Since the beginning of Fire Lord Ozai's rule, things around the palace began to change. Not long after Princess Ursa and the Duchess Jun Rei Ryo disappeared from sight, the Fire Lord sent for a hunt with a bounty on the women's heads. Fortunately for both Zuko and Yuying, neither of them had been found. Admiral Gin Ryo had been promoted in the last few years, and lived a quiet life in the palace with his daughter.
Although the man had grown to like Prince Zuko in his childhood, he had began to act strangely suspicious to the Royal Family and especially the young prince in regards to his only daughter.
Thirteen-year old Zuko sat cross legged at the pond in the palace courtyard. He rummaged through his thoughts, focusing on his breathing for his firebending training at the same time. Since the disappearance of their mothers, time with Yuying had not been the same. Every moment they would have to see each other would be interrupted by another summon from the Admiral, whisking the girl away again.
Zuko started to wonder if it was just the typical protective behaviour of a single father to his only daughter, or something more.
Their childhood friendship had blossomed fast and hard during the year of Azulan's death. Feeding off each other's sadness due to their mothers disappearance, they became stronger.
Not only had their friendship become eternal friendship, but the hormones of puberty set in. Zuko slowly became a strapping young man in those three years. Yuying became a beautiful woman, a constantly blooming flower.
(Secretly, they were smitten for each other.)
That third year was hard for the two of them. No sooner had trouble started in the nation, and rebellion threatened Ozai's rule from within the walls.
Time was running out.
"Prince Zuko, may I?"
The soft voice at his side broke him from his deep train of thought. He glanced over, surprised to see the brunette girl kneeling next to him, emerald eyes soft and amused. She failed to change from her training garments, the robe cut on both sides to reveal her pant legs from the side of the flaps. Her usually pristine-done-up hair was in a messy ponytail, the curly locks falling just above the small of her back.
He blinked at her, and sighed in annoyance. "You don't need to ask, and you can call me Zuko you know."
Chuckling, she nodded before speaking again. "Sorry, your majesty-" she said with more sarcasm. "I need to return to my training, but I snuck away for a moment."
Amber orbs veered back to straight into the pool of water with a narrowed gaze. "They train you like an animal..."
"That's...how it has to be." Yuying hesitated, as to cover her own train of thoughts. "Anyway...I just thought...since I hadn't seen you in so long..."
Zuko glanced away from her and stared at the palace wall, somewhat frustrated that she never had the time to even speak to him anymore, but also upset with the circumstances of their divide.
She immediately recognized the emotions in his silence, and placed a hand upon his. "I know how you feel, Zuko. It sucks, a lot. I wish we got to spend more time together. It's like...there can't even be a speck of daylight for me to see you..." She turned her head and scowled, grasping at the grass and pulling up small handfuls of the plant. Zuko perked up and turned back to gaze at her lovely, porcelain face.
"Then we can meet in the dark."
She raised an eyebrow at him, and a smirk crossed her features.
He blushed at her smirk and furrowed his eyebrows. "Don't get carried away. Just meet me here tonight, okay? Once everyone falls asleep. I want to show you something."
So she did.