The Highest Bidder

Chapter Four: They Come

The Fire Navy ship was the first sign of civilization that I had seen in four years. It was easily recognizable, only for the reason that I had seen the design and material first hand. Like I mentioned before, my father was a convoy merchant for weaponry and the like. Because I had spent my pre-adolescent years in the forest, hidden from the boyish charms of a private or public school, I kept to the shadows that the trees granted me so close to dusk. It was nearing about half an hour after sunset, and the atmosphere that was peaceful and beautiful in the day time became a land that was all shadow and misguidance. I hid in the canopy, sitting on one of the thicker, stable branches. It was only a few minutes beforehand that I had climbed up there in search for dessert (which often entailed fruit from the land).

My solitude allotted me plenty of time and patience to demonstrate all that I could do with my powers, and I had practiced so religiously that simple movements, such as retrieving fruit and vegetation from the higher branches that were out of reach, were second-nature. Because I was so confident in my mindful ability, it was the reason why I didn't panic when I saw a few soldiers, dressed in the traditional, pointed Fire Nation suits, wearing helmets that hid their faces, and walking in a march to reach the sandy beach.

I was merely curious, though alert, about the soldiers coming ashore; however, I had always anticipated that Fire Lord Ozai would have sent an army to capture me, possibly out of a grudge against my crimes in his house. When the soldiers didn't move once they stepped off the boat, I waited a few minutes more to see who, if anyone was in charge of their command. At first, I saw an older man; as aged as he was, though retaining seriousness in his face, I noticed laugh lines along his mouth and eyes, so I assumed that either this man was new to the force; or perhaps he was a retired commanding officer.

A second man stepped out onto the sandy beach, though this one that I had seen was a much younger Firebender, bent with obvious issues with anger management; at first, I assumed that he was a rookie, entirely new to the patience of being a general of some sort. However, it was quite obvious to me who he was, for I recognized the better half of his handsome face as the young Prince Zuko whom I saw on occasion during my stay at his father's palace.

Of course, the good side was still tarnished with an obvious grudge. He had received a very bad burn along his left eye. Instantly, I was quite certain that his injury most likely came from his sister, Azula, but in the end, I was wrong. I wasn't too far from the truth, but still, what I assumed was inaccurate.

I put the ship, the crew, and the prince in a simple equation, and immediately assumed that the older man that traveled with him had to be his uncle—Fire Lord Ozai's brother—General Iroh.

I started to feel very much at ease. If the Fire Lord's family had come to my shore then it was possible that Fire Lord Ozai desperately wanted my arrest. Of course, four years in solitude would give anybody a chance to build mountains out of mole hills.

Instead of flying into the situation without a moment to lose, I waited for conversation.

Zuko had appeared quite irritated, as I recall. Looking back, I have to admit that for the longest time that he served as the Banished Prince of the Fire Nation, rather than the Honorable Firebending Master of Avatar Aang, Zuko had a very nasty temper.

Zuko signaled for his soldiers to look for wild life or any civilization. As they obeyed his order, he turned to his Uncle Iroh, who sat down upon the sandy shore with grace and with the most relaxed face that I had ever seen on a Fire Nation soldier.

"Uncle," said Zuko, "this is the second pit stop that we have made in two weeks. If we keep doing this, I will never find him."

"And what will you do when you find the Avatar, Prince Zuko?" asked Iroh calmly. He didn't seem too bothered by his nephew's impatience. Zuko frowned with annoyance. "When you go weeks at a time without a moment's rest, how useful will you be when you're up against a man who has had a century to learn all four elements, hm?"

Zuko considered Iroh's words with little aftermath.

"We shouldn't stop so often." Zuko said, folding his arms.

"Well," yawned Iroh, "your men are searching for people on this rather lovely beach, nephew. If you are so worried that the Avatar will escape your jurisdiction, order them to come back on the ship. Then," he said when Zuko opened his mouth to give the command, "when you are in your quarters and the captain is at the helm, you can go a few more days without a good night's sleep. A week later, the Avatar will present himself to you with open arms, and you can pass out from insomnia."

He stretched his aged arms and looked at Zuko with a knowing gaze.

"But," he shrugged, "whatever you decide is purely on your terms, Prince Zuko."

Zuko's frown deepened.

"I hate it when you do that."

Iroh smiled at him.

"I'm only looking out for you."

"I don't need supervision."

Nevertheless, Zuko didn't argue with him.

I was taken by surprise when a soldier standing underneath my tree branch cried out in sudden dismay. With a sinking feeling, I realized that my hiding spot had been uncovered. With a sudden panic, I dove from the tree branch and scuttled along the tree trunk in obvious skill from my experience in tree hopping. Zuko and Iroh, to my horror, had been cut off from their conversation, and their attention was drawn to me.

"Girl! Get back here!"

My feet found the grass, but a soldier grabbed my arm before I could race into the deeper foliage where, if I ran long enough, I could have hidden for hours without being seen. I scorned myself briefly that I should have done that before the Fire Navy ship had ported on the shore.

I did what I did best: I used my powers to overthrow him. A large, fallen tree branch came flying from peripheral vision and smacked my assaulting soldier clear across his helmet, and sent him into the next soldier who pursued him. As I improvised, the soldiers that came after me immediately assumed that the branch had been thrown by someone than me. Perhaps, they had thought, I was more than just one person.

"Get the girl, find the others!" ordered the soldier that had grabbed me. I assumed this was the captain. As five Fire Nation soldiers came to me with their hands raised, I grew nervous and air-flipped their helmets from their heads, exposing older gentlemen with facial hair. Their helmets acted upon their own nature and repeatedly slammed against the back of their heads aggressively.

Zuko and Iroh came toward me with shocked expressions on their faces. Their soldiers were getting beaten by their facial armor; they fought with batting hands and ended up smacking the other's faces. Thinking on that particular image, I have to say it was quite amusing on an outsider's perspective.

"She's a witch, I swear it!" cried out the captain.

He drew an angry breath like a furious dragon and blew a hot jet of red and yellow flames in my direction. I located oceanic shale from the shore of the beach and flung several of the pieces together to act as a make-shift shield. It didn't work so well, however; his fire was more powerful than my fragile armor, and it smashed through so easily that it sent me flying into the sand.

"Earthbender!"

"Witch!"

"Sorceress!"

"Shut up!" Zuko's voice was furious with frustration.

Lying on the sandy floor, I watched Zuko and Iroh stand above me with readied stances. I frowned, feeling quite disappointed in myself for getting myself caught.

"If you are here to arrest me," I said defiantly, "I'm not leaving without a fight?"

"Why would we arrest you?" Iroh asked curiously.

"What have you done?" Zuko demanded authoritatively.

I stared at them.

"Let me up, and I'll tell you." I said calmly.

Zuko frowned.

"You moved rock, so you must be an Earthbender. Why should I let you get to your feet?" He moved in closer with a very certain threat.

"I'm not an Earthbender, you idiot." I muttered.

"You lie."

I would have reacted negatively if it hadn't been for the way that Zuko's uncle was looking at me. It was as if he was attempting to locate my face. Zuko anticipated a surprise attack from me, so he aggressively grabbed my hair and said in a commanding tone,

"Who are you?"

His grip in my hair pulled my roots angrily; I clenched my hand into a fist. Zuko cried out, startled, as an invisible hand grabbed the hair of his ponytail and yanked him away from me.

Iroh looked at Zuko in mutual surprise; he then stared at me with widened eyes.

"Zuko, do you not know who this is?" he said with a wide smile.

"She's a peasant," Zuko said, rubbing his head. His demanding attitude disappeared when he saw the expression on Iroh's face.

"Look at her, Prince Zuko. Look."

Iroh's hands ceased my shoulders and pushed me close to Zuko who backed away from his insistent relative.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" he said, staring at me in obvious—and most likely immediate—dislike.

He considered me for more than moment. He didn't have a huge reaction like Iroh when he realized who I was.

"Mura." Zuko said with an apathetic tone. He looked at Iroh. "Why should I be excited to see her, Uncle?"

"Well, Prince Zuko, you were childhood friends."

"No," Zuko and I said in unison. Iroh's face fell. Zuko continued, "She wasn't my friend. She was Azula's."

Zuko frowned at me.

"You're wanted by the Fire Nation."

"That's not news to me." I told him, bored.

"Well," Zuko shrugged, "I don't have a lot of time to talk about old childhood tales—it's not like we have any. Uncle, get camp ready. I want to leave as soon as possible." He pushed pass me without another word.

Iroh stepped toward me.

"Mura, you've grown; though I have to say that I never have seen you perform any sort of power before. That's quite a gift you have."

"It's a powerful gift," I said honestly, and I indicated the proofs, which were attempting to get back on their feet after the helmets stopped being bullies. I glanced after Zuko, who was boarding the ship. "He's awfully broody."

"He has had quite a childhood as well, Mura. You shouldn't burden him over his attitude toward you."

"He's after the…Avatar?"

"Yes," said Iroh openly. "His father has sent him on a fool's quest. I don't think Fire Lord Ozai wants him to return home. If he was so kind to his son, he would let Zuko come home, Avatar or not."

I shook my head sadly.

"But, Iroh, the Avatar has been gone for one-hundred years."

"That is why it's a fool's quest," said Iroh. "Now," he sighed, swinging an arm around my shoulder, "how about another demonstration of your telekinesis abilities then you can give me a tour of your lovely home?"

I didn't know what to say to all that. Honestly, I thought that he was going to mention what happened the day I left the Fire Nation; however, I assumed at that point in time that it was water under the bridge. It wasn't Iroh who had a problem with me, though. It was Zuko.