Little Soldier Boy

Quiet

"Here," a navy soldier handed Zuko and the others heavier under armor to help with the cold as they left to head to the North Pole.

"Lee come get your clothes," don called over as Zuko held his and Lee's bundle.

"Give me a minute," Lee leaned over the side of the ship looking pale in the face.

"Don't let the captain see you like that," Zuko walked over to him as he shivered a little at the wind.

"Ugh I hate the sea," Lee huffed a little as they sat against the metal edge of the ship.

"It's not that bad," Zuko put on his winter armor. He hated the cold but he was curious to see snow for the first time.

"Says the guy with the stomach of steel, only time I've seen you throw up is when your sick," Lee snapped with a small pout, he grabbed the winter armor with a small shiver.

"I remember first time I  was on the battle field I saw one of our soldiers crushed under a bolder, I threw up immediately," Zuko pulled the black cloth around his neck higher to his nose.

Lee glanced at him again. He forgot the kid was actually a kid when he joined, seen things he saw when Lee was over 16, he smelt blood from the war when he was only 13.

"Well your not the only one, it's brutal fighting earth benders," Lee sighed a little.

"I fainted when I saw it, first battle, only reason I wasn't killed is cause they thought I was dead," he snorted shaking his head.

Zuko covered his nose with the longer neck of the under armor clothes and kept his eyes down, his cheeks and nose were rosy from the cold air as he looked over his shoulder to watch the ocean.

"It's weird how quiet the ocean is," Zuko said quietly. Lee covered his mouth with a gag not bothering to look from his motion sickness.

"The ocean is evil," Lee shuttered.

"I'm use to animals and you assholes always being loud, it's just weird," he watched the sun just barely touching the horizon as it settled.

"Well You won't miss that as soon as we go back, it'll be loud and obnoxious again," Lee swallowed back the sickness in his throat and made a face with his tongue out.

"Tomorrow we should be caught up with the rest of the armada," he sighed resting his head against the ship and Zuko stayed standing to watch the sea.

"And we attack tomorrow?" The boy frowned.

"If we get there on time," Lee nodded.

"Wow," Zuko breathed surprised at the timing.

"Hopefully we'll be the soldiers that get to invade inside the northern tribe, better than being on this shit metal," Lee chuckled softly but quickly got up to throw up over the side.

"To fight water benders? Your risking a lot," Zuko shrugged as he crossed his arms.

"I signed up to be a soldier, that's the first of risking everything," he coughed as Zuko patted his back in disgust still.

"If the ocean doesn't kill you first," Zuko teased a little.

"Soldiers, get to your bunks, limited soldiers above after dark," a commander barked at them and Lee groaned wiping his mouth.

"I'll get you a bucket," Zuko said flatly leaving him behind.

-

The next day everyone worked on preparing for the invasion with the catapults and weapons on the ship, a messenger hawk arrived to the captain at noon while he stood at the wheel.

Zuko grunted lifting a wooden box to the side that had ammo for the catapult but heard someone call his name.

"Zuko is it?" The captain walked over as he set the crate down.

"Yes sir," he turned to him.

"Admiral zhao would like a word with you as soon as possible," the captain told him. Zuko rolled his eyes a little but nodded understanding the order.

-

Zuko was hoisted up as he took a small boat to the lead ship where zhao was, he boarded the metal boat as he was told where zhao was for him to go meet with. His heart pounded in his chest, what could zhao possibly want? They've always hated each other, wanted nothing to do with another.

He pushed the door open where zhao was with the captain on the balcony, another man was there with them.

"Zuko, so nice of you to join," zhao looked him up and down judgmentally.

"You wanted to see me admiral?" Zuko asked calmly pushing his emotions to the side.

"Well General iroh and I wanted to have a word with you, captain your excused," zhao waved off the captain and the man in the warm cloak on the side turned surprised.

Zukos eyes widen seeing it was his uncle who looked just as shocked. The boy panicked a little as he didn't know how to react, should he keep the formality since he wasn't family anymore technically?

"Good to see you again uncle," Zuko bowed his head with his fist against his palm.

"You've grown so much," iroh whispered sadly. This was the first time he's seen his nephew since the Agni kai. First time he's seen the scar healed.

"Sad, I know, but we have an invasion," zhao put his hands behind his back as Zuko pulled his eyes away from Iroh. 

"I have a special mission I thought would be suitable for you," he looked at the boy smugly.

"Why me?" Zuko asked confused.

"You have more experienced soldiers, I don't do missions," he gulped a little.

"True, but they don't understand like we do what this war costs, they've never seen gold even like we have, tell me how many people know your the prince?" Zhao asked as Zuko frowned. Was he just brought to be chastised?

"No one but the commander of my troops," he shook his head keeping his hands behind his back.

"No one has a reason to follow me, I'm the youngest of my own troops and they would never let me lead them into something like this for the first time, I don't think it's smart," Zuko explained as the two older men turned to him.

"It's not an option, it's an order," zhao glared.

"You want me to capture the avatar?" He crossed his arms.

"Precisely, don't think you'll get any credit though, your still just a soldier, boy," the admiral narrowed his eyes at him.

"Would you like to join me for a cup of tea, Zuko?" Iroh cut the tension between them.

"General iroh-" "is there an issue? I would like to have tea with my nephew whom I haven't seen in three years, I'm not asking you," iroh put his hand up and kept his eyes on the boy.

"Fine, just remember who's ship your on General," zhao scoffed and left the two.