The Half of Me | Zuko

Chapter Nineteen: Zhao and Amira: The Past

Many Years Ago

The fire emerges from Jeong Jeong's fingertips while he stands on the square. His students merely watched, but one of them was more jumpy than the others. The young and hungry soldiers were eager to take the next steps before they were finished entirely with their training.

Zhao's eyes squinted, seeing the older man try and teach the others. It was pathetic how restrained they all were. It was like being held on a leash. He wanted to be set free, not have to hold back. What should he hold back for? To let the enemy be able to get up?

Demonstration after demonstration, Zhao became more antsy. Young men, who were just as eager to proceed stood patiently beside him watching Master Jeong Jeong. He ignored the urge to roll his eyes while they practiced.

He was so much more.

A young woman stood far away from them all, observing their movements, along with her father's. These men were near the end of their training with their master. They barely needed a master but still, before going into the navy, a lot was expected from them.

The glint in Amira's eyes caught Zhao's once again causing her to smile. Even not knowing him, she couldn't help but let her eyes glide toward him. Zhao on the other hand gazed in wonder over the girl who kept her distance yet had a devious look.

After the hour went by, the men started to disappear and left but Amira got closer. She stood in a doorway, her hand grasping the entrance lightly while her eyes danced around the training soldier. He was different than the others, he continues even when the others stopped. She looked back, not seeing her father there. She knew he would be cleaning himself off and resting from the training with the soldiers he had taught for long.

Why would he stay when he was the one who would stare at her father with the most disdain?

She walks out, her hands clutched behind her back as she observes him whipping the fire around. It was much different than how her father taught it. His back was to her giving her opportunity to get closer without him realizing. She could watch longer. It fascinated her how he bended. "Why do you do it like that?" The man yelps, whipping the fire towards her feet in defense, but she made no movements or expression of shock or fear. "Sorry?" Her voice was light yet filled with sarcasm. She then laughs, while Zhao stands in shock. Her laugh was sickly sweet. He didn't know what he expected from her now that she was closer than ever before.

"You're the girl I keep seeing around here? What do you do here?" He moves closer to her, wiping away the sweat from his brow, throwing the shirt over his shoulder. "Besides interrupting."

"Oh so you haven't realized yet." Zhao scrunches his brows in confusion. "My father is your master, and admiral, I would be more respectful if I were you." A smirk came on her lips as his face pales. She lets out another laugh and moves closer. "My name's Amira. What's yours?"

"Zhao."

"Your bending is quite different to my father's-"

"Amira!" Amira whips her head around, both of them seeing Jeong Jeong by the doorway. His glare sketched on his face meant trouble for one of them. His hair was tied up, kept neatly in his prime as an Admiral. "Get inside," he tells his daughter.

Amira sheepishly nods, but turns back to Zhao for a moment, another devious glint in her eyes. She walks back to her father, passing by him into the building. He didn't say a word to Zhao, but the look in his eyes said everything he needed to know. His daughter was not to be trifled with. Zhao bows before his master, despite the urge to ignore the man and walks off, taking his belongings with him. As he stalks off he looks back to the square, trying to catch a glance at the amber eyed girl with his darker eyes once more.