[Earth on Fire] Zuko x OC

Chapter 5: The Storm

It was weeks before Zuko let me out of my room again. Staying true to his word, there was constantly a guard stationed directly outside my door. At first, the guard stood inside my room, but after I threw a hissy fit about privacy and changing that left Zuko rather red in the face, he grudgingly agreed to move the guard.

House arrest wasn't as bad as it could have been. After about a week of me laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling and feeling sorry for myself, Iroh came to visit me. He made tea and we played Pai Sho and talked for hours before Zuko commanded him up on deck. Catching the dejected look on my face, Iroh promised to visit again and talk to Zuko about shortening my confinement.

It must have worked, although slowly, because after two weeks, Zuko himself knocked twice and then entered. I was laying on my bed and earthbending a tiny rock to bounce up and down in the air.

"Where did you get that!" he cried. Startled, I sat up, causing the rock to go flying out the window and into the ocean.

"Thanks," I said sarcastically. "There go my plans to take over your ship with a pebble." Zuko glared at me for a second before speaking.

"I have decided you have been in confinement long enough," he said stiffly, not looking at me. "You may go up to deck if you wish." Shrugging, I swung my feet over the edge of my bed and sauntered out the door. "That's it? No thanks?" he called after me.

"Oh, thank you, great almighty Prince, for allowing me, a humble peasant girl, to see the outside air," I called back in an overdramatic voice. I could hear him mutter angrily behind me as I climbed the ladder up to the deck.

Breathing in the fresh ocean air for the first time in weeks, I smiled. Being cooped up in there was starting to get to me. I stood at the edge of the deck and spread my arms wide, feeling the refreshing ocean spray hit my face.

"You look like you're enjoying yourself." I turned around to see Iroh smiling at me.

"Thank you, Iroh," I replied. "I take it you had something to do with my freedom."

"I may have had a few words with my nephew," he said mysteriously. "But it was not entirely my doing. I think he missed having someone to argue with." I scoffed. Punishment over or not, I was still angry at Zuko for trying to hurt Aang and Katara, and I knew he was still angry at me for letting them go.

"There is a storm coming," Iroh said suddenly, gazing up at the sky. "A big one." I looked up at the sky, confused. There was nothing but clear blue as far as I could see.

"You're out of your mind, Uncle," Zuko said. "It's perfect weather. There's not a cloud in sight!"

"A storm is heading from the north," Iroh insisted. "I suggest we alter our course and head southwest."

"We know the Avatar is heading north," Zuko replied stubbornly. "So we will do the same."

"Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew," Iroh pleaded, looking worried now.

"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" Zuko shouted, losing his patience, just as the lieutenant walked on deck. The lieutenant turned to stare, hearing Zuko's words, and even the prince looked a little chagrined. The tension was palpable. "Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individuals safety," Zuko said finally, walking up to the lieutenant, who looked down at him in stony eyed silence.

"He doesn't mean that," Iroh said to the captain as Zuko walked off deck. "He's just all worked up." I let out a quiet scoff. Iroh could defend his nephew all he wanted, but it was pretty clear Zuko only really cared about himself. Hearing my scoff, the lieutenant turned to look at me, and I could see understanding in his eyes. "I should probably go check on him." Iroh said, leaving just me and the lieutenant.