It was a few days later that the girl bowed to the prince again, calling formally for his audience. After huffing another annoyed comment to her, he motioned for her to sit with him. She knelt in front of him instead, keeping her gaze down and expression stone cold.

"Listen, Zuko...something terrible is going to happen tonight. Just promise me you won't get involved, okay?"

Alarmed and somewhat insulted, the boy narrowed his eyes at her, but she quickly stood with a determined look on her face. He shot straight up and opened his mouth to speak, but both teens swiveled glances to see the guards looking on to their meeting.

Yuying bowed, never breaking eye contact with Zuko. The prince caught a hint of distress and sadness in her determined facade. But he did not dare stop her as she returned to her training.

-

That night there was shouting through the halls, and in the distance Zuko could hear shouting and the crackling of flames. Something was going on in the palace.

But of course, his first thoughts leapt to her.

He slipped out of bed and dodged the guards in the hallways, who raced passed his hiding spot as they frantically spat words like "Ambush!" and "Sun Senshi!".

Expertly using his stealth, the boy creeped to the other family quarters in the palace, and through the commotion and the fire, he caught sight of a bushy ponytailed girl crouched over something in the hallway. She picked it up and made a run for the courtyard, where the prince followed.

Before she could slip passed the guards behind the trimmed hedges, Zuko grasped her wrist and pulled her back around. Her eyes widened in shock but quickly morphed into an angry glare.

"Zuko! I told you to stay out of this!"

"You're a traitor?" He asked firmly. Her face went pale, and she hesitated to reply. Swallowing, she looked back up at him.

"Not a traitor, just a person with different values. I promise...I'm not betraying you..."

He was silent for a moment, eyes narrowed and grip tightening around her wrist. But his angry look dropped and his grip loosened. "I know."

They were silent for a moment, but she awkwardly chuckled and muttered: "for the good of the country, right?"

But no amusement came through those amber eyes, only sadness.

"Is this...goodbye?"

"...only for a little while."

She passed a small box into his hand and motioned towards it. "Have that. I have one too. We'll meet again...okay?"

He glanced at the box, and back up at her sad expression. The shouting was becoming more and more frantic. Nearby, someone shouted "Where's Lady Rei!?"

Startled, Yuying moved to escape from the courtyard. But the growing butterflies in Zuko's stomach evolved into a confident tiger and he tugged her back. Her body collided with his, but his lips immediately caught hers with a fiery passion that was long overdue. All at once, the two shared a kiss stronger than anything they've ever felt before. Yuying's hands gripped at his head and Zuko's hand gripped tightly into her soft locks.

"The Lady Rei is missing! Search the perimeter!"

Yuying pulled away, and shared one last pained glance with her prince. Zuko didn't move, only watching her with his broken expression.

"Just remember, the sun guardians will always protect you."

With that, Zuko's heart left in the confusion, over the palace wall and out into the unknown.

Back in his room, fighting back the angry tears, he torn the box open in a rage. However, at sight of the sturdy silver anklet, he lifted the charm between his fingers with care. Bearing a symbol he felt was familiar but could not place, the charm hung from the links. It was as if it was taunting him, and in another fit the chain was flung across the room and onto the floor.