I got you, Always

Young Love: Part 2

"Astryd!" I heard Azula screech from the other side of the castle. It's Tuesday I guess it's time for target practice. I drug myself up out of bed. Dressed in my fire nation outfit that roughly matched azulas. And heads out to the fountain where she liked to train.

"Your late" she scoffed.

"Sorry I didn't sleep well" I muttered and took my place to hold her target. She fired a blue bolt of fire before I could even get into position. I dropped the target and dodged it barely.

"AZULA! I wasn't ready!" I told her trying to pick the target back up.

"I was" she snarled. And blasted another bolt out at me. I used the target to block it. 

"Here". SHe took the apple ty lee was eating and tossed it to me. "Put this on your head"

I slowly laid the target down. I know she's going to burn me. She's going to burn me on purpose and say it's an accident. I started to cry from fear just a few tears.

"Awe look the little cry baby!" Her and her friends laughed.

I placed the apple on my head and stood tall. I waited for the blast to hit me. She was about to fire I closed me eyes and waited for impact. I took a breath in.

"Astryd!" I heard a familiar voice call my name. A dark shadow over took me and I opened my eyes to zuko shielding me from the blast. He used his shoulders to protect my face and head and wrapped his arms around me. When the blast dispersed he turned from me to yell at his sister.

"How dare you put her life on the line like that!! You know dangerous that  can be!!! You were aiming right for her head!" He screamed at her. His whole face was turning red. I noticed the burned hole in the back of his uniform. All the way down to his skin.

"Zuko your back" I whispered. He turned to me, his expression softened.

"Are you okay? Did you get burned?" He was anxiously checking me over for any signs of burns.

"Zuko I'm okay, but you back isn't." I told him. He grabbed my hands and held them to stop me from checking his wound. He pulled them up besides my face. "I will be fine, she will never try to hurt you again" he moved closer like he was going to kiss my cheek and pulled short. "I have an idea" he took my hand and dragged me through the courtyard.

"I'm not through with her yet!" Azula sneered from the fountain.

"Yes you are, you will never order her around again Azula." He didn't even look back at his sister.

He still had a firm grip on my hand and we rounded the corner to the throne room.

"Father! I need to speak to you immediately!" Zuko sounded so sure and in charge of the situation. I'd never heard him sound like that.

"This better be good" Ozai yawned from his throne.

"Azula has tried to harm or kill astryd for the last time. I need her as well and she's no good to me in the infirmary or dead. I'm taking her as my personal assistant. You will have to appoint someone else to fall victim to Azula. But it won't be my servant." He told his father in the same in charge voice. So protective.

"Okay son. Do you have any proof of azulas actions towards the servant.?" Ozai gestured towards me from his throne.

Still holding onto my hand he turned his back and showed his father the burn on his back from where he protected me. "Is that proof enough" he growled.

"You protected the servant?" He questioned.

"I told you I need her. And she's no good to me burned"

Ozai nodded. "Very well, I will have them gather an earth kingdom child for Azula to play with" he dismissed zuko and I. Zuko swiftly turned and pulled me along with him. He held my hand all the way to his chambers. Pulled me in shut the door and spun me around and wrapped me in his arms.

"She will never harm you ever again." He mumbled into my ear. "I got you, Always" he held me for what felt like for ever.

"I'm okay zuko, I'm in one piece. You took care of me. Now it's my turn to take care of you." I pulled away from him and turned him around. "Pull this off" he cringed as he took off his uniform top. I was looking at his burn. "You need some aloe at least" I told him and went to the window where he kept an aloe plant. The branch snapped off and I took the gel between my fingers and smeared it over his burn. I could tell it didn't feel good, but he took it like a champ.

I finished and he turned to me. "Please tell me you understand how important you are to me now"

I was took back by this. He told me before but I guess I didn't really believe him, and he knew I didn't. " Zuko I'm only your servant. I don't understand why you say I mean so much to you" I looked into his eyes.

"Because when you look at me you see right through everything to my core and you see the real me, the me I always wanted to be. I can be that person around you" he looked away from me. I blushed.

"Well I guess I'm all yours now" I giggled and went to go back to my room.

All I could think was 'I'm important too zuko' I was on cloud nine.

....

After that day zuko and I spent every day together. I was at all his trainings I ate with him, readied his chambers, laundered his clothes. We did everything together. Every so often once zuko felt he mastered something well enough to show me he would come and get me and take me to the cave to work on my Bending. I was getting good. I'd mastered everything zuko had at this point and I listened to all of his lessons. He's told me that I learn more from his lessons then he does and that he's merely my sparring partner. It's a joke between us.

As the years passed my love for zuko grew. As did his protection over me. I was 14 and he 15 now. Any one could watch us and tell that we cared for each other.

....

I was walking down the corridor and I heard some commotion. I peaked in and saw Ozai challenging zuko to Agni Kai.  My heart sank. I saw the blast come firing from his fist for my prince. "NOO" I screeched. I took off running for my prince but I was too late. I reached his hurt burned body and I cradled it.

"My prince...." I trailed off. I felt the fury inside of me grow and grow. My wrists burned where the bracelets were. They were trying to suppress my power but it was too much. My eyes were filled with flames. I lashed out at Ozai. My power burning brightly inside me.

I heard people mutter something about a Phoenix. I ignored them. I went back to zuko his eye was permanently scarred. Nothing I could do. We were both banished that day.