The Girl and the Fire Lord

28 Secrets - Hana's POV

The book I was reading was really great! I had the room to myself, a cup of tea in my hand, and everything was so very peaceful. I loved days like this... the ones I could just stretch out by myself and relax-

"Hana! Hana help!" Hiromi yelled, and I heard a loud thud at the door. What in the world? There was a low groan that sounded like a man. The door knob rattled.

"HANA!" She yelled again, and I sprung up from the bed. When I opened the door, Hiromi was standing pale-faced with Naoko leaning on her a bit. He was shirtless, sweating, and clearly burning with pain. 

"Oh my goodness gracious! Are you okay Naoko?" I asked. He looked up at me with blank eyes.

"Absolutely not." He let out, and hung his head again.

"I met him over by his station for our date and came up on the scene. He was talking to Zuko when I walked up. I kissed him on the cheek and we were about to go when Zuko attacked him! It must have been jealousy or something because he burned Naoko's back. Look!" Hiromi said, and I looked at the guard's back. Two blistered handprints were burned into the center of his spine and the left side of his lower back. Panic gripped my throat, but I got to work. 

"Don't worry Naoko, we can fix this." I assured him, and we laid him stomach down on Hiromi's bed. I gathered wet towels, ice, ointments, and some cool tea leaves to relieve the pain. Each time I touched the area he let out a groan. 

I'd never thought of the Firelord like this. He just didn't seem like the type. When he walked around the palace he was kind, funny, and usually very polite to all of the staff. Firelord Zuko had even been kind to Hiromi and I who were his living quarters maids for a little while before his father hired male room attendants. This seemed so out of character for him.

And yet the handprints on Naoko's back argued otherwise.

"Do you think the Firelord really sent for the waterbenders?" Naoko asked as I smoothed cool ice over the burns. Hiromi's face changed.

"He never said that." She answered.

"Remember? As he was running away he looked really upset and said he was going to get Luna and Tamala for me."

"Naoko that's ridiculous, the Firelord isn't going to get our best healers to heal a guard he burned. He'll probably fire you and sweep this all under the rug." Hiromi spat. We were all silent. Hiromi was my best friend in the world - though I'd never admit it to Kaori - and I could tell when something was off in her tone. There was no way she was telling the whole truth.