For You

Book One Chapter Twelve: A Dinner Worth The Stay

"Honey, are you certain that is what you want?" Yiazara leaned on the door frame as she watched you folding clothes to pack. You were accepted in the Fire Nation Trainee Academy, you were going to train to become a soldier just like your father.

"Father says that, he sees his young self in me. He also said that I can be greater than he is! Do you realize mom? I could be an Lieutenant and even a General!" you turned to her with a big smile as you breathed heavily. Your heart was pounding so fast that you felt like it would jump off your chest and enlist to the Academy by itself.

Yiazara smiled softly and approached you, she cupped your cheek and looked at you. Her eyes were proud and happy, but in her heart she was so worried. She had her own opinions on the war, She's taken care on silencing them so far even if she hoped with all her being that someone, anyone could stop it. But when she looked at you, she no longer saw the shy little baby that would hide in the crook of her neck whenever strangers were visit.

She saw a growing woman, sure you were only 13 at the time, barely had boobs and curves but your eyes were burning of passion and ambition. The same fiery ambition Yiazara saw in Shen's eyes. "You will be great, maybe the greatest," she held her necklace. A dark blue choker with a pendant on it, the only souvenir from her home she can proudly show without the Fire Nation guards knowing what it really meant. "and one day, this will be yours." she kissed your forehead and pulled away.

Before she exited the room, "There is one question that stings me though," she turned back and looked at you once again. "Why do you want to be a high rated General?"

You stopped, at the time you didn't really worry about where life would take you. You were just doing what the world asked of you, you had your family and your friends, it was enough for you to be happy. Your only ambition was those your father thought you, fighting for the Fire Nation and serve the Fire lord. However, when you thought about the Fire Lord, Ozai's face was never the one that would appear to you.

You always saw Zuko, and if fighting this war and being a General means that you will always be by his side. To see him grow, succeed and fail, even if it meant finding love with someone else. You would do it. So when your mother asked why you wanted to be at the top of the Fire Nation's army as a general, one reason was crystal clear.

"To serve my Fire Lord."

End of Flashback.

You fidgeted with the pendant of your choker as you watched Zuko train with Uncle Iroh. He had it all in his fire bending, technic, strength, stamina and even emotions that would slip through here and there. Its been already two days since you stopped at the Village port, the boat had some serious reparations to be made given the extended time it has been at sea.

Everyone seemed to have something to do in Zuko's crew, the ship was almost never inactive. Everyone did something, Uncle Iroh either sat down to play his board game or train Zuko, The guards and soldiers would do whatever Zuko asked of them. Which meant screwing villages around asking if they saw a flying bison or even the Avatar. Then Zuko, he almost never rested. He would observe a map for hours, trying to guess where Aang is going to where he went. If not that he would meditate or practise his firebending.

While you... Li y/n, you sat in Zuko's room or on the bridge inactive in a crowd of busy men.

You were excessively bored. Sure teasing Zuko was amusing but then he'd flame up and go away. Which then you had to go after him and apologise. Not fun. You missed the GAang's lack of seriousness, you missed Katara's bickering with Sokka. Aang's constant want to play, he was a child after all. You missed Sokka, all of him. Even if you don't clearly know if you had feelings for him, one thing was certain, Sokka is your bestfriend. He will always be. You find your mother behind his eyes and... A friend as well as a lover. You missed his touch, his lips.