Book 1: Water : Prologue

Woooohoo, part 4! Or something, I guess.

I'm actually really surprised people are reading this. O.o
Maybe I'm my own harshest critic, but really, I'm just ecstatic people are actually reading it. It boggles my mind…

Anyway, I don't own Avatar:TLA or any characters or places therein, yadda, yadda.

Unbetaed. All mistakes are mine, (and there will, likely, be many). I apologise in advance.

oO0.0Oo

Prologue: Part 4

The ship had docked at a military port in the Fire Colonies to resupply and for the first time, Rhian got to see this new world she'd fallen into. Everything was dusty and dark at the port. Fire Nation banners hung on all the buildings and everything was made of metal. But it wasn't like it was a bad place. Or at least, she hoped not. Since chances where good this was were she was staying. Cringing at the thought, she scampered to catch up to Iroh and Zuko. She hoped she wouldn't have to stay here. She defiantly liked the ship better.

"Rhian, keep up and don't wander off." Iroh said, looking back at the girl. Her shoulders where hunched over as she looked around at everything she could, her dark hair falling over her wide, blue eyes and around her pale face. She was trying to keep her head high. She didn't want to show weakness here. Rhian showed so much more confidence on the ship that it took times like these for Iroh to remember that she was, in fact, just a child.

"Are you alright, Rhian?" Iroh asked, noticing Zuko's head tilt slightly. He didn't like to show that he was listening, but he worried too.

"Yes, I'm fine, Iroh. Just... is this where I'm going to stay?" Her voice quivered slightly.

"No, of course not, young one. Not if you don't want to. We'll keep looking until we find somewhere you'll be safe and happy. Until then, you're welcome to stay with us."

Most of the tension left her then and she sighed with relief. "Thank you, Iroh." She said, managing a smile.

"What's wrong, Rhian? Are you scared of the ports?" Zuko mocked, not even bothering to look back at her.

She tensed again, this time with fury. "Well, I'm sorry I'm not as comfortable here as you are, Zuko. Seeing as it is my first time in a place like this, maybe you'd like to go burn down a building somewhere, or bite off the head of a turkeybat." She snapped, stalking up to where he'd stopped.

"Children, not here." Iroh cautioned.

"Well well, Prince Zuko, General Iroh, how charming to see you again." An oily voice purred as a man came around the corner. Zuko's lip curled.

"Captain Zhao." He said, inclining his head slightly.

"Captain, it is good to see you." Iroh said, smiling pleasantly.

"And who is this lovely young lady?" Zhao smiled at Rhian. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. She didn't like him.

"My name is Rhian."

"Is it? And just where did the good prince find you, Rhian?"

"He picked me out of the ocean. Though I don't see what business it is of yours." She crossed her arms and looked into his eyes. Refusing to back down.

"Rhian…" Iroh started.

"No, she's right, Uncle." Zuko said. "It isn't any of his business. But since I'm sure this will get back to my father anyway, tell him we found her in the ocean, clinging to a broken raft with a nasty bump on her head, accounting for the amnesia. She can't remember how she got there or where she came from and uncle Iroh has taken her on as his ward, until we find somewhere better for her. If we find somewhere better for her."

Rhian blinked once, but that was the only tell that any of this was news to her. Iroh didn't react at all. Instead he looked at the two, standing side my side as they faced down Zhao. Neither giving an inch. United.

This was what Iroh saw. Why he knew that Zuko needed a friend. A true friend. Someone to back him up, cheer him on and even fight with him when he needed it.

Zhao looked from one to the other, these children who dared to oppose him. But, looking behind them to where Iroh stood, watching, he simply smiled darkly.

"Very well, I'll be sure to inform the Fire Lord when I see him next. Though I doubt the news will register with him much." Rhian felt Zuko stiffen next to her and lent into him slightly, offering him her comfort without words. Zuko calmed slightly. "How goes your hunt for the Avatar, Prince Zuko?"

"Long and uneventful. We're following some new leads. I'm sure you'll hear more about it when I find him." Zuko snapped.

"I'm sure I will." Zhao smirked. "Well, I'll let you get back to your ship. I'm sure it's fully restocked by now. Excellent to see you General Iroh, Prince Zuko, and… charming to meet you, Rhian."

"Likewise." Rhian said, deadpan, watching the slimy captain walk away.

oOoOoOoOo

It wasn't until they were back on the ship, far away from the smoky docks, when Rhian was watching Zuko practice his firebending, that she let herself talk to him.

"You lied for me." She said.

Zuko stopped bending for a moment and glanced down at his hands. "Yes."

"Why?"

He glanced at her, before spinning into a kick and sending fire rocketing off the side of the ship. "Because if anyone knew where you came from really, everyone would be out to get you. You're unique, and much more accessible then the Avatar, even if you don't have any powers. Uncle says we should try and keep it just between the three of us. That way, no one thinks you're special and no one comes after you, getting in my way. I can hunt for the Avatar without interruptions or delays."

Rhian nodded, looking at her feet. That made sense, even if he was ghosting over any actual details. She could tell. He wasn't comfortable with this conversation.

"Thank you." She said.

He stopped again, glancing at her. "You're welcome. Don't worry about it."

Rhian nodded again and walked away. It was time for her lessons.

oOoOoOoOo

Zuko's bandages where removed a week or so later, revealing the large patch of burn tissue underneath. All she felt when she'd seen it was fury, a white hot rage that someone had done that to him. Hurt him like that.
Zuko wouldn't look at her for a week because he couldn't stomach his own reflection, and didn't want her to have to. That lasted only until she cornered him, punched him hard in the arm and told him he was being stupid. The scar didn't make him any less then the boy she'd gotten to know and she wasn't going to let him hide himself away because of it. He'd growled at her and complained, but he never hid from her again. That was exactly what she'd wanted so she let him whine.

oO0.0Oo

"Everyone get below deck! Stop the engines and batten down!"

Zuko's voice could barely be heard over the roar of the wind and the crash of the waves. The storm had come over quick and unavoidable. Rhian was terrified. Twenty foot waves crashed over the deck, washing away anything that wasn't bolted down, and some things that where. The whole ship bucked and rose and fell with the waves. She couldn't go back into the water again. She couldn't.

Zuko stood on deck, barking orders and warnings, trying to get everyone and everything down to relative safety.

"Zuko!" She screamed from her place at the doorway, knuckles white with how hard she was gripping the frame. "Zuko, come on! You have to come down, now!"

"Rhian, get inside!" He yelled back.

"Only when you do! Now, come on!" Oh god, she could see the swells on either side of the ship. She didn't even need to go to the water, it was coming to her. "Zuko!"

He was the only one left on deck now. Just as he started to run across the slick metal, another wave flooded over the ship and crashed into him, smashing him hard into the railing.

"Zuko!" Rhian screamed. "Zuko, get up! Come on, you stupid Fire Prince! Get! Up!" He didn't move. Gasping, almost crying, Rhian, looked around for help, knowing no one would be able to hear her over the storm. "Iroh! Iroh! Someone! Please! Help!"

No one came running, and there wasn't any time.

Without giving herself more then a second to think, she tore herself away from the door frame and bolted towards the fallen prince. Sliding on the metal floor, she made it maybe halfway to him before she froze, an enormous wall of water towered over the ship, ready to rush over her and end it all. Send her back into the cold sea below. She was going to die.

Just as the wall was about to collide with her, rushing down to end her life, she threw up her hands and screamed, feeling something rip through her body and forward, at the wave. The entire wall of water separated, tearing down on either side of her, not a drop touching her. Like she was surrounded by an invisible shield.

Gasping and spinning around, she tried to work out what had just happened, when she noticed something that made her blood run colder then any water could.

Zuko was gone.

oOoOoOoOo

Her heart thundering in her chest, she sprinted to where he had been, searching frantically over the edge of the ship.

"Zuko! Zuko, answer me! Where are you?!"

There! She could see him, barely bobbing above the surface. Drifting away from the ship!

Grabbing a life preserver, she quickly tossed it over the edge, hitting the water near him. But he made no move to grab it.

"Oh, you stupid… I can't believe I'm going to do this, I can't believe I'm going to do this." She said frantically to herself, grabbing another life preserver and climbing the railing. One deep breath later, she leapt over the edge.

The water was cold. Colder then the rain, so much colder then she remembered. But she couldn't let it slow her down. She had to get to Zuko.
Life preserver under one arm, she fought her way to him, further away then when she'd last seen him. Grabbing him roughly she forced him into the ring along with her, wrapping her arms around his torso and hanging on.

All night, through the waves and the rain, dunked under and rolled again and again, tethered to the ship by only thin rope and their life saving ring, she held on.

"It'll be okay, Zuko. Everything will be okay. We'll get through this. I'll get us through this. It'll be alright." She whispered to him, hoping he'd wake up, but hoping he didn't. If this was going to be the end, she'd rather he slept through it. But just how hard had that wave hit his head against the railing?

When the sun finally rose and the storm broke, Zuko stirred in her arms. Both of them shivering and half frozen, he tipped his head to look at her. Neither of them said anything. Zuko started breathing more deliberately, slowly warming them both with firebending. Rhian had never been more grateful that he was a bender. A little while later voices sounded above them, yelling for help and starting to draw them in. Finally, her arms still tightly around her friend, Rhian let herself rest.

oO0.0Oo

She woke up, smothered in blankets again, but this time she wasn't alone. Zuko had his arms wrapped around her, warming them both. This was nice, she thought.

He must have heard her wake because, not a minute later he said. "You saved me."

"Well, you've saved me too." She muttered.

"Yeah. But, thank you."

"No big deal."

"It was a big deal. You hate the ocean. Ever since we saved you the first time. You don't even like puddles."

"Yeah, that's true." She conceded, shrugging. "But I had to get over that sometime. I mean, I'm on a ship."

"You jumped in to save me."

"You're my friend, Zuko. Of course I jumped in to save you. Some things are more important then fear."

He didn't say anything for a while, so they just lay there, trying to get warm again.

"Thank you." He finally said.

"You're welcome."

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