in front of mine. Now what did my mother tell me about behaving properly around gentlemen?

Act like a lady…

I crossed my legs. Yes, I was sorta flirting. But it's the closest I can get to acting mature.

Prince Zuko concentrated on searching my eyes for lies as he started interrogating me. He apparently has a great work ethic. "What's your name?"

Be polite…

"Anastasia Michalkva."

"How old are you?"

"I'm seventeen."

"Are you married?"

And be as composed as possible in awkward situations…

"… Um, excuse me?" Is he hitting on me?

"I said, 'Are you married?'" He asked, slowly annunciating the words like I was stupid.

"Um, no sir."

"It is customary for fathers to allow their daughters to marry the man of their choice at sixteen." In this world yes, but in mine? Hell no! Who cares if I'm single or not?

"Yeah? YOU don't look that much older than me." I snapped.

Zuko did what was supposed to be an evil eye with his left. It seemed wickeder with the scar, which I had just noticed right now. Apparently it was barely noticeable far away, but upfront it sticks out. How the hell did he get that? "I'm eighteen." He muttered.

"Your wife must worry about you a lot, sailing around the world."

"I haven't found a wife," the apparently agitated prince grumbled. "I'm focusing on more important things," How can he not have a wife? The guy is royalty! Even with the scar he looks like real material! I bet back in the Fire Nation there's a whole line of beautiful and gorgeous girls waiting to be picked. "Like what element can you bend?" He asked me, bringing me back to earth. No pun intended.

Is he talking about water, earth, fire, and air? "None sir."

"Which nation are you from?"

"None sir," I hesitated, because his eyebrows furrowed, "I'm not from this world."

"Don't play games with me!"

Okay, honestly? Do I have to explain this to everyone?

"Alright, alright, I'll explain. This dude humiliated me and I got all depressed. I was walking home when-" How am I going to explain the bus? "-something hit me from behind and I got knocked out. In my world I'd be dead by then, but by some cosmic coincidence I ended up here. I don't know what my purpose in being here is. I don't know why I got stuck, in all of the places in this world, the Southern Water Tribe. And I honestly don't know why you're wasting your time questioning me, BECAUSE ALL I WANT IS TO BE HOME!" I yelled in his face.

UNCLE IROH'S POV

The young boy, who he told me was named Aang, and I were calmly sipping some citrus tea. We were discussing his background, any family that he may have and his bending abilities, when all of a sudden we could hear my nephew's new lady-friend arguing with him. I never knew such a lovely young girl like her be heard across a ship like that. But then again, I have a wife…

"-BECAUSE ALL I WANT IS TO BE HOME!"

Great Agni! What did he do now?

Then there was a deadly silence. I heard more muffled yelling, a gasp, a smack, and then a couple of seconds later, something broke. By now the boy Aang had stopped drinking his tea, and began looking anxiously from the door to me, as if he wanted to ask me if my nephew was always like that. And he is. Next I heard a door slam, followed by another. In came the young lady, with Zuko hot on her heels.

ANASTASIA'S POV

"Are you two done?" The uncle asked once Zuko and I came in. We both nodded yes, while simultaneously treating our hurt zones. I was rubbing the cheek that he slapped, while he was rubbing the bump I gave him on the back of his head. Turning to me, he said "You know, I asked him to make nice." (I blushed, like asking whether or I was married was his way of making nice) Nodding at Zuko he said "I was just about to give him his test when you two stormed in."

The uncle stood up, grabbed a tray and sat it down. "This is a test of your bending abilities." In it were a candle, a teapot, and a rock. He lit a small flame onto the candle, and Aang made a hand motion. As he did that you could've sworn the flame nearly blew away, as if a wind came in. Zuko and I looked at each other, and we both knew that all of us haven't experienced anything like this before. But I'm still not sure if he believed my story. His uncle held up the teapot. Slowly he poured out all the water that was inside it. Aang made another hand motion, and what was once a big blob is now a perfectly round circle. The elder remained unmoved, as if he's seen this a dozen times, and placed the rock on the table. Just one hand motion and the rock went from lying flat to standing up.

Zuko stepped forward, it seemed like he was almost breathless over what has just transpired. "You are my prisoner… airbender. I'm taking you back to the Fire Nation."

WHAT? "You said he-"

"I apologize," said his uncle. "I should have explained further. If you failed the test, as all others did, you were free to leave. And as it turns out, you were one of the only in the entire world who could passed this test. It's truly an honor to be in your presence."

Aang and I looked at each other. So what happens to me?

"Don't even try to escape!" Zuko yelled at him. "This is a warship-"

But he didn't get to finish. Aang airbended the door open, jumped over the two, grabbed me, and propelled us out the room. Once we got out, Aang locked it by turning using a nearby iron bar to hold the latch. "C'mon!" He yelled, already getting a head start running down the hallway. "We need to find my staff! It doubles as a hang glider!" We probably opened a dozen doors before we found ourselves on the deck. Leaning against the wall next to the entrance going below deck, was Aang's glider.

"Anastasia, you have to stay behind."

"What? No Aang, I'm going with you."

"Listen, we all have a place in this world. Why you were sent here, I don't know-"

"I was sent here because I was DEAD!"

"-But I can't shake the feeling that you're supposed to change something. To bring the goodness out of something. I can't shake the feeling that I'm suppose to leave you here."

"Yes, and you're leaving me on a Fire Nation ship why?"

"My mentor, Monk Gyatso, once told me that to right the wrong and bring the good out of the bad, you have to start at the source."

"Which is the Fire Nation?"

"Yeah."

"Well I don't get how you think."

"Me either. But it's not my thoughts," and then Aang smiled and thumped his heart "it's my feelings."

My god Aang is so emotional. I mean, I am too, but I don't go seek out my answers from my heart. Last time I checked, passing Calculus consisted of using your head.

Then Aang's eyes lit up. "Besides, I could always rescue you some time later." He paused, then looked around. You could hear footsteps of probably a dozen or so soldiers following us. Dear God, it's like being arrested in the Southern Water Tribe. Hundreds of armored guards ready to point something at your neck? Not again...

Okay, so how does James Bond come up with those freakishly cool yet elaborate escape plans? No air vents! No rope that I could slide down on! No funky sports cars! No silencing duct tape! No talking wristwatch! No cell phone signal! No loyal sidekick!

And considering Aang's decision to leave me behind, he doesn't count. I was so doomed.

RAAAAWWWWRRRRRR!

And then I saw it. It was that big fluffy monster that sneezed/peed/coughed-up-phlegm on Sokka! Despite me knowing about the monster's gross history, I could not be any more happier to see a way out of this warship.

"Don't move! You have no where to run!" yelled a very agitated Prince Zuko.

Happy thoughts are gone.

Aang pressed a button on his staff, and the whole thing unfolded. "Stay behind, alright?" But before I could respond, he flew away. As he landed on the gigantic ball of monster fur, I could feel all eyes fall on me as I ran back inside the hallway. Maybe I'll find a room to barricade myself into, I thought to myself while desperately running into the first room that caught my eye. Alas, my plan had a fault to it, because after all that took place my body felt so weak. I didn't have the strength to latch or lock the door. I just swung it behind me. Now I know what I did next must've looked stupid, but I was at a dead end. Looking out an open window, I suddenly remembered my old plan. Zuko entered the room and was about to lunge at me when I made a split second decision to jump out the window.

And all I could remember was falling.

And then splashing into the water.

I could feel the pain in my lungs as I realized I forgot to gather some air before reaching the sea.

I could feel my whole brain not thinking. My whole body aching. Myself feeling like I was dying.

And then I felt a grab of my waist.

Seconds later, a pull.

It must have been a couple of minutes between the time I was submerged and the time it took me to be brought back up. When the air came back to me, my brain was able to process my thoughts again. I wasn't dying. I was living. I could feel myself being placed on something metal. I wanted to open my eyes, but I couldn't because my body was still weak. So I closed them.

And slept while thinking of a happy world, where none of my friends got hurt.