Avatar: Cry for Rebellion
Chapter 4
It was only dawn when the sun arose in the sky. The heat continued to grow by the minute as the ship moved farther out of the Fire Nation. Most of the fire benders were already moving around the deck, slowly coming to their spot for guard or for work. They didn't seem to notice the girl on deck, watching everyone walk out and about.
"So Rye, where have you come from?" Iroh smiled as he sat in front of a little table filled up with cards of the different elements. Each parchment colored card was labeled with simple words and images of the element. They were aligned in some pattern of his sorts, like a game. In fact, she had remembered watching her instructor as a young kid play this game whenever he had the sudden urge to calm down. Iroh had placed a pot of tea on the edge of the table, constantly filling up his little cup with tea. The two had been talking around an hour before day break. She was hoping to meet Iroh after hearing him the night before, he was the one to trust if anything.
Rye sat down on the opposite side of the table and watched him play around with the cards, shifting them into different spots then back. She flicked her charcoal colored hair back and stared at every move he made, not really taking it in, "I haven't told anyone yet, but I used to live right in a small village right behind the palace. Most of the highly recognized fire benders lived there, only to realize who I was later."
"Well, tell me why you moved? Who would want to move when you live so close to the palace?" Iroh said, his voice full of question and wonder on why such a person would do such a feat to move.
"Oh, where to start. I guess the same reasons as everyone else, but they would never stand up for it like I did," she admitted, half being true. Everyone hates the idea of this war, knowing how power hunger the Fire Lord can be; but the idea of being severely punished holds them down."
He nodded, understanding the same idea, "I see, speaking out against the Fire Lord?"
"You got part of it dead on. I only left because Zhao caught me. I tried to burn down his ship one night, and after I did my deal, he had chased me down on board," Rye explained, showing it with her hand motions as well.
"Ah, Admiral Zhao caught you. He is a tough one to get by, so why would you even try when you're so young?"
Her eyes flashed over to Iroh, showing her own opinions, "You don't understand. I hate the feeling of being left to do whatever they want me too. I was always their go to for work." It was true. When someone needed to be caught, they'd go to that small village and pay for the bounty. With her mom being the only one there most of the time, she was left to pay for everything. This was her job for them. Rye soon learned stealth and how to work with the Fire Benders. It was like she was one of them, cold blooded and power hungry; but never used those to her advantage.
"Rye, don't you think we all here think that too? You know, Zuko was banished by his own father when he was thirteen and he didn't know what he was getting into. His father challenged him to an Angi Kia and he wasn't prepared, let alone told what it was. His own sister loved watching every moment of the fight, down to when he got that scar. That mark is left their forever now, reminding him everyday of what his own father did to him. He's got a large shadow following him around you know. He barely gets anything good coming to him," he said, in his everyday wise voice. His eyes showed emotion towards Zuko, mostly worry and pain.
"I know Iroh.. but," Rye looked across the table, past Iroh and stared at the water beyond. It seemed to curve and wrap over the earth into nothingness.
A door flew open against one of the walls inside the ship and then slammed closed again, scratching against the metal hinges. Zuko walked out, rubbing his one god eye from just waking up, late. Without any notice or care to what he was wearing, he stepped out in just his pants. He started to walk down the long corridor, looking almost identical to the one that Rye ran down in Zhao's ship, he stepped up the stairs slowly, feet banging on every metal stair. As he rounded the next corridor, not paying attention, he banged into the wall. Not saying anything out loud, he just mumbled under his breath and looked at the wall. It wasn't pristine, but scarred with burn marks, leaving a faint trace of ash scattered against the walls. "The girl!" Zuko turned around almost so violently, he could have lost his footing jumping down the stairs. Down the corridor was a large gold door with intricate engravings to his likings, the door to his room. It didn't look like it had been opened at all, but it had been.
He turned the handle to the door, slowly opening it up and exposing it to the outside light. The darkness vanished instantly and replaced it with a soft light that touched everything in the room. The torches burst into flames as he walked one step into the room, as if recognizing who the person was. The bed was all undone. The sheet laid tussled and clumped on the edge of the bed, falling off lightly to graze the ground. The pillows laid unaligned against the backboard, one on the ground next to the bed. Zuko scanned the room and for a second, worry came through his mind. He slammed the door shut and ran back up the stairs, careful to run the other way this time.
When Rye heard footsteps running up the stairs she quickly turned to Iroh, emotion and memories flickering through her eyes as if showing Iroh why she doesn't want to tell Zuko, "Don't let a word about all of this slip out to Zuko."
Iroh stared back confused, in awe wonder why she wouldn't want him to know such a thing as close to his life's story, "But Rye, why would you want to hide it form Zuko?"
Rye swiped her hand backwards towards him as if saying to just shut up and play along. Iroh shrugged, shoulders falling back into a relaxing position as he let out a sigh of ok. He reached down and poured some more tea into his cup, sipping it slowly to savor the flavor he loves and knows by heart.
"Uncle! Have you seen the girl!" he shouted, running through the doorway to see him sipping his tea and playing cards. "UNCLE!"
"Prince Zuko, she's been here with me since day break," he smiled at Zuko, who was taken aback.
Rye was already up and walking towards him "You're late," she smirked as she poked a finger at his chest.
Zuko looked down, feeling himself starting to burn up in his face, he moved her finger away carefully. "I meant I thought.. uh uhm," he stuttered and seemingly lost all words.
"Prince Zuko, sorry to wake you up, but we must go to the next port and repair our ship. If we don't, you won't get to catch the Avatar. And if it were me, I would think you had some feelings for her if you worry that much," he chuckled, watching his nephew come back to his words.
Zuko walked past Rye after much hesitation and start to return to his paler face, "But Uncle, we need to go after the Avatar NOW! If we stop we'll lose his trail."
He scoffed, letting out a sigh and slumped over a little, "But Prince Zuko.. we have to repair our ship."
Rye could already tell his temper was rising, "Fine Uncle, but it better be quick so we don't lose the trail.
And, you better not tell anyone about the Avatar when we go to dock in the Fire Nation port. If any fire benders hear about it, they'll take away the Avatar from right under us."