The Fire Lord's Ward // MakoxOC

Leaving

There was a soft yet urgent knock at her bedroom door. Eri stood, ran a hand through her short brown hair and opened the heavy red painted door to see the man that was basically her father.

"Zuko! To what do I owe the pleasure? Dinner isn't for another hour right?" Eri asked, stepping back to allow her mentor into the room.

"Unfortunately we must cancel dinner. We must leave at once for the Northern Water Tribe, pack your things and meet me in the court yard, Ayano is already saddled for you." Zuko said bluntly.

Eri took a step back, "I don't understand. Has something happened? Are the twins alright?"

"The twins are fine, it's Zaheer who is the problem." Zuko said, unable to meet her blue eyes that didn't match any other firebender he'd ever met.

Eri gasped, "Zaheer? He's escaped? When!" She stepped towards her closet and grabbed a pre-packed bag. This was not the first time Zuko had asked her on a last minute mission. 

"He's escaped as well as Ghazen and Ming-Hua. P'Li is the final one left, I worry the water tribes are not ready for an attack." Zuko said, "I see you've remembered your training."

Eri grinned at his comment, "The last time you told me to pack for a last minute trip you barely gave me 5 seconds to get ready. Of course I have a bag ready. Let's go, we can't let her escape."

The two rushed to the courtyard, both Druk and Ayano sat waiting their riders. The smaller blue dragon huffed with impatience as Eri loaded her saddle. "Give me a second here girl! Why is everyone so pushy today," Eri responded with a hint of teasing in her voice. Even though a group of murderous kidnappers were loose didn't mean she'd have to be all stoic right?

"This will be a cold and long journey. Are you ready?" Zuko asked stepping behind her.

Eri grabbed her red and gold jacket from her pack, "Now I am. Let's go." As she swung herself up onto the dragon she saw Fire Lord Izumi walking towards them.

"Father be careful, you are not as young as you once were," Izumi said, keeping a careful eye on her father as he jumped onto Druk.

"Oh come now, have a little faith. And besides, why do you think I bring Eri with me everywhere? Someone needs to watch my back," Zuko said shooting a grin to the girl but it quickly fell as he watched her struggle with a strap on the saddle and ultimately throwing herself off the back of Ayano.

"Not my fault! That thing was ripped by the idiot that put that stupid thing on!" Eri called out, laying on her back next the the dragon.

Zuko cleared his throat, "I was the idiot."

"Oh." Eri said in a small voice and quickly went back to fixing the saddle again.

"Anyways!" Izumi called out, the antics between Zuko and Eri were nothing new to her. "I just don't want you to take any unnecessary risks. We don't know what they want or what their plan is, if you see the opportunity to take them down, you take it. We are not showing them mercy any longer. We saw the danger they pose to both Korra and Eri, I do not want they allowed to roam free any longer than they have."

Zuko gave a saddened glance at Eri, "I know Izumi. The protection of the Avatar must come first, which is also why Eri must come with me. She has been training to fight them since she came here." 

Izumi nodded then walked up to the girl, she placed a stray hair back into the small bun atop her head, "Be safe. And don't let them get away with this. Do whatever you have to to keep my father and the world safe from them. I'm sorry to put this burden on you-"

"This was never something any of you put on me. This is my choice. They deserve to pay for what they've done. This is my destiny I know it." Eri cut her off. The determined glint in her eye made both Izumi and Zuko proud. 

"I know, good luck little flame." Izumi stepped back as Eri jumped back onto Ayano. Both firebenders looked the the Fire Lord one last time then took off. Little did Eri know she would not see the temple for a very long time.