After they finished tea, Iroh slowly stood up. "If you'll excuse me, there is a game of Pai Sho waiting for me in the steering cabin." He bowed his head before leaving the pair alone, not totally unintentionally.
Elyrie started twisting her finger, a tic she had since she was small. Whenever she was nervous or thinking deeply, she twisted her little finger on her right hand with her thumb and index finger from her left hand.
She thought about their conversation, about her engagement with Zhao and what her life would be like once she was married to him. This is what I choose to do, so I have to make it work. She kept reminding herself that it had been her decision, that no amount of encouraging would have convinced her to do otherwise.
Consider yourself lucky such an important Commander wishes to marry you. Had her aunt been right? Was it a an accomplishment to marry well? She had never discussed that possibility in depth with her parents.
"Sit down, Lily." her father said to her as he motioned to the large chair across his ebony desk. Elyrie sat down and nestled herself in the comfortable chair. She couldn't remember how many time she had sat in this chair in her father's study. It still looked the same, even smelled the same. The comforting scent of books and incense, just enough to not be overwhelming.
"I received a letter today from the Nishio family," her father began as he tapped his finger on a piece of parchment in front of him, "If I remember correctly, you met their eldest son at their party last week?"
"I did." Elyrie nodded. Her father and she had attended the party together, as was customary in the higher circles of the Fire Nation. It had been a celebration of some sort, she couldn't even remember the exact reason. Nevertheless, it had been a pleasant evening with lots of laughter and even a little dancing.
"His father writes to me on behalf of his son: he wishes to become better acquainted with you." her father said while he carefully examined his daughter's face. When he saw her face drop in surprise, he tried to hide his smile. "But I assume from your reaction that you don't wish the same?"
"Well, I-.." Elyrie began as she started shifting in the chair, "I mean, he was nice enough but I don't think - ..."
"Yes?" He asked with an arched eyebrow as his daughter stumbled over her words, which was highly unusual.
"I am only eighteen years old!" she answered finally, "I don't think I am ready for marriage just yet."
"Interesting." he replied as his long finger tapped the letter again, "They never said anything about marriage?"
That was enough to return the usual sharp wit of his daughter. She immediately lifted her chin and pursed her lips in a mocking tone. "Really, Dad?" she asked as he crossed her arms, "You mean to tell me that it is normal for two fathers to discuss the 'acquaintances' of their children, a son and a daughter for that matter?"
"Why not?" He said with an innocent smile, "Your mother and I discussed your friendship with Prince Zuko quite regularly."
"That was different and you know it!" Elyrie said as she let herself fall back in the chair with a chuckle, "That wasn't with the intention to have us marry."
He let out a small chuckle before he gazed at the portrait of his wife. "You are right, darling."
Zuko gazed at her when he noticed her engagement ring was missing from her left hand.
"Where is your ring?" he asked. She looked at her bare left hand, rubbing the empty spot with her thumb.
"I took it off. It lies on the nightstand in your room." she answered. Her eyes lit up and she pulled his arm "Which reminds me, you need your room back." she added.
She was thankful for his hospitality, but she felt a little uncomfortable by all the room switching due to her. Uncle slept in a spare room and Zuko slept in his Uncle's room, but she would gladly take a spare room instead of overstaying her welcome in Zuko's room. She knew how much he valued his privacy.
"Hm?" Zuko looked up with a puzzled look in his golden eyes.
"I mean, I slept in your room these past days. I'm sure you'd like your own bed back." She elaborated.
"But I don't mind having you in my bed." Zuko answered. Elyrie cocked one arched eyebrow and smiled amused, waiting for him to realise what he just had said.
"I mean-… I don't mind having you in my room, eh, sleeping in my room for the time being." Zuko stammered, falling over his words. His face turned a crimson colour, which spread from his cheeks to his neck.
"I see." Elyrie said with pouted lips, her eyes glittering with mischief. "But I would be more comfortable knowing I don't push in" she said with a smile playing around her lips. "Even if you enjoy me in your bed" she added with a teasing tone. Zuko shot her an annoyed look.
Zuko could be so awkward at times and she loved teasing him about it. She playfully slapped his shoulder.
"Come on! Let's arrange it." She said while she stood up.
"I really don't mind." he tried again. She cocked her head to the side in response and said: "We both know I am the stubborn one, so will you help me now or in an hour?" Zuko rolled his eyes at her and rose from his seat.
"Fine." He said in a defeated voice. She let out a soft chuckle and went ahead, her curls dancing behind her. Zuko mentally shook his head at her happy demeanour.
It took them less than thirty minutes to change rooms back.
"Thanks for your help." Elyrie said with a smile. Zuko nodded, while he watched her fluffing his pillows. She had changed the bedsheets as well.
"You know I have people to clean my room, right?" he asked her while watching her arrange the pillows in a way he never bothered.
"Even so, I am perfectly capable of changing the sheets. Especially since I am the one who ruined the previous sheets" she answered. The bedsheets she had slept in were covered with bloodstains and dust because of her, which made her feel a bit guilty.
When she was done with the pillows, her eyes fell on the dual broadswords on the wall. She walked to it to examine them more closely. "Do you still use them?" she asked as he finger trailed the wood of the handle.
"I do." Zuko answered, not without a sense of pride. It was true: even though he mainly practiced his firebending, he always found time to practice with his swords.
"I used to be so jealous of you for being trained by the best masters" she remembered. "No, scratch that: I still am jealous." She corrected herself. She turned around with a fond smile, but saw that he was not looking at her. He looked at the Fire Nation flag on his wall and his eyes turned dark.
"At the moment, there is not much to be jealous of." Zuko said in a grim tone.
She walked over to him and placed her small hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry." she said compassionately. His golden eyes met her blue ones and he quickly looked away. He could not bare it if she looked at him with those compassionate doe eyes. He shrugged and she retracted her hand, seeing the stoic mask fall back in place. She mentally shook her head, wondering how much he had bottled up all those years. She knew he never liked to talk about everything that happened, so she did not push the subject. If he wanted to talk about it, he would do it when he wanted to.
She sighed and picked up her engagement ring from the nightstand. She did not put in on her finger, but let it roll between her fingers instead. Zuko noticed her playing with her ring.
"Can I see it?" he asked carefully. She stopped playing with it and gave it to him.
Zuko squinted his eyes to take a closer look at it. It was a ring like most noblewomen received upon their engagement, with gold and red embedded in it. Her ring had a red diamond in the middle, shaped in the form of the Fire Nation symbol. It is quite large and a tad overdone, Zuko concluded. Elyrie was right, he mused. Zhao wanted this ring around her finger to show her off.
Zuko gave her the ring back and she continued playing with it. She let again the cold metal roll between her fingers. As cold as the man attached to it, she grimly thought. She sighed, but was determined she would not ruin the evening with depressing thoughts. She started to hum a little song, immediately feeling more cheerful
Zuko looked up and saw a smile on her lips. She never is down for long, he thought to himself. He admired that in her, since he himself was the brooding type. He did not like it, but could not help himself either sometimes.
The humming turned in soft singing, while Elyrie went back to cleaning up the room. She did it without noticing, as she always did when completing a chore. Her sweet voice filled the room.
Sing sweet nightingale
Sing sweet nightingale
High above me
Zuko gazed at her, listening to her voice. She repeated the small verse a few times and vocalised the melody. She truly has the most beautiful singing voice, he thought. When he had heard her sing on Zhao's ship, he already had been enchanted by it. But now, seeing her sing the words and her sapphire eyes lightening at every tone, she sounded even more beautiful. If only we had a piano on board, he thought. She would love to play and sing for him, or at least he hoped so.
She caught him gazing at her and he smiled. "What is it?" she asked with a puzzled look.
Zuko quickly caught himself and shrugged. "Nothing, it is just that you never can do things quietly." he said in a teasing tone.
"Ah, making jokes now I see?" she responded with an amused look and elbowed him swiftly in his ribs.
Zuko groaned. "Stop it, Lily!" he said and gave her a soft push. She froze in her movement and looked at him.
It had been long time since anyone had called her Lily.
Zuko saw her freeze, wondering what he had said. "What is wrong?" he asked.
Elyrie's hand went up to the locket around her neck. "Nothing," she answered while her fingers caressed the locket, "It just has been a while since someone called me Lily."
She smiled at the memory of her pet name. When she was little, she could not pronounce her own name, especially the 'r' sound. She called herself Lily and her parents continued to call her by that name.
Zuko mistook her silence for sadness and gave her an apologizing look. "I'm sorry." He said.
"No, I don't mind." she said with a smile, before adding "Would you like me to call you 'Zuzu'?" with a twinkle in her eyes.
"Never." he groaned. She laughed and gave him a wink.
"I think we are done." she said while folding the last of Zuko's clothes and putting them in a drawer. She looked out of the window, where the stars began to climb. The ocean reflected the thousands lights, like a beautiful mirror.
"I am allowed to go on deck?" she asked Zuko. Zuko frowned at her, "Why should you not be allowed?" he asked in return.
She shrugged. "I don't know, Zhao does not allow me out after dark" she answered in a mocking tone. Zuko clenched his jaw at that comment, but nodded to her. "Would you like to go with me? Or do you want to sleep?" she asked him.
He thought about it for only a moment, before he motioned her to lead the way. She walked toward the door, before halting herself and asked "Do you maybe have a shawl or something? I am a bit cold."
Zuko raised his eyebrows at her. "You are a firebender. How can you be cold?" he asked.
"I don't know, I just always am." She retorted. Zuko walked towards the drawer and picked up a small, red piece of fabric. He had used it as a table cloth once, but it would function as a shawl.
"Would this suffice?" he asked and tossed it to her.
She smoothly caught it and wrapped herself in the improvised shawl. "Thanks." she added with a warm smile.
The deck was empty, but the view was beautiful. The ocean stretched out beyond the horizon and the almost full moon bathed them in a bright light. When Elyrie stepped onto the deck, she inhaled the fresh sea air. Her lungs filled with the crisp air, making her feel refreshed. This was the first time she went outside after the whole ordeal with the Temple. She again was reminded of Zuko's heroic action.
"Thank you again for getting me out of the Temple." she said while absentmindedly touching the cloth on her left temple. "I know you had to let the Avatar go because of that." she added while twisting her little finger. She had felt guilty for being the reason he had to flee the Temple.
Zuko looked at her and his eyes fell on the small bandage on the side of her head. He shook his head and said reassuringly "Don't worry about it. I am glad you are okay." She smiled at him and he added "Besides, I most likely would have needed to flee anyway." Elyrie laughed, understanding that even Zuko would not dare to take on Avatar Roku.
She started to hum again. The stars reminded her of the lullaby she had learned when she was younger. She walked towards the railing and let her hands rest on metal, leaning forward. The shawl hang loose around her shoulders. Zuko followed her and rested his hands next to hers on the railing. He recognized the melody and gave her a small nudge.
"Can you sing it?" he asked in a soft voice.
"Really? Now you want to hear my noise?" she taunted with twinkling eyes. Secretly, she was glad he asked it of her. She loved to sing, always had. She took a deep breath and continued the song.
Oh, won't you come with me?
Where the moon is made of gold
And in the morning sun, we'll be sailing
Her voice echoed over the water, filling the night air with music. Zuko closed his eyes and let her voice clear his troubled thoughts
Oh, won't you come with me?
Where the ocean meets the sky
And as the waves roll by,
We'll sing the song of the sea.
She leaned her head on his shoulder as she sang the last notes. Neither of them moved, standing in comfortable silence for a long time. It felt like no time had passed between us, she thought. A sudden cold wind made her shiver and she pulled her shawl closer. She lifted her head from his shoulder.
"I am going to bed." She said with a bright smile. "Goodnight". Zuko smiled at her, wishing her a good night.
When she had left, he continued to gaze over the ocean. Her sweet voice continued to play through his mind. After a few minutes, he too made his way to his quarters. Once he arrived in his room, Zuko quickly put down his head on his clean pillows. When he turned to his side, he smelled her rose scent on the fabric. His large bed suddenly seemed to small. He took a few breaths to calm his racing heart before falling asleep, still hearing her voice in his mind. He sank into a peaceful sleep, like he had not known in months.