AN: Thanks for waiting. Hope y'all like it

Someone knocked on her door. She was in the middle of getting dressed and called out, "Coming," as she threw her dress on. A servant stood opposite her, crisp in his uniform and empty handed. Confused, she asked, "Did I sleep through breakfast?"

He shook his head. "I saw the prince come in here in the evening. Is everything all right?" The way he asked it, she was certain it would be gossip. Oh, the scandal. The prince went into that dark, foreign girl's room, did you hear?

But that dark, foreign girl was again puzzled. With a sigh, she thought, The blanket. She noticed it when she woke up, but thought it must have been a servant, or that she woke up in the middle of the night and covered herself with it. This servant could be lying, but if this is what his story was, she would go along with it. "He probably heard me upset in here. I fell asleep, but someone had put a blanket on me. It must have been him."

The servant nodded. "Okay, just wanted to make sure."

She hesitated. "Why? Do you think, is he dangerous?"

Now he hesitated. "I wouldn't say 'dangerous.' He's just got a lot of stress, and you never know how someone will take it out, you know? What with him being away for a long time, the battles and war and all."

Her eyes widened as she took a step back. She stuttered until her words came clearly, "Doesn't he have a girlfriend?"

"I really shouldn't say this," he started, rubbing the back of his neck.

Oh, out with it. You all love rumors.

"But they're not doing so well. Even before he went away, they fought a lot. It seems like they're okay together for a short time, but after a while, they grate on each other and just fight. Anyway, just wanted to make sure you're okay." He turned to leave.

"What's your name?"

He turned back. "Sanzo. Nice to meet you, Kanna."

"How do you know that's my name?"

"Oh, uh, I think most people know," he said with a laugh. "You stand out."

Of course she did. "Oh. Nice to meet you, too. Thanks for looking after me."

He smiled at her. "Of course."

The girl closed the door and leaned against it, processing. The prince is having problems with his girlfriend, and he came in here last night. He was angry and bitter, but she didn't think he would be the type to attack a woman.

But if he was the type, wouldn't he go after someone who couldn't get pregnant? There would be no proof. She felt around her legs and abdomen, looked for bruises or cuts, and found nothing. After being taken in by Iza, she forgot she was lucky, not having been attacked or violated. She had been in a dungeon and dehydrated and cold, but with food, and safe.

The Fire Nation soldiers were the ones she feared the most, the low ranking ones. On the ship, they would hit people for the fun of it, but only the men. The prisoners' faces became bloody and swollen, and would sometimes cough up a tooth or two. The higher ranking soldiers, officers, they ignored it; even when they saw a beating, they just turned around and walked in the other direction like nothing was wrong.

There must have been some rules about prisoners then. They could beat them up if they were men, but otherwise there was nothing else they could do. She had cowered with other women, from the Earth Kingdom, in a small corner of the small cell they shared. War changed people, she knew. She had become a puddle of angry tears, soldiers had become violent bullies. Maybe the prince had become someone different.

She took it out of her mind. Sanzo had put ideas in her head, but she knew the prince wasn't that kind of person. The more she thought about him, the more she was convinced he'd only given her the blanket, and she had a sort of revelation. He blushed and got embarrassed over innocent conversations, left whenever he felt uncomfortable with a situation, and was always looking up to his uncle, though he wouldn't admit it. Even after they'd fought during their first meeting, he went easy on her when they had the quasi-Agni Kai. He put up a front, but his actions couldn't hide the gentleness of his soul. She recalled Iroh's words. "He's very sensitive, you know. He acts like his father sometimes, but he has a heart softer than a turtleduckling's feathers."

At that moment, she decided to go talk with him. Neglecting her shoes, she headed out. Everyone was scurrying about, arms loaded with towels and trays and scrolls. She avoided them by ducking under their arms and hurrying off to the sides where she was less likely to be hit. As she went along, she saw Sanzo and gave him a small wave, and, no longer empty handed, he could only nod and smile a little.

She saw the guards before they saw her. Suppressing a sigh, she stood in front of them, solid. "What do you want?" one asked.

"I want to speak with the prince."

The other laughed. "He's not gonna talk with you, krika. You're wasting your time. Go sew me a new uniform."

The first joined in laughing. "She is a krika, isn't she?"

Her mother had told her about foreigners that would visit, calling them names and making fun of their skin, their clothes. One tried to look at her mother too much, and her father fought him off. That was when their parents arranged the marriage. They had Sokka a few years later, then her. She wracked her brain for the word her father had called the foreigner.

"Pligonaka."

"The hell did you just say?" The first guard grabbed for her shoulder, but she stepped back and he toppled over.

The second guard went after her, hands outstretched. His fingertips were a breath away from her neck. On the floor, the other gripped her ankle.

"What's going on?"

They all turned and saw the prince, a mound of scrolls threatening to fall from his arms.

The guard standing dropped his arm, then pointed at her. "This krika called me a pligonaka."

He looked to the guard on the floor, who shouted "Yeah, yeah," in agreement.

"Maybe you shouldn't be calling her a krika then. Go somewhere else. I don't need guards right now."

The one on the floor stood and brushed himself off. She could feel them glaring at her before they walked away. Her body was so tense she was afraid if she fell she would shatter like glass.

"What did you want?"

She looked back to him, bowed. "I wanted to talk to you, if you aren't busy, Your Highness. But it seems you are," she said looking to the scrolls.

"No, it's fine. Come on." He struggled to open the door without losing the scrolls, so she grabbed the handles and held it open for him. Walking in, he thanked her.

She came in after, closing the doors behind her, enveloped in darkness. It was silent for a moment, and she didn't know what to do.

"I'm going to set these scrolls down and light a candle, okay?"

The girl nodded, remembered he couldn't see either. "Okay." She heard a rustle of parchment, prepared herself for the fire. The palm of his hand came into view, just the barest silhouette, then his fingers, his arm. She saw the outline of his face in the dark, the unscarred side, noting how his jaw was clenched. He moved towards the corners of the rooms and put the flame close to the wicks, which ignited as slowly as the flame had emerged. Strangely, vaguely, she felt calm. Exhaling, she settled into her feet, put an arm around herself.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Why aren't there windows in here, Your Highness?"

As he lit more, he explained. "It's an anteroom. They're for important members of the palace. You don't want people to be able to see into your living space. They could spy on you."

"Iroh's room has windows," she pointed out.

She couldn't see his expression when he sighed, extinguishing the flame hovering above his palm. "He's important, but he doesn't have much bearing on the nation. There wouldn't be any point in someone kidnapping or killing him. There's nothing he could give them if they did." He turned and sat at a low table, motioned for her to join him.

"So people would be more likely to kill or kidnap you than him?" She sat down, running her hands over the smooth, cold table.

The prince nodded and leaned back. "Yeah."

"Does it scare you? Your Highness."

"I guess so. You were scared when the soldiers took you, weren't you?"

She shuddered. "Yeah," she croaked.

"Oh, sorry. I guess I shouldn't have brought that up." He looked down at the table.

"It's okay. I started it." The girl patted his hand unthinkingly, then pulled it away. "Forgive me, Your Highness."

"You've done worse."

"Hmm?" She glanced up at him.

He shook his head. "The Agni Kai? You caught my ankle pretty good. I've never fought a water bender before, so it took me off guard."

"Oh." She nodded quietly.

The prince sat forward. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"

The girl looked up, felt nervous. "Um, last night, I fell asleep on the floor, and when I woke up I had a blanket on me. A servant told me that you came in my room, so I thought it was you. Was it?" She simultaneous hoped it was and was not him. If it was, then she was more indebted to him. If it wasn't, she had more cause for concern. Who else could it have been?

He sighed and scratched his arm. "I didn't mean to do anything, but I heard you crying, and when I knocked, you didn't seem to notice. As soon as I put the blanket on you, you were out. I was afraid if I moved you to the bed, you'd wake up, so I put a pillow under your head."

She laughed. "Thank you. You didn't tell anyone, did you?"

"No, why?"

"That servant is probably going to tell everyone anyway."

The prince nodded silently. "Okay. If anyone says anything, we'll just tell them the truth."

Hesitating for a second, she asked, "Is this going to cause trouble with your girlfriend?"

He shrugged nonchalantly with a tilt of his head. "We aren't together anymore, but there'll probably still be trouble."

"I'm sorry. It must be difficult." She thought about the letter he had been writing, the silence that followed his visits to Mai.

"How do you mean?"

"Hmm," she started, thinking of how to phrase it. "From the little I know of you, your life hasn't been easy. Having her must have made you feel better about everything, having someone you could talk to about your feelings with."

"No," he said bluntly. "I couldn't talk about my feelings. We connected, but we missed each other somehow, like we were going the same place, but we took different routes. We got there, but not together. It was pretty lonely."

Unsure of how to respond, she sat silently. During their spar, he and Mai seemed so close, but it must have been the newness of seeing each other again after all that time. That was the only time she remembered seeing them together. She nodded slowly, trying to think of something she could do or say. "If you want to talk about it, well, I don't have any experience, but I feel better when I have someone I can talk to about problems or feelings. You listened to my problems back then, so I'll listen to yours, Your Highness."

His eyes brightened a bit, but his lips remained horizontal. "Thanks, maybe another time. It's breakfast now; let's go get Iroh."

They left the room and went to Iroh's. The prince knocked on the door. There was only silence on the other side of the door. He called out, "Uncle? Are you there?" There was no reply; frowning slightly, he opened the door and peeked inside, then walked into the room. The girl stood behind, hesitant, then followed him inside. "Iroh?" she said hollowly, fear rising in her.

What if someone had spied on Iroh, kidnapped him? She shot a glance at the prince, but he wasn't looking at her. Iroh was important, she thought, and he deserved an anteroom. Her heart hammered in her chest at the thought of him gone. Who would she confide in? He was the only person there that she trusted with her thoughts and feelings. Iroh was nothing like the Fire Lord, and she desperately hoped he was there. She began praying to the spirits somewhere above a whisper. The prince looked at her inquisitively now, brow furrowed, his weight on his back leg as if to examine her more completely. She would have snapped at him, but she was busy.

"Are you speaking the old language again, Kanna?"

The two jumped at the voice, sighed as Iroh walked in carrying some bulky packages.

"I didn't notice I was."

"It sounded like something memorized, like a prayer," he noted.

The prince snatched the items from his uncle's arms. "You were out shopping this early? We were worr-" He broke off and turned away, his good ear red. After setting the packages on the ground, he crossed his arms, his back to the both of them.

"Worried? Why be worried?" The old man laughed. "I was only getting some much needed equipment for a hobby."

"Oh no." The prince tore the wrapping off and sighed deeply, leaning heavily on the table. She noticed how his shoulder blades protruded under his tunic, his muscles tight. He turned to them, saying, "How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not playing the tsugi horn. You can have music nights without me, okay?"

Iroh frowned. "But it's no fun without you! Besides, this will be Kanna's first music night with us, and if you aren't there, she'll be the only person her age. Forgive me," he said, speaking to the girl now. "I haven't asked you. Would you like to come with us for music night? It's a group of amateurs, but we love the music. We could learn some of your tribe's songs as well."

She was quiet, thinking. "That could be fun."

He smiled and turned to the young man. "Now will you come with us?"

"Take Azula, she's her age," he recommended, not kindly, but not unkindly.

"No," the girl said.

The prince looked to her. "What?"

"Azula," she said slowly, gathering her words. "I've only been around her a few times, but I don't want to spend more time with her than I have to. She's...cold."

His brow raised for an instant, receded. He exhaled through his nose. "What about Ty Lee? You don't like her?"

She shrugged. "I don't know her."

He laughed loudly, his head thrown back.

"What?" she asked indignantly.

"Didn't you say something about having to talk to people to know them?"

The girl opened her mouth to speak, but upon nothing coming out, she snapped it shut, her arms crossed against her chest. "I don't know about her...well, at least I know I can trust you," she blurted. She froze at her own words, eyes wide, avoiding the prince's. What was she doing, saying she trusted him, being interested in a social event, when she needed to distance herself from the both of them.

It was silent for a short span of time, but it felt like a century. Her heart hammered again, and she was afraid to look at either of them.

She heard Iroh clap the prince on the back. "Sounds like it's settled to me. We'll meet tomorrow after dinner for music night," he said, leading them out for breakfast. "By the way, when are you going to start teaching her to meditate?"

"Wait what?"

Breakfast was soon over, but she was still with the prince and Iroh. They sat together with their backs straight and eyes closed. The mens' breathing was even and level as though they were asleep. She had trouble clearing her mind, spending most of the time thinking about Ty Lee and how she was going to get on with her in those faux classes. Unfourtunately, she would have to pretend to be more upbeat and excited about the lessons and actually practice whatever she was told to do.

She shifted, uncomfortable.

"Kanna."

She wished she could learn whatever the Fire Nationers knew about water bending and the tribes. That would be something she actually cared about, something she could show interest in.

"Kanna."

She jumped and looked at Iroh. "What?"

He turned to her. "You've watched the sea come up the beach and drift back out. Let your thoughts be like that: let them come, let them go. That's the whole point, remember?"

With a frown, she nodded and closed her eyes. Let them come, let them go.

But the thoughts kept coming, and she finally stood up.

They looked at her with blank expressions.

"In the beginning, it's hard. You'll feel restless and that's okay. But you must keep trying."

"How is sitting doing nothing going to help me become a better person?"

"You're not doing nothing. You're learning to exist just as you are, with no distractions. Accepting yourself isn't easy, and you have to keep reminding yourself about it, but it's worthwhile." The prince cracked his neck.

"Sometimes it helps to count your breaths. You have something to focus on, but it isn't a big concern," suggested Iroh.

Sighing, she asked, "Can we do this tomorrow?"

"Of course. I think I'll meditate on my own, though, so it'll just be you two. Your anteroom should work."

They both looked uncertain about the arrangement, but said nothing in case he decided to continue the conversation.

He stood up with a groan. "Well, I'm off to practice some for music night."

They watched him go, then stayed where they were, not looking at the other.

Harden your heart, she reminded herself. She looked down at him, arms crossed over her chest, but could think of nothing to say.

"Yeah?" he asked.

She stammered. "I-just, y-you-"

"Oh wow, you've already found a rebound, big brother?"

She saw Azula strolling in with that smile that failed to reach her eyes.

"You could've at least gone for someone close to your rank, like a farmer's daughter," she said with a shrug.

The girl scoffed. "You don't even-"

"Shut up," he said calmly, then spoke to Azula. "Uncle wants me to teach her to meditate."

"So she can realize the poverty of her pitiful upbringing? How is that working out, Water Tribe?"

Frustrated and enraged with both siblings, she lunged at the princess, prepared to fight. But the princess lazily threw a burst of fire at her. The girl ducked and managed to douse it with the remaining tea in Iroh's pot, and looking up, she saw the princess examining her nails.

"What kind of monster are you?" she gasped.

The light in her eyes and the smirk on her face vanished for a split second, and her face became stone. "The kind that gets what she wants. Where is Uncle?"

"He went to practice for music night," said the prince.

"Gonna be playing the tsugi horn for us?" she asked mockingly as she left the room.

Only when the sound of her footsteps died did they speak, and at the same time.

"Don't tell me to shut up-"

The prince jumped to his feet. "She will use everything you give her against you-"

"-and you all care so much about status, but you let her treat you like an inferior-"

"-just better to stay out of her way for your sake-"

"-oh, my sake? Now you're acting like you care about me even-"

"Would you just stop talking for five seconds?"

She stood stony and stoic.

He sighed. "I'm sorry I told you to shut up. You were right saying she's cold, but she's also calculating. She will use anything she has to get her way. Do you understand that?"

Silent, her eyes moving away from him, she nodded.

"So the less you tell her, the easier your life will be. Avoid her, say the bare minimum, and don't be caught alone with her."

She stepped back. "I know she's violent, but she wouldn't kill me, would she?"

He gave her a dark look. "If it gets her what she wants."

The girl shuddered and grasped her arms, smoothing out the goose bumps. "Okay," she said quietly, to herself. "But-" She cut off, embarrassed.

"But what?"

She hesitated. "Everyone here looks down on me, and they think my eyes are creepy. You, Iroh, and Iza are the only ones who really talk to me." She stared at her hands, not wanting to see the pity in his eyes.

"Have your-woman times started again?"

Blushing furiously, she shook her head.

He sighed. "I was gonna say you should go back to working with Iza, but the doctor won't let you until then." He paced the floor. "Okay, start your lessons with Ty Lee tonight before dinner."

"How will that help?"

"I-just do it, okay?"

She raised her hands in a sign of submission. "Alright, you're the boss."

The prince shook his head. "That's Iroh."

"So you're just taking care of me because Iroh says so?"

He took a step back quickly, flustered. "I am not-you're making this very uncomfortable, you know."

The girl grinned at him. "I have to cheer myself up somehow."