Soliel smiled as she waved back to the guys.

"See you tomorrow!"

"See ya Soliel, feel free to show up late tomorrow too!"

Soliel snickered, what a morning it had been. Showing up an hour late, half dressed and then fighting a mystery man blindfolded. There was a lot to think about and Soliel was not in a hurry to get back to the Palace. Instead she let herself walk to the training room. A little cool down will help me get my thoughts in a row, not to mention keep the pain down. She had gotten better at dealing with the agonizing pain her blocked bending caused. A few times she had been caught off guard and doubled over in the middle of practice but a quick reference to the joys of being a woman silenced any of the men's questions.

The training room was empty as usual and Soliel let out a sigh of relief. She hated the thought of the day she would find another person using the room. For now it was her private getaway. She could forget the horrors that had brought her to the Fire Nation and forget about the stress and responsibility of the Elites; she could even forget about Aang and her constant worry for him in those moments. The only thing that could possibly make it better was if she could forget about her lack of bending, but that was the one thing her mind and her body would not let her forget. Shaking her head she moved towards the punching bag. It was on a track that allowed the user to move along side the bag, back and forth, simulating an opponent. Soliel wrapped her hands and wrists with the strips of cloth that were near the bag and walked toward it determinedly. It's probably only fifty pounds but with the track it probably will feel more like forty. She took a stance in front of it and then drove her fist into the middle of the bag. It didn't budge. What on earth? Soliel walked around the bag and drove her fist into it a second time. Once again, nothing. You've got to be kidding me! How much does this bag weigh? Soliel stepped back a kicked the bag hoping that the strength in her legs would be enough but still the bag didn't move.

"Damn it! What hell is wrong with it?"

"Maybe it's the way you're approaching it."

Soliel whipped around to see an old fat man smiling jollily at her.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you miss, I just couldn't help but notice your frustration and thought I might be able to help. My name's Iroh."

Iroh…I've heard that name before…

"Uhh hi…I'm Soliel"

"What a pretty name for an equally pretty face."

Normally compliments like this would have annoyed Soliel but there was something about this old man that made her like him immediately.

"Did you need the training room? I can leave if you do. I don't really think I'm supposed to be in here."

"This room is for all those who need it my dear and I would say you need it very much."

Soliel blushed. He was no doubt referring to her obvious lack of strength in not being able to move the bag.

"Do not be ashamed my dear, the bag is much heavier than it ought to be."

"Why did someone make it so impossible? It doesn't make sense."

"A young man wanted to be stronger than anyone and so he had the bag's weight increased until he was satisfied that no one would be able to move it. He wanted to be so strong that he could throw the bag to the end of its track in a single kick."

"Did he ever do it?"

"Sadly he left the Palace before he could reach his goal. I've often hoped that he would come back and try again but his mind has been filled with other things. So this room just sits here unused, the bag and its challenge forgotten."

"I'll do it."

Iroh's head popped up and regarded the young woman carefully.

"I'll finish what he started, I'll become strong enough to move the bag clear to the other side of the track! I have to do it in a single kick right?"

"Yes, that was his challenge. But first you must join me for tea!"

"Tea?"

Zuko walked into his room timidly, checking everywhere this time to see if the girl was there. Relieved to find the room empty he locked the doors and threw himself across his bed.

"Why is my life always so difficult?"

So her name is Soliel and she's an Elite. She's the leader of the Elites. She's my concubine and she whooped my ass. The humiliation he felt was unreal. She hadn't known who he was but all of the men did and no doubt she would find out soon enough.

"If she didn't hate me before she'll hate me now."

For some reason the thought of the blue eyed girl hating him upset him. Shaking his head he rose up from his bed and drew a bath for himself. Just calm down Zuko. In a couple of days you'll be gone and this will all be behind you. News of the Avatar's whereabouts couldn't come soon enough.

"Sokka it's been nearly two days, don't you think we should start looking for him? What if something happened?"

"He'll come back when he's ready Katara. What Aang needs right now is some time to clear his head. We men often wander off into the wilderness to find out what really matters."

"Oh can it meat head, no one want's to hear what you do when you're by yourself. Don't worry Katara if he's not back by dinner we'll go looking for him."

"You mean we'll go after we eat right?"

"Damn it Sokka can't you think about something other than food for two seconds?"

"What? A man needs his nutrients!"

Surprisingly Aang had been doing just what Sokka had said. He was unsure about so many things but during the majority of his time he was trying to figure out why in the world he felt so drawn to the Fire Nation. He decided the best person to ask would be Avatar Roku, he was Fire Nation after all. In another moment the old Avatar appeared.

"Avatar Roku, thank you for meeting with me."

"Of course young Avatar. You seem troubled."

"I keep having this feeling that I need to go to the Fire Nation, like there's someone there I have to see."

"Then why don't you go?"

"I can't go there! I'd be putting everyone in danger over a hunch! We need to be planning for the invasion."

"Have you forgotten you need to master fire bending."

"I can't Roku. Who would be willing to teach me? We don't have enough time to look for a fire bending sifu. Besides I'm not interested in learning anymore."

"You must follow the path of the four elements Aang. If you face the Fire Lord not having learned fire bending, you will fail."

Iroh had sat intrigued by the young woman sitting before him as she told him how she had come to the Fire Palace and became a member of the Elites and how currently she was working to become their leader. For some reason Soliel felt no inhibitions with the old man and so she told him everything, leaving out the fact that she was a concubine. Her story hardly sounded real yet He listened attentively even as she recounted the happenings of her day of training.

"The Captain made you fight blindfolded?"

The old man looked surprised but none the less amused. He had seen a lot during his time in the army but training blindfolded was new to him.

"Yes! He didn't offer me a single explanation just blindfolded me and put me in the ring."

"Did you win?"

"Well the match never actually ended so I guess no one did."

"You didn't think it strange to fight without your vision?"

"It's not the first time I've done it so I didn't really think twice about it. I guess it is strange if you've never done it before."

Soliel's mind drifted back to the Mountain once more. She had been very young when one of the sages had taken her up onto the cliffs to train. She remembered her surprise when the older man placed a blindfold over her eyes.

"What are you doing Miyote? I can't train if I can't see anything!"

"On the contrary young one, you cannot train if you can still see."

Soliel had looked even more confused and so Miyote had sat down with her in his lap and explained.

"When a fire bender fights there are many things that are trying to get his attention. If he is not careful he could easily loose control and hurt the people he loves. In order to make sure that never happens we shut out all of the distractions from your vision so you can learn to focus on what really matters. You learn to pay attention to your opponents chi patterns as well as your surroundings."

"How can I know my surroundings if I can't see them?"

"You listen and wait little one. A warrior must be patient and wait for the right moment to strike when all is favorable. If he moves too quickly and doesn't take the time to learn what he can about his opponent then it is very likely he will fail."

"So if I want to be a Dragon I have to be able to fight without seeing?"

"Yes Soliel. Dragon level fire benders are so in tune with their element they can clearly see it burning inside of others. They pay close attention to their surroundings: sights, sounds, everything. You must work hard little Princess."

The memory of training with Miyote was a sweet one. She had always loved him best out of the sages, he had always told the best stories. He had been beyond surprised when after he put on the blindfold she told him she could still see. He had put on three more before taking them off confused. That's when they discovered my Dragon's Eye. I'll never forget the look on the chief's face when Miyote told me to show him. He had nearly fallen out of his chair as her eyes turned reptilian. Soliel was unsure how long she had been sitting and staring off into space. She turned and gave an apologetic look

to Iroh.

"i'm sorry I've got a lot on my mind."

He simply smiled and continued to drink his tea.

"Well all things considered you seem to be doing extremely well my dear."

"I guess so, but it doesn't change anything, I still have my bending blocked and I can't leave until it's restored ."

"How is it no one knew of your fire bending abilities when you were captured?"

"As part of my tribe's warrior oath I can not fire bend against a non bender until it is either I bend or die. None of the soldiers who attacked me were benders so I had no choice but to try and hold them off the best I could."

"So now you fight with out your bending and yet you can still sense other benders?"

"Yes, the man I fought was a very skilled bender. Unfortunately he was very brash in his movements. Impatient I would say. He had perfect form but often forgot to anticipate my own movements. It was like he was too focused on perfecting his movement and not enough on adjusting to his opponent."

Iroh chuckled, "You might as well of described my nephew. I would not be surprised if it was him you fought. He often likes to train with the Elites when he is back at the Palace. He and the Captain are very close."

"Well you should tell him to not be so gosh darn proud when he fights. I made sure to highlight several openings in his defense yet he did not patch a single one!"

"Zuko is often too concerned with what others think of him. No doubt he wanted to make it look like he was doing it on purpose."

"I'm sorry did you say your nephew's name was…Zuko?"

"Yes I did. My nephew is Prince Zuko."

Soliel felt as though she might throw up. Iroh. That's where I know that name–the Fire Lord's brother! Her revulsion was evident on her face and Iroh began to chuckle.

"I can see I've shocked you. I'm sorry I didn't mention Zuko being my nephew, honestly I thought you would have been told beforehand. Do not worry you have nothing to fear. i am nothing like my younger brother. I've been traveling with my nephew during his exile. It's curious of the Captain to be so underhanded with bringing you two together. No doubt he was caught off guard by our sudden return. We had to be clandestine about our arrival. You see my brother is not very predictable; on some occasions he calls Zuko back to the palace himself, other times he forbids he enter the Fire Nation. We decided it was best to send word of our arrival and then arrive well before it. I am truly sorry for any trouble we might have caused you. It was never my intention to deceive you."

"You must think me a horrid person for all the things I've said about your brother and your nephew. I cannot pretend I feel differently but I can say I am sorry if I offended you in any way."

Iroh laughed heartily causing Soliel to raise her eyes in confusion.

"Most of what you have said is completely accurate, so how could I think you to be a horrible person for speaking the truth? Although I can not understand your animosity towards either I admire your honesty, strength and determination to not be beaten by your circumstances. My brother is a hard and cruel man, I am grieved to hear that he has taken away your bending which is very precious to you, but I humbly ask that you do not put the son in the same category as his father. My nephew is at war within himself. He knows what is right and what he should do but he lacks the courage to do it and so he is stuck playing his father and sister's game. I believe he can learn a lot from you my dear and I have a feeling you two would become good friends if you were to try and get to know him."

"I'm afraid I will be forced to get to know him in ways I never would agreed to."

"I'm afraid I'm a bit confused my dear, I thought you like sparring with him? You said he was a talented warrior…"

"I did enjoy sparring with him, his technique is impeccable." Soliel took a large breath and looked up into Iroh's confused eyes, "sharing a ring with your nephew is no matter to me, it is sharing his bed that I reject to so strongly."

Iroh's eyes held her own as surprise and then a knowing smile flitted across his face.

"So you are the dreaded concubine my nephew fears meeting with so much."

"He fears meeting with me? How is that possible? I'm his… well I'm"

"You're not what he wanted for himself. It was his father and sister who put Zuko in this position. He has always detested the use of concubines and was horrified at the recent turn of events. I believe that is why he left the Palace so quickly. He could not stand to give into a practice he abhorred. It now makes sense though as to why you were blind folded in the ring today. The Captain was no doubt trying to shield you from meeting the Prince before you were ready. It does not sound as though Zuko recognized you, or else he would have left the ring immediately."

Soliel sat not knowing how to respond. She could not deny the anger and hatred she felt toward the Fire Lord and the Prince yet Iroh's words tugged at her heart.

"I once knew a young boy who was also at war within himself. He too knew what needed to be done yet when the time came he fled and in doing so he lost everything he held dear. I was not able to help him walk the path he was destined for and even now there is nothing I can do to help him. I was supped to lead him, to show him the way. I would give everything to be by his side right now, yet even though I have been given a second chance I am powerless to do anything! I failed him once–I cannot fail him again."

Iroh watched in silence as tears streamed down Soliel's face. He could not understand the meaning behind her words but he knew he had caused his young friend grief. He moved over to the other side of the table and placed his around around her shaking shoulders.

"Might I make a request of you my dear?"

"Of course! You have been more than kind to me. I will gladly do whatever you require."

"I ask that you come alongside my nephew and give him the guidance you were unable to give to that young boy you spoke of. There is much he could learn from you and I cannot help but wonder if fate brought you here for this very purpose."

Soliel let out a forced laugh.

"Fate doesn't have as much control as you think, otherwise she'd be able to get me out of this mess!"

Soliel stood up and bowed to Iroh.

"I cannot promise to lead your nephew down the path he should go but I can say that if he ever asks for my help, I will not withhold it from him. Goodbye Iroh, I truly enjoyed meeting you."

"I thank you my dear, from the bottom of my heart."

Soliel turned and walked out of the room. Her mind was raging inside her, desperately searching for answers. As she walked across the courtyard the training room caught her eye once more. She paused only a moment to change the direction of her foot steps and soon she was pushing open the black gilded doors. The threw open with a thud as she walked purposefully towards the punching bag hanging in the middle of the room. With her eyes glued to the bag she shed her outer coat and let down her hair from the high braid. As her her fell in a rush of mahogany waves her eyes changed into their reptilian state. She could see everything, the dust settled on the smooth leather surface of the bag, every thread and piece of fabric that made the bag as well as the chains that held it firmly in place. Soliel channeled all her inner fire into her leg as she spun outward and thrust her body into the bag, her foot meeting the cool leather in a rush of heat. The moment she made contact with the bag her eyes widened and her heart lurched. Her mouth fell open and a mind shattering scream ripped from her throat. She fell to the ground convulsing. She desperately tried to stop the pain clutching and then tearing at her abdomen. She could not be sure how long she laid there but when she could finally open her eyes she could hardly believe what she saw. A beautiful young man was standing over her, his silken black hair hung over golden eyes that searched hers. Yet her mind was not focused on him but rather on the black bag that was now swinging back and forth-a foot away from the beginning of the track.

"It moved…" Soliel whispered.

Zuko turned around and sure enough the bag that he had ordered be heavier than any made was gently swaying to and fro. He looked back at the girl. Her eyes were closed and her breathing remained ragged but a hint of a smile remained in the corner of her mouth. Shaking his head he stood, gently lifting her. Once he had stood he leaned in and whispered softly, "I have a feeling you're going to be a lot more trouble than you're worth."