Flamed Out (Zuko Love Story)

Chapter Thirteen

We were now getting closer to the Avatars trail, but Uncle Iroh was nowhere on the ship as Zuko and Estella went out looking for him. To say the two were happy was beyond belief as They trailed through a forest hand in hand before coming to a clearing.
"Uncle! It's time to leave! Where are you? Uncle Iroh!" Both Estella and Zuko yelled out looking around.
They finally found Iroh in a hot bath, the tub made out of rock and it is fed by a stream coming out of the rocks behind it.
"Over here kids," Uncle Iroh sighed out happily.
"Uncle? We need to move on, we're closing in on the Avatar's trail and I don't want to lose him!"
"And you know how upset Zuzu gets whenever we do,"
"HEY!"
"What? It's true,"
"You look tired, Prince Zuko and Estella. Why don't you both join me in these hot springs and soak away your troubles? It will help you both relax,"
Estella blushed madly.
"Uncle! I'm a woman no way I'll be getting in with you!"
"My troubles cannot be soaked away. It's time to go!"
"You two should take your teacher's advice and relax a little. The temperature's just right. I heated it myself. And Estella there is a hot springs behind me I can heat that one for you since you don't know how to firebend,"
"Well..... honestly-"
"Estella! You can't seriously be taking up his offer,"
"Well it's not so bad to relax a little Zuzu. And besides Uncle will be right there,"
Iroh shifts position slightly, puts his hands together and breathes steam from his nostrils. As he lightly stands up to put it in the hit springs behind him. Zuko, was annoyed by the steam and swats it away.
"The bath is ready for you my dear," Uncle says before relaxing in the tub again.
"Enough! We need to leave now! Get out of the water!"
"Very well,"
Estella let out a shriek causing Zuko to cover her eyes as well as his own.
"On second thought, why don't you take another few minutes, but be back at the ship in half an hour or We're leaving without you!"
"Ahhh," Uncle says while sitting back in the tub.
Zuko let his hand down from Estella's eyes as she looked at Zuko.
"Can I stay Zuzu? The springs on the other side look so warm and relaxing. Please," she pouted giving him the eyes that she knew he couldn't resist.
Zuko sighed.
"Fine, but only for half an hour,"
"YAY! I love you Zuzu,"
"Yeah yeah I love you too," he says kissing her cheek before walking away.
She went on the other side of the springs and stripped from her clothes as she was only left in her bra and underwear and sat down in the bath.
"Uncle could you reheat for me?" She asked as Iroh smiled on the other side.
"Of course,"
Once the bath was reheated they both sighed in relief.
"This is so relaxing,"
"I agree. Wish Zuko could join us though, your changing him you know," Iroh says from the other side.
"I am?"
"Yes, he is much more happier than usual and it's because of you. I knew the moment you both met that you'd have a future together. Your too much alike not to be,"
Estella smiled on the other side.
"I love him Uncle, I truly do, I don't know why it took so long for us to be together,"
Iroh smiled.
"And I know he loves you too Estella, always had. Would always come to me to vent about you. Especially when it involves you with another guy,"
She blushed.
"O-Oh," was all she could say.
"I'll be going to bed yell if you need anything,"
"Yeah Uncle I will,"
2 hours later
When Estella opened her eyes it was near sunset.
"Uncle?" She asks hoping he was still there.
No answer.
Could he had left her? Could Zuko had left her?
Estella gasped as she saw something zoom by.
"Uncle? Uncle is that you? Zuzu?"
Estella's head clearly scanning back and forth over the forest in front of her. A small rodent jumps onto the lip of the bath causing her to let out a squeal.
"You scared me little guy. I'm not too sure where Iroh or my boyfriend is," she says letting the critter jump onto her hand.
The critter starts hopping up and down on the lip of the bath and making chittering noises. Suddenly it stops, the ground starts shaking from deeper in the forest. Dust clouds rising from the forest and the critter hops away. Soon it reaches Estella's bath and two other shock waves have approached the bath from Estella's left and right. Estella has been caught by surprise and when the shockwaves reach the tub she is quickly held fast by three triangular stones that have been pushed into the tub. A second later, three earthbenders appear next to the tub behind each of the three stones that are holding Estella imprisoned.
"Hey there pretty girl. What are you doing here alone?" An earth bender purred as another one grabbed her clothes from the ground.
"She's a fire nation sir," a soldier says as the man who was flirting with her gave her a disgusted look.
"Fire nation huh?" He spit on her face causing her groan in disgust. "Take her away men,"
"No-No please dont take me away. ZUKO!" She screamed out loud before darkness was seen before her.