Fire & Rain: Book 1

Welcome Aboard

Y/N's POV
Three years later, I had finally been granted permission to see battle, and was sent to assist Commander Zhao as a guard at his harbour until I turned sixteen in a few months. My job consisted of patrols every night and idly standing guard every morning.

It became very repetitive until one day I saw someone I thought I would never see again.

Prince Zuko stepped off of his ship with his uncle, arguing with him about something, I watched as the commander approached them. He invited Zuko and his uncle for tea, and I eavesdropped on their conversation:

Zuko had found the avatar, he tried to keep it a secret from Zhao but his crew was interrogated and told on him. Zhao was planning to set sail with a crew to capture the avatar, which meant that Zuko would never be welcomed home... I watched as they argued, Zhao told Zuko that his father didn't want him, that he was a failure and a disgrace to the fire nation, angering Zuko who in retaliation challenged him to an Agni Kai.

I stood by the training arena, as a guard, with my helmet on, watching the Agni Kai from the edges, Zuko had really gotten into good shape over the years we've been apart, and although I was worried when Zhao struck Zuko to the ground, Zuko's defence was amazing, and ended up having the upper hand in the fight. When Zhao was defenceless, Zuko had every chance to destroy him, but instead struck right next to him, he spared Zhao.

As he walked away, Zhao attempted to strike Zuko but Iroh stood in between them and scolded Zhao. Instead of sticking by to watch, I decided it was time I reunited myself with my old friend.

I snuck ahead of them and boarded Zuko's ship, I waited below deck until the ship began to move. After hearing Zuko explode in frustration after his uncle delivered the news that they did not know the avatar's location, I decided to knock on his door.

"THIS BETTER BE IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BE DISTURBING ME AND NOT WORKING ON TRACKING DOWN THE AVATAR"

Zuko's POV
A member of the crew entered my room, a female, strange, because I didn't have any females on board my ship. I assumed a fighting stance before demanding:
"Who. are. you. "

The soldier lifted her helmet from her head, her H/L, H/C hair fell into place and she smiled at me, she was really, really pretty. I blinked a few times before asking,
"Should I know you?"

She looked almost offended before cocking her eyebrow and pulling some water from my glass and spiralling it around my head, I stared in confusion, still holding my stance, before I realised,
"Y/N!?"

She grinned and ran over to embrace me,
"The one and only!"

I slightly pulled away to look at her,

"I can't believe you're here! But, how? Why? And wow, you've...  changed... I barely recognised you!"

"I've changed? Look at you, pony tail! Well, I heard that the crew snitched on you back at the harbour, and well... thought that maybe you could do with someone you could trust in your crew... so, where do you want me, captain, wait no... your highness"

She bowed at me, I chuckled, to be honest, I really missed her.

"You could join uncle and I for dinner later? Come on, let's get you settled in..."

I brought her to a spare room on my ship, a few doors down from mine, found her some clothes that might fit and placed them in a drawer, lit a lamp for her with my fire bending and then returned to my room, telling her to meet us in the dining hall in half an hour.

It was such a blessing to have Y/N with me, her and my uncle are the only people on my ship that I could really trust... I wondered how she had been doing whilst I was gone, how she had spent the last three years of her life, had she gotten a new best friend? Who does she spend her time with? Does she have a boyfriend now? Does she still practice her water bending in our secret place? What was she doing in the harbour?

I made my way to the dining hall and sat beside my uncle, as the chef presented me with my food he informed me that the avatar had been spotted on Kyoshi island.

"THE AVATAR IS ON KYOSHI ISLAND?"

I stood up and turned to my uncle and told him to ready the rhinos, I was ready, I was finally going to complete my mission and return home, I was finally going to have my father's love.

"He's not getting away from me this time"

I marched out of the room but then my uncle looked to my full plate and asked,

"Are you going to finish that?"

I retreated back to the table, grabbed my food before snapping:

"I was going to save it for later!"

As I stormed out, Y/N stopped me in my tracks,

"Hey, hey, what's going on? Why are you so angry?"

I pushed past her and stormed into my room and sat down to meditate. Why was I so angry?