The DragonBorn

Chapter 3

The bitter cold traveled through the frozen air like a biting polar bear dog, the sheer frozen temperature sinking into your skin like teeth. The glaciers of the South Pole were large and slow moving, nothing disturbing their rest in the icy cold waters. That is, until something sailed through the clear blue waters, casting a shadow in the once blue shade and turning it to gray.

It was a Fire Navy ship, and a rickety one at that. It was covered in scratches and marks of repair being done over the years it has sailed the waters. But this was no ordinary Fire Navy ship. No, this ship belonged to a certain prince that continue to lay in his chambers as the sun began to rise in the East, dying the waters a beautiful orange color that sparkled brightly.

As the sun rose, so did the Prince who lay in his chambers. As many firebenders, he rose with the sun, the rays of the fiery sphere in the sky blinding him slightly from the window of his room. Slowly, his golden eyes cracked open just a bit, blinking a few times in order for him to wake up completely. He looked around his room, immediately seeing the reds and golds of his nation and shivering from the cold of the outside that somehow crawled through the cracks of the metal ship.

He sat up in bed, but was confused by something missing. A companion of his that was always there whenever he woke up. Ever since they were children, his friend would always see him wake up since she rose even earlier than he did, reading a book in the corner and waiting for him to wake up. After all, she was his friend as well as his second in command on the ship. She had always been by his side, welcoming him with a warm smile every day.

But the only times she wasn't be his side was when they slept, and when she had another dream. And since she wasn't there and she never slept late past dawn, she must've had another dream.

Zuko quickly got up and dressed in usual uniform before heading out to the deck where he knew his friend would be. When he walked out onto the deck, he immediately felt the biting cold, but then felt a wave of warmth wash over him. He looked towards the front of the deck and saw his friend bending those brilliant flames that he had always enjoyed seeing.

She delicately waved her arms through the air slowly, the fire following her fingertips as they cut through the cold air. Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail and all she wore was a black tank top and a pair of black pants that puffed out at the legs and hugged back at the ankles. Suddenly, she kicked high into the air, a jet of white fire erupting from the sole of her foot.

He watched her for a few minutes, studying her movements simply for his own enjoyment. Finally, she finished with a deep breath in and let it out slowly before turning around and smiling at him.

"My Prince." She said, running over to him and standing in front of the young prince, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Not for too long." Zuko said with a frown, "You should take a bath and get ready for training. Uncle will be awake soon."

The girl nodded and bowed, "As you wish, my prince." She said before running back into the ship to clean up. Zuko sighed hearing her call him 'prince'. She hardly ever called him by his name, not since they set out on their journey. He didn't know why. But one day, when he completed his search, he would return to the Fire Nation and bring her back with him, standing by her side as he wanted.

As the day passed slowly by, Zuko continued his training, going through the basics as his Uncle had instructed. Eventually, the girl came out washed and dressed in a sleeveless top with a high collar that covered her neck. Around her hips were thin chains that faded from black to red that clipped onto her black pants, and the only type of shoes she ever wore were boots with rounded edges. However, she did wear a hooded cloak to hide herself from the cold winds and the eyes of the soldiers on the ship. It was easier for her to not draw any attention from anyone other than those she trusted the most.