Princess of the Fire Nation

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Despite Zuko's disagreement, Lian had managed to convince her cousin and father to keep moving. Lian was eager to move further into the Earth Kingdom and as far as possible from Azula, the Rough Rhinos and everyone else that was hunting them down. She didn't admit that she received intel from an old friend that enemies were close and instead told her father that she had a 'feeling' that they should move.

Lian's mood hadn't lifted since meeting Kai and Zuko and her father were beginning to notice - not that she cared. Both had been giving her space after realising her sour mood and only initiated conversation when necessary. She didn't mean to be moody but Lian felt confused and it was making her miserable. Lian had loved Kai since she was so much younger and followed him around the palace so often that Lu Ten had referred at her as his 'little shadow'. Even her father had started to notice but war often kept him occupied.

Lian was devasted after learning that her father and Lu Ten would be leaving to fight in the war against the Earth Kingdom. However, she always felt that she would still have Kai until his father, Colonel Shinu, demanded he continue his training at the Yu Yan stronghold away from the Fire Nation Capital. While Azula and Zuko often distracted her, for which she was grateful, she couldn't help but feel the loss of her family and Kai and often cried herself to sleep.

Aunty Ursa knew how she felt and understood the loss she felt – sometimes she would stay with Lian as she finally cried herself to sleep but even, she left her too.

Days after learning of the death of Lu Ten, one of the worst days of her life, Lian woke one morning to learn that her Grandfather had also died and Aunty Ursa was nowhere to be found. Her father, on his way back from war, should have been crowned the new Fire Lord but instead the position went to her Uncle. Despite being a child, Lian knew something dodgy had happened but her father never questioned it so neither did she.

A lot had changed since then. Lian wasn't the same little girl that Kai had grown up with. Now she wasn't even a Princess and she was now his enemy. Yet, Lian couldn't help but still feel something for him. He had always made her feel loved and safe.

Lian definitely didn't feel safe as she travelled down the old dirt road with Zuko and her father. The weather was heating up and they hadn't seen another person for hours. The terrain had long turned from green and lush to more desert like.

Zuko and Lian rode on one war ostrich while her father had his own – they managed to steal another from the last village they were at. Lian and Zuko turned to check on Iroh seeing he was clearing in some discomfort. Although his health had improved a lot since Azula shot him, Lian had to remember that he still wasn't 100%.

"Maybe we should make camp" suggested Zuko to which Lian nodded.

"No, please, don't stop for me!" urged Iroh although the groan of pain suggested otherwise.

Zuko jumped of the ostrich to go check on her father, checking to make sure he was still okay. Suddenly, both ostrich's perk up and begin to look around frantically. Lian too jumped of her ostrich and both cousins assumed a defensive posture around Iroh.

"What now?" demanded Lian, still in a bad mood.

The earth trembled beneath them as five rhinos emerged around them all carrying a member of the Rough Rhinos. One was a Yu Yan archer and although Lian knew it wasn't her archer she couldn't help but think about him.

"Not you guys again" moaned Lian. While she and Zuko prepared for the fight, her father visibly brightened. He put a hand on Zuko's shoulder before calling out to the leader of the group.