Spark [Prince Zuko - Book One]

❃Chapter Twelve❃

Asake leaned against the cool rail, looking out at the blue water. A crescent moon reflected in the small waves, guiding their way. She craned her neck to look at the sky, taking in the stars dotting the black expanse. Did the Spirits live in the heavens above their world? She wasn't sure; while she was very spiritual, Father wasn't, so she wasn't taught much about the spirits that her mother believed in. All she could do was read about them.

She lowered her head onto her arms and stared at the waves lapping at the sides of the ship. In the reflection of the water, she could see the sun start to rise in the east, trying to block out the stars and moon. Asake blew out a sigh, an early morning breeze ruffling her clothes. Sleep evaded her once again, and she couldn't help but come to the deck and watch the passage of time. There was something so peaceful about the way the sky showed time moving, the stars, moon, and sun agents of something far greater than she.

Steepling her fingers beneath her chin, her lips moved with a silent prayer. When she was little, Asake wondered if the Spirits actually heard her prayers. She thought that they would work on her time and would give her exactly what she wanted. As she grew in her faith, she realized that the Spirits had plans that superseded her own. She still had free will to choose what path to take, but the Spirits bumped her the right way.

After she finished her prayer, she moved to drop her hands to her sides, but there was something else on her mind. This time, Asake intertwined her fingers together, squeezing her eyes shut. Words formed in her mind, asking the Spirits what was a good path for her now that she was traveling with the Prince. Daza's words echoed in her mind, the invitation to leave this ship once and for all. Was that a good plan, to leave the one thing that kept her safe in her banishment? He and the crew had been her only family for two years now, and she had no other place to go. Or was she better off staying even though her heart wasn't in it?

Someone cleared their throat behind her. Fear gripped her heart as she spun around, her hands falling away from their position. Fire burned in Prince Zuko's eyes as he stared at her, and she had half a heart to unsheath her sword and stab him. Instead, she clasped her hands in front of her, trying to look as innocent as she could.

"Prince Zuko!" she said, breathing out a sigh. Embarrassment crept up her neck in the form of a blush. "You scared me."

"What are you doing out here this early?" he said softly. The fire in his eyes died out when he crossed his arms over his chest. He looked a little uncomfortable standing there with her.

"I couldn't sleep. What about you?"

"Same."

"Do you want to join me?"

"Sure." Zuko settled next to her, resting his elbows on the rail next to hers. Asake could feel a faint heat from where his arm was next to her, but she didn't move away from him. They remained silent for a moment, watching as the sun made its way across the sky. "Do you think we'll find the Avatar?"

"I don't know," she said truthfully, her voice low. For some reason, she felt like she needed to whisper. Something about the way he was standing there told her that he had something else on his mind. She hesitated before saying, "Maybe we aren't meant to find him."

Zuko stiffened next to her. His muscles tensed up, and he let out an angry breath. She knew she made a mistake by saying that, but she had to get it off of her chest. No matter how angry he got, she wouldn't back down from her beliefs – whether they were supported by the Spirits or not.

"It doesn't matter if we aren't meant to find him or not." Zuko clenched his fists as he glared down at the pale waves. His voice was hard as he said, "We have to."

"I understand," she said, nodding. Her shoulders dropped; of course she wouldn't be able to tell him how she truly felt about the Avatar and what they were doing. She wasn't strong enough to tell him how she really felt. "Really, I do. But . . ."