I hope everyone had a merry christmas and a Happy New Year! I haven't had a chance to write over the festive period for a number of reasons, but I'm back now.

Responses to Reviews:

RonaldM40196867: I like the way Rinzen has been accepted as a member of Team Avatar despite coming in as more of an outsider, and because he was told to, initially.

Yue had to admit, Jet knew how to entertain his troops. A large space was cleared in the centre of the camp, and torches installed. Then a band had struck up a lively tune, and the first dancers had ventured out onto the floor as food was prepared. It wasn't a particularly rich selection, but Yue suspected it was about as good as an army trying to feed thousands of people on short notice was going to be able to provide. The soldiers certainly didn't seem to mind.

"I'm impressed," she said out loud as she watched the dance. "You've done all this in a few months? That is seriously impressive."

Jet smiled modestly.

"Really, it's everyone here who's done this," he said. "We are a Province in arms. Everyone coming together to do what the central government cannot."

He paused.

"Though I helped of course."

"That general's plan seems to have worked wonders," Katara remarked.

Jet's smile faltered.

"Uh... yes," he managed. "It did, didn't it?"

He shrugged, and changed the subject.

"But even so, like I say you did a lot here too. You saved me. Everyone here wears your colours, and is fighting at least on some level for you."

Yue nodded, still slightly unsure what to say to that, or how to feel about it. She watched some bolder soldiers whirling in front of them to the music, as others laughed and cheered.

Jet seemed to consider for a moment, and then he stood up.

He extended a hand to Yue, with his most winning smile.

"Would you care to dance with me?" He asked. "Of course I know you're the Avatar, and a Princess, and so I'm just a bit below your station, but..."

"Alright," Yue interrupted him, standing up. "Not a Princess any more, remember? Still, I'd love a dance."

She took his hand and tried to remember the dance moves from her previous life as a royal, taking slow, dignified steps into the dance floor. Meanwhile, Jet was not doing that, bouncing along energetically beside her.

They reached the centre of the dance floor and stood facing each other.

"I don't recognise your dance," Yue confessed.

"Then we'll do yours," Jet replied. "Though I do not know it either."

"That doesn't matter," Yue told him. "Just follow my lead."

She began moving slowly, leading him through one of the easiest courtly dances she knew. He was a fast learner.

"Thank you for doing this," Jet smiled as they stepped in unison. "I think it's good for everyone to see us."

"You're very welcome," Yue replied, smiling primly. Just for a moment, she could close her eyes and imagine herself at home, at some function for her father, putting on the airs and graces expected of the heir to the throne. It had been suffocating then, but now... she almost missed it.

As they leaned in closer, Jet looked at her regretfully. He looked like he wanted to say something. For a moment he hesitated. Then he spoke.

"I'm afraid I have a bit of a confession to make," he said, then retreated a couple of steps in time to the music.

Yue raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

Jet waited until the next time the dance brought them closer together, then leaned in.

"This was never the general's idea," he said.

Yue frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"It means I deserted," Jet said simply. "And, unfortunately, I lied to you as I did it."

The dance brought them apart at that point, giving Yue a moment to digest this news. She felt herself falter, fall out of step and lose the rhythm of the dance, and had to work hard to catch up and regain it. She hoped nobody noticed.

She scowled at him.

Only once they were back together again did he speak.

"I can only apologise," he said. "I didn't know if you would have gone along with it otherwise."

"Do I look like a servant of the Earth King?" Yue reminded him. "Of course I would!"

"I am sorry," Jet incorporated a low bow into his dance, which Yue copied. Nobody around them would know the difference. "I never meant to decieve you, only to help you. And they would not let me."

Yue frowned at him.

"I do not appreciate being lied to," she said. "But I can't deny you seem to have done good things here. And your men did save us."

They danced in silence for a while. Finally, Jet looked like he could bear it no longer.

"We're not the only ones dancing," he said, gesturing over her shoulder. Yue spun around, and saw her friends had joined in. Katara was spinning around Rinzen, who was using his airbending to leap around the dance floor with inhuman agility as they laughed together. They were drawing quite the crowd, who gasped in amazement at the way he moved. Yue didn't know if any of them would have seen Air Nomads dance before.

She watched as Rinzen lifted Katara clear off the ground with his bending, the Princess of the South giggling all the while, and then placed her gently down.

Meanwhile, Sokka was leading Suki through a courtly dance from the south, although he was clearly not very practiced at it. The two of them were grinning at each other and saying something in low voices as they spun around each other, primly holding hands. Yue looked away, back to Jet. He was studying her.

"Perhaps a change of dance partners is in order," he said.

"Perhaps it is," Yue nodded. "This has been great."

"Has it?" Jet looked surprised.

"Well, apart from that small thing," Yue shrugged. "But I don't suppose that matters now, does it? It's already happened."

Jet stopped and bowed formally, signalling the end of their dance.

"Don't let me get in the way," he said. "Go and have fun. I think if anyone deserves it, you do."

Yue looked at her friends, who saw her looking and began gesturing excitedly for her to join them. She looked back to Jet, grinned, and then ran to join them as the music swelled.