Sorry for the delay in the chapter. I have had a busy two weeks. I am going to try to write this weekend but I have found the high pollen count to be kicking my ass. Anyway, this chapter is 5,000+ words which is about the normal word count for me. See you on the other side :)

Flora walked through the small market that had been set up in the small town square in the center of the Southern Water tribe. Fish, sea prunes, seaweed, furs, and more fish filled the stalls as the people of the Southern Water tribe tried to sell their wares. Most of the time people bartered away other items or acts of service as nobody had any kind of real money. However, as Flora walked through the small market, she saw a group of people huddled around one of the old men of the village and his gossipy daughters.

Seeing as all of the attention had been given to the old man and his daughter, Flora walked over to see what all of the commotion was about.

"...you don't think that they will follow it here, do you?"

"I am sure that whoever had been on that ship had drowned. There was no sign of life or that the boat carried any kind of provisions. At least that is what Nanook said when he came back to the port."

Flora tapped one of the women on the shoulders.

"Ah, Flora. Here for your monthly sea prune ration?" the old woman asked with a smile.

"Yes, Atka, but also, what is everyone talking about?"

"Well," Atka leaned in and whispered to Flora, "Nanook was out fishing the other day and the wind from the storm blew his boat out of the fishing boundary. Anyway, Nanook told Hanta who told Igaluk that he spotted a wrecked Fire Nation boat crashed against one of the ice floes."

Flora's heart dropped to her stomach, that had to have been Helia's boat.

"Don't worry, my child." The old woman smiled and placed a hand on Flora's shoulder, "Nanook stated that he believes that whoever had been in that boat has been long dead."

"And what if they aren't?" Flora asked softly.

"Then I hope that we find them before they return to the Fire Nation. One fewer soldier that we have to worry about the better."

Flora turned her head back to the conversation that had been happening in the huddle.

"What about the boat? Did Nanook or anyone else do something with it? We cannot have the Fire Nation spotting it if they come back."

"When they come back" an old woman interjected, "They always come back."

The old man replied, "Nanook said that he had destroyed what he could of the boat and that it is now at the bottom of the ocean with its owner."

"Good," another tribe member replied, "keep the Fire Nation away from our shores."

Flora backed away from the small group and made her way back to her home, foregoing the rest of what she needed to collect from the market. She had enough for the time being and she needed to get back to Miele and back to Helia.

How was she going to get him out of their home now? While the boat had been ruined, she thought that they could have fixed it up with something, and then Helia would have been on his merry way, never to see him again. But now things have become more complicated. Maybe she could steal one of the fishing boats?

Making her way through the villages and towards the outskirts, Flora found herself becoming more and more overwhelmed by the possibility that she and her sister might have to put up with the Firebender for more than they had thought. Sure, Miele would see no issue with it but what would the people of the village think? Flora would be marked as a traitor. Her own father fighting at sea and her mother was taken prisoner all for Flora and Miele to harbor a member of the enemy nation. Helia claimed that he had not meant anyone harm and for the week and a half that Helia had been under her and her sister's care, Flora was inclined to believe him. But Flora knew that others in the tribe would not be as understanding.

Flora pulled back the flap to the small ice home that she and her sister shared to see her sister and Helia sitting in the middle of the floor by the fire laughing and playing a game that Flora had never seen before.

"Oh, Flora!" Miele exclaimed as she looked up at her sister, "Helia was just showing me how to play a Fire Nation game called Pai Sh-"

"What is he doing in the home?" Flora asked as she glared at Helia.

Helia slowly rose to his feet and made his way over to Flora. She backed away as she frowned at both her sister and Helia.

"I asked him if he wanted to come inside. I was bored and I wanted someone to play with or talk to when you were at the market."

Flora sighed as she placed her half-empty seal-skin bag on the small wooden table.

"He cannot be in this house, Miele."

"And why not?" Miele asked, getting up on her feet and marching towards Flora, standing right next to Helia.

"Because they know," Flora replied, rubbing the bridge of her nose between her pointer finger and thumb.

"Know what? What are you talking about?"

"Miele, the people of the tribe know about the boat. Nanook saw the wreck when his fishing boat was blown out of the boundary waters. They suspect that Helia might be dead but if they catch him..."

Helia's face became as serious as Flora's, "And what of my boat?"

Flora groaned, "Nanook destroyed what was left of it."

"How am I going to leave if I-"

"I don't know!" Flora yelled in frustration, "We will have to steal a boat or something but for right now, if anyone catches you in our home, I don't want to begin to think about what might happen. Miele and I could be labeled traitors and ostracized or worse, banished from the tribe. If you are caught in the store room then Miele and I can say that we had no idea that you had been hiding out in there. Now, you have to leave this home."

"But Flora-" Miele protested.

"MIELE!" Flora yelled, "I am not arguing with you or anyone. He needs to get out of our home now! You can still talk with him in the store room if you feel so inclined but for the time being, he is not allowed in this home. Am I understood?"

Flora looked between Miele and Helia.

Helia nodded, understanding the severity of what might happen if they were to be caught. He didn't necessarily like the fact that he had to hide. But this was war and if he had been caught behind enemy lines, he didn't want to think about what they might do to Flora or Miele, the two people who had helped him when he was sure that others would have left him to die. While Flora had been reluctant she had still helped him nonetheless.

Helia left the small home, leaving Miele and Flora behind in the home.

"Helia was just showing me a game, Flora."

"I understand that Miele, but I don't think that you understand the severity of what might happen if anyone were to discover that Helia was here and that we were helping him."

"But Flora-"

"We could be killed, Miele! We could be thrown out of the village! I know that you have grown attached to him but he cannot stay here! I have tried to keep you safe from the horrors of this war but I don't know how much longer I will be able to and I might have done you a great disservice in doing so."

"Flora, I am fourteen years old. You don't think that I know what has happened outside of these walls? Do you not think that I have heard the screams and smelled the burning buildings and bodies?"

Flora's breath caught in her chest. She had failed her sister. Everything that she had done and everything that she had endured to keep her sister safe had been in vain. Did Miele really know all that Flora has done for her? What she had really done to keep her safe?

"I am sorry." Flora replied, "For not keeping you safe and I am sorry that I don't think that I will be able to keep you safe now."

Miele sighed as she bent down and began to pick up a handful of seal-bone buttons.

"What are you doing with those buttons?" Flora asked.

"I am-"

"Yoohoo!" a shrill voice called from the distance. Flora rushed over to the small window and looked outside to see a short woman in blue trudging toward the house.

"It's Pinga," Flora turned to Miele, "Quickly, pick up the rest of the buttons."

"What does Pinga want?" Miele asked as she continued to gather the seal-bone buttons from the floor.

"I don't know, Miele, but I don't think that she will be pleased to see a makeshift Fire Nation game on our floor and you know how much of an insipid gossip Pinga is. Or perhaps you would like our patient to be found out?"

Miele shook her head as she rose to her feet.

"Go, hide these."

Miele ran out of the door and on the way passed by Pinga.

"Good morning, Miele." the old woman smiled before holding up a basket of sea prunes, "Your sister left without picking up the sea prunes. Atka asked me to bring them to you. Where are you off to in a hurry?"

"Uh, Flora was helping to mend one of my boots and now I have to take the buttons back into the storeroom. She is inside." Miele replied hastily as she all but ran toward the storeroom.

Flora watched as Pinga made her way to the front of the small ice house. Flora stood at the opening and watched with her breath held as the old woman made her way closer to the house. At least she had managed to get Helia back into the storeroom in time.

"Oh, Flora," Pinga announced as she approached Flora in her doorway, "you left your basket of sea prunes at Atka's stall. She asked if I would give them to you and I thought since you are on the way."

"Thank you, Pinga," Flora reached out and shakily took the basket from Pinga's grip, "but you did not need to and our homes are on opposite sides of the village."

"No need to thank me," Pinga stepped past Flora and walked into the home, "may I come in?"

Flora dropped her head in mild annoyance as she turned to follow Pinga inside, "Of course, come in."

Flora watched carefully as Pinga set down the basket of sea prunes on the overturned water bucket by the door.

"We in the southern water tribe have to stick together."

Flora was shocked out of her minor state of hypervigilance when Pinga began to speak.

"Yes," Flora quickly replied, "of course."

"Especially with a member of the Fire Nation potentially in the South Pole."

"I haven't seen anyone strange."

She never considered herself a great liar, everyone said that they could see through her lies, that she was too sweet to be able to hide it. But time and necessity made Flora less sweet and she found it easier to lie. And there was no better time than now to do so.

"Keep alert, Flora. You know how those from the Fire Nation are and we must get rid of them if they are on the South Pole."

"Didn't they say that they don't believe that this person from the Fire Nation is here?"

"The Fire Nation is tricky, my dear, Flora." Pinga sighed, "I do wish that you and your sister would come into the heart of the village more. We all need to stick together, especially when our men are out fighting and with a potential threat near our tribe."

"Miele and I are happy here and we are able to get into the village center easily."

Pinga sighed, "One day the war will be over and this will all seem like some nightmare. I might not be able to see the end of it, but I ask the spirits that you, my grandson, and all of you young people will be able to live in a world without war. Speaking of my grandson..."

Flora rolled her eyes. The minute that she had her coming-of-age ceremony, Pinga and almost every other older person in the village had tried to set her up with any and every young man that they could think of, even if they were far away at war and there was no guarantee that they were alive. This is why Flora never said anything, she would let them live in their delusion.

"...he is strong and brave and tall and handsome. A fine catch if you really think about it and far better than Siku's son."

"Pinga," Flora replied, "I thank you for coming but I should take these sea prunes to the storeroom and find Miele and have her help with the chores."

Flora led Pinga towards the front of the house and gently pushed her out.

"Oh, Flora," Pinga turned as she stumbled towards the front, "you will think about my sweet Toklo."

"I will consider it." Flora responded as she smiled and waved towards Pinga. She smiled and waved, watching Pinga walk away from the house and as soon as the blue of Pinga's parka faded into the blue-hued white of the snow and ice, Flora turned and grabbed the basket of sea prunes and made her way into the store room.

Flora opened the door to the store room and stopped when she heard laughing. She lowered the hood of her thick parka and looked around one of the wooden shelves of the store room and saw Miele and Helia on the floor playing the game with the seal-bone buttons.

"...what do you mean that I can't do that?" Miele huffed, "Are you trying to cheat me out of a win?"

Helia chuckled, "I don't need to cheat to win when you are so bad at this game."

"Hey! I am just learning. I think that I am doing pretty well all things considered."

"You are," Helia replied as he slowly bent forward and collected the buttons to reset the game, "but you are far better than I was when my grandfather taught me."

"I am?"

Helia smiled and Flora watched as his eyes wrinkled in the corners as his mouth turned up. Every time Helia smiled, Flora had to admit to herself that she didn't look as scary as she had remembered the Fire Nation to be.

Or maybe Helia actually was different than the Fire Nation soldiers who raided her village time and time again.

"Oh most definitely," Helia replied, "I remember my grandfather would laugh every time I tried to take the White Lotus tile with my boat pieces. I guess I have never had much luck with boats."

"My sister says that water and fire are direct opposites so maybe that is why you do not fare well on the water."

Helia shrugged, "Your sister has many thoughts about the Fire Nation."

"Yeah..." Miele sighed, "She has seen more than I have and she thinks that I don't know what she has done for me but I do. At least I think I do. There was one night when the Fire Nation raiders came and they took my sister and I waited up all night. The ship never left the port but just as the moon was high in the sky, Flora came out and her face was pale, her hair a mess, and her parka ripped. I know what happens when the Fire Nation raiders come, I have heard the story about what they do to the women and girls. I would hate to think that the same happened to Flora. I haven't asked her about it and I dare not ask her about it."

Helia was silent as he solemnly looked forward at Miele. Flora could not discern what Helia was thinking.

"I am sorry for what my people have done to your family. I am sorry for what they have done to your tribe." Helia frowned, "For what the Fire Nation has done to everyone."

"You don't need to apologize, Helia. You were not responsible."

"I have killed people, Miele."

"Because you were a soldier," Miele leaned forward and placed a hand on Helia's cheek, "and this is war."

Helia placed his hand on top of Miele's and gave her a small smile, "Thank you for your kindness."

"Anytime," Miele said as she backed away and took her hand off of Helia's cheek, "but enough talk of war. Tell me more about your grandfather."

Helia smiled, "My grandfather was quite the man. I never knew how someone like my father could be from the same man. I remember my grandfather playing Pai Sho with me as a boy, and my grandmother playing the Ehru in the corner. I had never seen two people so in love. I think that the best part about my grandfather is that he and my grandmother always accepted me for who I was. To them, it didn't matter if I won or lost. if I was strong or if I cried. I was me and that was more than enough for them. My life was changed when they died and the light from my life had gone. It made deciding to leave behind the Fire Nation that much easier. And I am glad that I did and part of me is glad that I landed here. I would have never met you."

Miele beamed, "I am glad that I met you too. I really wish that there wasn't a war and I wish that you could stay here forever. You are my only friend here."

"I am sure that you have more people who care about you than you think. Besides, your sister is eager to get rid of me."

"Flora likes you. She is just too proud and stubborn to admit it. She hasn't killed you yet so take that as a good sign."

Helia laughed, his laugh just as deep as his voice, "I will take your word for it. Now, let me show you how a real Pai Sho master does it."

Flora watched as Helia taught Miele the Fire Nation game and hearing her sister laugh was like music to her ears. She had not heard her sister laugh like that in the longest time. Seeing Miele and Helia together reminded Flora of her own time with her father and the stories that he would tell and the games that they would play. Flora wanted nothing more than for her mother and father to be back with her. She wanted her family back.

But this could not last and it was time for Miele to get started on her chores.

"Miele," Flora said, causing Miele to turn around and for Helia to look up at Flora, "it is time to get started on the chores for the day."

"But I was playing-"

"Miele..." Flora crossed her arms. "You can play after your chores are done."

Miele huffed and rose to her feet, "Fine," she turned back and looked down at Helia, "we are not finished with this game."

"I didn't say that we were," Helia replied.

"And I am going to kick your Fire Nation a-"

"Miele!" Flora scolded.

"Butt," Miele replied softly, "Fire Nation butt."

Flora shook her head, "Now get back into the house, gather the soiled wrappings, and place them in the pot of water above the fire. I need to put the sea prunes away and then I will be back inside."

Miele nodded before she left the storeroom, leaving Helia and Flora alone once again. They stared at each other before Flora tightened her grip on the handle of the basket and made her way over to the shelf with various kinds and amounts of produce.

"I have never had a sea prune before," Helia remarked, trying to make light conversation.

"They are disgusting."

Helia chuckled, "Then why do you get them?"

"Because," Flora replied with a clenched jaw, "sometimes that is all that we have. Now, if you will excuse me, I have chores and you have to think about how you are getting away from the South Pole."

There was a momentary silence as Flora returned to her task but all the while, Flora could sense that Helia was looking at her. She could feel the holes that he was boring in the back of her head.

Flora turned, "If you need to say something, just say it so that I can get back to my work without you staring at me."

"It's just...just what your sister told me." Helia quietly replied.

"I heard what my sister told you and she had no right to tell you what happened."

"I know but she told me anyway." Helia said, "What happened?"

"Would that change anything?"

"I guess it wouldn't."

"And does it really even matter?" Flora asked. Helia didn't reply, instead, he just lowered his head, "I didn't think so."

She turned back around and began transferring the sea prunes from the basket and into the small crate on the shelf. She didn't feel Helia's eyes on her anymore.

"It does matter." Helia said softly, causing Flora's hands to stop moving over the prunes, "It matters to me."

Flora turned her head and saw Helia's saddened expression. Did it really matter to him? She surely didn't matter to anyone in the Fire Nation.

"You weren't..."

"What? Raped?" Flora scoffed, "They wish that they could have gotten their hands on me. No, I killed them."

Helia's eyes quickly widened, "What?"

Flora sighed, "You are not the only one with blood on your hands."

"I just didn't-"

"You didn't think that I could defend myself? That I couldn't protect my family or my tribe? That I am helpless?"

Helia shook his head and held out his hands in defense, "That is not what I meant at all."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I just didn't think that you would have been someone to kill another person. You seem so…good."

"Life has a funny way of proving people wrong, especially life spent in time of war."

Helia asked quietly, "What happened?"

Flora turned towards Helia and leaned against the shelf. She looked at Helia and then up as if lost in a memory.

"It was the last raid that the Fire Nation had conducted. It was one, no, two years ago. I was seventeen and they had come to take furs and fish. We didn't have enough to give to them so they took me." Flora shuddered, "I knew what they wanted in return, I learned quickly the best way to appease any man, all the girls around here are taught that at a young age. But nobody likes a woman who talks too much. So that is what I did, I talked. Talked and stalled until the full moon emerged and then I..."

"Why did you need to wait?"

Flora smirked, "Nobody told you what happens during a full moon?"

"I know that a water bender is at their strongest but still, not enough to make someone far stronger than usual."

Flora approached Helia and sat down next to him. She grabbed one of the seal-bone buttons and with one of the jagged edges, she cut the top of Helia's hand.

"Ow!" Helia exclaimed but before he could retract his hand, Flora grabbed his hand and squeezed, causing a small trickle of blood to come out.

"They say that the human body is made of sixty percent water, that water is in the blood that pumps throughout our body."

"Can...can you bend blood?" Helia asked as she stared down at his hand and then back up to Flora.

"Only during a full moon. But I heard that some powerful benders in the past have been able to bend blood anytime. It was the second time that I bent blood, the first being when I learned that I could do it when my sister cut her hand when eating her dinner."

Flora's face hardened as she looked at Helia, "You said that you remember your first kill and how powerful you felt. Well, I remember it too and sure I felt powerful but I also felt disgusting. I was even far more disgusted at this whole war. How could people kill so easily? How can you look at someone knowing that you have done something so terrible? The worst part is that killing them was so easy. Like dragging the juice out of a plump sea prune."

"You did it out of necessity, Flora. Agni knows what they would have done to you. I am glad you killed them."

"They were once somebody's child." Flora looked away from Helia.

"They stopped being anyone's anyone the minute they dragged you or anyone else onto the boat."

Flora gave Helia a small smile.

"I know that my opinion probably does not mean much to you but you really do have one of the most beautiful smiles I have ever seen."

"Easy to say when you have spent the last fourteen years on a boat with men. Well, that is if they aren't your preference."

Helia chuckled, "No, they are not and I was being serious. I've never seen lips so pink or eyes so green. You are very beautiful, Flora."

Flora blushed, "Thank you" she breathlessly replied.

They held each other's gazes for a few silent moments before Flora turned her head away.

"I have to finish storing the sea prunes."

"And I have to start thinking of a way that I will leave the South Pole. I truly meant that I don't mean anyone any harm and I know that my being here has placed you and Miele in harm's way."

Flora sighed before she turned back to look at Helia, his dark blue eyes sad and carrying guilt.

"I wish that it didn't have to be like this," Flora replied, "Miele and I both wish that there was never a war because we know that there was a time when the four nations lived in harmony. I wish that I could open the house to those of the Fire Nation and spend the day with you in the center of the village, wandering through the stalls and introducing you to all of the elders. Without the war, my mother and father would be here and Miele and I could have grown up not knowing the smell of burning flesh or the searing heat of the flame coming from a Fire Nation soldier. Without the war, I would be able to travel to the air temples, maybe to Omashu or Ba Sing Se. I might have been able to travel to the Fire Nation and spend a week on Ember Island, enjoying the sun on my skin and playing in the warm waters. Without the war, I would be free to speak out, sing out, and love without a second thought of what might happen. I would be able to be me."

Helia leaned forward and just as Miele had done for him, he raised the hand that had not been cut and placed it on Flora's cheek. Both Flora and Helia were surprised when she had not pulled back her head and instead had accepted his warm and comforting touch.

"I'm truly sorry that things could not have been any different. I told you too that I would spend the rest of my life apologizing for the pain that the Fire Nation caused and for my role in it. When I leave, I do intend to make my way to the Earth Kingdom to try and find the Avatar and offer my help to train him in fire bending. I wanted to end this war because I believe the war to be senseless and wrong but now, I have something to fight for, someone to fight for."

Flora sighed, "Miele will be happy to hear that."

"You know I wasn't just talking about Miele."

"I know." Flora replied, "And I don't want to know that people are fighting for me because I don't want to bear the guilt if you were not to make it. My father is fighting for the world and for the water tribe. I know that he fights for me and Miele but he knew not to tell me."

"I thought that you would not care?"

"Well, I do. If I wish you dead or show indifference then I am no different than the men that I killed. And..."

Helia leaned forward, his face mere inches from Flora's, "And?"

Flora's gaze softened as she looked ahead at Helia. She could see clearly the swirls of gray in his eyes, wondering if there had been an air nomad in his ancestry. His skin had been worn from the years at sea and each wrinkle on his face was clearer and deeper than she had seen them before. He was ten years her senior but looking at him so closely, she could still see and sense a child that had been lost to the war. The same child in herself that she too lost.

"And I don't want you to die."

Helia leaned in even closer. Flora could smell his smoky breath hit her nose and feel the heat emanating off of his body. Flora felt comfortable, more comfortable than she had ought to be around a fire bender. For a moment, Flora saw herself and Helia sitting in the house as she drank warm tea that he had brought back from the Fire Nation, and Helia and Miele would be playing a game of Pai Sho. Flora backed away, ridding the ridiculous thought from her head and creating a distance between her and Helia.

"I um," Flora replied, "I better get back inside."

"What about the prunes?"

"You can put them away. Start earning your keep around here."

Helia smiled, "I will perform this duty with expert care and precision."

Flora rose to her feet and turned back towards Helia, giving him a small smile before leaving the store room.