Chapter 5: Freckles
The days were passing so painlessly, I felt like I was living in a dream.
Two days ago, Zuko had walked me back to the ship from the woods outside of the Fire Nation Colony port. When we arrived back at the ship, we were informed Iroh had already returned from his shopping in town. The man who told us this was Lieutenant Jee. He had sideburns like my brother but he was a little more lean and a little older. He was also much kinder.
"What do you mean we can't go to our quarters?!"
Zuko was not happy when he was informed that we were being ordered to go straight to the dining room for lunch and tea by Iroh. I flinched slightly as his temper rose, but reminded myself that the frustration wasn't towards me.
Lieutenant Jee shrugged. "I'm just a messenger, sir." He turned and left us.
Zuko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He spoke to himself in irritation. "Uncle... What is that man up to now?"
Not wanting to defy Iroh's order, we went to eat in the dining area where typically Iroh and Zuko had their meals together. Since it was above deck closer to the helm, there was a window to look out at the sea. Jing brought us some lunch and tea as we sat at the low square table. As we waited, Zuko also had a crewman retrieve some medicine for the scrapes still on my hands from my fall in the woods. Once the man was back with the small wooden container, Zuko took it and dismissed him. Then he helped spread the ointment on my cut skin, and as he did I watched him with curiosity. Sometimes he came off as such a stiff and cold prince, and then other times he was super sweet and caring. His personality confused me.
Finally, after an hour of sitting in the dining hall, we were told by Tu Lan that we were free to go to our quarters. When we arrived down in the hall where our rooms were, Iroh stood by my door with a wide smile. "Thanks for your patience, and for keeping Amara company, Zuko. The room is complete."
Zuko groaned. "You banned us from our rooms for that?!" He turned to head to his quarters.
Iroh was disappointed his nephew wasn't enthusiastic. "Don't you want to see the completed project?"
The young prince stopped at his door and looked at his uncle with disbelief. "I don't need to see a girly room!" He opened his door and went inside, shutting it quickly behind him.
Tu Lan snickered, and Iroh laughed. Iroh spoke with amusement, "And that, Amara, is what you call a moody teenage male." He opened my door then and gestured for me to step inside. "I think this room will be much more suitable for you now."
"I... The room I had before was okay," I whispered. "You didn't have to-"
Iroh shook his head to cut me off. "No need to be humble, dear. I know the room was too bland before. I don't get to spoil people often so just let me have my fun."
Tu Lan placed a hand on my shoulder and moved me the last few feet down the hall and into the open doorway. Stepping through, I was speechless. I felt like I was walking into a fairytale.
The cabin looked so much different. The mattress on the floor had a light red blanket with fine floral prints, and a pillow with the same design. At the low table I saw the blue ribbons had been placed in a line. There was a new blue wooden comb, a golden hairbrush, a golden handheld mirror, some hairpins of blue, gold, and red colors, and a dark wooden box that had symbols of forest creatures carved in the wood. A wardrobe had been placed in the corner of the room as well, this one having floral designs carved into the wood. On the wall beside my cot hung two tapestries: one was a dark red with the Fire Nation emblem, and the other was blue with the Water Tribe symbol.
"So... How do you like your new room?"
Iroh's question brought me out of my awe. Instead, I looked at him with bewilderment. "My... room?"
He smiled and nodded. I looked around again, still completely shocked by the beautiful scene around me. My room in the past usually consisted of an empty dusty attic with a single cot, or an empty cold cell with a single cot. This room was so full of beauty and color. I had seen brief glimpses of the bedrooms back at my father's estate, and this was similar, yet also different. I felt safe, and like I belonged.
"I... It's beautiful..." I stepped over to the Water Tribe tapestry and let my hand run over the stitching of the crescent moon with water ripples coming off of it. It was the symbol of my mother's people.
My heart clenched as I thought about my Water Tribe family again. I had calmed since first waking up on Iroh's ship and trying to escape to find my mother's family. While I was content being under Iroh's guardianship for now, I still desired to know if my Water Tribe family was truly out there somewhere. Would I ever meet them?
"If there's anything else you can think of that I did not get for you, please let me know. I do not know how long we will be chasing the Avatar, and I also am not sure when I will hear word about your family. So, in the meantime, I want you to be comfortable and happy here."
My eyes filled with moisture again. I was crying so much, but they were tears of joy lately. Even though I hoped one day I would find my Water Tribe family, at least in the moment I was being cared for. I felt so safe and loved. And Iroh's promise to keep searching for my family made me accept further that for now this was a place I could stay.
"Thank you," I said softly. I turned to meet his gaze, and I gave him a genuine smile. "I love it. It's perfect."
He was satisfied to hear, and even more comforted to see me smile. Tu Lan, who stood beside Iroh to watch my reaction, suddenly turned and headed away quickly. My smile fell as I was concerned for my friend and his abrupt departure. Iroh stepped over to me to place a comforting hand on my shoulder and explained, "Soldiers don't like to cry in front of their leaders. He's just elated to see you happy like I am. Your smile is a breath of fresh air."
I nodded. Then I did something I never thought I would do: I hugged Iroh, pressing my face into his shoulder. He was in shock for a moment, but then he accepted my embrace and hugged me back. He brushed a fatherly hand through my hair.
As I hugged him, I spoke with sincere gratitude. "Thank you... for saving me..."
Over the next two days, I started to get used to my new life more and more. I started to smile so much that it was starting to feel normal. The nightmares were still there, and I had moments where I got carried back to the past and grew fearful, but with each passing hour and every mile away from Zhao, I felt the new experiences and discoveries take over the darkness.
As I grew more comfortable in my new dwelling, I decided I wanted to become stronger in both body and mind. I was learning how to do things I never tried on my own. With practice, I finally figured out how to tie a ribbon in my hair to the point all my strands were held up. I also learned how to put the decorative pins in my hair. I discovered jewelry was what the wooden box on the table held inside. I was too scared to touch the necklaces and bracelets though: They looked expensive.
During moments I felt bold, I did try to explore the ship some. I figured out how to get to the stairs that led up on deck without an escort. And I found my way to the ship kitchen, where Jing was excited to have me join him for some pastries he was trying out. While I rarely spoke to anyone but Iroh, Zuko, and Tu Lan, I was finding myself becoming familiar with the ship and part of the crew with each passing day.
While Iroh was amused by my determination to become independent, Zuko was not. He was not at all thrilled when he learned I was wandering the ship by myself. Ever since I fell in the woods, he had become protective of me. He told me it was too dangerous to wander the ship alone because there were lots of areas I could fall and hurt myself. Iroh told him to calm down, and then let me know parts of the ship I was allowed to go to on my own. Basically, I could go anywhere on the ship except for the levels below our floor.
I liked walking around the ship though and up on deck. My back was healing, and the pain was no longer noticeable, so walking helped me build my strength. The ship physician Ju let me know that my bandages- which were still wrapped around my torso- could come off soon since my back was looking much better. I was kind of ready to have them off. I didn't like the reminder of what Zhao had done to me, and once the bandages were off I felt it would be easier for me to forget.
Walking through the ship halls and up on deck not only made me feel better physically, but also mentally. It gave me the chance to meet the crewmen and learn more about the world from them. They told me stories about their time at war, and also gave me information about my new guardian Iroh and my neighbor Prince Zuko. They informed me that the Avatar who we were chasing was actually a twelve year old boy who should've been over a hundred years old. I was fascinated by every new detail I learned. I didn't understand a lot of what I was told, but I was glad to finally be able to hear about others and the world.
I was starting to feel a little more... human...
When I woke up an hour earlier, I managed to find my way to the washroom down the hall and get cleaned up. It was strange walking around without Tu Lan or Iroh, but I was trying to get used to it: I didn't want to be too much of a burden.
When I got back from the washroom, I was surprised to see that a tray with some tea and fruit had been left for me. As I sipped my tea and ate some of the sweet fruit, I saw a note on the table beside it. I picked it up, but I could not read. All I saw were lines. This made me a bit dismayed. Someone had tried to leave me a message, and I could not read it.
There was a lot I would need to learn...
Once I finished eating, I put on some fresh clothes and then worked on my hair. After a few minutes, I was finally done.
Staring at myself in the gold carved handheld mirror, I felt like I was looking at a stranger. I had only seen my reflection a few times in the past, and in those moments I always saw a pale girl with lifeless dark blue eyes and wild black hair. I was always scared to see my reflection, because the image that followed was never one of hope: Just a sad caged animal...
However, the reflection in the mirror now was different than those past distorted images. I saw before me a teenage girl. My blue eyes sparkled in the firelight from the torches in my room. My black hair was more alive than it had ever been. Iroh had bought me some ointments to put in my hair to help with the damage, and had also assisted in cutting some of the dead ends. My hair was a little shorter than where it dropped past my shoulder blades originally, but the strands were lighter and healthier. The blue ribbon I managed to use to tie my hair up showed in a nice contrast with the dark strands. I also noticed my scratched and ashen skin was healthy and back to a normal tan tint. My freckles seemed to show better than before now that I was clean and well.
I felt reborn...
A knock sounded on the door suddenly. I placed my mirror down carefully to not break it, and then moved from my low table to open the door. I was wearing some black pants and a dark red shirt. Iroh had bought me a ton of clothes during his shopping spree as well, wanting me to have everything I needed.
When I opened my door finally, I saw someone I was not expecting. Prince Zuko stood in the doorway, his golden eyes meeting my gaze. "Hey... We're hitting another port again... Uncle and I are going to go ask around for news of the Avatar. Do you want to come?"
His offer surprised me. However, what he asked made me uncertain.
He noticed my arms cross like they usually did when I was nervous. He tried to reassure and encourage me. "This port is smaller than the last. I'll mainly be sticking to the docks to question travelers, so you won't be too overwhelmed this time. Uncle said it will be good for you to walk on land some more."
I thought about it for a moment. I did want to get off the ship...
Finally, I let out a breath and answered softly, "Okay... I'd like that..."
He nodded. He stepped back, but his eyes stayed on me. "We'll be docking in ten minutes. I'll come back to get you. Put your shoes on and grab your coat. It's still a little cold in these parts."
He went to leave, but a thought hit me. "Um... Prince Zuko..."
He stopped and gave me his attention. I disappeared for a moment from his view to grab the note and then returned to my doorway. I held it out towards him with embarrassment. "This was left by my breakfast tray... could you... read it for me?"
Zuko was surprised by my question. Then he showed understanding. He took the note in his hand. He gazed at it for a moment. "I'll read it. But only if you promise to just call me Zuko. We're the same age anyway. It just sounds weird..."
I gave a nod.
"It's just a note from Uncle. All it says is 'Good Morning, Amara. I hope you slept well.' Iroh." Zuko sighed. "I'll let him know not to do that again... I guess he didn't consider you wouldn't know how to read."
I frowned and hung my head. I was so behind on so many things...
"Not that there's anything wrong with that," he quickly added. I met his gaze and saw he looked anxious about something. "We can teach you." He rubbed the back of his neck with embarrassment. Then, his eyes shot to my hair, which I had never put up before since being on the ship. He met my gaze again. He seemed to want to say something, but struggled for the words. His cheeks were a red tint even in the dim hall. Finally, he said softly, "The blue suits you."
He turned and headed away to avoid my reaction. I watched him go with surprise. My heart did a flutter again. He was complimenting me a lot lately.
Third Person POV
After Zuko left Amara's room, he tried to calm his racing heart. Every time he saw the girl now he felt like he was losing composure. She looked so different though since when she first was brought on the ship. Her hair being up only showed her face more, and in the firelight she looked like a Nobel man's daughter. Although, being the daughter of an admiral kind of made her one in a way.
Zuko shook his head. He was getting so distracted. What was wrong with him?
Trying to focus, he headed up to where he had last seen his Uncle in the helm. When he found his uncle, the man was sitting at the circle Pai Sho table with physician Ju across from him.
Zuko was confused. "Aren't you going to get ready?"
Iroh picked up a tile and moved it to a new space. "I told you to invite Amara to go so I would not have to."
Zuko was appalled. "You said to invite her! You didn't say you weren't coming!"
The retired General looked over at Zuko with calm. "It's Pai Sho time. I think you can handle questioning people about the Avatar without me. Just take care of Amara, and don't let her wander too far from the port. We still need to be wary that Zhao may have some spies in the area."
"If you aren't coming, why did you tell me to invite her?"
Iroh answered simply, "She needs to see land whenever she can. This port is smaller, so hopefully she won't be as anxious. It's important she learns more about the world and not just this rusty ship."
Zuko wanted to protest. However, part of him didn't mind the idea of Amara giving him company. He quickly shook the thought. He didn't have time to worry about finding the Avatar while making sure she wasn't hurt. "This is just going to be a distraction! I need to focus on finding information about the Avatar!"
Iroh was not convinced by Zuko's argument. "She's a pretty quiet girl, and she follows orders well, so I don't think she will be too distracting."
"Wha-" Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's not the point!"
"Then what is?" Iroh stayed composed, but the corner of his lip rose slightly.
Zuko crossed his arms. His cheeks were burning. "She's... well... clumsy!"
"Then don't let her fall," Iroh suggested.
The young prince let out a huff, knowing he could no longer argue. "Fine! I'm going to round up some men and then retrieve her." However, before he left he stepped over and slammed the note down on the table in front of Iroh. "Also, don't write her notes anymore. She can't read. You're embarrassing her!"
As Zuko stomped out of the helm, a silence followed as the crew inside watched him go with bewilderment. Iroh smiled though and turned back to his game. "See gents. It's all strategy." He moved another tile and Ju groaned when he saw he lost.
After leaving Iroh, and rounding up some men to go with him to question the townspeople, Zuko returned below deck to see if Amara was ready. He was surprised to find her waiting in the hall outside of her room. She was wearing a dark red coat and black boots that she found were easier to walk in than the tighter shoes she wore before. She was clearly excited to see a new area of land.
Zuko let out a heavy breath. "Uh... Uncle isn't coming, just so you know."
His reveal didn't seem to make Amara anymore anxious than she was. She had been with only Zuko before, so she wasn't too nervous about that. Zuko on the other hand was anxious for some reason. He really didn't understand why being with this girl made him feel so... nervous.
"Come on," he said. He gestured for her to follow him. She quickly did, trying to keep up with his pace. He slowed immediately, realizing he was probably walking too fast. He had heard her breaths increase behind. He stopped and looked back at her with worry. She must've realized why he was concerned, and gave him a small smile to reassure him that she was okay.
Eventually they got to the front of the ship where four guards waited just as they were ordered. The ramp was lowered, and the group started to make their way down the slope to the wooden pier. As Zuko walked beside Amara down the ramp, he glanced over at her and saw she was in deep concentration so she didn't trip on their way down. The sun hit her face, and the freckles on her cheek were suddenly apparent.
Zuko liked her freckles... he couldn't help but think they made her look pretty.
As he replayed the thought he just had, his eyes widened and he looked away from her quickly. What was he thinking? He needed to focus on the Avatar! He didn't have time to think about how pretty the girl beside him was!
He sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose again. Focus Zuko... The Avatar. Find information on the Avatar.
They got off the ramp finally, and Zuko started to head towards the busier part of the port where some Earth Kingdom citizens were. The Fire Nation usually left this port alone, but the Earth Kingdom citizens were still wary of the enemy. As they walked through the small wooden fishing town, many of the people who dwelled in the area watched the group with caution.
Amara did her best to keep up with Zuko, and she stayed quiet as he started to question the fishermen and merchants.
"A sky-bison? Never heard of that creature before," a man said as he carried a basket of fish.
Zuko scowled and moved along. As he continued to question the villagers and travelers, Amara observed everything with intrigue. She could see Zuko was indeed desperate to find the Avatar. After the twentieth person was questioned, Zuko let out a deep sigh.
"Clearly no one is going to give me information," Zuko muttered. "I can't believe I'm chasing after a child."
A guard named Fe asked, "What do you want to do sir?"
He rubbed his one brow. "Let's just return to the ship. We'll stay here for the night and head to the next port in the morn—"
A shriek sounded from behind him cutting him off, followed by a feline hiss. Zuko jumped and looked over to see Amara staring in terror at a three foot black feline that had stepped out from behind a crate and had been startled by the girl's sound. The girl and the creature were both frozen as they stared at one another with fear.
Zuko could tell the creature was a Pygmy Puma, and his pounding heart calmed. There was no danger. He let out a breath in relief. The creatures were quite common in the Earth Kingdom, and while they had fangs and claws they were pretty tame and gentle. Many Earth Kingdom citizens had them as pets. This one appeared to be a stray. Of course, Zuko realized that Amara didn't know any of this.
His men had turned ready to fight upon the girl's scream, but when they saw there was no threat they lowered their weapons in disbelief. Amara seemed to be the only one in a panic as the feline stared at her with no longer fear but curiosity. Townspeople stopped and stared at the girl with surprise.
Zuko walked over to Amara, who was frozen in fear as her eyes stared at the creature she had never seen before. It's claws and fangs terrified her. The Pygmy Puma whined and dropped its ears.
"Amara," Zuko spoke. He grabbed her arm and felt her whole body shaking. "Calm down. It's not dangerous." He stepped between her and the feline creature. "Look."
He released her arm and crouched slightly to hold his hand out to the animal. It cautiously sniffed his knuckles. When it realized there was no threat, it started to purr and let Zuko pat it on the head. Amara watched with bewilderment. Zuko gently took her trembling wrist and pulled her towards the creature. He made her palm move over the animal's head. The creature purred louder, licked her hand, and then took off back into town.
Once the animal was gone, Zuko stood straight which made Amara do the same. "See. There's nothing to be afraid of."
When Zuko looked back at the girl, he could see she had calmed down from her fear. He let go of her hand, and was surprised when she quickly covered her face. She was embarrassed by her reaction, and Zuko was amused. He could slightly see the red tint on her skin where her freckles were.
He tried to hide his amusement by asking instead, "Are you okay?"
She shook her head, still covering her face. His amusement fell away when he saw a drop of water slide past her hand.
"Hey..." He grabbed her hands and pulled them away from her eyes. They were watering. "There's no danger. It's okay."
She shut her eyes and sniffled.
He was starting to grow even more concerned. He wasn't expecting this reaction. He thought once he showed her the animal was safe she'd be happy. "What's wrong?"
She hung her head. She pulled from him to wipe her eyes. "I'm sorry... I'm just... scared," she whispered. Her eyes met his gaze. He was confused by her explanation. "What if I never get used to this? What... what if I don't belong in this world... everything is so new and confusing and scary." She shook as she thought back to the last few days. "Maybe Zhao was right... I don't belong... I'm a mis—"
At the name Zhao, Zuko's temper rose. He cut her off with a firm tone. "Stop. Don't finish that statement."
She fell quiet. Zuko's eyes were narrowed. His fists had tightened. He felt suddenly angry. He knew he needed to go before he scared her. He looked over at the guards and tried to speak with a level tone. "Take her back to her room on the ship. I'll be there shortly. I need to go do something on my own."
He turned and walked away. Amara was stunned as she watched him go. She felt immediate regret and shame... and fear. She had angered Zuko. The guard Fe stepped over to her and urged her back towards the ship. Without a choice, she went with Fe and the other three armored men.
Zuko let out a heavy breath once he was away from his guards and Amara. He stepped over to the side of a wooden building and pressed his palm against it for support. He had almost lost his temper in front of the girl, and that was the last thing he wanted. He had promised his uncle he would be careful, and shooting fire from his fists in front of the girl would've been breaking that.
But he reflected on her words and his anger rose again. Zhao... he had truly broken this girl. Zuko had known what she was about to say: 'Maybe Zhao was right... I don't belong... I'm a mistake.'
Zuko's hands heated up as he heard her words over and over in his mind. He recalled his father once saying something similar to him. You are worthless! You can't firebend at all like your sister! You being my son was a mistake!
He grit his teeth. He would prove his father wrong by capturing the Avatar. And he would prove Amara wrong by showing her she did belong in this world...
Amara POV
The guard named Fe had walked me back to my room upon Zuko's order once we arrived on the ship. A few moments after he left me, Jing came in with some tea. Fe must've told him I was upset. Jing tried to get me to drink some tea before he left, and I only did so to not offend him. Once he was gone, I sat on my cot in silence again, staring at the tray on the floor in front of me.
Despite the tea I had consumed, my body felt cold from fear. The look in Zuko's eyes before he walked away was one of anger. I had upset him. Would he punish me when he returned? Images of my uncle and Zhao flashed through my mind. I hugged my legs to my chest and pressed my face into my knees.
I sat in my room for a good hour. Tu Lan had come to check on me also, having heard from Jing what happened in town. He reassured me I would not be punished. I tried to believe him, and told him I was okay just so he wouldn't worry. When he left though to go speak to Iroh, taking the tray of cold tea with him, the fear and uncertainty returned.
After Tu Lan left, I sat for another ten minutes in silence. A knock sounded on the door finally. I made no move. I made no sound. I honestly just wanted to be left alone. I feared possible punishment. A very small part of me knew I was just letting the trauma of my past take over my rational thinking, but I couldn't stop the dread. When I had angered people in the past, I would be beaten. I was not sure what Zuko would do to me.
A knock sounded again. "Amara," Zuko spoke. His voice sent shivers through me. "I'm coming in."
My door opened. I whimpered and shut my eyes, pressing my face into my knees harder. My body trembled more.
I heard him let out a deep sigh when he saw my state. He spoke softly to not scare me. "Calm down. You're not in trouble. I only sent you back to the ship because you were upset... I didn't mean to make you think it was a punishment."
I wanted to believe him, but I still didn't really know him. He and Iroh had been nice to me, but they were still people I had only met a few days ago. I wanted to trust Zuko, but he was still a stranger to me.
Zuko spoke again, this time with concern. "Please calm down. I'm really not mad... you don't have to be scared of me." He paused for a moment. I heard him shut the door carefully behind. "I actually brought you something. Lift your head so you can see it."
His calm voice, and gentle steps across the room, finally made my trembling calm. He... wasn't mad?
Looking up slowly, I saw he had come over and was kneeling in front of me. He looked to be filled with regret. "I'm sorry if my reaction earlier scared you. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I just don't want you saying stuff like that. Whatever Zhao told you in the past, I want you to forget it. Everything he told you was a lie."
His words surprised me. "You're... really not mad at me?"
He frowned. "No... Not you. I'm mad at Zhao. And at myself for scaring you... I realized after I snapped at you that I was foolish to do that. I lose my temper sometimes... I'm working on it. But I'm never going to hurt you. I'm not like your brother. Plus... Uncle would throw me off the ship." He said the last part as a joke. He extended something wrapped in cloth towards me. "Here. Take it. It's my apology and peace offering."
I moved my face from my knees and let my rigid body relax. Then I released my legs, and sat cross legged to let the last of my fear fade. The threat had passed... I was not going to be punished. I felt I could breathe again.
With caution, I took the object from him. It was a little heavy, but I managed to not drop it. I unwrapped the cloth and saw three leather bound books inside. I had only seen brief glimpses of books in my father's study as a very young child.
"I found a small shop in town that sold some maps and texts. These have a lot of drawings inside, so at least you can look through until we teach you to read some." He took the one on top and flipped through the bound pages. He showed me a page after a moment with a drawing of the creature I had seen only an hour before. "This book has animals. There's one with plants too, and another with illustrations of Earth Kingdom towns. We'll find you some more when we reach a larger port."
I was quiet as he spoke. I gazed at the image. Finally, I found my voice. "What... is it called?" I pointed at the creature on the page.
He was relieved to see I was finally calmed down. "A Pygmy Puma. The ones in towns like you saw today are pretty tame. They can be a little more aggressive in the wild, but those ones usually stay away from people."
I nodded. I recalled the one I had encountered in town. I remembered Zuko making me place my palm on the space between its ears. It had at first looked terrifying, but it was definitely a cute and gentle creature once the danger passed. I had a lot to learn...
"These should keep you entertained at least." He placed the book back on the stash I still held in my hands. "I'm going to go get some stuff done. One of us will come get you for dinner later. Get some rest. You look tired."
He stood and went to leave. Before he reached the door though, I spoke again.
"Zuko..."
He turned and looked back at me. His gold eyes burned into my gaze. I felt my heart flutter again. I dropped my eyes.
"I'm sorry... for what I said earlier. This is all just new to me... It will take time..."
"I know," Zuko responded. "But Uncle and I are here to help. If you have questions, just ask."
I met his gaze again. Then I gave a small smile. "I will... thank you."
He nodded. As he turned to leave though, I caught the corner of his own lip raise as he smiled too.
A few hours later, Iroh came to get me for dinner. I was flipping through the book on plants when he arrived.
"I was informed of what happened in town. Are you alright?"
I flinched and gave a small nod. "I didn't mean to upset him saying what I did... I won't say that again..."
Iroh smiled reassuringly. "It's hard to tell because he isn't the most social boy, but he only was upset because he cares about you. Zuko sees himself in you in some ways. He has been told by certain family members that he should've never been born. He's fighting hard to prove them wrong, and he wants you to do the same."
His words surprised me. "He's been told that?"
Iroh nodded. "Unfortunately, he didn't have the greatest support after his mother was cast out of the palace. But that's why I took Zuko under my care when he was forced on a quest to find the Avatar. I wanted him to feel wanted and loved. I took you in for the same reason. There is much evil in this world, Amara. But there is also so much good. My job is to protect you from that darkness and show you the light from now on."
His kindness warmed my heart.
"Also, I do want to apologize if my actions this morning upset you. I had a feeling you would not be able to read, but I wanted to confirm my suspicion. I'm happy to start teaching you from this day forward. As your guardian, it's my duty to provide you with an education."
I stared back down at the book in my hands. I nodded. "I do... want to learn."
He was glad to hear. "Good. We'll start tomorrow then. For now, let's eat. I'm sure you're hungry."
Ten minutes later I sat in the dining room above deck with Iroh and Zuko. I was beside Zuko, and immediately felt embarrassed for thinking he would hurt me. He didn't bring it up though, and instead asked if I looked through the books more. I nodded and thanked him for the gift. He shrugged and muttered, "They're just books. No big deal..."
After Zuko said this, Iroh then asked him if he had any luck in town.
The young prince huffed and crossed his arms. "It's like the Avatar can make his huge pet go invisible! How is it no one has seen a giant creature in the sky?"
Iroh poured me some more tea, and calmly said to Zuko, "You saw the map I gave you yesterday. The sightings have been in remote places mostly. He appears to be keeping out of the towns at the moment. Exploring other parts of the area."
Zuko scoffed. "Exploring? He's evading me!"
Iroh shook his head. "I don't believe so. He is a twelve year old boy. Clearly he was frozen in time for a hundred years. I'm still not certain how this is, but the fact he is not an old man and just a kid makes me believe he is just having some fun."
I was listening to their conversation in total confusion. I still did not understand the whole concept of this Avatar thing.
Jing suddenly arrived with our food, placing a plate in front of each of us. Once he was done, he spoke directly to Zuko. "Sir. I went to town to acquire fish for dinner and was given some information you may like. There is word that the Avatar is currently on Kyoshi Island. It's about a night's journey from here."
Zuko was shocked. Then his eyes filled with determination. "The Avatar's on Kyoshi Island?" He jumped up from where he sat beside me at the table. "Uncle, ready the rhinos. He's not getting away from me this time."
Zuko had started to leave the room. Iroh pointed at his untouched meal. "Are you going to finish that?"
Zuko stomped back over and grabbed the plate from the table quickly. I watched his actions with bewilderment. "I was going to save it for later!" He turned and left the room. Iroh looked disappointed and started to eat his own meal.
As Iroh ate, he finally met my stunned gaze. He swallowed and spoke with amusement. "He's quite demanding, isn't he?"
I found my voice. I was honestly shocked by what I had just heard. "You have rhinos?"
I had seen brief glimpses of rhinos at Zhao's harbor. Typically they were far off and just shapes in the distance. I was curious how there were rhinos being held on this ship.
"Komodo Rhinos actually," Iroh said. He was amused by my interest though. "Do you want to come see them with me? They won't hurt you. They are tame. They actually like company."
His offer made me quickly nod. Any chance I had to explore more of the ship was one I was willing to take.
After we ate, I followed Iroh and two guards down below deck. We went to the back end of the ship and walked down some stairs I had never seen. We then went down a hall, descended another flight of stairs, headed through another hall, and finally arrived at a shut door. Iroh opened it and stepped inside. I followed him, and the guards came behind.
I was surprised. The room we were in was very large and open. Iroh told me it was called a cargo bay. There was a boat inside, and a ton of different equipment and wooden crates. At one end of the room was a steel pen where five Komodo Rhinos were resting behind. There was a giant pile of fresh hay by their pen. I saw a few crewmen I'd only seen brief glimpses of in the last few days walking around fulfilling their duties.
"This is the bow of the ship. There's a section here that opens like the front of the vessel. This allows us to get Zuko's steamboat and the Komodo Rhinos off." I stared at the numerous boxes, and the steel boat with awe. Then I looked back at the rhinos with uncertainty.
Iroh placed a hand on my back to encourage me, and walked me over to the four legged giant beasts with three horns and long tails. They were excited to see Iroh. I watched as Iroh reached over the steel enclosure and patted one on its neck.
As he showed me how to pet them without making them nervous, I asked, "What are their names?"
Iroh was amused by my question. "This one is Lingdao. He likes to take charge over the others. Zuko rides this one. The other four are Yi, Er, San, and Si."
As Iroh told the stable keeper and two guards who came with us to prepare the saddles and have the animals ready by morning, I continued to pat Lingdao on his neck and become lost in my thoughts.
In the last few days under Iroh's care, I had learned more about the world than I had my whole life. I wanted to learn something new every day. I wanted to become braver. I wanted to become stronger...
Also, I wanted to listen to Zuko and stop believing the lies of my past. Like him, I desired to prove to others that my birth was not a mistake...
His words from earlier returned to my mind: "Whatever Zhao told you in the past, I want you to forget it. Everything he told you was a lie..."
I would try to forget...
I would try to show everyone that a daughter of two nations— a bender of two elements— was born for a reason.