Chapter Three: The Deal

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"Look at this, Prince Zuko!"

"We don't need another horn!"

We've been at this little port town for, what I can only assume is, two hours now. Prince Zuko is getting more and more irritated as his uncle aimlessly drags him around, but I can see what the old man is playing at.

Every place he took Zuko, and therefore me, he'd sigh sadly and tell the prince to "look at the state of this place." Zuko is still adamant about leaving me here, but I can see his composure slowly crumble. Iroh really knows how to play his nephew quite well.

"Enough of this, Uncle!" Zuko bursts out. "We're going back to the ship and she's staying here!"

"But Zuko—" Iroh starts to say.

"Unless she has something useful to offer, I don't want her on my ship," Zuko says adamantly.

I look around the impoverished state of this town. I won't last long here unless I go to extreme measures, and I'm not about to do that.

This is your only chance...

"I can be of use," I blurt. Zuko and Iroh stop bickering to stare at me; Zuko looks agitated and Iroh looks surprised. "The reason they kept me there, at the fortress, was because I can use my waterbending to heal. I can... I can do that for you, if you let me stay."

Zuko's gaze is painfully unwavering and stifling; I can't read him at all, and my hope is slowly fading away the longer he remains silent.

"No."

The ground beneath me crumbled. Was this really it? I've made it this far, survived this long, only to be deserted in a seedy port town, miles and miles from my home. How will I ever get back? I have no money, no boat, and no help.

"We have a medic — if we didn't, your offer would be tempting." Zuko moves to turn away but hesitates. "Good luck." Then he walks off toward the docks.

Iroh stares at him in disbelief before sending me a sad look and chasing after him. I had faith that Iroh would try to convince Zuko to have some pity on me, but why should he? He doesn't know me, I'm just a stranger to him — to both of them.

I stand there in the little alleyway we've been traveling down, now unsure of what to do with myself. The sun is slowly sinking into the distant horizon, and I have no place to lay my head tonight. I don't even have shoes, but not many people here do anyway.

A cool breeze gusts through the alley and I shiver. These clothes aren't suited for this area of the world. I spot a little alcove along the wall and decide to hunker down in there as best as I can. I draw my knees up to my chest and close my eyes. I can still see my mother's face, but it's getting harder and harder to remember every detail. Was her nose like mine? Were her lips full or thin? Did she wear her hair in a braid or a bun?

I bite my lip. Tears are coming. I haven't cried over her in a long time, but I also often try not to think about her — it hurts too much.

I don't know how long I sat there, but when I lift my pounding head again, it's dark. A fire is crackling further down the alley to my right, and the flames dimly flicker against the old stone. A voice suddenly echoes down the backstreet.

"Yeah, I saw him on his ship. He was shouting at the old man about how he couldn't stay here forever."

A man. His voice is gruff and deep.

"Did you see his crew?"

And another one; a second man, but possibly younger than the first. A bad feeling grew in my stomach.

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