The DragonBorn

Chapter 29

The three slowly made their way back to their rundown apartment, but Zeraphina could tell that something was off with Zuko. The entire time they walked back into the city of Ba Sing Se he had been quiet and sluggish, as if there were chains keeping him from walking any faster than Iroh or her.

Iroh opened the door to their apartment and Zeraphina led Zuko inside.

"You did the right thing." Iroh said, "Letting the Avatar's bison go free."

"Master Iroh is right, My Prince. This is a good step in the right direction." Zeraphina added.

Zuko held his head in his hand, his vision slowly blurring out and his body becoming heavier by the second.

"I don't feel right." He groaned his pale skin growing paler making Zeraphina worry for her Prince even more.

"My Prince, is something the matter?" Zeraphina never got her answer as Zuko lost his footing, crashing into the side table and breaking the pot that sat on it. He would have hit his head on the hard floor if it weren't for Zeraphina catching him before he fell to the ground.

"My Prince!"

"Zuko!"

Zeraphina cradled Zuko's head in her lap and felt his already sweating brow.

"Master, he's burning up." She said.

"Zeraphina, get some cold water and a cloth. I'll get Zuko set up in a bed to rest."

"Of course."

Zeraphina carefully shifted Zuko off of her lap, but as she tried to stand up to get what they needed, she felt something grab her hand. She looked down and saw Zuko weakly grabbing her hand. Zeraphina didn't think much of it at the moment, but Iroh noticed this action and smiled.

"On second thought, I'll get the water and cloth. Would you mind getting Zuko situated in a bed?" Iroh said, not waiting to hear her response.

Zeraphina looked down at Zuko as he groaned and carefully maneuvered him into a futon, taking off his shirt and covering him with a blanket, all the while pushing down the pink tint in her cheeks. Iroh returned not too much later with a basin of cold water, a bucket of clean water and a rag to use.

Zuko tossed and turned in his sleep groaning in discomfort. Iroh dipped the rag into the cold water and rung it out.

"You're burning up." He said, "You have an intense fever. This will help cool you down."

Zuko opened his eyes, "So... thirsty." He said. He tried to sit up to get a drink, but Zeraphina pushed him back down to the bed.

"There is no need to push yourself when you're sick, My Prince." She said.

"She is right, nephew. Don't worry, just focus on getting better." Iroh took a ladle and scooped up some of the drinking water, "Here's some clean water to drink. Stay under the blankets and sweat this out."

Iroh and Zeraphina carefully helped Zuko to sit up, but as Iroh was helping Zuko take a drink of water, Zuko snatched the ladle from his hand and greedily drank every last drop. But it wasn't enough for him. He pushed Iroh away and grabbed the bucket of clean water, guzzling it down like he was stuck in the piercing heat of the desert sun. Zuko threw the bucket away and collapsed back on the bed as he coughed terribly from his illness.

"He will be thirsty again when he wakes up. I'm going to get him some more water. Do you mind watching him for a little bit, Zeraphina?"

"No, of course not." Zeraphina answered. Iroh smiled at the young woman and left the apartment with the bucket to get more water.