The Half of Me | Zuko

Chapter Fifteen: The Deserter

Eight Years Ago

Amira walked through the palace halls, her steps alone making loud clicking sounds. She rushed forward looking around for her daughter. "Amira? What are you doing?" Amira turns around, a look of relief on her face when she sees Ursa with eight year old Zuko. 

"Have you seen Ryoko? She said she was going to say hi to Zuko. I only took my eyes off of her for a second!" Ursa makes her way over to the shorter woman and held her by the shoulders to calm her. 

"Calm down, she's fine. She said hi and then went to her friends. They're in the garden. Why don't we come with you? Come, Zuko." Zuko stands beside his mother as they walk with Amira. Ursa holds her friend comfortingly while they go to the garden. 

The moment she approached the opening, she runs out of Ursa's arms and towards the young girls who stood under the shade of a tree, Ty Lee and Mai watching Azula and Ryoko play with fire.

"Ryoko! Come here." Ryoko, seven years old, pouts and turns to her friends. Mai frowns at the news of Ryoko leaving and Ty Lee jumps up to hug her. Azula stood with an annoyed look. Ryoko waves to the three of them and turns around to run to her mother. As she runs up to her, mAmira looked down at her. "Your dad and I said to stay close to me while he was busy, we don't want anything to happen to you." Her mother's amber eyes squinted as she smiled at her daughter. She bends down, her large hands enveloping her daughter. 

"I was just with Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai. I wasn't doing anything." Ryoko groans out, sounding defensive, but she was just a child who didn't know better. She didn't know why her mother would worry so much.

"I know. We worry about you though." Her mother pauses and rubs her daughter's arms. "We'll keep this a secret. Your father is almost done with his meeting." 

Amira looks up at Ursa, worry in her eyes for her daughter. Firebending was a part of Ryoko, that Amira could understand, but the part that she couldn't was when she lost control, her eyes changing, the pupils becoming inhuman. 

"Come now. Say goodbye to Zuko and his mother."  Ryoko nods and waves at the older woman and Zuko saying goodbye glumly. She wasn't as close to Zuko as she was to the girls but when she had time she would spend some time with him when he was alone. He never thought it was cool to hang out with his younger sister's friends, but he liked to hang out with Ryoko. 

While they were home, Zhao told Amira of his next venture. She kept a calm countenance but inside she felt a rage. Every choice he made was for himself and his name. He had changed from when she met him and changed from the past two years recently. But she would never tell him that to his face, she still loved him for who he was. "Ryoko will miss you," was all she said. Zhao had never seen the pupils of his daughters eyes change as Amira did. He didn't realize what his daughter was, he still appreciated her. 

"And I will miss you both. But Fire lord Azulon made the decision, I cannot deny him, you know this." He embraces his wife, determination in his eyes. He was better than what the firelord gave him, but he would take anything to show the world Zhao was a name to remember. He did not care for consequences. 

"I know, I know." She sighs, closing her eyes and leaning her head on his shoulder. "Maybe I can take Ryoko to the house on Ember Island. You know she hates being here when you're gone." 

Zhao nods against her and releases her. "If you think that's best." He cups her cheek while she smiles.

---

"Mom, I thought we were going to bend," Ryoko whines out while they stood on the shore of Ember Island. Amira smiles and laughs a delightful laugh that sounded like bells. She looked around seeing no one near their home and in the area. It was a slow day, it was what Amira was hoping for.