Lotus Flower: Book One|ZukoxOC(Avatar the Last Airbender Fanfic)

It Hasn't Been Your Day, Your Week, Your Month or Even Your Year

I don't know how long it's been. It seems like it's been days, weeks, or even months since the prince locked me up.

My time has consisted of eating whatever a member of the crew brings, sleeping, or meditating. So, you could say I'm bored.

I stare out the little window with my chin in my hand, watching the algae covered waves bounce against the ship as we glide through the parting water.

The light from the window barely makes a difference in the cell—meaning my serotonin levels aren't what they usually are. The cell itself is big enough, and Iroh and the crew keep bringing me things to make it more comfortable. They've brought me pillows, a mat to sleep on, blankets, and my belongings (including clothing). The cook has even been bringing me tea and cookies on the regular. On occasion, Iroh and Niko come down and play Pai Sho, and they try to get me to laugh..and just smile. I know they can see how swollen my face is and how red my eyes are from tear bending—and it means the world to me that they care so much.

Pounding footsteps coming towards me break me from my thoughts.

"Hello?" I call, and they come to a stop. "Who's there?"

A face appears at the bars of my cell, looking stubbly and with crazy eyes. "They can't take me away. They can't." He begs, his face pressing close and his knuckles turning white from gripping the bars.

"Who are you?" I ask, standing.

"She's coming. She's going to take me away." He says fearfully, his hand reaches toward me. "But here, here it is safe." He stops shaking.

"Are you in danger?" I ask, instinctively becoming protective.

"She's going to take me away." He repeats.

Just then, the ship lurches and knocks the man off balance. Heavy pounding from deck makes me look up in question.

"She's here!" He exclaims, jumping into a barrel.

A panel up above is ripped off and a weird tongue thing lashes out—knocking the barrel over. The man crawls about in horror, as the tongue hits him. He freezes, unable to move and he ends up on deck.

I gaze up through the new 'ceiling light' to the beast up above. "A shirshu?" I whisper in wonder, as a woman stalks forward.

"He's paralyzed." Zuko's voice floats towards me, as he points out the obvious.

"Only temporarily." A woman with dark hair and eyes says, throwing the man over her shoulder like a a sack of potatoes. "The toxins will wear off in about an hour. But by then, he'll be in jail and I'll have my money."

"But how did you find him on my ship?" The prince asks.

The woman tosses the man onto the back of the shirshu, before climbing on herself. "My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away."

"Well, I'm impressed." Iroh murmurs.

The woman cracks the whip and her companion takes off. "Very impressed," Iroh says more creepily.

I can only imagine the disgust on Zuko's face.

Their footsteps echo overhead, and the prince—for the first time in who knows how long—notices me. His amber gaze is full of regret, sadness and, as expected, anger.

"Uncle, I have an idea." He states, not looking away from me.

•••

One thing led to another, and I now find myself right outside a tavern with a couple of guards. There's cloth over my mouth and my wrists are bound together with rope.