MAYA [Book 1 - Water]

Chapter 39 - Calm Before Storm

-Zuko's Point of View-

"You're kidding. You mean to tell me that she's my sister?!" I shouted at my uncle after he told me that Maya was an illegitimate daughter of my father and Master Anika.

"Half-sister, but technically, yes she is. She is your father's daughter. You are blood relatives," uncle answered. 

"This has to be a joke uncle. This is a big disgrace to the Royal family name! Father would not do that to Mom!" I argued.

"Your mother and father's relationship is much more complicated than you think. It's a story for a different time," Uncle said as he slowly stood up. 

"Where are you going?" I asked him. 

"It's past sundown; I need to sleep, and so should you. Good night my nephew," he said, and then he left my room.

I'd like to think that my uncle was joking, but he doesn't look like he is. No wonder why I saw a little bit of resemblance of father in her.

Now everything is more complicated than before. If this gets any more complicated than it is, then I'm gonna go crazy.

But wait, does she know that she's the Fire Lord's daughter? Does the Avatar know that they are traveling with the Fire Lord's daughter?

A thought suddenly came inside my head as I raised the corner of my mouth.

I think I just discovered Maya's kryptonite. Maybe I can use this information to my own advantage.

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-Maya's Point of View-

We arrived at the other side of the canyon in the middle of the night. One by one, I helped all the other passengers get down safely from Appa's saddle. 

"Hey, young lady! Where are they?" one old woman asked. 

"I don't know... It's probably going to take longer for them to reach the other side of the canyon since they're only walking," I answered.

"It's probably those lazy Zhangs slowing them down," one old man said. "Or it could be those meticulous Gan Jins who don't want to get their robes dirty!" another old man argued.

A small commotion started building up between the two tribes and before it could even escalate to something big, I jumped in between their fight and shouted, "Alright guys that's enough! I know we're all tired and weary from travelling so why don't we all just rest for the night? Let's just wait for all of them by tomorrow morning," 

"I'm not sleeping anywhere near those pesky slobs!" an old woman shouts. "We don't want to even breathe the same suffocating air as you Gan Jins!" a middle-aged woman shouted back.

"Okay then... The Zhangs can go to my left side, and the Gan Jins will sleep on my right. Appa and I will sleep in the middle so that you guys will not see each other. Would that be fair?" I suggested to them and they all agreed. 

Everyone started unpacking and setting up camp. Both tribes lit their own campfire and ate their dinner. I grabbed a bunch of leaves from the forest near us to give to Appa and it took him a while before he started eating. 

"Sorry buddy, this is the only food I can find for you in the forest," I told him. He snorted at me and then he groaned, "I owe you a bunch of fresh hay," I replied, and then he ate the leaves.