Zeta had to get out of bed. She couldn't take being cooped up inside all day. It was nearly night fall now, but night time was her favorite time of day. This was unusual for Firebenders, but it was the way of the water tribe people. She wrapped a pink robe around herself and poked her head out of her door. There were guards posted at each end to make sure the Princess could rest with out disturbance. Drats! she thought to herself. Trapped. If she was going to get out she was going to have to be sneaky. She ran to her balcony window. She could look out there and see the entire Imperial city glistening like thousands of little embers. This was her home. With that she decided to tie a few of her silky bed sheets together so that she could slip down the side of the balcony after all the gardens seemed vacant enough and she wouldn't be out long.
She climbed down the balcony window that lead to the garden. The Fire Palace was surrounded by many beautiful gardens, but her favorite garden was the Queens estate. It had several ponds and shady willow trees grew there and in the spring time the blossomed with gorgeous red buds and it looked lovely. There were some lovely pagodas and sitting benches in the garden too. She went by the pond. The turtle ducks that had always been her delight seemed to be sleeping for the night, but the large orange Koi fish swam placidly through the gray looking waters. She smiled as she saw the pattern to which the fish moved. She thought of the story that Avatar Aang had told her about the time he went to ride an Elephant Koi on Kyoshi. Then she thought of how her mother told her that the true identity of the moon and ocean spirits, guardians of the Water Tribe had taken the forms of Koi. The Siege of the North Pole had always been one of her favorite stories that her family members would tell her from the war. It was a story filled with adventure, mysticism, masterful waterbending and tragic love. Her poor Uncle Sokka and his girlfriend that turned into the moon. It was the stuff of legends. Zeta wondered if her life would ever be so exciting. Would it ever inspire legends? At this rate No. She thought she could make her mark as a Yu yan, but that had backed fired terrible, She bit her lip and cringed as she thought about her defeat. She was a mediocre firebender at her best maybe she was good, but even still, no one ever wrote stories about the good.
Well sulking wouldn't help her make a name for herself she decided, She put a stiff upper lip and was determined to prove herself to her Fire Lord father. As resolve resonated in her being she heard a faint waddling approach her. She looked down only to see a tiny turtle duckling toddling his way to her. She clutched her hands to her chest and smiled one of those, "Oh goodness how adorable," she smiled as she scooped the little creature into her arms. "Hey little fella," she said sweetly, "shouldnt you be asleep?" she asked as she stroked its feathered head and tapped it's shell. The turtle duckling only honked in reply, "Are you hungry little one?" she asked. "You come to beg from a princess, eh?" she smirked the little turtle duck baby played with the sleeve of her robe. She giggled and then looked around. She didn't have any food on her. She stood up with the baby turtle duck still in her arms. She scanned the parameter and then spotted a cherry tree. "Hold on," she told it as she place it down near the pond. She set her sights for one limb that seemed to be thick with the cherry fruit. She fired off a dagger like flame and it hit the limb accurately. She then tumbled to catch it before it hit the ground. She did so, The little turtle-duckling quacked with excitement as she brought him the food. A"You liked that, huh?" she said panting a little she pushed her hair out her face and placed the cherries before the duck. "Well there's more where that came from you better believe it and I=m not just talking about cherries." she gave the turtle-duckling a wink as he continued to nibble.
With that Princess Zeta began to practice her firebending. She slipped off her red robe and now she was only wearing her white under wrappings. It wasn't exactly proper practice attire, but that was how she saw her mother do her bending and though the elements were different the method was the same. Zeta ready herself in her first stance with her legs spread apart and her hands at equal length. She did a couple of quick breathing meditations. Then shifted her weight and fired a blast to the right, then the left. She made a whip and swirled it around and tread to maintain as much control as possible. She juggled a puff of fire back and forth in her palms then released it into an inferno that engulfed her. She came out from the inferno kicking swiftly flames flying from her feet. She leapt in the air, spun and kicked the fires parted she brought it around and then down. She landed gently. Her ribs were sore and she was out of breath. She panted.
Zeta looked up for her little turtle duck friend. But the creature had long since fled the scene after watching such a fearsome display. Though she didn't find her turtle duck she did see shadows moving along the west entrance where the marble stone patio was. She imagined that it was her father. If he caught her out of bed he=d chide her for a week, she was thought about going back to bed, but Zeta was a curious sort of girl and curiosity always got the best of her. Who was he speaking with she wondered and with questions in mind she crept toward the patio. She hid behind a column and listened intently.
Her father was donned in his regalia, His red fire tunics with the wide brimmed shoulders and the rest of the robe flowed onto the ground. "Now Lieutenant Bing what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" he asked seriously, but a smile tugged on the corners of his mouth.
"I came to see about Princess Zeta I hadn't heard any word about her recovery since she returned to the palace?" asked the leader of Yu Yan. She wasn't dressed in her uniform no she was in a red and gold bedazzled top and dark red pants.
"Zeta is fine," Fire Lord Zuko answered curtly, "she is resting."
"I feel awful about what happened!" Bing broke. "One minute we were all in formation together, the next thing I knew the assassin had escaped and Zeta was chasing full speed after him. She seemed so confident and...I... I guess"
"You over estimated Zeta's abilities! I told you she wasn't ready, but you pushed her! You pushed her a place she wasn't ready to go and endangered her life!" Fire Lord Zuko fumed. He was yelling he was short tempered.
In their growing up years Lady Bing-Bing had been a quiet and sensible girl. Who never raised her voice to a man and let alone the fire lord, but now that she was head of a great military branch she had learned how to be more authoritative. "Zeta was more than ready for the task," she countered
"Ha!" the Fire Lord scoffed as he began to pace angrily, small puffs of smoke forming around his feet. "If she was so ready then how can you explain the fact that you found Zeta burnt and unconscious hours were later?"
"It seems to me that Zeta was not counting on her opponent being a firebender, if only her training in firebending had been intensified," Bing-Bing shook her head.
Zuko growled and looked up at her with a glare in his eyes. He tried to stay calm. He clenched his fist and spat fire toward the sky. "Don't you dare try to blame me for this. I didn't want Zeta to go in the first place! A princess has no business being in such dangerous predicaments.
"Are you forgetting your sister Azula?" asked Bing- cockily as she folded her arms.
Zuko's face only went grim. Azula. He and Azula had never got along well. Azula was a ruthless bender, she was talented beyond measure, but she showed no mercy. She was 16 year old girl who could make grown men cry and whip an army into shape faster than you could say her name. "Azula was a danger to herself," Zuko remarked. "I don't want that for Zeta." Zuko=s voice actually wavered, but not with the angry snarl or eruptive volcano that usually gripped his tone, it sounded like worry.
"Zuko," Lady Bing-Bing responded in tenderness as she reached for the Fire Lord's hand. He had a big gold and red ring on his finger. Her soft skin brushed against his, but when she noticed that he didn't flinch or turn away she allowed her fingers to linger. "You know that Zeta isn't like Azula," Bing Bing assured him. "But at the same time you can't hold her back from reaching her full potential. She's a fighter!"
Zuko smiled. In his eyes his daughter was not a fighter she was a child a little girl who needed to be protected, watched and guarded over. AThat's not Zeta, he remarked as he tugged his hand away from the noble woman's.
"Have you ever seen the excitement in Zeta=s eyes when she picks up a bow?" Bing-questioned now she was just annoyed with the Fire Lord's stubbornness.
"Any child would be excited," he shrugged. "My uncle gave me a dagger when I was about ten years old and I loved it, but I never became an expert dagger thrower," he laughed.
"Zeta's nearly 16!" Bing Yelled back. Zuko's face showed utter puzzlement what point was this woman trying to make. "She's committed to her weaponry and she's committed to her bending. If only she was given the full opportunity to..."
"She was given an opportunity!" Zuko thundered He swung his hand down a line of fire was flung with it. He stepped boldly into the woman=s face. Naturally Bing-Bing had the desire to flinch and run away from the Fire Lord=s terrible temper, but she held her ground. Naturally she took a few steps back. "You! You and her together conspired to do this and now look what happened! She could have died! All that you set out to prove was a failure!" he yelled,
Zeta stepped out of the shadows from behind the pillars. Her eyes glistened in the moonlight with tears. Though her eyes were the color of her father=s they were shaped like Katara;s big and youthful. "Zuko," Bing- whispered noticing Zeta's wavy frame appearing. She was curvy like her mother as well. Water Tribe Women were shaped like the sea her mother would say.
"Don't you cut me off!" Zuko snapped. He turned to face in the direction the Bing-Bing attention was focused on and then he saw his daughter. "Zeta!" he gasped at first. "What are you doing out here you are supposed to be in bed resting?"
"Oh papa!" She cried, literally the young woman just broke into tears. She let them flow, "Is that what you think of me?" she whimpered. "A failure!" she demanded with a screech.
"Wait, Zeta...No that's not what I meant," The Fire Lord's voice trailed off as he saw his daughter take off running. She ran away from his presence holding her face. Her cry was audible.