Zuko's Soulmate

Chapter Four

I looked at myself in the mirror of my room, they had no woman's clothing on the ship so Zuko gave me some of his till we stopped for supplies. I combed my hair as a knock came to the door " Come in" I answered and a second later Zuko came into the room. " I wanted to check up on you" " I'm fine" I shot at him " Why are you angry at me?" " You threatened to kill me!" I snapped at him " It was only a bluff" " Why is capturing the Avatar so important to you? You were willing to risk my life!" " You wouldn't understand! Your just a writer tribe peasant!" Zuko yelled at me. My eyes widened a little before I closed them in anger and turned away from him " I-I didn't mean that" " Get out" " Kala-" " Get out!" I turned to him " I don't want to see you!" " Fine! Be that way! I never asked for you!" " And I never asked for you! So just leave me alone!" Zuko stormed out of the room and slammed the door, I fell to my bed and cried as I pulled my knees to my chest. I never asked for any of this.

After a while there was a knock on the door " I told you to leave me alone!" The door opened and Iroh was standing with a small smile on his face " I thought you'd like some tea". I rubbed my eyes as he sat down with some tea " I know my nephew is hard headed and stubborn but he has good inside him, that even he himself can't see" " What happened to him?" " He wasn't always like this, he was once so full of life and happy but his father is a cruel man Kala, he hurt him and that changed him. He thinks his destiny is to capture the Avatar to restore his honour but that is a destiny for someone else". I took a sip of my tea and smiled " Jasmine" " Ah a fellow tea lover! Finally" he laughed making me giggle " We don't get much tea in the South Pole" " Uncle?" Zuko asked as he walked past the door " In here nephew!".

Zuko opened the door and stared at us " What are you doing?" " We're having tea while we get to know one another, why don't you join us". Zuko looked from his uncle to me and I nodded " It's okay Zuko, if we are soul mates then I want to know who you are" Zuko nodded and sat down beside his uncle. " Soulmates! You didn't tell me that" Iroh said to Zuko " Because it was a shock that I found her uncle" " But she's here now, and that's the important thing. So Kala tell us about yourself". " Uh, this not much to tell" I rubbed the back of my neck " I'm just a simple water tribe girl" " Tell us about your family" Iroh smiled " It wasn't much of a family". "Oh" Iroh said " Let's not pressure her uncle, she'll say in time if she wants to".

I walked to the deck to watch the sun set and stopped when I saw Prince Zuko during a fire bending lesson. I sat down next to the wall and watched as his uncle made him re-do a move over and over again. At some point Zuko got annoyed " Enough I'm ready for the next set" " No! You have barely mastered your basics! Again!" Iroh yelled. Zuko turned and shot an angry fire ball at me, everything moved in slow motion. His eyes widened when he saw me sat at the wall, " No!" He yelled, I raised my hands to cover myself from the fire and screamed, Iroh stood in front of me and protected me by sending the fire to the side. " Kala are you alright?" Iroh asked me worried " Kala!" Zuko yelled as he ran over to me " Kala I'm so sorry I didn't see you sitting there, I didn't get you did I?" He looked and sounded so worried that he had hurt me. I was crying as I looked up at the uncle and nephew, my hair covering one side of my face. "Kala?" Zuko asked with pleading eyes, I raised my hand and showed the burn.

" No" Zuko said in a small voice " I'm so sorry Kala, please forgive me" he went to touch me but I jumped back, " No stay away from me!" I cried. " Zuko I think it's best that you leave, I will take care of her" " But-" " No buts, she's scared right now. I think it would be wise to give her some space". Iroh sighed as Zuko walked away " Come Kala, I'll take you to the infirmary maybe they have something to heal it". I followed Iroh down to the infirmary and sat on the chair " Now let me see that burn". " Which one?" " Huh?" Iroh asked confused. I sighed as I lifted my head up and pulled my hair over my ear making Iroh gasp before quickly going to work.

I winced as he touched the burn on my face " I know it is painful but it's not as bad as it could have been, your lucky I'm sorry I could have gotten to you faster". " It's okay Iroh, it was an accident. I should have made myself known" " You were watching quietly so he would not be disturbed, these things happen you should be fine in a few days". Iroh wrapped a white bandage around my hand and face, I sighed " What am I going to do Iroh? If Zuko sees me he's going to hate himself" " Yes he will blame himself but it is your job to convince him it was a mistake" " I'll try, thank you Iroh" I smiled at him " No thank you" " For what?" " Gracing us with your presence on the ship, my nephew needs a friend to talk to. If he opens up or not, just having you being here is helping him I know it".

Iroh asked me to join him and Zuko for dinner which I agreed to, I was standing outside the door shaking with nerves. I don't want Zuko to see me and blame himself, I don't want him to hurt. Wait! Why should I care if he's hurt or not, I don't love him. I mean... I shook my head before knocking on the door. The door opened a few moments later and I smiled at Iroh " Ah Kala, you've made it please come in" I walked in once the door was wide enough and bowed to him. " Thank you for the invitation" " You are my new friend too Kala" he bowed back " So how's your hand doing?" Zuko asked as he looked at me from the floor. " It's doing better" I said as I turned to him, he jumped up in fright " Your face?" " It seems I was too slow nephew, some of the fire caught her face but it isn't as bad as it seems".

Zuko stood up and walked over to me, he slowly stroked my cheek as he stared at me " I-I'm so sorry Kala" " It's okay Zuko-" " No it's not, when I first brought you here I promised you no harm would could to you, and I broke that promise". " Zuko, I barely feel the pain anymore, it's okay really I'm fine" Zuko looked away from me and sat back down, I sighed and sat down across from him, " Now, who wants some nice roast duck!".