Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A koala otter glides through the icy northern waters, its dense coat protecting it from the chill. A shadow passes over it and startled, it dives into the water. Sky bison hadn't been seen in the North Pole for over a hundred years until Appa dipped lower, brushing his feet against the waves.

"I'm not one to complain, but can't Appa fly any higher?" Sokka complains. Aang twists around angrily.

"I have an idea, why don't we all get on your back and you can fly us to the North Pole?"

"I'd love to!" Sokka replies sarcastically. "Climb on everyone, Sokka's ready for takeoff!" He shakes his butt at his companions. Momo jumps up onto Sokka's back and chirps, seemingly awaiting takeoff. Sokka glares at the flying lemur. Perhaps Sokka should climb on his back, seeing as he's the only one of the pair that can fly.

"Look, we're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight," Katara says, trying to calm the waters.

"And for what? We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe. There's nothing up here." He points out, rolling his eyes. Ice. A spiky ice wall shoots towards Appa. Aang yells and steers Appa well away, nearly dumping his passengers, who are holding onto the edge of the saddle for dear life. A similar icy protrusion spikes up out of the water, managing to slam into Appa's stomach, pushing him off course. He falls and hits the water. The surrounding water solidifies and lifts Appa out of the water.

"They're waterbenders! We found the Water Tribe!" Katara exclaims. The trio's eyes are wide as they marvel at the benders who surround them on water tribe boats. They found the Water Tribe.

Water flows smoothly around the canoe thanks to Dorak, the bender who often accompanied Yue on her excursions through the city. Yue takes a deep breath and gives a long exhale, knowing it wouldn't be entirely lost on him. He wouldn't ask or give much of an indication that he had noticed, since he knew the answer to her worry. It was her birthday. Her sixteenth. She was to be engaged soon, and pregnant as well. The daughter of the chief had responsibilities. Yue plucks at her fingernails nervously. They are hidden underneath her heavy fur coat. Mekana, the fish merchant, smiles at Yue. Yue smiles back. That was the reason for these excursions. To see her people.

An air bison cuts through the water ahead of Yue, and she knows that Dorak sees it as well as the canoe falters slightly in the water. The avatar. He must be in search of a waterbending master. He would have fun with Pakku. If he liked endless drills and negative reinforcement, that is. The avatar, Yue guesses, must be the boy with the blue arrow tattoo and the yellow and orange clothing that was foreign to the north and other nations that had survived the last 100 years. The clothes look way too sparse for such a small child, but he doesn't seem to be chilly in the slightest. The avatar has large round eyes and an innocent face that makes Yue's heart drop. A child. Perhaps his innocence will save us all. A flying lemur curls around his neck. The other two humans look to be brother and sister and from the Southern Water Tribe if she recognizes the patterns on their clothes correctly. The boy is cute. He has a wolf tail and a boomerang, Not the most common weapon but perhaps that was something else that the South did differently. After a moment Yue realizes that he is staring at her. He didn't even know who she was yet. Yue lets go of picking her fingernails and covers her face with her hand and giggles. The boy follows her as the canoe glides past, sliding down the broad tail of the sky bison. Before she blushes, she turns her gaze ahead of the canoe. Her mouth still curved in a slight smile, she lowers her hands.

Father will be pleased. Yue knows that he had hopes that the Avatar would come here to master waterbending if he was really alive. He had not been sure of the truth of the rumour, unlike Yue. Yue could feel it somewhere deep inside her that the Avatar was back. She drifts through her thoughts about the implications of the Avatar's arrival until she delves too deeply and the weight of the war begins to weigh on her.

"Dorak, it is time to return. Father will most likely want me to be around well before the banquet tonight."

"Of course, princess." He answers, already turning the canoe around slowly.

"Thank you."

"Winter, spring, summer and fall. Winter and spring, summer and fall. Four seasons, four loves, Four seasons, For love." Iroh's singing carries through the night air, wafting on the breeze. The fire flickers brightly, casting a warm glow on the makeshift band of crewmen and the pair that dances around the ship. Metal clangs on metal, making a painful sound as Zhao boards the ship. The musicians end on a twangy note as they all turn to look at Zhao and his men. Zhao wears an ominous bone-chilling grin as he approaches Iroh. Iroh straightens, not quite the Dragon of the West, but Zuko's proud uncle.

"I'm going to the North Pole." He announces, looking down at Iroh, who keeps his features intact as he worries about Zuko's reaction. "And I'm taking your crew with me. Everyone, non-soldiers as well." The crew gasps quietly. Zhao is not known for being a good commander. Successful, perhaps, but miserable to deal with. Not like Iroh, or even Zuko, who had just saved one of them during a storm. Zhao was sadistic and wanted to see each and every member of his crew break if they did not behave perfectly for him. Zuko was angry, yes, and rarely gave out praise, but was not cruel, even when he occasionally managed to push a soldier off the ship when sparring. That was for the benefit of him and the soldier, though mostly for him.

"May I ask the reason for needing our crew?" Iroh places emphasis on the word "needing" as he knows that Zuko will be very angry once he tells him.

"I want your crew so I'll have it for capturing the Avatar. Capturing the Avatar with Zuko's men. Where is Zuko, by the way?" He says, narrowing his eyes.

"I will take you to him." Iroh bows, but his eyes do not reach the floor

"General Iroh, I would like to extend an offer to join my mission. I think you could have valuable knowledge that would serve me well as a military consultant." Zhao attempts to take Iroh from Zuko as well. Iroh shakes his head.

"I thank you for the offer, but I think that I will stay with my nephew. I will not leave him alone." Zhao frowns at this but doesn't press further. Iroh would not be that much help anyway. Despite being the Dragon of the West, he had given up at Ba Sing Se and cost the Fire Nation that great city. Fool. Zhao's spirits return as Iroh slows at Zuko's chambers.

Iroh leans into Zuko's chambers. Zuko leans against a wall, arms crossed, glaring at the opposite wall.

"For the last time, I'm not playing the tsungi horn," Zuko repeats.

"No, it's about our plans. There's a bit of a problem." Zhao clunks into the room.

"I'm taking your crew." He announces with a corner of his mouth twisted upwards in delight.

"What!?" Zuko springs to his feet. His palms heat up but no fire appears, to Zhao's dismay.

"I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole." Little was not the right word. It would be huge if Zhao thought the Avatar was there. Which Zuko knew that he was.

"Uncle, is that true?"

"I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone," he says sadly. "Even the cook!" He cries, throwing his arm over his face.

"Sorry, you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar. But I can't have you getting in my way again." Zuko growls and charges Zhao, who does nothing as Iroh grabs his nephew, holding him back. Zuko is tense, eyes watching carefully as Zhao approaches his wall. The wall with his broadswords that he used as the Blue Spirit. Zhao is shocked, and angry as he remembers how the Blue Spirit stole the Avatar, his prize, from right under his nose.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko," Zhao accuses with thinly veiled subtlety. Zuko narrows his eyes.

"I'm not," he denies sharply. "They're antiques. Just decorative."

"Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?" Zhao changes tactics, smoothly running his hand against the flat part of the sword he had taken off the wall.

"Just rumours. I don't think he is real."

"He's real all right. He's a criminal, an enemy of the Fire Nation." Zhao places the sword in Iroh's hands. "But I have a feeling that justice will catch up with him soon. General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands if you change your mind." Zhao leaves without a glance at the wound-up prince. He closes the door shut behind him.

"Father, will the Avatar be at the banquet?" Yue asks though the answer is quite clear. Why wouldn't the Avatar be at the banquet?

"Yes, he will. It is a great gift that he shall honour Northern Water Tribe, and you, of course, on your birthday." Chief Arnook holds her head in his hands. "My beautiful daughter, sixteen. I can hardly believe it."

"Neither can I." Her mother, Kellora, smiles beside him. "Such a brave and strong young woman you've become over the years." Yue's eyes become misty and she throws herself into her parent's arms. Her heart feels full, full enough to carry out her duties to her people with no complaint.

"I love you both so much," she says, nuzzling her face into the fur of her mother's jacket.

"Come now, the feast is starting." The family pulls away from each other and makes their way through the ice palace to the banquet hall.

Yue glances around as she waits to be announced. Ukoni and Kunadu stand patiently behind her. Ukoni was the oldest of the pair of attendants and stood on her right. She was a kindly woman who taught Yue much about patience and understanding. Kunadu was younger and had much less patience. She thought that anything that was worth needing to be done, ought to be done quickly. Yue never finished a homework assignment from a tutor the least bit late thanks to her endless nagging. Despite Ukoni and Kunadu's differing life perspectives, they had managed to be wonderful influences on the young Princess Yue.

"Tonight," Yue hears her father begin, "we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe, and they have brought with them someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now." Everyone held their breath for Chief Arnook's next words. "The Avatar!" He announces. The crowd cheers for Aang, who is a bit embarrassed by the attention. "We also celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday! Princess Yue is now of marrying age." Yue smiles and walks forwards to address the crowd, Ukoni and Kunadu in step behind her.

"Thank you, father. May the great Ocean and Moon Spirits watch over us during these troubled times." Tui, La, thank you for all you've done for me and my people. I can never repay you enough.

"Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!" Master Pakku begins his impressive display of bending along with two of his students. Yue gazes wistfully at them as she approaches the table. Bending was a versatile art form, being used for both healing and war, but Yue had always thought that waterbending looked at its best when used artistically, with the bender just having fun with it, carefree. Carefully, Yue sits beside the Southern boy. He quickly swallows a large bite of sea prunes and strikes a pose.

"Hi there. Sokka, Southern Water Tribe." He smiles at her.

"Very nice to meet you," Yue says, bowing. Kundadu's lessons on proper behaviour run through her head.

"So... uh... you're a Princess! You know, back in my tribe, I'm kinda like a Prince myself!"

"Ha! Prince of what?" Katara scoffs jokingly.

"A lot of things! Uh, do you mind? I'm trying to have a conversation here!" Sokka glares at his sister for ruining his mojo.

"My apologies, Prince Sokka." Katara bows over her left arm with a touch of dramatic flair.

"So it looks like I'm gonna be in town for a while. I'm thinking maybe we could... do an activity together?" He says lamely.

"Do an "activity"?" This boy was so very different than the elaborate political relationships Yue had been a part of in the past. No one here would dare ask her out without a few rehearsed lines that would most likely include horrible poetry. This boy... Sokka... was refreshing. Yes, refreshing. Sokka, the refreshing boy, stuffed his mouth with even more sea prunes.

"Very smooth," Katara says, her voice loaded with sarcasm. The rest of dinner goes quietly, with the occasional roar from the sky bison that Yue hoped was enjoying its food. She would have to ask its name later.

Yue sees the Avatar bow to Master Pakku. It appeared that he had agreed to train the young Avatar. Glancing at the others, she wonders if they were benders. She knows that the South supposedly didn't have any more benders, but bending could always be hidden. The girl —Katara— couldn't be a bender. She is a girl, though perhaps she could heal. Yue has a gut feeling that she could. The boy carries a boomerang around. Waterbenders rarely chose to learn other weapons alongside waterbending so Yue guesses that he was a non-bender. Just beyond Sokka, she sees Hahn trying to catch her eye. She smiles and gives a small wave. Hahn is the son of one of her father's advisors and is pleasant enough. A bit arrogant and brash, but as a warrior, he needed to be.

After the banquet, when Yue had bid farewell to all the guests who had just left, Ukoni comes up to the princess.

"Princess Yue." She bows. Yue inclines her head gently. "Your father wishes to speak with you," she says, eyes glittering. Yue frowns lightly, curious about what it was about.

"Where is he?"

"He is in the throne room. He wishes you to go at once." Yue nods at this and makes her way to the throne room. Ukoni follows her. Kunadu has gone home already. Yue ponders what "activity" she could do with Sokka. Even talking alone would be fascinating. He had travelled all over the world on a sky bison with the Avatar! He must have seen much of interest.

Yue steps into the throne room. Her parents stand with Orrah and Zivraq. Zivraq is one of the Chief's council members. Orrah is his wife. Yue doesn't know much about her, other than that she is quiet and does the most beautiful beadwork. She had had one conversation with her about it and it was the only time she had ever seen Orrah come out of her shell like a lobster octopus. Hahn steps out from behind his parents. Yue's eyes widen as she guesses the reason for this meeting. Hahn has one hand in his pocket.

"Yue, my beautiful daughter. Come here." Her father motions for her to come closer.

"Hello, father, mother." She says, bowing towards her parents. She turns and bows towards Orrah, Zivrak, and Hahn. "Hello."

"You are sixteen, my daughter."

"Yes," Yue says. "Marrying age." Her father chuckles.

"Always so bright, Yue. Yes, marrying age. We have come to an agreement with Zivraq and decided that you shall marry Hahn, if you are in agreement?" Her father confirms her words. Yue thinks of Sokka stuffing his mouth with sea prunes. She thinks of the Avatar bowing to Pakku and learning to waterbend and saving the world. She thinks of herself as a princess of the Northern Water Tribe and her place in the world. Responsibility. Duty. She looks just beyond Hahn and she can see a scene of the Winter Solstice and her people celebrating carved into the ice wall. Yue thinks of her people.

"I am in agreement." Her eyes shift back to Hahn.

"Excellent!" Her father claps his hands together. Her mother looks at her with misty eyes and Hahn's parents —her soon-to-be in-laws— smile proudly. "Hahn, you know what to do." Zivraq elbows his son. Hahn steps forwards, smiling, and fishes the betrothal necklace from his pocket. He holds it out to her and Yue turns. Hahn moves her hair to one side, his fingers cold on her neck. Yue tries not to shiver. The betrothal necklace slides around her neck and presses into her throat. She gently fingers the carving. Perfect, polished, rehearsed. She turns and smiles at her new family.

Chapter Text

"I'm very impressed." Zhao leans back at his desk. "You all seem highly qualified for the mission I have in mind." A pirate crew stands on the other side of his desk, complete with a reptile parrot. Hands reach for the chest that sits on the desk. It opens to reveal that a sea of shiny gold. The pirates' interest heightens as much as the worth of the gold. The salesman who had first caught Aang's attention with his "exotic curios" snatches a gold piece with a grubby hand. He chomps down on it with rotten teeth.

"That's some tasty gold!" He exclaims. The captain grabs it and puts it back in the chest, snarling. A lizard parrot claws his leather-clad shoulder.

"What do you need us to do?" The captain leans forward, hands on the table.

Zhao smiles.

"I believe you're acquainted with Prince Zuko?"

"Good luck!" a crew member yells. There's no response as the crew leaves to join Zhao's mission at the North Pole. Iroh waves as they walk down the pier before boarding the ship. It's unnaturally still with only himself and his nephew aboard. Iroh misses the cook already. At least, he thinks, he has an excuse to teach Zuko to cook. Iroh pokes his head into the angry teenager's chambers.

"The crew wanted me to wish you safe travels."

"Good riddance to those traitors." Zuko snarls at the ceiling at the thought of Zhao stealing his men.

"It's a lovely night for a walk. Why don't you join me? It would clear your head." When Zuko doesn't respond, Iroh's smile falls. "Or just stay in your room and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy." Iroh leaves. Zuko still carries much anger with him. He goes on a walk without Zuko, making his way along the pier, humming the song he was singing before Zhao stepped in. A lizard parrot swoops through the night air.

The pirates board the ship under the cover of nightfall. Metal hooks dig into the side of the ships and barrels of blasting jelly are hoisted upwards from a small skiff in the water. "Careful with the blasting jelly!" A pirate whispers as another almost drops a barrel onto the ship. The first pirate opens a door. It creaks loudly and he curses under his breath.

"Uncle?" The prince bolts awake at the sound. The pirate shoves the barrels of blasting jelly inside before sprinting away as another guides the trail of black gunpowder to the deck of the ship. He strikes some flint with his knife before disappearing over the side of the boat.

"Uncle, is that you?" Zuko asks, peering out into the empty corridor. He arranges himself into his fighting stance and narrows his eyes. Iroh would call out. Zuko heads warily out to the bridge of the ship and sees the lit trail of gunpowder. The lizard parrot squawks at Zuko before tearing off after the pirates. Zuko's eyes widen. The pirates. He turns to run, but the fire finally reaches the blasting jelly and he arcs through the air with the explosion that wrecks his ship. Zuko takes a breath before he hits the water hard and falls deep into the water. The saltwater burns at the cuts from flying pieces of metal. At least it put out the fire on his clothes. Zuko waits beneath the water as long as he can before finding a stray bucket to come up under. The pirates would be watching to make sure that he did not escape death.

Iroh hears the explosion and turns around just in time to see Zuko's ship explode.

"Zuko!" He cries out. He runs as fast as he can back to the ship. His face is ghost-white as he fears for Zuko. Zuko couldn't die this young. Not him, too. Iroh couldn't stand the loss of another son. Even if Zuko was not his son... he couldn't. Iroh sinks to his knees, orange and red flames dancing through the air.

"Zuko..."

The girl — Katara — clutches her hands together as she walks next to the Avatar towards Pakku's training grounds. She looks excited, Yue thinks. So excited to see waterbending. Yue remembers Pakku grumbling as he left the banquet hall the previous night about being expected to teach the Avatar and his friend. Was Katara the friend? Yue bites her lip. She was in for a nasty surprise. Yue wishes she could have warned her, but they had already reached Pakku and Yue was walking along the passageway up above the training grounds to leave the palace and go into the city. She had promised Mrs. Huemodo that she would visit and her father would most likely be along shortly and could deal with any disputes.

Aang waves.

"Good morning, Master Pakku!" Pakku drops a blob of water with a grimace. The water sloshes on the ground and quickly turns to ice.

"No, please, march right in, I'm not concentrating or anything."

"Uhh... this is my friend, Katara, the one I told you about?" Aang redirects the conversation like a true airbender. Katara beams as she bows. She'll finally get to learn waterbending from a true master! Pakku isn't nearly as excited as he looks her up and down. He sits on the ice chair he has formed with a delicate flick of his wrist as he says his next words.

"I'm sorry. I think there's been a misunderstanding. You didn't tell me your friend was a girl. In our tribe, it is forbidden for women to learn waterbending." He says, dismissing Katara. Katara steams. Her jaw tightens as she angrily lifts a finger.

'What do you mean, you won't teach me? I didn't travel across the entire world so you could tell me "no!"" Katara storms up to Pakku.

"No." Pakku refuses.

"But there must be other female waterbenders in your tribe!" Katara shoves her hands onto her hips.

"Here the women learn from Yugoda to use their waterbending to heal. I'm sure she would be happy to take you as her student despite your bad attitude."

"I don't want to heal, I want to fight!" Katara yells.

"I can see that. But our tribe has customs, rules."

"Well, your rules stink!" Katara stomps her foot down angrily. She did not come here and gone through so much just to be refused at the last second by a sexist old jerk... he wouldn't teach her but if Sokka was a bender, he'd teach him no problem despite him being the worst student ever...

"Yeah, they're not fair. If you won't teach Katara, then — " Aang rushes to defend Katara.

"Then what?" Pakku stands up, staring down the young Avatar.

"Then I won't learn from you!" Aang turns and starts walking away.

"Well, have fun teaching yourself. I'm sure you'll do a great job." Pakku calls out.

"Wait!" Katara stops. This couldn't happen because of her. "Aang didn't mean that." She runs after Aang and grabs his shoulder. "You can't risk your training for me. You have to learn from Master Pakku. Even if he is a big jerk." Katara feels guilty for being selfish when Aang needing to learn waterbending much more than she did. Aang nods glumly and turns to face Pakku again.

"Why don't we get started then." Pakku smiles smugly.

Sokka pants as he runs along the sidewalk.

"Princess Yue! Good morning!" Yue turns in surprise. She had been deep in thought again as Doraq guided her through the city. "Hey, how about that picnic last night? Boy, your dad sure knows how to throw a party."

"I'm happy you enjoyed yourself." Yue says.

"Well, it wasn't as much fun after you left." A big toothy grin stretches across Sokka's mouth. Yue blushes.

"So, I'm hoping we can see more of each other."

"Do an 'activity', you mean?" Yue fights a grin.

"Yes! At... a place! For... some time!" Sokka stumbles over his words.

"I'd love to!" Yue blurts out before she can stop herself. "I'll meet you on that bridge tonight." She points at the nearest bridge that connects either side of the street.

"Great! I'll see you — ahh!" Sokka splashes into the water at the end of the sidewalk he hadn't noticed.

"Sorry!" Yue laughs at his luck, a strange flutter in her chest. Sokka pulls himself out of the water and falls backwards onto the sidewalk.

"That's okay, it was worth it," he says dreamily. He sighs as someone steps over him. He waits too long to get up and finds himself frozen to the snowy sidewalk.

"@#^$%^!!!"

"Princess Yue." Mrs. Huemodo bows. Yue bows back respectfully as Doraq secured the canoe. "I've been looking forward to our weekly visit."

"As have I. I feel like so much has happened in just the last few days. It's been so much longer than a week!" Yue exclaims. Mrs. Huemodo just laughs. Yue had first met Mrs. Huemodo 5 years prior when she was upset and crying about something she couldn't even remember anymore and had run from the palace and hidden in Mrs. Huemodo's kitchen in the back of her bakery. She had snuck in into a cupboard and managed to tough it out for several hours before sneaking an arm up to grab a blueberry bannock whose heavenly smells were making her stomach rumble. Mrs. Huemodo had grabbed her hand in a blink of an eye. Yue had burst out in tears all over again and Mrs. Huemodo's eyes had softened and she offered the crying girl the blueberry bannock as she coaxed her out of her hiding place. Yue could hardly eat it through her tears and rambling confessions. It was nearly as comforting as Mrs. Huemodo's patient listening ear as she sobbed over her story. They had been the best of friends since then.

"I would suspect it has been, what with the Avatar of all people showing up."

"That's not even the least of it." Yue thinks of her fiancé as Mrs. Huemodo ushers her into the back room of her bakery. Wait — her fiancé! Sokka! The panic must have shown on her face as Mrs. Huemodo places a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'll get the blueberry bannock." Blueberry bannock is Mrs. Huemodo's favourite too.

Yue spills out all of her frustrations and worries about her betrothal and the war and her place in it and her people and Sokka and the war that would most likely be coming to a head and getting married and having children... Mrs. Huemodo was the most understanding woman in the North Pole, if not the entire world. At least, Yue thought so.

"Well, darling, you have a lot on your plate for such a young girl. Your parents should know better than marrying you off this young, even if it is traditional," she sighs, rubbing her thumb over the back of Yue's hand.

"The North is nothing if not traditional," Yue gives a small laugh.

"You could change that, if you wanted. But that is too much to think about at the moment." She smiles, eyes creasing at the corners. "You could always refuse marriage — or at least Hahn. It hasn't been announced publicly yet. We should give you the chance to explore your own relationships. Especially those with boys who fall of sidewalks for you!" She reaches for another piece of blueberry bannock. "And a wedding right now... take your happiness where you can get it. Hmm, these are quite good this batch. I'll have to remember what I did this time." Yue mumbles her agreement through the mass of blueberry bannock in her mouth. Mrs. Huemodo had been perfecting her blueberry bannock for her entire life and regularly asked Yue's opinion. When she had time, the princess would help her make the delicious treat. Take your happiness where you can get it. Yue stores the thought away in her mind. She feels much better. Though she knows that she would still go through with marrying Hahn — her people deserved a princess that would do that for them — she would delay it a little while. And she would see Sokka that night. She swallows down the last bite of blueberry bannock.

"Thank you. This was so helpful. I could never repay you for all your kindness to me." She hugs Mrs. Huemodo.

"And I would never ask you to, darling. You are always welcome here. I'll see you next week?" They pull apart. "Oh!" Mrs. Huemodo exclaims. "You've got a bit on your — yes, there." She points at the corner of Yue's mouth and Yue wipes off a bit of blueberry stuck to her lip.

"Thank you. Imagine the scandal if someone had spotted the princess with blueberry stains around her mouth!" Yue jokes.

"There would be a revolt, my dear! They would think you've been replaced!"

"It would be a sight. See you next week!" Yue waves as she leaves the bakery, spirits high. Doraq is already there, extending his hand to help her descend into the canoe. She thanks him and waves goodbye again to Mrs. Huemodo.

"Home?" Doraq asks.

"Yes, please. Thank you for waiting so long this week. I didn't think it would take so long, otherwise I would have told you that you could go do whatever you wanted for a few hours."

"Don't worry about it, Princess. Mrs. Huemodo has a great scroll collection. I'm almost done with the new series from the Earth Kingdom she has."

"Is it good?" Yue asks. He sounds excited.

"Yes, very much. There are these huge monsters that the main character keeps fighting and he just accidentally destroyed a general's home and now they don't believe that there were any monsters so they tied him up in the woods and he has to try and escape before he gets slaughtered in the night!" He gushes, clearly enthralled with the adventurous tale. It was nearly the most Doraq had ever said at one time. Stories tended to capture his attention like nothing else.

"What is this one called again? Tales of... Samraq?" Yue racks her brain.

"Just Samaq, Princess."

"Samaq," Yue repeats carefully. "Perhaps I'll read it, when you're done with it, of course."

"I would be very pleased if you did." Doraq smiled.

Zuko carefully sets a foot down on Zhao's ship. He had wrapped some stolen rags around his shoes, so he padded softly on the metal deck. Perfect for becoming a stowaway. No, perfect for taking what was his so he could return home to the Fire Nation. The Avatar. He had come up with his plan huddled out under a sopping wet tree with his uncle, who had insisted he come along as backup. Stowaway on Zhao's ship disguised as a soldier until they arrived at the North Pole. Once there, he would sneak off the ship and find the Avatar before Zhao did. Then he would take him back to the Fire Nation, to the Fire Lord, his father. Zuko carefully sets an ear against the armoury door. He waits several seconds and when he doesn't hear a peep showing someone inside he swings the door open silently and slips inside. He dresses quickly and efficiently, getting his helmet on first in case someone came inside. His old clothes are stuffed under his armour, to be dropped off the side of the ship the first chance he got.

The next few hours before Zhao's ship leaves the dock are the most crucial for ensuring that no one suspects the sudden additional guard. Zuko makes sure he gets put on shifts and writes in past ones when no one's looking in case anyone bothered to check. He switches pencils and pens as he writes. He listens in on conversations about ship drama so he remembers names and can understand jokes. He doesn't talk much, though. Not worth it in case Zhao overheard and thought his raspy voice sounded familiar. He works at the same pace as everyone else during his shifts, despite the itch in his step begging to reach the North Pole.

The next day, he has the morning shift and passes Iroh in a corridor. They stop side by side. How Iroh can recognize him under all the armour Zuko could never figure out and didn't bother to ask.

"Our plan is working perfectly. Zhao doesn't suspect a thing," Iroh whispers. His fist tightens as he remembers Zhao's expression when he told him about Zuko's "death" before walking on.

"I'm devastated to hear about Prince Zuko. Just devastated." Zhao didn't even sound like he was trying.

"The Fire Lord will not be pleased when he learns who was responsible," Iroh said, looking up at Zhao. Zhao frowned.

"You know who... was behind the attack?" He asked, suspicious.

"Yes..." Iroh slammed a fist on the table. Oh, how he longed to tell Zhao that he knew it was him and was arresting him for treason. Ozai wouldn't have him executed, though. Zhao would probably be given a promotion from the Fire Lord himself. "Pirates!" He exclaimed. "We had a run-in with them awhile back. They wanted revenge." Iroh makes sure not to look at Zhao's smirking face.

"So, have you reconsidered my offer?" Zhao wasted no time.

"Yes, I accept. It will be an honour to serve as your general. To the Fire Nation!" Iroh bows before raising his glass.

"To victory!" Zhao toasts.

"You didn't have to do this," Zuko says, removing his guard mask and looking at his uncle.

"No nephew of mine is going to stow away on a ship without some backup!" He declares.

Zuko's eyes soften. "Thank you, uncle." Footsteps approach the pair.

"Someone's coming! Stay hidden until we get to the North Pole and the Avatar will be yours! Good luck!" Iroh warns. Zuko slides his guard mask back up into his mask and walks off in the opposite direction of Iroh. He could never thank his uncle enough. 

Chapter Text

A gigantic fleet of Fire Navy ships lies under Zhao's command. Broiler room workers fire up the engines at his behest and huge plumes of black smoke and ash and soot spill out of the ships, creating a suffocating smog for miles around. Nearly all wildlife swam well away from the forboding ships. The clanging of metal and burning of coal hurts their ears and made it hard to breathe, even under the water. Zhao stands proudly at the helm of the largest ship, Iroh behind him.

"My fleet is ready. Set a course for the Northern Water Tribe."

Yue steps confidently towards her father, her attendants in step behind her as usual. He is discussing something with his spiritual advisor Nokkon. Yue first bows respectfully towards Nokkon, as he is technically the highest regarded person in the Northern Water Tribe, not the Chief. Then she bows towards her father. They both bow back.

"Nokkon," Yue begins, suddenly a bit nervous, but steeling herself to pull through with her wishes. "If I could borrow father for a minute?" Nokkon smiles and bows again.

"Of course, Princess. We will talk later," he says to her father. They both bow to Nokkon again as he leaves the pair.

"What's this about, Yue?"

"About my betrothal..." Yue begins. "I would like to ask that the wedding isn't too soon. I do not think that it is right that we might take away from fighting the war when its end is nearing, with the Avatar returning."

"My sweet daughter. I understand your trepidation. But you must remember that with the war potentially reaching its end... the risks increase that something may... happen and in that case, the tribe needs a Chief."

"Yes, I understand father, and I'm not asking for a long time... just a little more than what I have now." Yue presses her lips together. She had not thought of that and was saddened that her father already had. But he was the Chief, he had to know such things.

"I will try to honour your request as best I can but remember that we must do what is best for the tribe." The Chief warns.

"Of course. Please think about my request." Yue pleads. Her father's eyes soften. They bow to each other and Yue returns to her room.

"I think that I will just study in my room until supper. You may go for now." Yue dismisses Ukoni and Kunadu who bow before leaving. Yue sinks down to the floor and closes her eyes. Her eyes well up with tears but she does not let them fall. No, this wasn't worth her tears. She leans her head against the door and looks upwards. Tui, La, give me the strength to serve my people as a true Water Tribe Princess. She stays there for a while before deciding enough was enough. Yue rises from the ground and walks to her private porch. Meditation always made her feel better and would help her sort out her thoughts and emotions. She settles into a cross-legged seated position on the floor and closes her eyes...

Zuko turns over roughly as Shozu just would not stop blabbering on like a curly-tailed bluenose about spirits know what. Zuko shoves his head further under the blankets.

"I'm going to sleep," he announces.

"Alrighty then. Even though I was in the middle of a pretty exciting story about the last time I bought a shirt... hey do you want me to wake you up tomorrow? I can, you know. I wake up early. And whenever I hear a noise. I don't sleep as much as I should, according to my mother. And also my last couple of bunkmates now that I think of it..." Shozu drones on. Zuko sincerely wishes he had a pair of earplugs so that he didn't need to hear another word out of Shozu's mouth. Or even Zhao's. Zuko was part of the guard to his meeting room that afternoon and had to listen to him act all sorry and regretful that he hadn't been able to rescue Zuko from his so-called "awful fiery death". Zuko's temperature rises just thinking about it.

Tomorrow. Zuko relaxes as he lets the thought sink through his mind. Tomorrow, we reach the North Pole and I will finally fulfill my destiny. That day he had finally felt like he had been successfully integrated into the ship and no one gave him weird glances or forgot his name. Lee. Also, he had found out from listening to the captain of the ship that they would be at the North Pole tomorrow. Most likely by noon. Zuko had instantly begun figuring out his plot to escape the ship unseen. This was a challenge as not only he would have to escape, but he had to make sure that while rearranging guard times he didn't accidentally bump into a member of his crew that Zhao had apparently taken all onto his personal ship. Zuko clenches his jaw. He didn't know how he would get into the city, but he would worry about that later. For now, he just had to worry about getting off the ship the following day by making sure no guards were around as he stole a lifeboat and paddled off to beat Zhao and return home.

Yue leans on the handrail overlooking the canal. The water is still as it reflects the moon perfectly. Yue can't help but admire its beauty even as her guilt about her betrothal seeps back into her. She hunches over as she hears footsteps run up the winding staircase. Sokka —he was so sweet, how could she do this to him?— slides up next to her.

"Hi, Princess Yue." He sticks out a hand. Yue looks at it. It's a... carving of a... bear? Just a bear? "I made you something. I carved it myself."

"It's a bear," she states.

"Actually, it's a fish, see it has a fin." Sokka happily explains, though a bit embarrassed by his carving skills. He was much better with a boomerang.

"Oh." Yue blinks. She can't even recognize a fish right. She can't hold back her feelings as the guilt and shame courses into her. "I'm sorry! I made a mistake. I shouldn't have asked you to come here!" Yue breaks down as she turns and runs from Sokka. Her shoes crunch on the snow as she runs all the way back to her room. She prays that the servants don't talk and she isn't questioned about it tomorrow. She throws herself into bed and sobs until she falls asleep.

The next morning holds meetings and discussions on her father's council. She is more reserved than she usually is and if her father notices, he doesn't mention it. She is thankful. Yue holds a piece of snow in her hands and focuses on the cold as the day grows long into the night. It melts and runs down her hands. So little, that no one can see. She squeezes her hand tightly and the last droplet of water runs down her hand. Now all she is is cold. Stop being so melodramatic, Yue.

"Chief, Princess, the Avatar and Master Pakku demand a meeting. Apparently, there was some kind of dispute about training his friend." Yue perks her ears up at the guard's words.

"Hmm. Very well. Show them in," her father says. Yue shifts slightly next to her father and the tribe's council members. They are all kneeling on the raised dais at the front of the grand throne room. The daily business had nearly been done and they were about to move onto the implications that the Avatar being there might hold. The young pacifist could bring the war closer to them.

The guards stationed at the end of the throne room open the large doors. The Avatar, the southern girl, Sokka, and Pakku storm in. They must be protesting against the rules. They look quite freshly angry despite training happening early in the morning and the current time being much later in the afternoon --evening, almost.

"Chief Arnook." The Avatar bows. Master Pakku and the southern girl bow as well. "I was showing Katara some waterbender moves that I learned today and —!"

"Disrespected me and our entire culture," Pakku finishes dryly. The council members titter. Master Pakku was held in high esteem and while he was the Avatar... tradition was tradition for a reason. What reason? Yue thinks briefly. She looks at Sokka, who is standing next to his sister and the Avatar. What reason...

"I had thought that me teaching Katara would be different from asking Master Pakku to do it himself. I was not trying to be disrespectful."

"Yeah, Aang didn't mean it! And he still needs to master waterbending and now Pakku won't even teach him!" Katara steps forward, still heated. Master Pakku seems resolute, stonily staring ahead. The Water Tribe is adaptable and flexible... except when it comes to tradition.

"What do you want me to do? Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?" Chief Arnook says.

"Yes - please!" Katara pleads.

"I suspect he might change his mind if you swallow your pride and apologize to him." Yue glances at Pakku, she can't see a visible change in his face but she suspects he agrees with her father's words. Katara hates the idea of apologizing. She looks to Aang and then back at Master Pakku.

"Fine."

Master Pakku smiles smugly. "I'm waiting, little girl." Wrong move, Yue thinks.

"No! No way am I apologizing to a sour old man like you!" Katara snaps. Her hands ball up into fists and she slams them down, the ice floor cracks under her along with the pots of water at each end of the dais the council along with Yue and her father sat on. The water spills out of them, flooding across the floor.

"Uh, Katara..." The young Avatar has noticed and anxiously tries to bring down his friends temper.

"I'll be outside - if you're man enough to fight me!" Katara challenges, before storming outside. Yue gasps along with the other council members. Did she really just—? Seems to be their collective thought.

"I'm sure she didn't mean that," Aang says hastily, attempting to de-escalate the situation.

"Yeh, I think she did." Sokka shrugs. Yue doesn't doubt him. He ought to know his sister and with the look on Katara's face as she left, Yue knows what that meant. The pair turn and take off after Katara.

Outside, Yue waits at the top of the second flight of stairs with her father and the council as Pakku ambles down the rest of the way. He pointedly ignores Katara, who has removed her outer coat in preparation.

"So, you decided to show up?" Pakku continues walking. "Aren't you gonna fight?" Katara demands.

"Go back to the healing hits with the other women where you belong." At this, Katara angrily draws a long thin whip of water out of the ground and snakes it out, hitting Pakku squarely on his neck. He stops and turns towards the girl.

"Fine. You want to learn to fight so bad, study closely!" He shouts as he bends a large stream of water straight at her. Katara leaps through it, freezing it into tiny ice daggers that cut into the ground. Pakku bends more water and creates a ringed wall around the two of them, forcing Katara closer.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you!" Pakku mocks. Katara grits her teeth and swings out an arm, knocking the water off course and out of her way where it hits Sokka, knocking him backwards. Yue forgets herself and runs after him. He had slammed into a wall and was rubbing his forehead when she reached him.

"Are you all right?!" She asks.

"Huh? OH, oh yeahhh, I'm fine. Don't worry about it." He refuses her help getting up, turning his face away from her. "How's Katara doing?" He asks. Yue looks back and sees her almost manage to knock Pakku down.

"She's doing good. Really well, actually."

"Well, when Katara wants to do something, she does it." Sokka sighs. They walk back to where they were standing before. Yue feels a bit awkward being so close to the young man, but she thinks she likes it. She hates herself for it. She looks back at the fighting, and sees it coming to a close as Pakku traps Katara in a mess of ice spikes.

"This fight is over." Pakku walks past Katara.

"Come back here! I'm not finished yet!" Katara yells.

"Yes, you are." Pakku says, before stopping suddenly and bending over. He picks something up off the ground. Yue squints. It's a betrothal necklace. Yue's hand unconsciously goes to the one around her neck.

"This is my necklace!" Pakku exclaims in wonderment. But Pakku isn't married, is he? Yue thinks. Engaged at one point though.

"No, it's not, it's mine! Give it back!"

"I made this sixty years ago - for the love of my life." Pakku sounds far away. The ice that is entrapping Katara melts. "For Kana."

"My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you?"

Pakku gazes down at the necklace. "I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her."

"But she didn't love you, did she? It was an arranged marriage." At arranged marriage  Yue's eyes well up.

"Gran-Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage." Yue bursts out in tears and takes off.

Tears stream down her face as she tears through the city. Sobbing, she barely manages to find her way. Suddenly it all comes down on her. Marriage to Hahn and her heart being torn in two between her people and Sokka. It had been so clear earlier! Why did everything have to be all these shades of grey with no clear lines anywhere! Yue hears footsteps approach and she closes her eyes tight.

"What do you want from me?" Everyone wanted something from her. Power, her hand, to be perfect... it just never ended.

"Nothing. I just want you to know, I think you're beautiful... and, I never thought a girl like you would even notice a guy like me." Sokka began.

"You don't understand." She couldn't, she just couldn't, lead him on anymore.

"No, no see, that's the thing. I think I do understand now. You're a princess, and I... I'm just a southern peasant," he says sadly. No, no no! That wasn't it!

"No, Sokka..."

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything." Sokka turns to leave. "I'll see ya around, okay?" Yue feels her heart stop as she grabs Sokka and kisses him. She tries not to lean into the kiss, even as his lips are soft and inviting. She pulls away at the last second and looks away, not trusting herself to look him in the eye.

"Okay, now I'm really confused! Happy - but confused!" Sokka says, shocked. Sokka's hands clutch hers.

"I do like you! A lot. But, we can't be together - and not for the reason you think. It's because..." Yue suppresses a shudder as she pulls down the collar of her coat to reveal her betrothal necklace. "I'm engaged. I'm sorry!" Yue runs away again like a coward until she gets back to her room where she cries until there's nothing left inside. How could this get any worse?

Iroh and Zhao stand on deck. Zhao grips the metal handrail as the wind whips at his face like it's trying to protect the Northern Water Tribe from the large fleet of Fire Nation ships under his control. All of them waiting for his command as he goes with the Fire Lord's blessing. Zuko's previous crew all under his command. Zhao had had them be assigned to his ship personally. He wanted to see their faces and imagine Zuko snarling and filled with rage as he captures the Avatar —Zuko's prize— and takes him before the Fire Lord and seals the boy's fate to being exiled, banished from the Fire Nation forever. Perhaps dying young out on the great ocean where oh, oh so many accidents happen. Iroh's mouth is set in a hard line behind Zhao as if he knows his thoughts and itches for betrayal.

"My fleet is ready. Set a course for the Northern Water Tribe." Zhao commands. Iroh doesn't bow before leaving his side to inform the helmsman. He prays for Zuko as the ocean seems to roar as all the Fire Navy ships fire up their engines. The dense, black fog around the ships grows denser, choking out the sun. 

Chapter Text

Iroh and Zhao stand in the breeze on Zhao's ship. The Fire Nation's flag ripples, the brilliant red a warning sign to all who see. The ship is not alone. A huge fleet makes way for the Northern Water Tribe. Coming from all over the world, they have come a long ways from the warm lands of the Fire Nation to this icy domain. The cold sinks in through their metal armour, stifling their firepower. A soldier lets loose a fire blast. He defies the cold. The universe. Nothing will keep him from capturing his prey.

"Princess Yue, how are you today?" Hahn asks. The pair are having lunch.

"I'm doing well. And you?" Yue replies, smiling politely. Hahn grins.

"Excellent. With my recent promotion, I have been drilling my warrior band. The Ice-Wolves."

"The Ice-Wolves?" She frowns.

"Yes. The Ice-Wolves! I have a dozen warriors under my command. No second-in-command yet. None of them are good enough yet. But in a few weeks, I think one will come ahead of the pack. I have been drilling them both before and after regular training so they've been advancing quicker than any of the other men." Hahn boasts of his command of the Ice-Wolves. Yue wasn't one to say anything... but Ice-Wolves? Anyways, it didn't matter her feelings on the subject. It was his band of warriors that he worked for.

"Aren't you worried that you'll burn them out?" Training them so hard... even warriors needed breaks.

"Of course not! Besides, if they need breaks, they don't belong as an Ice-Wolf."

"Of course." Yue stuck a fork into a piece of seal-turtle meat. She gnaws on the tough meat. Tough like this conversation. Hahn hasn't even mentioned their betrothal. Yue doesn't know whether to be happy or sad at this. She saws into another piece of meat. Out the window, it's a beautiful sunny day. Unnaturally warm as well. The window itself may even start melting, due to it being made of snow and all. The city is bustling. People going about their daily business, children playing in the street, canoes gliding through the water. One canoe carries a slick, gray mass that a hunter must have caught.

"So they don't have palaces in the Southern Trube?" Yue asks brightly.

"Are you kidding? I grew up in a block of ice. It's not exactly a cultural hub." Sokka sits on the rail over the canal. Yue laughs, placing a hand on his shoulder. She compares this to Hahn's Ice Wolves. The smile leaves her face. She pulls her hand back.

"Sokka, this is wrong."

"What's wrong? We're taking a walk!" Sokka argues. It had worked earlier. Yue had let Sokka drag her out here with those puppy eyes and sarcastic jokes. It's just a walk, right! Wrong!

"I'm engaged. It just... feels..." Like I'm betraying my people. Sokka's smile wanes. Yue turns to leave. She has studying to do anyways.

"I know what you need!" Sokka hops down and jumps next to her. "You need to meet my good friend Appa!"

"Who?" Yue tilts her head. Sokka has successfully convinced her.

Sokka drags Yue through the city next to the palace. Yue laughs as they dodge merchants and kids playing outside. They get odd stares, the duo. Sokka takes Yue to the stable where the reindeer are kept. Yue remembers the sky bison they rode in on as they enter the feeding area and the sky bison —Appa, she presumes— is eating a giant pile of hay that dwarfs the reindeer.

"Appa and I go way back. Don't we boy?" Sokka spreads his arms wide. Appa grunts and thunders towards him. Yue panics for a split second as he pins Sokka down and gives him a big, slobbery lick.

"Ahh! Easy!" Sokka protests. "Down boy! Ahh! No! Up!" He tries to get the large sky bison to get up off of him.

"Looks like you haven't been giving Appa enough attention," Yue comments.

"Ahh!!" Sokka replies.

"So how does this work?" Yue asks. They're seated in Appa's saddle. She grips the handle in front of her and glances over the edge and down at the furry creature. It amazes her to think that Appa can fly.

"You hangin' on tight?"

"Hmm hmm." Yue tightens her hold on the saddle.

"Yup... yip!" Sokka says and Appa takes off into the sky. Yue yelps as they gain altitude, fast. The stable nearly disappears underneath them, blending into the miniature city that sprawls out beneath them. Even the palace, though still glittering, seems tiny. The horizon in front of them seems endless. Just beautiful, glittering sea for miles. Appa takes them even higher.

"Oh... my... goodness!" Yue exclaims. The city shrinks further in the distance, blending into the surrounding cliffs and icebergs. She can't make out individual buildings and only flashes of light mark where the canals are. "Wow! I can't believe you do this every day!" Yue's cheeks turn pink. This boy, Sokka, is more impressive than most boys she's met.

"Yeh, we pretty much live up here." He stretches back.

Yue shivers and wraps her arms around herself. "Is it always this cold in the sky?" Without thinking, she leans into Sokka's warmth.

"Not when you're with someone." Yue's blush deepens.

"It's beautiful up here." You're beautiful, she wants to say.

"Yeah." A heavy pause hangs in the air. Yue glances down at Sokka's mouth. The two teenagers lean in. To what, Yue doesn't think about. Then, they both realize what they were doing. Yue snaps back and looks off to the side.

"Whoo! Yeh! Good times! Good times!" Yue bites her lip at his words. She closes her eyes for a second to center herself.

"Hey, look!" Sokka points. Yue opens her eyes and looks down. Black snow falls from the sky.

"What's happening?"

"Oh no."

"Soot." Sokka kneels in the snow on the edge of an icy cliff, black snow in his hand. Yue slides down Appa's side.

"What?" Yue crunches into the snow. It's lightly stained grey by the black flakes drifting down from above. The pristine landscape is muddied and no longer seems as bright as before.

"I've seen it before. Right before my village was attacked. It's soot mixed with snow."

Yue knows the answer but needs confirmation. "But why?"

"It's the Fire Nation. They've closed in on the North Pole. And from the looks of the stuff... I'd say there's a lot of them."

Zhao's fleet cuts through the dark water. Zhao stands proudly, gazing ahead triumphantly like he's already won.

"Just think, centuries from now, people will study the great Admiral Zhao who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe civilization. You're lucky you're here to see it."

"Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects." Iroh, standing behind him, warns. His brow is heavy as he looks towards the Water Tribe.

"I suppose you speak from experience? But rest assured, this will be nothing like your legendary failure at Ba Sing Se." Zhao glances sideways as he mentions Ba Sing Se, wondering if the old man will flinch at the thought of his absolutely devastating failure. Zhao frowns when he doesn't.

"I hope not, for your sake."

"Tell the Captains to prepare for first strike." Zhao clips. Iroh walks away to give the command —and to warn Zuko.

"We'll be landing soon. Do you have a plan?" He whispers to his nephew. The prince slides his masks down out of his helmet.

"I'm working on it, Uncle." It was true. He hadn't stopped thinking about it, preparing, even in his sleep he dreamt of how the upcoming hours and days would go. He had memorized the slightly altered guard schedule that included the convenient time he would be on guard by the emergency boats. Zuko slides his mask up and continues his walk along the hallway while his uncle goes the opposite way.

When Yue and Sokka land, the city is already in an uproar. Warriors run towards the palace while parents grab their children and drag them inside. Yue's people. Sokka drags her away from a mother begging her to help find her child. Her feet are forced to lift and crunch through the snow as fast as she can. As the princess, her duty is to her people, yes, but she can best do that at the palace. She will present herself properly as the princess they deserved. Shining with hope and reassurance, honouring traditions like arranged marriages. Even if they were with Hahn and she was currently clutching Sokka's hand tight. Her feelings were not those of just a friend. The pair reaches the steps of the palace. The glistening emblem of the Water Nation welcomes the people who run inside ahead of them. Hands already clutching spears. Yue halts.

"What's wrong?" Sokka points at the open doors. "We have to go!" Panic and confusion apparent in his voice.

"I can't see you anymore. Not at all."

"What? We're just friends."

"I wish we could just be friends, but I like you too much and it's too confusing to be around you. I'm marrying someone else."

"You don't love him, do you? You don't even seem to like him." Sokka almost scoffs at her. Yue doesn't want to admit it, but it's true.

"But I do love my people." Her people are running into the palace into the citadel for protection and guidance, into their houses for shelter, looking for the children to protect them.

"You're not marrying them," he says flatly.

"You don't understand. I have duties to my father, to my tribe." Yue passes Sokka up the steps. "I have to do this, goodbye!"

Leaving Sokka on the steps, Yue surges through the crowd to find her father and the council. They part around her, giving her deference even in their fear. Yue calms her face, to not panic them further. Her steps are clipped and fast, but not too fast.

"Princess Yue! Emergency council meeting and then we are addressing the warriors." A council member motions her towards the council chambers closer to the back of the palace. Yue quickly follows him. Nearly breaking into a run once out of sight.

The council is nearly all there. The chief wraps her up in a hug as soon as he sees her. The council mutters worriedly amongst themselves, the black soot visibly staining the once-pristine city outside.

"We must prepare a plan to defend and attack!" One says.

"We do not have the resources to win a brute fight," another argues back.

"We will have to be smarter then. Though there's so little time."

"My son has an elite squad that could handle a bigger—"

"We must evacuate the city!"

Yue clenches her jaw. This wasn't helpful.

"Friends, we must calm ourselves. Panicking now only gives the Fire Nation the advantage."

"The Ocean and the Moon spirit must guide us, and give us hope," Yue says, and the council seems split at her words. She knows they wish that the spirits would offer more... deadly help at times rather than inner peace and understanding. They all understand the weight of the influence the spirits have, the power they balance between them.

"We must be smart. We have been preparing for an attack for years. We did not expect it now, but we have trained men. We must continue with the normal protocols, but I think we have to cut off the serpent's head as well." Yue's father Chief Arnook says.

"We could infiltrate them. Attempt to assassinate their leader."

"That would be rather ambitious."

"Ambition just might save us," the Chief interjects. "We know brute strength won't work along, but with a carefully executed assassinate the tides might turn in our favour."

"They will be lead by an admiral, with the next lowest on their chain of command being ship captains. A fleet, versus a single ship will often win as long as they don't underestimate the threat," Yue says.

"You ask for much from your warriors with that plan," a councillor warns, wanting to rely on brute force.

"They do not have to fight if they do not want to. I will never ask that." The Chief places a hand on his daughter's shoulders. "Let us address the warriors. Yue, Master Pakku." He addresses the pair, who fall in step behind him as they walk to their seats on the raised dais.

The hall is filled with grim-faced warriors, both young and old. Sokka sits with the Avatar and his sister to the side of the hall against a pillar. Chief Arnook stands.

"The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe. But they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits!" He raises his hands towards the celestial bodies above. "Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us!" He lowers his hands somberly. "I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission." Before his words even completely leave his mouth, Yue sees Sokka bolt upright. Many other men in the crowd stand with him.

"Be warned. Many of you will not return. Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task." The men line up to receive the Chief's mark, and Sokka joins. Yue feels her heart slam into her throat. He could not come back. She dully watches Hahn receive his mark, red ink he would wear proudly around. Next up is Sokka, who seems to recognize the weight of it more. Her eyes water. The red might as well brand him for death. A single tear slides down her cheek but she doesn't dare let another fall. 

Chapter Text

A fireball blasts pasts past Aang and lands on the emblem of the Water Tribe, destroying it. The city shakes. Men yell as they are thrown back from the impact. Yue is in the palace. The others went to fight. Even Katara. Yue is making herself useful, setting up cots in the palace for when —if— the healer's huts overflow. She grinds up herbs so that they are ready and fresh when the wounded arrive. She calls for people to bring blankets if they can spare any, for those who might have infected wounds and start fevering. Her hands are not allowed to shake when a fireblast rattles the city. She might fall off the earth but her hands must not shake.

The first to be wounded seems almost ashamed as he is brought in with a shattered leg and scrapes all over. He was too close to a blast and got pinned and had to wait until some waterbenders had a moment of free time. Yue stands by patiently as the more experienced healers work. She paid close attention to what they did as she knew she would most likely be pushed out of her comfort zone and knowledge before the siege was done. Even her attendants, usually there only for her, were scurrying around whenever something had to be done for anyone.

Within an hour, the cots are all full. Many will be out fighting again the next day, whether they should or not. At two hours, they have to make more pastes and poultices. At four hours, Yue's feet are sore and her brow tired from worrying. The men start asking for her to be there since they know she has been blessed by the moon spirit. At eight hours, they whisper she is a spirit herself of healing and will ensure that they survive. Yue doesn't think that they might survive her attempt at setting shattered bone and sewing up bloody, ragged-looking bellies. She worries about Mrs. Huemodo, who is rolling bandages around wounds instead of rolling out dough is tense, with a kind of fierceness in her eyes that makes Yue worry. At ten hours, Katara appears and drags the princess out of the room. The others push her out as well, saying that they've all taken breaks as well. Yue admits she could use the fresh air.

The air smells like soot, smoke, and fire. The ground still shakes, and she can hear the distant shouts and screams clearer. Yue can see houses that have been utterly destroyed. She looks away before she sees bodies dismembered in the snow.

"How are you doing?" Katara asks.

"It doesn't matter. I'm doing what I can to help them."

"Yue, how are you?" Katara insists.

"I'm... managing. It's hard."

"Yeah, fighting like this... at least I can make a difference this time." Katara's eyes lower and Yue feels guilty. From what Sokka told her about his tribe, it seemed like they needed help badly and still do. She made a mental note to talk about it with her father later if they survived this. And if they still had enough resources to travel that far and give aid.

"You must be making all the difference now. You look like you've been fighting hard."

"Thank you."

Yue doesn't answer as she realizes the fireblasts that have been punctuating their words have stopped.

"They've stopped firing." She looks upwards and sees Appa and the Avatar, Aang swoop down and land in front of them. They rush down the steps of the palace to them.

"Aang!"Katara shouts as Appa slumps down onto the ground.

Aang slides down Appa. "I can't do it." He puts his head in his hands. "I can't do it," He repeats.

"What happened?" Katara asks.

"I must have taken out a dozen Fire Navy ships, but there's just too many of them. I can't fight them all."

"But, you have to!" Yue blurts out before she can stop herself. "You're the Avatar!"

"I'm just one kid," Aang says, and Yue feels incredibly guilty for saying what she did. He didn't ask for this world. None of them did. And he was the one who had to fix it. Katara sits down next to him and places an arm around him.

Zuko hooks the canoe onto the rope that will lower it down with his supplies: rope, and some food. Water was abundant. His armour lays back in his bunk where he left it. Zhao had just called off the attack for the night. Zuko remembers his uncle telling him that the waterbenders draw power from the moon. That night was to be full, so they would be at the height of their power. The door behind Zuko opens and closes. Zuko knows it is his uncle.

"If you're fishing for an octopus, my nephew, you need a tightly woven net or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape." Iroh offers.

"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle." I just need the Avatar.

"I'm sorry, I just nag you because, well, ever since I lost my son..." Iroh looks away. Zuko feels a pang of guilt echo through him.

"Uncle, you don't have to say it," Zuko tells him.

"I think of you as my own." Iroh lets the words out. Zuko turns, concerned for him. "I know, Uncle." He bows to him. "We'll meet again." He promises. Iroh rushes forward and embraces the young prince. Zuko longs to stay in his embrace but is scared to do so and steps away from his uncle. "... After I have the Avatar." Zuko climbs in the canoe and begins to lower himself down.

"Remember your Breath of Fire! It could save your life out there!"

"I will."

"And put your hood up, keep your ears warm!"

"I'll be fine."

Zuko glides through the water, silently paddling through the icy water, hiding behind tiny icebergs that protected him from the guards at the top of the outer wall of the Water Tribe. He quietly scrapes onto the ice shore at the base of the outer corner of the wall. He walks along the wall, hoping to find something when he notices the turtle seals disappearing beneath the ice.

"Where are they going? They're coming up for air somewhere..." Zuko squints as he sees that they are diving into a hole in the ice. Determined, he takes a deep breath and plunges into the deep.

"The legends say the moon was the first waterbender. Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves." Yue looks out over the city. The air has settled. The healers had caught up with the injured and were now finding greater success with the moon overhead. The patients still asked for her, and she did her best to spend time with each one.

"I've always noticed my waterbending is stronger at night," Katara comments.

"Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon, our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean. They work together to keep balance."

Aang springs up. "The spirits! Maybe I can find them and get their help!"

"How can you do that?" Yue wonders if this is some strange Avatar thing.

"The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World. Aang can talk to them!" Katara informs her brightly.

"Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle!" Spirits know that what she had been meditating on.

Aang spread his arms. "Or, maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!" Silence meets them as Yue isn't quite sure what to say to this very... spiritual and wise Avatar.

'Or wisdom. That's good too."

"The only problem is, last time you got to the Spirit World by accident. How are you going to get there this time?"

Yue knows exactly how she can help. "I have an idea, follow me." She leads them to the back of the palace, to a courtyard directly behind it. She stops in front of a small wooden half door. She doesn't know where the wood came from, as trees are rather scarce in an arctic wasteland, or why the door is only half size, but she likes to think the wood is from a special spiritual place and the size of the door is so that you must bow to the spirits before entering their space.

"So is this the way to the Spirit World?" Aang asks, skeptical.

Yue laughs. "No, you'll have to get there on your own. But I can take you to the most spiritual place in the entire North Pole." She swings the door open to reveal the—

"Grass!" The Avatar shouts and runs to the grassy patch over a small bridge. To the back of him is a large waterfall. In the grassy patch, there is a pond, that held to koi fish that always circled each other for as long as Yue knew. And she had the sense that it had been that way for all of eternity, but she couldn't know for sure. Besides, Koi fish didn't live that long, did they? A paifang is erected behind Aang.

"I never thought I'd miss grass this much!" The boy lays on the grass fondly. The flying lemur, Momo, seems to appreciate as well, in much the same way. Katara takes off her overcoat.

"It's so warm here! How is that possible?"

"It's the center of all spiritual energy in our land." Yue smiles. The smoke and soot and fire hadn't tainted this place yet. But Momo was about to! The lemur tried fishing in the pond for the koi fish. Yue and Katara glared down disapprovingly at the poor creature and he scampered off to some other mischief.

"You're right, Yue. I can feel...something...it's so...tranquil." The boy sits down cross-legged in front of the pond with the koi fish. He closes his eyes and places his two fists together. Yue recognizes the hand position as a more obscure one used for meditation. Perhaps it was more popular a hundred years ago? Or maybe with the air nomads? Was he even meditating?

"Why is he sitting like that?" She whispers to Katara.

"He's meditating — trying to cross over into the Spirit World. It takes all his concentration."

"Is there any way we can help?" Yue asks.

"How 'bout some quiet!" Aang twists around to glare at them. "C'mon guys! I can hear every word you're saying!" Yue presses her lips together and tries to be as quiet as she can.

Zuko's lungs burn for air as he finally surfaces. The rest of him is cold, too cold. He uses his Breath of Fire to warm himself up. Slightly warmer than before, he rises up and looks around the cavern. Turtle seals are barking nonstop.

"Be quiet!" He yells. They momentarily stop as he shoves past them, angrily pushing their heads aside. The resume as soon as he is past and Zuko is still feeling the burn of his lungs so he doesn't yell again. Besides, he could alert the Water Tribe warriors to his presence. A tunnel that is gushing water seems like a safe bet. He climbs in, fighting to keep a grip on the slippery walls. He finally reaches a pool of water and swims to the top to find a small pocket of air. After regaining his breath, he swims down another tunnel. His lungs start to burn even worse than before so when he sees what looks like an exit his swims as fast as he can towards it. Running into ice again, he growls and heats his hands up. He places them on the ice that is just thin enough that he can break through and breathe in sweet, sweet air. He had made it into a tunnel that opened right into the Water Tribe city. The Avatar is here...

The Avatar begins to glow! Well, not all of him. Just his tattoos. Yue gasps.

"Is he okay?"

"He's crossing into the Spirit World. He'll be fine as long as we don't move his body. That's his way back to the physical world."

Yue nods but is still concerned. "Maybe we should get some help?" Surely a few guards would be helpful in case anything happened.

"No, he's my friend. I'm perfectly capable of protecting him." Katara says confidently.

"Well, aren't you a big girl now?" A voice rings out across to them. Yue doesn't recognize it but Katara seems to.

"No!" She shouts at a young man who is stalking towards them across the bridge. He is dressed in grey, with a determined look in his eyes. He wears his shiny black hair in a high ponytail. A burn mark covers his left eye. Yue had seen too many burn marks that day.

"Yes! Hand him over, and I won't have to hurt you." Yue glances at the Avatar, so helpless in his current state. Katara assumes a fighting stance and Yue decides to run to get help. The young man doesn't stop her. She hears fire behind her as she bursts through the wooden door.

Yue runs through the courtyard and around to the front of the palace. Sokka is rushing out and they grab each other's arms.

"Yue! What's wrong? Your father told me to guard you."

"Sokka! Aang needs help!"

"What wait!?" Sokka asks, eyes wide.

"A firebender showed up after he crossed over to the spirit world and is fighting Katara!" She hurriedly explains the situation. The pair run to grab Appa. Yue hauls herself up into the sky bison's saddle as a single "yip yip" launches them into the air. Adrenaline rushes through her veins alongside an icy fear.

It takes them what feels like ages to land behind the palace, next to Katara. Aang is nowhere to be seen. Katara groggily opens her eyes with pain apparent on her face.

"What happened? Where's Zuko?" Sokka asks as they slide down onto the ground. Zuko. That must be the young man's name. They must have encountered him before. Yue wonders who he is.

"He took Aang. He took him right out from under me." Katara stares at the grass where Aang had just been a few minutes ago.

"Where did they go?" Sokka asks. Katara can't answer, but there's only one place he must have been trying to take Aang.

Avatar draped over his shoulders, Zuko trudges through the deep snowdrifts and howling wind above the Water Tribe city. The snow is so cold they feel like tiny knives attacking his skin. He doesn't know how the Avatar was walking around in only his thin monk clothes. It was almost too easy to capture him from the Water Tribe girl. But he knew that the other would be bringing reinforcements soon enough. Probably the boy and the bison. Zuko didn't recognize the young woman that ran off. She seemed important, certainly better dressed than the others. She was also the first person he had ever seen wear purple, or be so obviously young with snow-white hair. Odd. He stumbled as his right foot sank in a softer pile of snow. Huffing, he pulled it out and carried on.

Crack! The ground beneath them splits open. Zuko jumps forwards and begins running as fast as he can as the ground collapses beneath them. He barely stays ahead of the splintering ice.

"Shelter!" A cave ahead of him seems promising and Zuko manages to reach it, throwing the Avatar in ahead of him. Zuko pants as he is finally on solid ground. Sighing, he stands and grabs the young boy's shoulders and puts him into a more comfortable position leaning against the wall. 

Chapter Text

"I can't believe I lost him." Katara kneels by the pool.

"You did everything you could and now we need to do everything we can to get him back," Sokka reassures his sister. "Zuko can't have gotten far. We'll find him. Aang's gonna be fine."

"Okay." Katara stands and walks to Appa. Yue sits down in the sky bison's saddle, more prepared for balancing when he lifts off.

"It's all right. You stay here, Momo, in case Aang comes back." Momo purrs and lays down where Aang was sitting.

"Yip! Yip!" Appa launches into the air, anxious to find Aang. They soar up above the city and over the wasteland behind where the storm is as strong as ever. Yue leans over the side and scans the snow for any sign of life. Footprints would be erased in a heartbeat and Zuko's grey clothing would blend into the snow. Not a glimpse of orange monk clothes peaked out from behind a snow dune.

A/N: I don't know if snow dunes are a thing but I think it's funny and I don't wanna find out that they aren't a thing so the term is staying. 

"I finally have you." Zuko stares out at the storm. "But I can't get you home because of this blizzard. There's always something. Not that you would understand. You're like my sister. Everything always... came easy to her. She's a firebending prodigy — and everyone adores her. My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born. I don't need luck though, I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am." Zuko clenches his fists at his sides as he thinks of his father. The Avatar is still unconscious, with tattoos glowing. In the Spirit World, if he heard the girl correctly. It would make sense. Hopefully, the boy was stuck there. It would be easier for both of them. Iroh might disagree, but his own experience would probably be much different than the avatar's, who was supposed to be part of that world. Zuko didn't want to fight him. It was all too likely he would lose, even if he didn't want to admit it. The Avatar takes a deep breath, despite being in the Spirit World. A gust of wind makes its way into the cave from the storm raging outside.

"Guess we'll be here a while."

"I don't need to remind you we have a time limit." Iroh stands next to Zhao on the observation deck of the Admirals ship. "If we don't defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon rises they will be undefeatable."

Zhao smiles. "I assure you I have everything under control. I intend to remove the moon as a factor." His grin broadens.

"Remove the moon!? How?" Iroh says incredulously, surely Zhao wasn't entirely mad?

Clunky steps sound behind them. "Admiral Choi! Prepare to meet your fate!" A young Water Tribe boy throws off a Fire Nation helmet and charges them with a spear. Iroh is surprised he made it this far. He shakes his head as the boy is gracefully thrown overboard by Zhao, unceremoniously splashing into the water below. He was part of the water tribe, he would be fine. 

"As I was saying... years ago I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret... the identity of the Moon Spirit's mortal form," Zhao reveals to a shocked Iroh.

"What?"

"I was a young Lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom... I discovered a hidden library, underground in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration and the words "Moon" and "Ocean." I knew then that these spirits could be found — and killed. And that it was my destiny to do so."

"Zhao, the Spirits are not to be trifled with!" Iroh is angered. How could Zhao not see the pure destruction this would cause? It would rain down on him, and Zhao would never see it coming.

"Yes, yes, I know you fear the Spirits, Iroh. I've heard rumours about your journey into the Spirit World. But the Ocean and Moon gave up their immortality to become a part of our world — and now they will face the consequences!" Zhao patronizes Iroh, believing himself better, more powerful and strong. Believing himself powerful enough to slay the moon.

"Don't worry! Prince Zuko can't be getting too far in this weather." Yue reassures Katara. The cold was starting to get to Katara, her nose and ears were turning red. I hope Sokka is doing okay. But she doesn't ask, it would be too odd to ask, she thinks. The vast snow dunes seem to stretch forever and Yue can barely see the city behind them. She knows the expanse of the wasteland, having studied it well, and knows of how many people were found dead in the snow a stone's throw away from the help that they just couldn't see through the menacing weather.

"I'm not worried they'll get away in the blizzard. I'm worried that they won't." Katara voices her concern. Yue's hands nervously find each other and she begins to pick at her nails. There is a growing fear in her heart, though some of it is foreign like something else she couldn't name. 

"They're not gonna die in this blizzard. If we know anything it's that Zuko never gives up. They'll survive — and we'll find them!" Sokka yells back. Zuko. The siblings had given her a brief description of the prince. He was a prince of the Fire Nation that was chasing Aang for some reason, always talking about "honour" and had found them several times but hadn't succeeded yet. What would a prince be doing searching for the Avatar so far from home?  Yue would, in perhaps less war-like times, had gone to visit other nations for diplomatic missions as part of being a princess. Not for long, and definitely not doing something dangerous. Even if she was male, there would be significant protection around her. Definitely not searching for the Avatar with just one ship and seemingly never home. The Fire Nation was... different. Despite being the literal enemy, Yue found it hard to not try to be somewhat understanding and diplomatic concerning them. 

A ball of light shoots across the sky, catching Yue's eye.

"Look! That's gotta be Aang!" Katara points at it. Sokka quickly yanks on Appa's reins and they speed ahead to where the light disappears into a cave. They hold their breath as Appa lands in the snow. Aang shoots out, bound by rope.

"Appa!" He shouts happily. Sokka and Katara quickly dismount. Yue stays behind. She doesn't know how to fight and she doesn't think her diplomacy skills will help.

"Here for a rematch?" The young man — Zuko— appears, taking a fighting stance. His ponytail blows in the breeze. His bare -- waxed? -- scalp must be cold. 

"Trust me, Zuko, it's not going to be much of a match," Katara promises, already destroying a fireball he sends her way. She shifts her energy, raising him up in a wave of ice before dropping him onto the ground, hard. He doesn't move.

"Hey! This is some quality rope!" Sokka cuts Aang out of his bonds.

"We need to get to the oasis! The spirits are in trouble!" Aang hops up onto Appa and takes the reins. Sokka climbs up as well, followed by Katara. Yue looks back at the young man in the snow, unconscious with injuries. But he would die, wouldn't he? She opened her mouth to protest but Aang beat her to it.

"Wait, we can't just leave him here."

"Sure we can. Let's go," Sokka says flippantly.

"No, if we leave him, he'll die." Aang jumps down and drags Zuko onto Appa. Yue grabs him and lays him down properly. His head should be elevated, she thinks and grabs the fur scarf she wears underneath her overcoat when it's cold out and places it under his head, wrapping some of the excess around his shoulders.

"Yeah, this makes a lot of sense. Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us!" Sokka complains and Yue frowns. Though, maybe she would feel differently if he had tried to kill her a few times.

Something is wrong. Something is very, very wrong. My life— Yue clutches her head and groans. A kernel of her deep inside is wrong. Not gone or dead, but threatened. The odd feeling in her core has turned leaden and cold. 

"Are you okay?" Sokka rushes to her.

"I feel faint." An image flashes in her mind. She reaches out to catch hold of it but the connection falters.

"I feel it too. The Moon Spirit is in trouble." Aang says, also clutching his head.

Yue looks up. "I owe the Moon Spirit my life."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was born I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they're born... but I was born as if I were asleep. My eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could. They told my mother and father I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save me... that night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white, I opened my eyes and began to cry — and they knew I would live. That's why my mother named me Yue, for the moon." She looks at her hands, rough and picked apart. What happens if we can't save the Moon Spirit?  Yue shifts in her seat and adjusts the scarf under Zuko's head. A conclusion is settling in her mind. 

When they reach the oasis, a man who proclaims himself as "Zhao the Moon Slayer" and "Zhao the Invincible" is holding the Moon Spirit in a sack. Yue feels the walls of the oasis press in around her. Like she's in that sack and about to be killed by a megalomaniac. She hardens her eyes. That fish will not die. Momo springs off of Aang and grabs onto Zhao, pulling on his face.

"Huh! Get it off!" The man shouts, swatting at the lemur. Momo returns to Aang's arm and the admiral and his men turn to face them.

"Don't bother!" Zhao shouts at his men. He holds a knife to the bag.

"Zhao! Don't!"

"It's my destiny... to destroy the Moon... and the Water Tribe."

"Destroying the moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe. It will hurt everyone — including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world." Aang tries to reason with the man, who is utterly enthralled with his imagined glory-filled future.

"He is right, Zhao!" A voice rings out. A figure has approached them.

"General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?" His tone shifts to one of forced boredness. General Iroh lowers his hood.

"I'm no traitor, Zhao, the Fire Nation needs the Moon too. We all depend on the balance." He steps closer and deepens into a fighting stance. "Whatever you do to that spirit I'll unleash on you ten-fold! LET IT GO, NOW!"

There's a tense moment and Zhao slowly lowers the bag. He kneels, and the Moon Spirit swims out of the bag back into the pond. Zhao quickly changes his mind, however, and blasts the pond with fire. Yue recoils with horror as the Moon disappears. Time slows.

A blast of fire is directed at Zhao from General Iroh, who quickly takes out Zhao's guards. Zhao runs and General Iroh lets him. Yue rushes to the pond, where the Moon Spirit floats, dead. Iroh kneels down and lifts the Spirit out of the water.

"There's no hope now. It's over." Yue sobs as Sokka places his hands on her shoulders.

"No, it's not over." A deep amalgamation of voices says, who Yue realizes is Aang, tattoos glowing. The boy stands and walks into the water. Katara goes to follow but the General motions for her to stop. Katara listens. Aang drops into the water and disappears. The pond is only a few feet deep. 

"It's too late. It's dead," Katara says as Iroh places the Moon Spirit back into the water. Yue feels like she's dead, or missing.

"You have been touched by the Moon Spirit. Some of its life is in you!" The old man looks up at Yue in wonderment.

"Yes, you're right. It gave me life." Yue feels her resolve steel. "Maybe I can give it back." She stands and walks to the pond's edge. The conclusion has settled and become part of her, of her story. 

"No! You don't have to do that!"

"It's my duty, Sokka." She lets his hand go. The world goes.

"I won't let you! Your father told me to protect you!"

"I have to do this." Something echos through her words. Something old and powerful. Yue walks into the water and places her hands onto the Moon Spirits' wounds. They begin to glow, and Yue feels like she's become... bigger. More of herself. Her eyes close and she collapses into the water. She is gone to this world.

Chapter Text

Zuko slips away. He longs to fight Zhao right then but decides to catch him later. He's gone before Zhao finishes his speech about his proclaimed greatness. The coward. Trying to have him killed by pirates. Zuko doesn't think about how the Avatar... rescued him. So naive and young, like his friends. That boy and girl from the south. He wonders if that other girl, the young woman, had joined them. Zuko doubts it. She's dressed finer than anyone else he's seen, most likely nobility of some kind trying to get into the Avatar's good graces. She took me from the Avatar and put my head on her scarf. Perhaps not a horrible person, but naive. Didn't she know what the point of war -- of enemies --- was? Zuko can feel the warmth from the scarf as he slips through the Water Tribe city. It's not like she really needed it, did she?

A cold tier overlooking a footbridge is perfect. Zuko climbs up and waits. Zhao would be there any moment. The guards would be no object. As would any Water Tribe warriors that might stray their way from the fighting of the siege. From the sounds of it, there weren't any left. All Zuko could hear was fire and screaming. There was a red cast over everything that appeared after the moon disappeared. Zhao had succeeded, apparently, in becoming the "moon-killer" or whatever he was blathering on about when Zuko was slipping out of that oasis. It only fuels Zuko's rage.

Zhao rounds the corner and goes on the footbridge like a coward traitor. Zuko roars and blasts fire in his path.

"You're alive?" Zhao is shocked. Incredulous. Zuko relishes the expression. He is bruised and battered, yes, but alive. He was still alive. 

"You tried to have me killed!" There was also that score that needed to be settled. He launches at the older man from the tier. Zhao rolls behind the footbridge's wall.

"Yes, I did. You're the Blue Spirit — an enemy of the Fire Nation!" Zhao spits. Zuko's rage is white-hot as they face each other. Waiting. A blue light runs under them through the water that Zuko barely registers.

"You freed the Avatar!"

"I had no choice!" How else was he to return home, restore his honour? He blasts fireball after fireball at Zhao, who dissipates each one, snarling.

"You should have chosen to accept your failure — your disgrace! Then, at least you could have lived!" Zhao threatens, thinking himself invincible despite his initial failure at killing Zuko and how he was now losing ground against the same man. With a carefully executed series of blows, Zhao is flat on his back. His eyes widen.

"It can't be!" He's looking up. Up past Zuko. Up into the sky. The red cast is gone. The moon is back. Things feel... right. For Zhao, it feels wrong. The water rises up behind Zhao in the shape of a hand. It grabs the Admiral and lifts him up. Zuko springs forwards.

"Take my hand!" He reaches for his enemy's hand. Zhao thinks for a moment and Zuko thinks he'll grab his hand, but instead he pulls it back and throws a fireblast right at Zuko's chest. Zuko, completely unprepared is thrown back and hits the edge of the bridge's wall. He slumps down. The water drags Zhao back and into the water. He disappears from Zuko's rapidly darkening sight. Nothing.

Yue becomes. She is whole. Where there once was a kernel, now is a vast well of essence, of being. Some still confidence runs through her veins. Libraries of books and experiences fill her head. She almost forgets that she is Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe. Tui, Tui, TUI!

She bolts upright. She's swimming around La. Like she's been doing since before time came and there was a "before" rather than "being". She's standing upright. She's not a koi fish. She's Yue. I am Tui. The words resound through her and she knows it's true. She is Tui, the spirit, and Yue, the human. Two parts of a whole. She thought she had given her life force to Tui but she had also given herself and became one with Tui.

Yue realizes that she's been sitting in the pond. Princesses don't do that. She's also... swimming in the pond but she doesn't think her father will mind that the koi fish are in the pond. Yue stands and walks out of the pond. I wish I was dry— oh! Yue, with a nearly unconscious small flicking motion, caused the pond water soaking her clothes to rejoin the rest of the pond water. That's new. She looks around. Everyone has gone. Yue leaves the oasis, not quite sure where she's going. The calm of the oasis stays with her as part of her leaves through the wooden half door. She is still swimming with La.

The fighting has stopped. A faint tinge of smoke and blood drifts on the wind. The water, touched by the Avatar's spirit, seems to still glow. No one is walking through the city except for the Princess. They have all gone to help with the messy afters of war. Yue has the messy afters of being fused with Tui to learn about.

A young man is injured. He's laying on the footbridge. Yue runs to him. It's him, Prince Zuko. Her scarf is wrapped around his neck. I'm still going to help him. Yue somehow knows she can heal, but Tui warns her that it is too soon. Not ready. Yue thinks of the small shelter above the city. That's where he'll be safe as he heals. There isn't an after for him yet to contend with. With some strength in her, Yue lifts the battered Prince and carries him back to the oasis.

In the oasis, Yue finds the path behind the waterfall and climbs, climbs, climbs. Up towards the sky, she hauls the young man on her back. The snowy wasteland is still storming. Yue worries for the firebender in the bone-chilling wind.

The shelter, usually occupied by a small group of hunters and surveyors to examine the land behind the city for a few weeks out of the year, is currently unoccupied. Zuko is laid down on one of the beds. Yue grabs the medical supplies out of the cabinet in the kitchen area. It is fairly extensive due to the treacherous nature of the land, which Yue is thankful for.

Zuko flinches when a swab drenched in alcohol begins wiping away the blood, sweat, and soot from his wounds. Yue winces at the gash on his head and his chest. She carefully and efficiently cleans the wounds, stitches together the layers of skin and muscle, and bandages her work up. As she's making the final pass with the ball of cotton bandage, a hand flies up and firmly grasps her forearm. Yue freezes. Zuko groans and his hand goes limp, falling to his side. His brow creases for a moment before he slips back under.

A few hours later and Zuko is still sleeping. Yue tried slipping some water into his mouth but he didn't respond and she didn't want to drown him. Yue leans back against the wall on the bed across the room from the sleeping prince. She taps her fingers one by one on her knee. He needs to wake up so that she knows he's okay.

Yue breaks off a piece of dried seal jerky from the cabinet. There is enough for a few days only and not all of it might be suitable for the prince's stomach as he heals. She turns from the kitchen area back towards the front of the cabin where the beds are. Zuko is sitting upright and staring right at her. Yue yelps and drops the piece of seal jerky. She frowns and bends over to pick it up.

"Are you all right?" She asks, walking towards the prince.

"Stop," he says. "Who are you and what am I doing here?" He doesn't attack, but he seems like he wants to. Yue didn't restrain him in any way so little stood in his way except his own injuries.

"You should lay back down. You'll tear those stitches." Yue sits on the bed across, trying to appear unthreatening. "I'm Princess Yue, and you're here because you were injured."

"Why would a princess do my stitches? Is the north so barbaric? And why are there no guards?" Zuko spits. Yue regrets telling him she is a princess, he might think she could be used for ransom.

"Forgive me, but whose siege failed?" Yue points out, trying not to get mad. "I did your stitches because I didn't want you to die."

The prince doesn't say anything. "I found you bleeding out in the street after... the fighting stopped and brought you here before the guards could find you." The prince says nothing about the lack of bonds on his hands, or where they were, how long had it been... Yue says nothing else and starts chewing on her jerky. "Do you want some?" She offers. He gives her a low look and turns over and lays down. Yue takes that as a no and continues eating.

Zuko is angry. He is being held captive by a single young woman spirits know where without even handcuffs to prevent him from attacking her and escaping. She didn't seem scared at all. Just still, calm. He had had the Avatar in his grasp and —get this— he escaped, again. He had him for not even an hour and now he was a prisoner of the Water Tribe. He has a sneaking suspicion that they didn't know he was there either. It was just that princess. Yue was her name. No nation would allow someone so important to guard a prisoner by themselves. For whatever reason, she was lying.

Zuko stares at the wall. His wounds throb, demanding sleep, rest. Relax. No, I can't. He stays tense, weak muscles prepared for the white-haired princess to put down her jerky, narrow her big blue eyes, and attack ruthlessly. Somewhere, Zuko knew he was being ridiculous. Grudgingly, he closes his eyes. Darkness creeps up on him and he is engulfed.

A slight relaxation of the prince makes Yue jump. Oh... it is good that he sleeps. He will be hungry, and thirsty. Yue walks to the kitchen area. There is no water. Right. They would expect everyone coming here to be able to waterbend in water from outside to drink. She glances at the sleeping form on the bed. I'll risk it. Yue slips to the door, past the prince, and kneels by a small crack in the door to the outside. Closing her eyes, she reaches inside, to that well of her, her and Tui. She grabs half a thimble-full, drawing it out carefully. Yue extends a hand and tugs at the snow outside, melting it and bringing it inside. Holding her breath, she carries it through the air back past the sleeping prince. She realizes that she didn't take out a cup, or pot, or anything to hold the water. With both hands occupied with the water and sans the skill, or confidence to manage the water with a single hand, she thinks furiously, feeling herself losing her nerve with the water in her hands. Awkwardly, she elbows a cupboard open and —thank the spirits— it's the one with cups. She rushes to bend the water into a large cup. It splashes in and overflows. Yue winces when the prince stirs. Taking a breath, she reaches for the spilled water and bends it into another cup. With her hands, she takes both cups out of the cupboard. She closes the door and takes the cup with the spilled water for herself, leaving the other for the prince.

Yue's hands tremble so badly she has to put down her cup on the stand next to the bed she sits on after only a few sips. I can waterbend. At some level, Yue knows that she has become one with Tui and she has greater responsibilities, but on most levels, she is just freaked out. Young woman and ancient spirit. Mrs. Huemodo would know what to do. Father would know what to do. The spirits would know what to do, but... I'm the spirit, aren't I? Yue used to pray to the spirits. Maybe she still could. She can try. Yue swings her legs into a cross-legged position.

Colours... endless colours stream before her eyes. Brilliant, shining light. Dancing before her eyes. The secret to everything. Diving into her consciousness, more existed than before. Caverns and cliffs, oceans and rivers, atmospheres and boundless space. Yue feels Tui come and nestle beside her. This is a journey. You must change, as water, to expand your consciousness as a spirit. This you see is all you must learn. Go now. We must be careful about this process. Tui finishes. But— Yue begins, before thinking better of it. She nods at Tui before drifting back to her normal consciousness. She wiggles her toes, then her fingers, slowly shifting each limb before letting her eyelids flutter open.

Yue blinks once. Twice. The water by the sleeping prince is gone. A sense of accomplishment rises in her. He will live. The room is dark now. Much darker than it was before. Yue gets the sense she was meditating for much longer than it felt and moves to refill the prince's water.

The second time filling up the water is much easier and the princess gains a few thimble-fulls of confidence. She sets a glass down by the sleeping prince and goes to light the oil lamps as the light is rapidly disappearing. The matches aren't in the cupboard. The matches still aren't in the cupboard. The matches aren't in the tiny bathroom, next to the oil lamp, or on or under any of the beds. Yue huffs.

"What are you doing?" A voice rasps. Yue spins around. The prince has turned over and is looking her right in the eye.

"I'm trying to find the matches. But I think we're out," Yue says. The young man frowns.

"You're trying to light the oil lamp?" He asks, glancing at the unlit oil lamp in the kitchen. Yue nods. "Just—just give it to me."

"You're too weak, you'll hurt yourself—"

"I can light a tiny lamp," he insists, jaw clenched. Yue presses her lips together but grabs the oil lamp and carries it over to him. She kneels down to hold it out to him. He holds out a shaky hand and a small flame appears. Yue tenses, but can't help marvel at the tiny fire, a little light in the dark. She brings the oil lamp to his hand and he ignites it. The fire in his palm goes out and his arm goes limp. Yue nearly drops the lamp on the floor to grab his arm before the prince hurts himself. She gently places it back on the bed and the prince jerks it back and glares at her. Yue says nothing. At least he helped her.

"The Spirits gave me a vision when Yue was born. I saw... a beautiful, brave young woman... become the Moon Spirit. I knew this day would come." Chief Arnook closes his eyes, his heart crying out for his daughter.

"You must be proud." Sokka stands beside him.

"So proud. And sad." The pair look up at the pristine moon with a new appreciation and understanding. It was hard to forget the pure terror when it had gone red during the battle when even the non-benders like Sokka had felt the jarring wrong it was.

But most of all, they missed Yue.

"Iroh is a traitor and your brother Zuko is a failure." Fire Lord Ozai sits on his dais. Bright orange and red flames lick up in front of him. A fiery moat. Creating an unpenetrable spacer between him, The Fire Lord, and anyone else who dare approach him. The light falls harshly across his features, twisting the long lines in his face. A black-haired man, with power-hungry eyes and curled fingers. A young woman kneels before him. A cruel smile paints her face. "I have a task for you..." He tells his daughter. 

A/N: Stuff is happening! I've pretty much completely diverged from canon and we are now following Zuko and Yue's path with little clips of what the gaang is doing as well as the other characters. 

I'm trying to show that Yue is naturally a caretaker, but she also has her own voice about things and will stand up to Zuko, though at the same time, her inclination is to find a balance, like the balance between Tui and La. Zuko is also looking for a balance, but he doesn't know it yet and is solely focused on regaining his "honour." I'm trying to be wary of making it seem like Yue "fixes" Zuko or that it is her responsibility to do so. They're just two people/spirits who are being forced to grow up too fast and through circumstances, form a connection. Right now Yue is in the caretaker position, but at other points in the story, Zuko will unwittingly/grudgingly assume that position himself. 

Just putting it out there right now, this is going to be more of a studio ghibli-style romance in that they probably won't kiss or suddenly start ripping off each other's clothes but instead genuinely make each other better people/spirits and create deep, life-long, soul-level bonds. The general timeline of Zuko joining the gaang is going to be pretty much the same, just for simplicities sake, but I am going to change things so that he does become a better person and under normal circumstances would have joined the gaang sooner but exterior obstacles prevent him from doing so. Unsure of what exactly that will look like so if anyone has any ideas/things they'd like me to write in, please just let me know! 

Chapter Text

The night passes uneventfully. The wind howls. The lamp flickers. Zuko turns in his sleep and pushes the blanket down further. Yue pulls it up each time. She's a light sleeper. A fine sprinkling of snow sneaks in through the crack under the door. Yue gently bends it back outside several times before freezing the crack up. Zuko stirs.

Daybreak comes with soft pastels colouring the sky. The storm quiets, but only slightly. Yue unfreezes the door and opens it a crack, letting the fresh air in. The sleeping man groans and covers his eyes.

"You need to drink, and eat." Yue opens the cabinet. "There's seal jerky, stale bannock, and dried seaweed." She takes some of each out and sets it on the bed next to Zuko's head. He just stares at her. Yue closes the door again, the temperature inside was already starting to get chilly, undoing the work of the oil lamp. "You have to eat." She tells him. "I didn't stitch you up for you to refuse to eat." Without speaking, Zuko's eyes leave hers and look at the food presented to him. He grabs the bannock.

Zuko eats it all in silence. Then he downs his glass of water. Yue goes to refill it but he waves for her to stop.

"Why aren't I in prison? Locked up with a letter sent to my father?" He demands. Yue looks to the ground.

"It's difficult to explain..." How could she tell him how she has become one with Tui, the moon spirit, and everyone didn't know where she was. A thought hits her. Do they think I'm dead? They must, and even she herself had said goodbye, truly believing she was giving up her life. She had been so sure.

"Tell me." Zuko grinds out.

Yue doesn't want to tell him... everything... she didn't fully understand it, but she could tell him some things. "I found you bleeding out on the street. I brought you out here behind the city where no one goes this time of year because... I didn't want the soldiers to find you."

"You're lying," he spits. "There has to be more to it."

Taking a breath, Yue grits her teeth. "There is, but I... I don't know."

"Is it why you were meditating?"

"Yes." Yue answers. Zuko frowns and looks like he's about to say something but thinks better of it. "I need to inspect your stitches, is that okay?"

He grunts in... affirmation? Yue takes it as such.

Zuko settles onto his back. He isn't happy with the Princess's answer. But her last answer... he had woken up, startled, from his sleep, only to see her, Yue, glowing this ethereal light blue, brow troubled. He had thought it was an attack and felt his fists heating up in response until she didn't move, her eyes closed with her palms upwards. Zuko had never seen anyone glow while meditating. Uncle could explain it. Zuko misses the annoying old fart. 1

Yue places her hands gently on his forehead. They were cool as they accessed the stitches.

"They look good, but I'm going to clean them, alright?" She says. He says nothing as she rises from her kneeling position by his bed and disappears from his line of sight, presumably to get the medical supplies. When she returns, she wets a cotton ball in a liquid, alcohol, from the smell of it, and presses it against his head. She quickly wipes around his wound. Zuko hisses when it touches the fringes of the cut. She murmurs a quick apology and informs him the bruising is already improving. At least some parts of my face will heal... he thinks moodily. The princess asks if she can look at the burn on his chest. Zuko mutters an agreement. Yue softly pulls down the blanket, exposing his chest. She frowns when she looks at the wound. 1

"What?" He says, forcefully.

"Nothing," she rushes, "much. I wish it was further along but there's nothing I can do except let it rest and make sure you're hydrated. It will heal though. I'm sorry I can't heal using waterbending."

Zuko is confused. "Heal... with waterbending?"

"Yes." She tilts her head at him. "Female waterbenders learn to enhance the waters healing properties within the body in order to bring more nutrients and oxygen through blood flow to the injured tissues."

"Oh."

"It's what the... glowing water is."

"I've never seen it." He pauses. "Did you say female waterbenders?"

"Yes, girls are sent to learn healing. Men learn to fight."

"Why?" Zuko remembers his training clearly, being yelled at by officers who enjoyed a dig at the exiled prince. He learned both fighting and healing. There were healers for more serious injuries, but soldiers were expected to be able to manage basic injuries in case the healers were overwhelmed.

"It's tradition."

"What if, what if you wanted to fight?" They could not seriously prohibit their girls and women from fighting, could they? They were good fighters and their numbers would have only helped against the Fire Nation invasion. 1

"I'm not allowed," Yue says, eyes wide. Then they soften. "One girl has just been taught, but it's very new, as of last week."

"The girl who is travelling with the Avatar."

"Katara." Yue shifts uncomfortably as Zuko's thoughts drift to the Avatar, who yet again had managed to escape his clutches, destroying his only chance at regaining his honour. His face hardens. Yue diverts her gaze and replaces the blanket on his chest without cleaning his wound. As soon as he could, he would leave, capture the Avatar, and return home. Perhaps find Uncle first though. He had tasted sweet victory for only a moment before it was ripped away. Again. It was, according to Zuko, not allowed to happen a third time. He would rather join the Avatar than let that happen. 1

Yue watches Zuko's focus shift to his failure. From what Sokka said, she knew that he was chasing Aang, trying to capture him. Yue thinks there's something deeper there, but doubts she'll ever find out what it is.

Yue goes for a walk in the afternoon. Normally she would be taken through the city by Dorak, but she had to stay to watch Zuko, right? That was why she was staying. For Zuko's health. She sighs. She kneels down in the snow. Yue is aware of the moon, of all the snow, ice, and water in the world. Every ocean, sea, river, stream, creek, lake, and pond. The water hanging in the air, in the plants and animals. For her, its too much, but for Tui, it was relaxing. Tui was slowly opening Yue up to the extent of being a spirit. Just for moments, extending into minutes, Yue felt that part of her that wasn't entirely human, be itself like it wasn't able to do before when it was just a kernel inside of her. Tui narrows her consciousness to more manageable levels and Yue gasps for air. She is suddenly very tired. She unsteadily rises to her feet and finds her way back to the shelter, sensing the ice path she made under the snow. The storm whips at her face but she is used to it. 2

Zuko looks at her when she walks back in.

"Where were you?"

"Out walking. Tomorrow you should be well enough to come out for a few minutes." Yue removes her outer coat layer. As the firebender was improving, the heat inside the shelter was becoming more comfortable. Yue still marvelled at how he could produce fire from his fingertips to light the oil lamp. "How are you feeling?"

"The same as the last billion times you've asked me."

"I'm sorry, I just... I nag you because, well..." Yue starts, but Zuko interrupts with a growl, mood snapping.

"You don't need to bother, Princess," he hisses. Yue's eyes widen.

"I'm sorry, Prince, but I'm concerned for your health so I'm going to heal you." Without much care for dignity, she collapses back on her bed. "For spirit's sake."

Without meaning to, Yue falls asleep. She sleeps deep, her body doesn't even twitch a muscle. It's a dreamless sleep. Her exhaustion healing itself.

When she wakens, Zuko is facing the wall. She doesn't know if he's awake or not. Yue carefully treads to the kitchen area, and figures that the seal jerky is the quietest food. She notes that there isn't much food left. She would be forced to return to the city tomorrow. Unease settles in her stomach like the tiny strips of seal jerky she allows herself. Yue makes a mental note to ask the Prince what food he would want.

Yue realizes that she will have to lie to her people, her family, about Zuko. She knows that she will do it, but the thought of it ties knots out of the unease in her stomach. Yue will have to sneak away, or tell her parents that she has to do... spirit stuff. She would have to tell Hahn that she was a spirit. Which, in her defence, was partly true. They would respect that. Just her saying she needed to leave for alone time or something would not be respected. Yue needed to share her being a spirit with them. She thinks that they might have an idea of it already, due to the circumstances of her birth, but Yue can't think of any instance of this situation happening in any of her history scrolls. She was a ship in the middle of the ocean. Or rather, a lone ocean somewhere an ocean shouldn't be. 1

"Welcome, Avatar Aang!" General Fong steps forwards, clothed in the Earth Nation's green and gold garb. The gaang is unloading their supplies and are all stretching. General Fong, unpeturbed, bows with his soldiers before straightening and spreading his arms wide.

"I am General Fong. And welcome to all of you, great heroes! Appa, Momo, brave Sokka, the mighty Katara."

Katara grins. "Mighty Katara"? I like that." On cue, fireworks explode overhead. Earthbenders step forwards to launch more into the air. The gaang are amazed at the reception. Appa is unimpressed.

"Not bad, not bad," Sokka comments.

Zuko stares at the wall, wanting to be angry. The princess had gotten back from her "walking" and Zuko was angry then. It was such an unbelievable lie it almost had to be the truth. He had stared at the wall for hours before the young woman had awakened and gotten some seal jerky to eat. Which she ate because it was quiet and she thought he was asleep, otherwise she would have eaten the bannock, which she seemed to love most. Zuko hates that he knew that about her.

Zuko shifts so that he stares at the ceiling instead, making sure there was a definite rustling of the sheets so that she heard.

"Are you hungry, thirsty?" She asks.

"No."

"I'm going to go back to the city tomorrow. We need food."

Zuko just about snarls. "That's what you could have gotten today when you were meeting with them to discuss your prisoner!"

"I-" She is taken aback. "If I wanted you to be a prisoner, you would know you were a prisoner. Besides, I'm the princess, do you think they let me guard prisoners?"

"I bet there are guards outside to keep me from escaping."

"You are, you are so stupid!" The princess grabs his arm and hauled him upright, Zuko too shocked to do anything. She hauls him out the door, into the seemingly never-ending storm outside. "Nothing!" She yells. "Absolutely nothing and no one! I'm so stupid!" She screams out into the snow-filled void, voice nearly breaking. Zuko stares at her, tendrils of white hair falling out from her elaborate hairstyle, cheeks flushed and nose chapped from the cold, brow knit together. There are no guards. Zuko barely remembers to look, when Yue looks back at him with wide blue eyes.

"Satisfied?" She asks.

"Yes." He manages.

Yue glances down at her hand, still wrapped around Zuko's arm, and lets it fall down to his wrist, pulling him back into the shelter.

"Lay down, you might have popped some stitches." She tells him. Zuko obeys, slightly worried to cross her. He hadn't even noticed the pain until she pulls back the fabric covering his wound and laid her cool hands on the red, inflamed skin. He hisses and tries to get back up. With more force than either of them expected, Yue pushes him back down. "Stay." She tells him. Again, Zuko obeys. "Sorry," she adds as an afterthought. Zuko says nothing, only watches as she cleans his wound and applies an ointment. Yue is intent on healing him. It almost makes Zuko uncomfortable, her dedication. He shouldn't have been worth it, not to her, the enemy. And yet her, a princess of the water tribe, was still there. Her morals could perhaps even rival Zuko's uncle.

Zuko's gaze shifts to the ceiling as his thoughts turn to his uncle Iroh. Zuko is sure that wherever he is, he is alive and well. The dragon of the west could handle a siege in his sleep. He forgets that, sometimes, that his fuddy-duddy uncle was actually an ingenious military leader. Supposedly. Zuko also knows what his feet smell like.

Yue stands up. "I'll leave it open for a few hours, to let it breathe."

"Okay," Zuko rasps.

"Are you thirsty?"

"No."

"You sound a bit thirsty." Yue looks at him quizzically.

"That's just my voice."

"Ah."

They sit in silence until the next time Yue offers Zuko food. He accepts this time, the water as well. Then silence falls, then nightfall. When morning comes Yue is gone. Zuko assumes that she has gone to get supplies.

Chapter Text

Yue leaves Zuko, trudging through the heavy snow. She descends into the spirit oasis. Tui and La are swimming around each other. Yue is swimming around La. She is standing on the shoreline. Her fingers curl into her palms, the divisiveness of her self after being fused with Tui has been difficult to adjust to. Seeing her “other self” makes it all the more obvious the changes that have taken place. Yue exhales. She is there to get food for Zuko and herself.

Yue is not ready to face her parents and her people yet. To face one was to face the other and she could not explain what had happened to her just yet. Mrs. Huemodo is just Mrs. Huemodo. No complications. Her purple garb obviously royal even if one ignored the colour, she shrugs it off and folds it. Her hair is also recognizable. Most people didn’t have the time to do such elaborate hairdos — or the help. Yue removes her hair pieces, letting ivory tresses fall loosely around her shoulders. She can’t truly conceal the colour and her scarf is currently being used by a certain prince. Her hair is braided and wrapped into a low bun. From afar she would just look like an elder. Hopefully.

Waterbenders rebuild the collapsed, war-torn structures. They are bloody and bruised. Fresh burn marks peak out from beneath bandages. One day they might look like Zuko’s scar on his eye. Yue hasn’t asked where his came from. How did a prince come by such a wound that persisted even after being treated, surely, by the finest healers in the land. Not like waterbenders healing powers, but even without waterbending there was plenty healers could do.

With everyone thus occupied, Yue manages to slip through the city to Mrs. Huemodo’s kitchen, very much like she had when she was younger. A plate of blueberry bannock sits on the counter, steaming hot deliciousness. Yue reaches for one when Mrs. Huemodo, coming around a corner, snatches her wrist.
“Ha!” She exclaims. “Thinking you were going to steal my freshly baked bannock?”
Yue laughs and throws herself into Mrs. Huemodo’s arms, squeezing her tight. “Hugging me? This is such strange behaviour for a thief,” Mrs. Huemodo says as she wraps her arms tightly around Yue with surprising strength.
“I just came to say hello before I go to my parents.”
“Everyone has been worried sick about you. I knew you would be okay.”
“I’m glad someone did.” Yue looks down. Mrs. Huemodo grabs a piece of bannock and waves it underneath Yue’s nose. Yue smiles and reaching her neck out, quickly chomps down onto the piece of bannock. “Gotcha,” she mumbles around the bannock she’s now chewing happily on. Mrs. Huemodo puts the fresh plate of blueberry bannock into an old flour sack.
“For the road,” she says. She pauses. “You are going to be fine, dear.”
Yue cannot find the words to respond but smiles in response.

The visit was short, but if it was any longer Yue fears that she might have lost her nerve. She still worries she might as she walks up the steps of the palace to where her parents ought to be. The guards are gone from the entrance; the fire nation would not return for a time. Dorak is the first she comes across in the great hall. His eyes widen as he embraces her. Yue is shocked but returns the hug, squeezing her eyes shut.
“Yue.” Her father, the chief, has entered the room. Dorak quickly pulls away, bowing quickly to Yue and her father.
“Nice to see you again, Princess,” he says before leaving. Yue’s father steps closer to Yue, as if hardly believing she was real.
“Yue, my daughter… I thought—“
“So did I.”
A breath.
“I am so proud of you,” the air is tense, “I’m sorry.”
Yue’s eyes well up with tears as she closes the space between them and throws herself into her fathers arms. Her mother enters the room a moment later, cries out and embraces her daughter. Descending into laughter and tears, the family collapses onto the floor.

A/N: I am NOT trying to introduce Dorak as a love interest! Dorak is just a person who is sort-of friends with Yue (technically he works for her but they’re friendly and talk about books/scrolls). Also, I’m sorry that these reunion scenes are so short. I tried.

It physically hurts to have to pull away. It hurts even more to have to explain about fusing with Tui. About her sacrifice. It hurts to hear that Sokka thinks she’s dead. Sokka… It hurts to be reminded that she is engaged, even if her fiancé believes her dead. It hurts to be reminded that her people have been mourning her. It is a mixed-up feeling when she has to tell her parents that she needs to leave again for a few days.

They let her go. There is a struggle in their eyes, but they let her go. Her mother sneaks some food from the kitchens to her in a cloth bag. She will have enough for a few days. Less than they might expect, since Zuko is also there, waiting for her. She is thankful for the excuse to stay in relative solitude. Time to think and just exist.

Yue manages to slip away back to the wounded fire nation prince behind the spirit oasis. She felt no gaze on her back and heard no footsteps following hers. It is easier, this time, as she walks past Tui and La in the pond. No splitting headache or feeling like she was a bit too fishy for comfort. The sense of herself in the pond as Tui was beginning to settle in her mind like a comforting presence rather than an unwelcome intruder. She retrieves her thick overclothes from where she left them.

Zuko’s eyes are on her when she enters the cabin. Yue closes the door and just stands there silently.
“You’re back.”
“I am.” Yue opens the bag of food. “I brought food. Do you like blueberries?”
“Yes.” Zuko finds it an odd question. Why should she care whether or not he actually loved blueberries?
“I have blueberry bannock. It’s my favourite.” It’s an admission into her own preferences. Weakness. Zuko could now use that knowledge to subdue her and escape. Or perhaps not. After all, he also loved blueberries and they would probably make up for whatever disgusting water tribe thing “bannock” was. “I also have some more jerky and dried seaweed and some dried things for soup. Seaprunes as well.” Yue walks through to the kitchen area, taking the food out of the bag and placing it on the counter. She folds the bag up neatly. She brings a piece of blueberry bannock to Zuko. “Here.” She kneels next to him and offers it to him. Zuko lifts himself up and slouches against the headboard. He takes the piece of blueberry bannock, thoroughly determined to dislike it. Water tribe peasant filth. Biting into it, Zuko makes the horrible revelation that he actually loves it. Really loves it. He has to refrain from gobbling it down as fast as he possibly can.
“Well?” Yue asks, eyes hopeful.
Zuko smiles politely at her before he catches himself. He tries to cover it up with a cough. “It’s — hyuck!— it’s good.” He re-assumes a neutral facial expression. Perhaps he shouldn’t be rude to the princess. Still, he eyes the doorway, still worried that there might be guards busting in at any moment.

Yue is happy that Zuko liked the bannock. So long as he doesn’t eat it all. He might, just out of spite. She wonders if she should even be trying to be friendly with him. Yue is putting the food away in the cabinets when the floor creaks. She spins around to see Zuko standing up.
“I can stand now,” he says.
Yue raises an eyebrow. “I can see that.”
“I was going to get water.”
“I’ll get it for you.” Yue presses her lips together. “Can you walk?”
“Yes.”
“That’s good,” Yue mutters as she grabs a new cup to fill with water. She draws water from the outside to fill the cup out. When it is full, she hands it to the prince. Their fingers brush and Yue gasps.
“You’re hot!” Yue exclaims.
“— Thanks?” Zuko, the teenager with a bald head except for a ponytail, says.
“Not like that!” She shoves a hand across his head. “You feel too hot.”
“I’m a firebender.”
“As long as you feel okay. You feel alright?”
“I feel fine, princess.”
Yue hums in response. He does look a lot better than he did. A bit pale perhaps. His largely bare scalp is beginning to grow back. There is the definite spread of stubble across his head, except for his ponytail that was beginning to get a bit greasy. Yue would have to get a razor for him to shave it again with. She almost thinks that he might wax it, after considering how shiny and smooth it had appeared when she first laid eyes on him. The fire nation certainly had odd fashions.

Zuko lays back down. Yue sits in the bunk across. She takes her hair out of its low braided bun and lets it run loose over her shoulders. She feels — free almost — not having it extensively coiffed. She also fells exposed, imperfect. Yue sighs and tips her head back against the wall. It was time to wait for night to fall.

Zuko rises with the sun. He decides that it is time to practice forms. No fire, seeing as he was in a wooden and stone building in the middle of a snowstorm. Yue’s sleeping form is nestled under a blanket on her bunk. Zuko moves through a basic firebending form. Slowly, his muscles shift through the stances. His chi begins to wake up and he can feel the fire growing in his belly. Zuko begins to move faster and faster, furious. He can practically see the avatar smiling and laughing happily on his flying bison with his friends. Zuko snarls, his fists heating up. How could he be so useless as to have the avatar in his grasp, and then get defeated by a waterbender who had only had a master for nearly a week. Why did Zuko have to be surrounded by prodigies? He growls, feeling the rage —
“— Zuko.” The princess is sitting up, watching him.
“What?”
Yue opens her mouth to speak but then thinks better of it. Zuko huffs and throws himself back on his bed. He knocks his head against the headboard by mistake. He barely manages to control his yelp. Rolling over, he faces the wall angrily.
Yue presses her lips together and picks at her nails nervously. He had not used fire, but the temperature in the room had definitely been raised a few degrees.

Chapter Text

The next day Zuko is restless with the excess energy he has gotten since partially healing. His wounds are nearly all closed except for the one in his gut. It will be a few more days before he is back to normal and then he will have to be careful for a few weeks after. Not that he will. Yue notices that the storm has cleared outside, and the blue sky can be seen, the sun shining overhead, reflecting brilliantly on the snowy land beneath. It almost hurts her eyes, how bright it all is. It is one of those moments where she can feel how fusing with Tui has affected her, increasing her perception of things, including vision.

(You aren’t even seeing everything just yet.)

(When will I get to see everything?)

(In time.)

Thinking of the day prior, of Zuko’s near-outburst, Yue decides to drag him out. The fresh air and the chance to firebend freely will do him good. Zuko is staring at the ceiling when she opens the door to the cabin.
“Come outside.”
“Why?”
“It’s nice out.”
“How can it be nice in a snowy wasteland like this?” Zuko sneers.
“It is not a “snowy wasteland.”” Yue retorts, feeling offended.
“Do you have eyes, princess, because all there is to see is snow and then more snow. It’s a ridiculous excuse for a nation.”
“Tribe, and don’t tell me the Fire Nation has no taste, prince?”
“We have more taste than you peasants.”
“You can’t call me princess and then peasant in the same breath, you’re just contradicting yourself.”
“I’ll clarify. You are the Princess of Water Tribe peasants.”
Yue scoffs. “Well, you’re the Prince of fiery idiots, like that Zhao person.”
Zuko springs to his feet. “I am not like Zhao.”
“Then prove it.” Yue stares at Zuko. Zuko returns the stare. The oil lamp’s flame is dangerously high. Zuko growls and turns around, intending to stalk over to the kitchen. A snowball is hurled at his back. It hits him square on the back of his neck. Zuko freezes as the snowball drips down his shirt. “Come outside,” Yue tells him. “You can firebend outside freely.”

Yue backs away from the door, swinging it open, letting Zuko see outside as he turns to face her. He stalks outside, brushing past Yue and walking a ways from the cabin. Yue is almost worried he will just keep walking. He stops. He takes a deep breath and roars like an angry tiger-dillo. Arms outstretched, head raised, fire streaming from his hands and his mouth. Yue's eyes widen. Breathing hard, he moves into a firebending form. Red fire puffs out with every jab, hook, and kick.

A/N: Just reminding people that the red fire thing is because at this point in time, Zuko isn’t a great firebender and has little breath control. Yue is still impressed because she’s never really seen firebending before and Zuko is creating a lot of fire because he is really angry but it is not under control, as evidenced by the oil lamp flame growing just off of Zuko’s emotions.

Zuko doesn’t know why he doesn’t direct his rage at the cause; Princess Yue of the Water Tribe. Iroh is most likely the cause of it. Trying to give him morals. It was useless. Zuko draws on his anger, watching it turn into flames that are extinguished too quickly by the cold arctic climate. Another thing he hates. He’s too cold. Even under all the blankets, there’s a chill. Some of it is his wounds drawing on his energy, part is because of the cold climate, and finally, he’s cold because he’s a sorry excuse for a firebender. A firebender, cold? It should be impossible. At least, that’s what his firebending tutors ground into him.

Yue watches the prince. He pours everything he can into his firebending. Yue briefly wonders if it might be visible from the city, but then figures that they are far enough out and Zuko’s flame isn’t large enough. Something stirs in her at the display of firebending. Tui. The spirit stirs, wanting to balance the firebending with waterbending. Yue suppresses the urge. Not now.

Zuko quickly burns himself out. Lungs burn for air, muscles tremble, limbs heavy. He trudges back into the cabin without another word. He trudges past Yue. He has to bite his tongue to avoid saying thank you. He should be saying thank you. She saved him. She did, but Zuko’s pride won’t let him accept it or even see it.

///

Iroh floats on a piece of driftwood. Would that he were a waterbender. He manages to distill a few sips of water from the salty ocean water using his firebending every so often, but it is hard and his muscles ache. There is crusted salt on his legs from paddling in the water. A few fish have come close enough for him to spear and fewer still he is successful in hitting. Following the guidance of the stars, he manages to head in the right direction, he thinks. It is hard to tell during the day. When the cloud cover is thick and dense, it is nearly impossible to tell exactly where the sun is. Iroh can tell the water is getting warmer. Not tropical, for sure, but not freezing anymore.

///

Hours pass. Yue meditates. Zuko falls asleep. The moon rises. Yue rises with it. It is no longer full but is still bright nonetheless. The moonlight falls across the snow-filled landscape, illuminating it softly. It could be commented on as foreign seeming, but it wasn’t to Yue. To Yue it was home. She walks to where Zuko had been angrily firebending hours prior. She inhales. Exhales. Arms raise, water follows. Yue dances, the water moving with her movements. She shifts through the stances. The knowledge is innate. Yue doesn’t dare think about what she is doing, for fear that suddenly her limbs would realize that they had never done it before.

(Yet, haven’t you?)

Tui says to her.

(Through all the ages… this is what you have done.)

The awareness of Tui and La swimming in the spirit pond flashes through her. That is what she is doing. Existing in harmony with the elements, realizing that she is the elements. Divides are illusions. Yue stills her corporeal body. Her consciousness expands. Herself. The water dancing around her. The moisture in the air. The snow on the ground. The clouds above. The city limits. The ocean. Yue gasps and opens her eyes.

(Too much?)

(Too much.)

Yue sighs. It was more awareness than she’d ever had before. The borderlines of her body were blurred with the outside world. Which exact atoms were hers? She couldn’t tell.

Yue manages to sleep before the sun rises into the sky again. The storm is still gone. That was the way of the arctic. Weeks of storm, weeks of sun, weeks where it changed violently between the two. Zuko wakes as the sun is cresting the horizon. He gets food for himself. He has run out of water but he doesn’t wish to wake the sleeping form. She was glowing again the night prior. It was odd, like the avatar’s glow, except the princess wasn’t the avatar. Zuko thinks it best not to interfere. Something told him that there was more to the young woman than he initially thought. In any case, he was still injured. Improving day by day and could finally firebend again, but it had wiped him out.

Zuko meditates until Yue wakes up. He hasn’t since before the pirates blew up his ship. That was weeks ago. He settles into a cross-legged position against the wall of his bed, closing his eyes. Reaching inside, he finds his chi flowing in his gut. It is restless and unbalanced; normal for Zuko. Dropping into it, he tries to control it through his breathing. In, out, in, out. It doesn’t listen. Zuko fights to remain calm as he tries to grab the chi, forcing it to flow properly. This doesn’t work. Zuko returns to his breathing. Iroh always told him to not fight against his inner chi, that it was a part of him. Didn’t he know how Zuko had to fight against his body constantly? Getting up everytime he got knocked down, refraining from blasting idiots off the side of his ship, not trying to fight Zhao. Zuko has to settle for managing to focus on his breathing. His chi settles. Still unsatisfied, Zuko gives up.

When Yue awakes, she gets Zuko some water. He accepts it without saying thank you to her. She doesn’t expect him to. It’s a comfortable silence.

Chapter Text

“There’s no more — blanok?” Zuko says, standing in front of the cupboard. He has been getting his own food for the last few days. Water, he gets from Yue. Melting snow is an arduous task and he can’t as effectively get the ash out of it. He hates the taste of ash and it only serves as a reminder of his nation and their defeat not too long ago. 
Yue giggles. “I think you mean bannock?” 
“… Bannock. Yes, that’s what I mean.” Zuko intones, eyes glancing to the side. He has figured out that Yue didn’t mean to make fun of him, but can’t help feeling sensitive. 
“I’ll fill up some water glasses and then it’s time for me to get supplies again. Anything you want?” 
Zuko is surprised that she bothered to ask. “More bannock?” 
Yue laughs again. ”I was already planning on that. I’ll get more flavours this time if Mrs. Huemodo has them.” 
“… Thanks.” Zuko says, making a bit of an effort. It feels wrong. Yue stills for a moment, almost imperceptibly.
“You’re welcome,” she says, warmth flooding her voice. Zuko leaves the kitchen area abruptly, brushing past her. He lays down on top of his blankets. A few minutes later he hears the door open, and then close, footsteps leading away. 

Yue leaves her thick royal overcoat by the spirit oasis and and pulls her hair into a low braid. She smooths the loose strands behind her ears. She loved her hair, but it was a bit too recognizable. Walking through the city, there are more people just walking around, doing errands. Much more of the rebuilding has been completed. Yue’s heart pangs. She wonders if she — or Tui, really — would have had the power to rebuild everything much faster. Almost definitely. Mrs. Huemodo is out when Yue passes. She will come back later. 

There is a backdoor to the palace. Yue finds it and slips through. She finds that the council is meeting. They don’t know that she is alive, so Yue creeps past the guard to her parents chambers. And Yue waits, and waits, and waits… 

A/N: I can’t make Yue waiting sound interesting so just imagine that she like meditated and thought of old memories and how things had changed blah blah blah for a few hours until her parents come to their chambers after the council meetings and whatever Yue’s mother was doing. They don’t actually name her in the show, which is why I’ve named her here (I briefly mentioned her in the first chapter) and will try to give her some characterization and thoughts etc etc 

The door slides open. It makes a “shhhh” sound because it is made of snow, somehow. And ice, probably. The author of this fic isn’t an engineer. Kellora steps in, Chief Arnook behind her. 
“Daughter!” She cries, running towards Yue, taking her in her arms. Yue firmly embraces her back. “I’ve missed you in your absence.” 
“As have I,” says Chief Arnook, Yue’s father, wrapping his arms around his family. Yue squeezes her eyes tight. 
“Are you here to stay?’ Kellora asks, pulling back a little. 
“… Not yet. I’m sorry.” Yue says. Her mother sighs but nods in understanding. 
“Do you at least have time to ease Zivraq’s worries? As well as his son’s, Hahn?” 
The reminder settles into Yue’s mind. She tenses as she realizes she feels Tui is against it. 

(Spirits don’t marry. We bond.)

I can’t say no right now, Yue thinks, not outright. 

“I will talk to them,” Yue says. “But I don’t know how marriage would work, as I am fused with Tui now.” 
The Chief thinks for a moment. “One day, perhaps, you will ascend to the spirit world. But for now, you are here, with us, and we need you to carry on our legacy for a new generation of waterbenders.” He refers to bearing children with Hahn so that their first male child will be chief after him. 
Yue doesn’t know how to disagree. Tui does. Tui doesn’t push Yue to in that moment, knowing that Yue is trying her best. 
“Okay.” Yue smiles weakly. 
“Excellent. I will call for them, as well as for Ukoni and Kunadu, they will be happy to see you and they can fix your hair.” 
Too soon, Kellora draws away from her daughter. “I will walk with you to your chambers.” She says. Arnook squeezes Yue’s shoulder before leaving to call for Zivraq, Hahn, Ukoni, and Kunadu. 

A/N: Quick side note, I completely forgot that igloos exist and the shelter that Yue and Zuko are staying in would most likely be one of those *facepalms*. Ahh just something to change whenever I go through and thoroughly edit this fic lmao

Ukoni and Kunadu enter the princesses chambers. They barely manage to politely bow before embracing Yue like she was much younger again. Yue embraces them tightly. 
“Oh, we knew you were alive. You had to be!” Ukoni exclaimed. 
“I’m sorry I left,” Yue says. 
“No need to apologize. You did whatever you had to,” Kunadu tells her. 
“Though, perhaps if you could have avoided worrying your poor mother sick, that would have been appreciated. Eh?” Ukoni glances at Kellora, who smiles. 
“Yes, that would have been nice,” she says. 
“I will keep that in mind,” Yue grins. 

Yue’s hair is brushed and styled meticulously after her mother leaves them. Yue feels like she had been put back into the role of Princess of the Norther Water Tribe, and it did not seem so right any more. Tui was buried somewhere inside of her, made small. Yue stares at herself in the mirror as Ukoni and Kunadu carefully scrape away the dead skin under her cuticles, filing away the length into neat ovals. 

“Daughter, Zivraq and Hahn are waiting in the council’s meeting room.” Arnook leans into her room. 
“I am coming,” Yue says. Kunadu was only just fussing with her hair. Yue stands and embraces Ukoni and Kunadu before following her father. Ukoni and Kunadu fall into step behind her like nothing had changed. 

Zivraq is tapping his foot against the floor. Hahn is staring at the ceiling. It spells a picture: impatience.  
“I apologize for the delay… and circumstances, but here is Yue!” Arnook apologizes to the father-son pair. 
“Yes…” Zivraq says drily. “At least, she is here now, my son’s lovely fiancée.” He lightly bows to Yue, as does Hahn. Yue is not required to bow to them, but seeing as she had inconvenienced them and her father, she thinks it best to offer that to them. 
“I apologize as well for the circumstances,” Yue says. “Things have been rather complicated lately.” 
“How?” Hahn asks, scoffing. Yue’s eyes widen. Arnook laughs awkwardly, trying to relieve the tension Hahn caused. He claps a hand onto his back. 
“Well, during the invasion Yue was captured, briefly. We managed to get her back, but unfortunately she was gravely injured and we did not want to worry everyone with that news.” 
Hahn’s gaze shifts to Yue. “It was probably that southern jerk, Sokka, was it? Who let you be captured by the Fire Nation. He should have had no assignment after I kicked him off of my pack. The Ice-Wolves should have stayed with only my hand-picked Ice-Wolves.” 
“It wasn’t Sokka’s fault!” Yue exlaims, a bit too harshly. She didn’t need the reminder that he probably thought that he let her die. 
“What Yue means to say, is that no one is at fault here. We all tried our best.” Arnook attempts to smooth things over. 
Hahn laughs. “Sure. Whatever you say.” Yue’s eyes narrow but she doesn’t say anything further. 
“What is important is that you young ones are engaged and will marry soon, yes?” Zivraq asks, raising his eyebrows pointedly. 
“Yes, a celebration is in order and what better than one celebrating new life, and our youth?” Chief Arnook agrees. Yue remains silent. “Once rebuilding is complete and we can celebrate properly, it shall be done.” 
Zivraq nods in agreement, nudging Hahn to do the same. 
The Chief claps his hands together. “Excellent!” 

Chief Arnook and Zivraq then decide that it would be prudent to show Yue and Hahn to the citizens of the water tribe that evening at the banquet. It would be relatively simple, but ideal for raising morale and proving it to themselves that they would be okay. The Avatar had just been there! Like water, they would be fluid and adapt to the oncoming hardships and survive. That was what was important. Yue doesn’t feel ready for a banquet, but did admit to herself that she wished to see her people again, to bring them hope. Tui shifted inside of her. Having lived in the Northern Water Tribe for so long, Tui had grown an affinity to the people and did not like to see them suffer. Tui and La had helped the Avatar send out the Fire Nation, had they not?

Yue’s thoughts drift to Zuko as she walks with Hahn, whose father had decided that the pair must “re-connect” in order to put their best foot forwards with the tribe. Yue didn’t tell Zuko how long she would be gone for, so he would most likely assume that she would be back in a few hours. It had already been a few hours and as every second ticked he could be growing suspicious. Or anxious, if Yue dared to hope. Yue was quite sure that Zuko still hated her, and was only being civil as long as Yue was helpful to him and he had no way out of the arctic land. It was too bad, seeing as she felt like she was starting to get attached to the angry prince. They could have been friends, perhaps, in another life. If there was a world in which there was no war, diplomatic trips could have brought them together. Alas, that was not the case. 
“And so, that’s why I was unable to kill the guy,” Hahn explains how it was not his fault at all that he was thrown overboard the Fire Nation ship he had boarded with the intention of assassinating their commander. 
“Zhao, wasn’t it?” Yue chimes in. She remembers Sokka describing him. 
“Something like that, it doesn’t really matter.” Hahn brushes off Yue’s comment. Yue makes sure not to sigh audibly. 
“Sounds like you had an exciting battle,” Yue comments. “I mostly helped with the injured.” 
“If your father had listened to me we wouldn’t have had any injured. A princess shouldn’t be reduced to helping the weak.” 
“Well, I don’t think that the children could help being… weak,” Yue offers a soft rebuttal. 
“I suppose.” Hahn sighs. “So how did the Fire Nation grab you?” 
Yue blinks. She was not a practiced liar, mostly because she never lied. “— I was going back to the palace because the battle was worsening and they told me to leave in case the healer’s area was overrun, that’s when we came across a group of Fire Nation soldiers and they they thought I looked important so they attacked us and managed to subdue my guards and drag me off towards their ship.” 
“You shoudn’t have been out there.” Hahn shakes his head, looking at Yue out of the corner of his eye. 
“Perhaps I shouldn’t have left in the first place, the healers didn’t get overrun.” 
Hahn looks sharply at Yue. “And what do you know of battle and avoiding capture?” 
Yue looks down. Considering she is fused with a spirit milennia old… she knows a great deal more than Hahn does. She considers telling Hahn that this was also his first battle, but decides against it. She must keep him happy, above her own hurt feelings. 
“Next battle, I will listen to your advice,” she says. Hahn nods in approval, chest puffing out a bit too much. 
“As long as we are clear on that,” Hahn says. “I will see you at the banquet in a bit?” He asks. 
“Yes. I am happy to display our perseverence to my people.” 
“Our people, yes.” Hahn bows too quickly to truly be respectful before leaving. Yue lets it slide. 

The banquet is simple. There are no performers, only food eaten in solemn appreciation for the life lost and the life still breathing. There are scrapes and bruises visible on everyone. Bandaged appendages are common, blistering red burn marks peaking out from the edges. Somehow, despite all this, they smile when they see Yue. She asks constantly for them to not bow to her, to not stress themselves, to let her bow deeply to them for all they’ve given and all they’ve managed to protect. She bows lowest for the children. 

Hahn doesn’t follow her example, gaining a few curious glances from the people. Yue tries to ignore him, the boy standing beside her, too close. He tries to guide her, his hand on her lower back. Yue tries not to stiffen when he does so, but can’t help a bit of a grimace from reaching her face. She rejoins her parents, sitting cross-legged. Hahn is seated next to her, having been formally introduced as her fiancé and future chief or father of the chief, depending on Yue’s father’s lifespan. 

The banquet ends relatively early into the night. People are tired, and need their rest. Yue thanks everyone as they leave, bowing to them all once again. Most won’t not bow back, but have compromised by perhaps not bowing as much as they normally would. A child gives Yue a drawing, which Yue happily recieves, kneeling onto the floor to embrace them as they — with enough reckless abandon to embarass their mother — jump into her arms. Yue just laughs and squeezes them tight, telling them that she loves their artwork. 

Yue thanks Ukoni and Kunadu before dismissing them for the night, telling them that they should be with their families during this time. She talks with Dorak briefly before he leaves. She tells him that she does not need him to bend her kayak through the city like usual, that his work rebuilding the city is important and that they need such talented benders. Lastly, she thanks Hahn and his parents for coming. Her shoulders begin to slouch once everyone has left the banquet hall. 

“My beautiful daughter, I believe it did the people a world of good to see you safe and with Hahn,” Chief Arnook says, hand on her shoulders. 
“It was wonderful to see them, and to talk with them again. It sounds like rebuilding is going quite well, all things considered,” Yue remarks. 
“Yes, it is going well,” he says. “Though, it would be nice if Hahn would help out more…” he mutters. Yue doesn’t comment. Kellora walks over to the pair and hugs Yue briefly. 
“Can you stay tonight?” She asks. 
Yue looks down. “No, I have.. things to do still.” 
Kellora sighs. “I am proud of you, you know that, right?” 
“Yes, and I am grateful for it.” Yue feels awkward. Yes, she is still figuring out things with Tui, but she is also helping to heal Zuko, the enemy prince. Her father would most certainly love to have the Fire Lord’s son as a hostage. He won’t find out about Zuko though, not if she can help it. 

Yue needs food, soap, more bandages, an antiseptic cream, processed blubber for the oil lamp, and a razor. The razor is for Zuko’s head, since he presumably shaves it. Yue doesn’t know if he would still want to, due to the cold in the arctic, but grabs it anways. Everyone has gone home, so she has no reason to sneak around through the kitchen pantry or healers stores. Only her family is inside the palace as well and a few guards are posted outside as a precautionary measure. 

Yue says farewell to her parents before slipping out the back door she came in and making her way to the spirit oasis where she retrieves her thick overcoat and makes her way up the tall ladder to reach the land behind the Water Tribe city. 

Yue doesn’t notice the prying eyes that saw her slip into the spirit oasis and then followed to see her climbing up the ladder. 

Yue doesn’t notice Hahn, but Hahn notices her. 

Chapter Text

Iroh flops back onto his makeshift raft of driftwood, held together by seaweed and strips of cloth from his pants. His body is sunburnt. He had been sure, so sure, that he would be able to find Zuko. But he hadn’t. It was as if a spirit had whisked him away. Perhaps, Iroh would reach land, only to hear that the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe had demanded a ransom for Prince Zuko. Iroh hated to think of what his brother would do if that happened. A chill goes through his body, despite the blistering sun. Spirits… he would not let that happen. No, Iroh would return to land and find Zuko. If he didn’t take care of Zuko, who would? 

/// 

Yue enters the shelter after dark. Zuko is staring at her. 
“Where have you been?” He demands. 
“There was a banquet, I had to stay.” Yue grabs a piece of bannock and hands it to Zuko. “They’re not as good as the other ones, I didn’t have time to go back.” 

A/N: I just realized that I forgot to mention Yue deciding to skip going back to see Mrs. Huemodo in the last chapter because she probably would have seen her at the banquet but wouldn’t have gotten bannock from her then?? 

“Thanks,” he says roughly, taking it. 
Yue nods. “I also got a razor.” 
“What for?” He asks, biting into the bannock. 
Yue gestures at his head. “Your, um, hairstyle. I thought you might want to maintain it.” 
Zuko runs a hand through the longer stubble on his scalp. “Yeah.” That was all he said. 
“The banquet was nice,” Yue offers, like she’s trying to start a conversation. “Most of my people thought I was dead so I was able to reassure them.” 
“My people think I’m worthless.” 
“Oh I’m sure…” Yue begins. How are you supposed to answer something like that? Yue could see how Zuko’s people would dislike him, at the very least. But then again, she didn’t know what the Fire Nation did or didn’t like other than liking to go to war for apparently no reason. 
“I was banished from the Fire Nation. They think I’m a joke.” 
Yue swallows. “I don’t know what you want me to say.” 
“I don’t want you to say anything. Just leave me alone and shut up about how you’re such a perfect princess. Probably a waterbending prodigy too.” Zuko grumbles. 
Yue crosses her arms and stomps her foot. “I have only been able to waterbend for like, a week! And I can’t tell anyone about it because that’s not supposed to be possible and they wouldn’t teach me how to waterbend anyways!” 
Zuko bolts upright. He’s too angry to process what Yue has just told him. “That’s ridiculous! Then your people don’t really care for you at all!” 
Yue gasps. “Monkey feathers!” 
Zuko narrows his eyes. “And of course you’re friends with the Avatar.” He had heard the airbender say that expression several times just before managing to escape from him. He had never heard anyone else say it before. 
Yue is about to angrily retort that she is not, in fact, friends with the Avatar but is friends/crushing hard on the Avatar’s friend Sokka, but she stops herself. “I’ve barely talked to the Avatar.” She sniffs. 
Zuko clenches and unclenches his fists at his sides. 
“I think that I’m going to go for a walk.” Yue drops her bag in the middle of the floor, spins on her heel, and leaves. Zuko throws himself onto his blankets. 

///

Iroh had fallen asleep by accident. He is woken by a rumbling sound, coming from the water.  Groaning, he slowly opens his eyes. Land. Green, lush, beautiful land. Iroh looks suspiciously from side to side. It appears to be an island. Iroh looks behind him. Water, endless water. Cautiously, Iroh paddles closer to the island. He reaches out and presses a hand to a tree. It certainly feels like a tree. Giddy, Iroh jumps aboard and pulls the raft up with him, in case he needed it later. 

Leaving his raft by the shore, Iroh sets off to explore the island, deciding to head towards the top first. He relishes the cool shade. Birds chirp from the trees, singing their sweet songs. Some of the trees have colourful fruit hanging from them and there are berry bushes along the way. Iroh is perhaps a bit less careful with eating the fruits and berries than he ought to, considering his limited knowledge of them. Luckily, Iroh didn’t appear to be experiencing any weird side effects yet. 

After about ten minutes of walking/eating, Iroh reaches the top of the island. Iroh is now confused. There is a strange, hexagonal pattern laid onto some kind of surface. Iroh bends down to touch it with his index finger. It feels… hard. He raps on it with his knuckles. It makes a hollow sound, but not that large of a hollow sound. Iroh takes a tentative step onto the surface. It holds under his weight. It doesn’t feel like it had shifted at all. Iroh walks around the strange surface, examining the pattern. It almost just looks like a shell was buried in the earth there by someone. But who? And why? These are questions that Iroh thinks best to ponder after some more food and water and a good nap in the shade. 

/// 

Zuko paces the shelter. Yue just walked out. Zuko was normally the one who did that. He huffs. This whole situation was so stupid. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would leave and his wounds and aching muscles would just have to deal with it. He would leave the blue-eyed, white-haired, mysterious princess behind and go capture the Avatar. Next time, for sure, he would be able to hold onto the slippery airbender. It would be more difficult now, as the boy had learned to waterbend now and his companion, the water tribe peasant, had also found a master. Zuko would have to find the Earth Kingdom next, and figure out where the Avatar would go for a earthbending master. Ba Sing Se, most likely: the capital. Zuko had never been but he had heard the stories about General Iroh, Dragon of the West, and his near conquer of the great city. He was only stopped by the death of his son, Lu Ten. Zuko barely remembered his cousin anymore, but the memories he did have were happy, full of light and laughter. Zuko had never heard a whisper about either Lu Ten or Ba Sing Se from his uncle. 

Zuko wonders if he should find his uncle before heading to the Earth Kingdom. At least, he should find a way to send a letter to him. That presented another problem; how to sign the letter. After all, Zuko was supposed to be dead, wasn’t he? The whole reason that Zuko was pretending to be dead was now also dead: Zhao. Zuko flings open the cupboard doors, grabs a piece of seal jerky, and angrily tears into it with his teeth. He begins to pace. He hates the way his muscles are still aching after doing some firebending forms earlier that day. 

Glancing outside through the cracked door, Zuko sees the princess encased in what looked like a water bubble. Melodramatic, much? Zuko doesn’t understand her. She can clearly waterbend, yet doesn’t know how to use it for healing, despite saying that only female waterbenders are taught to heal and aren’t allowed to fight. Based on the way that the princess moved, Zuko doesn’t think that she could fight either. She has no muscle, no fortitude other than whatever is in her mind. In any case, Zuko doesn’t think that he would accept the weird healing that waterbenders apparently could do, that somehow also made the water glow? It isn’t natural, thinks the firebender. 

///

Yue breathes in deeply. She had had such a long day only to be verbally assaulted by a Fire Nation prince who really, really ought to be thanking her! Yue catches herself. That was rather prideful of herself. She didn’t heal and help people with the expectation of being thanked or rewarded. But, she certainly didn’t do it in order to be yelled at! Yue exhales long and slow. There is a protective shell of water around her. Yue isn’t quite sure what she’s doing, yet somehow *gestures vaguely around her*, this was happening. 

So much of her time was spent being worried about the Fire Nation prince and her people that Yue’s meditation habits only managed to keep her from spiraling into her own day-to-day anxiety, barely making a dent into the whole “fused with Tui” thing. Yue needs the world to stop for a good six months so she can catch up. Sigh. 

/// 

Iroh considers using his firebending in order to fly up above the tree canopy in order to get a better look at the island but thinks that that is best left for after he’s regained some more energy and can think about the weird markings he is standing on. He lies under a nearby tree and covering his face with an arm, drifts off into a restful sleep. 

///

The eyes watching Yue disappear behind the water tribe city have decided to find her in the morning. Hahn’s pride and hurt at being decieved by the princess, his fiancée, almost made him charge up after her, demanding answers. But, his father was always telling him that he needed to learn to be discreet and bide his time, so that was what Hahn decided to do. Wait. Wait and see. 

///

Iroh wakes up from his nap some hours later with a loud yawn, the sun in his eyes. With a grunt, he hauls himself to his feet and decides that it is time to get his bearings right again. Iroh squints at the sun. It is NOT where is should be, and was, before he had gone to sleep. The sun had been in the West behind him when he had gone to sleep, and now it was in front of him, which meant that either Iroh, the sun, or the island had shifted positions somehow while Iroh was sleeping. Iroh knows that he doesn’t sleepwalk, and he knows that the sun doesn’t move, but he also knows that islands don’t move. Something is weird and Iroh is going to figure out what it is. 

Chapter Text

Shhh. Shhh. Shhh. Zuko shaves his head. Short black hair falls to the ground by his feet, stark against the white snow. His head is chilled, but Zuko feels more like himself. Prince of the Fire Nation. Not a seventeen year old kid injured and practically alone at the north pole, dependant on a Water Tribe princess. He was... in his own way, thankful for the princess. He would be dead if she hadn't interfered. Maybe. Zuko probably would have been fine. He didn't need anyone. At least, that was what he told himself. Zuko runs a hand over his head, brushing off a few stray hairs. They fall to the ground. He hands the razor to Yue, who takes it without saying anything, though her eyes run over his scalp. She still says nothing.

"I should go soon." Zuko finds Yue standing outside a few hours later. "I'm nearly completely healed."
Yue is silent for a minute, staring at the horizon, and Zuko grows impatient. She speaks before he says anything. "We can go down to the city tonight and find you a kayak. We have enough food here that you can take with you — it should last you a few days."
Zuko nods. It occurs to him that he should have, perhaps, left without telling her. She could now contact her tribe to send soldiers to capture him before he could leave. Zuko still doesn't quite understand why the princess did what she did, but figures that he will be well away from her soon enough and could get back to searching for the Avatar. Zuko tries to look if he can see whatever the white-haired princess is looking at but cannot. He turns and returns to the shelter.

///

Hahn dismisses his Ice-Wolves at the end of their practice session. They limp off quickly as they can. Many were injured during the battle with the Fire Nation but that was no excuse to miss practice. Hahn had been harsher than normal that day, pre-emptively angry with his fiancée about whatever she was up to. Sneaking out of the palace had no viable excuse. She was a princess, for spirits sake. She had very little in the way of responsibilities but one of those surely would be to stay in the palace?

Confronting Yue would have to be done while she was doing the act. Otherwise she could just bat her baby blues and escape judgement. Thus, Hahn was going to find Yue that night and follow her. Yes, that was a good plan. Excellent.

///

Iroh knows that something is up. Fully rested and with a full stomach, he decides to use his firebending to fly above the forest's canopy and inspect his surroundings from a higher vantage point. With a deep exhale, he centers himself and his chi before blasting off. Brow furrowed, he discovers that he was, in fact, on very tiny island. Not the tiniest he had ever been on, but definitely miniscule. Spinning slowly in a circle, Iroh notices that there is a wake behind the island. The island is — Iroh is almost scared to think it — moving? Iroh briefly wonders if he has accidentally entered the spirit world. Frowning, Iroh surges ahead of wherever the island is moving to.

There is something sticking out of the "front" of the island, under the water. Iroh lowers himself to be closer to it. Still, he cannot see quite what it is. There is but one solution. Iroh grits his teeth and lets his fire go out. In midair, Iroh plummets. He angles himself to dive into the water, plunging into the salt-water. It stings his eyes but he keeps them open as he looks at the — lion? Lions do NOT belong underwater. Not to mention, "lions" don't exist. No hyphenation with some other creature? Absolutely not. Lungs bursting, Iroh makes his way skyward. There is soon something at his feet, lifting him up. Iroh, not that fast of a swimmer collapses on it as he breaches air. Gasping, Iroh can see clearly the creature staring at him. A lion-turtle. That must have been what the strange pattern on the island was. A shell. Iroh bows lowly, giving the lion turtle the utmost respect. Iroh did not want to offend it, especially after diving right in front of its face.

"Iroh. The Dragon of the West." The lion-turtle greets him, mouth still yet Iroh could clearly hear him.
"Lion-turtle, great spirit. I see that you have heard of my moniker."
"Yes. I am glad that it is fake," the lion-turtle intones, revealing his knowledge. Iroh eyes widen slightly before bowing his head.
"I apologize for disturbing you, I was curious about why the island — you, I suppose — was moving and wished to investigate."
"You didn't disturb me. Did you think you happened on me by chance? No, I wished to speak with you."
Iroh is surprised yet again. Why did the lion-turtle wish to speak with him? Why was the lion-turtle only now becoming interesting in human affairs?
"There is a white-haired young woman that you will meet. You must help her. She will need your knowledge of the spirit world, Iroh, Walker of Worlds."
Iroh bows lowly to show his acceptance of this task. "Great spirit, I will do so with honour. Thank you for entrusting me with this."
The lion-turtle seems pleased with this. "I fare thee well, Walker of Worlds." The lion-turtle begins to sink back down into the water. "Put the sun at your back, and you will find land — and later, the young women." With that, the lion-turtle is fully immersed into the water again, except for his island-shell. The sea comes up around Iroh and he looks around for a path of escape, his raft is by his feet so Iroh grabs it and climbs aboard as the lion-turtle's paw falls out of sight beneath Iroh. Iroh waves at the spirit, even though he cannot see it, before looking over the horizon at his new path: East.

///

Dear Prince Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe,

I hope this reaches you well. I am sure you are surprised to hear from me. I assure you, I am just as surprised that I am still alive. I will not write of exactly the circumstances that has allowed this to transpire. Perhaps at a future date will will meet again and do another activity together.

The purpose of this letter is to let you know that you do not need to feel guilt over when I saw you last. It wasn't your fault and as is surely clear by the sending of this letter, I am fine.

Hoping to meet again,

Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe

Yue rolls up the scroll and seals it with hot wax she melted with the aid of the oil lamp. She hopes that it will make it safely to Sokka. Sokka... she only knew him for a week but it was a glorious week. He was a light on her existence that made her realize how colourless she was. How much of her life was consumed by useless traditions and deference? Too much. Yue loved her people and their history, but she was coming to the conclusion that one should learn from history; not repeat it. Yue was thinking that perhaps, just perhaps, she could help her people more by wielding what political influence she had to become more than a figurehead. More than a silent, smiling princess.

"You are going to go after Aang?" Yue asks, though it isn't really a question. Zuko looks up in surprise. Yue is standing there, with a scroll clutched in her hands. Zuko stands to face her.
"Yes."
"Do you, um, do you know Sokka?" Yue asks. Zuko frowns, shaking his head. "Sokka is the water tribe man travelling with Aang."
"The boy with the boomerang?"
"Yes, that's Sokka." Yue blushes a bit. Zuko doesn't notice. "Can you give this to him, whenever you find them?"
Zuko looks down at the scroll in Yue's outsretched palm. "Sure." He takes it. He has no intention to give it to the boy, Sokka. He was going to be fighting the Avatar, regaining his honour; not passing on messages like some errand boy. Zuko takes it regardless of this. Perhaps somehow he will be able to give it to Sokka, that was his name right? Zuko still didn't know why he was hanging around the Avatar. Zuko didn't really understand a lot of things about the Avatar, but he knew that he would capture him, and restore his honour and return to his nation.

///

Hahn pulls on his mukluks. The sun is lowering in the sky and so it is time to go. He was going to find Yue, out wherever she went the last night. Hahn knows that she hadn't returned as he had gone to the palace and asked about her and had gotten a non-commital answer from Chief Arnook. Either that, or the old man was going senile.

///

Zuko and Yue pack, leaving no trace of themselves in the shelter, other than footprints and memories. Zuko takes all the food; Yue has no need for it. Shivers go down Zuko's back at the thought of leaving. The shelter had become a place of rest as well as a prison. It had become its own world; a bubble with only two occupants. Leaving now, Zuko was re-entering an uncertain world. He was supposed to be dead, after all, and he didn't know quite what to do with that. Perhaps he ought to find Iroh before the Avatar. Though, he would probably scold Zuko for not intending to bring Yue's letter to the water tribe boy, Sokka. The water tribe had such odd names.

When there is a blue cast over the land, the snowy landscape softly illuminated, the figures slip into the northern city, only the moon as their witness. And since one of them was the moon, sort of, this was a non-issue. Unfortunately, it was not to stay that way. Two eyes find them, and follow them, unbeknownst to them.

Yue leads the way through the city, sticking to the sidestreets and more covered bridges, carefully avoiding anyone going for a midnight walk. Zuko follows in her footsteps, warily watching Yue as well as every glimmer of movement. Yue leads him to one of the smaller ports of the city. There is mostly people's personal hunting kayaks tied up in the water, no locks. Yue will make sure that the owner of whichever one Zuko steals is fairly compensated, somehow.

Yue holds a kayak in place as Zuko straps his gear onto the front of the vessel. When he is done he stands and bows to Yue, slightly. A small thanks for what she has done, really, but for Zuko, it is huge. Yue bows deeply back to him.
"Stay safe, Prince Zuko."
"I will," Zuko replies. Hahn eyes widen at the word "prince". He is hiding behind a stack of deep-sea cages used for catching cat-lobsters and dog-crabs, staring at Yue and whoever the other person is through a crack. "Prince Zuko." Prince of what? Whatever it was, it was not above board otherwise Yue wouldn't be hiding him.

Hahn stands up and strides out from behind his hiding place.
"What is this?!" He demands, shoulders tense. Yue spins around in surprise while Zuko assumes a fighting stance; Hahn notes it as an odd fighting stance as he settles into his own.
"Hahn?!" Yue exclaims. "What are you doing here?"
"I should be the one asking you what are you doing here?! And who is that?"
"Hahn, listen. Zuko is just a friend that is going on a fishing trip and... he just wants to beat the morning rush." Yue lies through her teeth. It isn't a great lie but there really wasn't a good one for this situation that she could have used.
"What morning rush?" Hahn asks. "Is this your lover?" He spits. Yue and Zuko both cringe at the thought.
"No!" They both yell at the same time.
"I didn't think you would let down your people like this, Yue. Especially not as a bethrothed woman," Hahn sneers. "This will make me look like a fool!"
'He's not my lover, just a friend. Can we please discuss this later?" Yue pleads with her fiancé. Zuko glances at Yue out of the corner of his eye. They were betrothed? Zuko didn't care, but it just seemed like a horrible match.
"We can discuss it with your father, all of us." Hahn advances on them."Surely, you won't lie to the chief."
Yue purses her lips. "That won't happen," she says softly. Zuko grunts in agreement. Hahn yells and charges on them. Zuko springs forwards to meet him in combat.

They fight. Shocked, Yue steps back as the two become a flurry of punches and kicks. Zuko isn't firebending and Hahn can't waterbend so hopeully the fight doesn't attract attention. Hopefully. Yue's blood pressure rises and so does her heartbeat. This isn't good, this isn't good, this isn't good. Tui rises in her and agrees. Yes, this is not good. I'll take care of this. Something shifts, and with a gasp, Yue's arms are outstretched, having torn the two fighting apart without touching them. She thinks that she has controlled the water vapour in the air. That's what it feels like. Hahn stares at her with wide eyes. He didn't she was a waterbender now. She wasn't supposed to be. Shaking, Yue steadies her breath. Zuko recovers quickly, slinking behind Yue and into the kayak. Hahn tries to lunge after him but Yue stops him with a single hand raised. Hahn fights against her but it is futile.

Zuko unties the kayak swiftly and makes his departure quicker. He glances behind him one last time before leaving the city through a small opening in the city walls that normally would be controlled by waterbenders, but since an emminent attack from the Fire nation was unlikely, it was left open for more effective use of the waterbenders energy. Rebuilding the city was top priority and they needed all benders on deck. Zuko sees Yue and her fiancé standing in the same position before he is completely in the small opening.

Once Zuko is gone, Yue releases Hahn and he rushes forwards, angrily stomping in his direction. Yue takes a deep breath. How am I going to deal with Hahn?

Chapter Text

Zuko was alone. Other than the koala otter he passed an hour ago, there was not a single living thing visible at the North Pole. Zuko had removed his outer layer some time ago; he was paddling rather fast in his kayak for fear of the water peasants sending someone after him. He couldn’t quite believe that the princess, Yue, had actually let — and helped — him escape. He wouldn’t have returned the favour. If he was honest with himself, if he still had a ship and crew he probably would have tried to kidnap her. He wondered what it would be like to have her mad at him. Not pleasant, he imagined. There was a subtle fury to her. Zuko recognized things like that sometimes. After all, he was well versed in anger.

The sky was annoyingly different. The north pole was one of the first places that Zuko investigated after his banishment. The rest of his time had mostly been spent in the southern hemisphere or by the equator where the stars were different. There were only a few pin pricks of light in the sky appearing, none were immediately recognizable. Zuko stared down a star close to the setting sun, marking it in his mind. Orientating himself by it, he would hopefully be able to keep a steady course through the night. He was heading south-west, but mostly south. The Earth Kingdom would be near but as long as he was careful he would land on Fire Nation occupied land. Zuko was allowed on occupied land, but not the Fire Nation itself. Regardless, it would be a day or two of steady paddling to reach it if he kept to the currents and didn’t run into any water tribe peasants or pirates. Pirates were known to attack ships on the trade routes between the water tribe and the Earth Kingdom. They probably wouldn’t even notice Zuko in his small light coloured kayak. Even if they did, they probably wouldn’t bother to see if he happened to be carrying any valuables.

///

Yue had no idea what to do. She briefly wished she could either turn back time or erase Hahn’s memory. That wasn’t possible, was it? No, Tui’s voice sounded in her head. Drat. Yue resists the urge to pick at her fingernails. Her arms were in front of her, keeping Hahn from getting closer to her. He had recovered from his shock at Yue waterbending and looked positively furious and slightly scared. Looking him the eye like he was a scared animal, Yue slowly lowered her hands as she fought to keep her voice from shaking as she spoke.
“Hahn, listen—“
“What was that?! You were harboring a Fire Nation soldier!”
“Hahn, shut up,” Yue snapped. He did. “I prevented a war. That soldier was forgotten. If he had been kept as a war prisoner, the Fire Nation would come with an even larger fleet to get him back just for the sake of it as soon as the Avatar left. I was acting in the best interest of our people.” Yue looked Hahn carefully in the eye, praying to the spirits that he would believe her.
“That’s not your place,” he reprimanded her.
“My place is above yours let me—“
“You’re a woman, you cannot speak on matters of war—“
“I am a princess and you are an advisor’s son.”
“You are my fiancée and I am commander of the Ice-Wolves—“
“That is a HORRIBLE name!” Yue exclaimed.
“See, you’re too emotional for this. This is why war isn’t for you.”
Yue took a breath. “Hahn. How could taking a prisoner of war be a good idea for my nation? Tell me.”
Hahn spluttered. “It-it doesn’t matter! You couldn’t comprehend it anyways.”
Yue scoffed.
“I’m going to tell your father what you’ve done.” He threatened, turning to walk away.
Yue panicked. “Don’t,” she said.
It was Hahn’s turn to scoff. “Why?”
Yue thought furiously. “I won’t marry you. I’ll call off the engagement publically, humiliating you and your father.”
Hahn stilled. If Yue dared to do that, that would be horrible for him. Yue wouldn’t dare to do that though, or would she? He had learned a lot about his fiancée that evening. She was a waterbender for spirits sake! He stood up straight, considering his options. Looking at Yue, she was utterly complacent with her threat. Hahn was out of options. He cursed his luck.
“Fine,” he hissed.
“Good,” Yue slightly inclined her head, determined to be somewhat gracious. She was princess of the Northern Water Tribe, after all.

///

Iroh had listened to the lion-turtle and headed East: his new direction. Refreshed and rejuvenated, he was glad to have found a direction in his life; both realistically and metaphorically.

///

Zuko stopped to eat. His muscles ached from the hours of paddling. Opening his bag, Zuko inspected it. For food, there was some bannock, dried seaweed, and some seal jerky. Then, there was some water and the letter for the water tribe boy. Zuko had no intentions of giving him the letter, but he didn’t toss it in the ocean. It could make for good tinder. Never mind that Zuko was a literal firebender.

The bannock looked like a good choice. It was blueberry. The flavour had grown on him — he preferred it to the plain bannock now. Yue, the princess, had said it was her favourite. Zuko brushed the crumbs from his face and picked up the paddles again.

Chapter Text

After floating on the ocean for weeks and meeting a lion-turtle, Iroh needed a spa day. He needed to be pampered and massaged and about ten hours in the sauna. The Fire Nation spa whose shore he landed on was a blessing from Agni. He had only a few coins but luckily there was an old major there who recognized him as General Iroh, royalty. The spa gave him the full treatment, at no charge. Iroh was a bit guilty, perhaps, but he was also anxious to have decent jasmine tea.

Iroh was still worried about Zuko, and the “white-haired young woman” who he was to help. He had no idea where Zuko was, but assumed that if he was taken prisoner there would have been announcements made. He doubted that the prince would have the sense to stay quiet about being the Fire Lord’s son. Iroh doubted that his brother would save Zuko, if it came to that. Ozai would be delighted to have the chance to replace Zuko with Azula as his heir. Azula was… Iroh didn’t know what had gone wrong there, if anything had had to go wrong for her to turn out the way she was. As a baby, she was a normal baby. A normal enough toddler, even, all toddlers seemed to have destructive tendancies, but as soon as she started talking and learning her first firebending forms, it was obvious that she was Ozai’s daughter. Iroh sighed. He struggled with the guilt of what had happened when Ursa had disappeared right after Azulon had announced Ozai as his heir and then promptly died. His son had just died and he had abandoned his seige of Ba Sing Se, ruining his reputation and then practically disappearing himself into a journey of harsh self discovery. He should have been there for Zuko, and Azula, from the start. They were only children. They still were, really. Zuko was nearly an adult already, a young man. Azula was close behind in turning into a young woman. Zuko was nearly the age Lu Ten was, when he passed. Iroh shook his head, trying not to go down that road.

///

Zuko was exhausted from paddling. Salt had crusted on his skin, soring him. Still, he grit his teeth and carried on. It was getting easier, in a way. The further south he got, the warmer the water was. Boiling the water and then collecting the vapour was slow work, but he managed to get enough water to replenish his water bladder as needed. He had seen the last koala otter the previous day, after seeing them fairly constant since the North Pole. Another sign that he was getting closer to Fire Nation territory. He was still thinking about Yue every so often. He didn’t know what had happened to her after he left. It didn’t matter though. He would never see her again.

///

Yue had stayed out on the docks for another hour after Hahn left, thinking. She had destroyed any chance of an amicable relationship with Hahn, and now could not back out of marrying him without him spilling the beans on her. No matter how beloved Yue was, people would believe him. She was stuck with him. How had her life gotten so complicated? A few weeks ago she was just excited for her birthday and from hearing that the Avatar was back. Now she had a crush on a boy who was busy travelling the world with the Avatar, who had just saved her people from invasion, she was engaged to someone she strongly disliked, sacrificed herself and became one with the the moon spirit, and she had harboured a fugitive from her people, her parents. This fugitive, who, by the way, also happened to be Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Yue still wondered if that was the right choice.

Tui had been rather quiet the last few days, letting Yue adjust to all of the other things going on in her life, but had risen in her when she was threatened by Hahn. Yue could feel Tui in her now, gently soothing her worries.
“Tui, what should I do?” Yue said out loud.
Tui took a moment to respond. You need to go to Ba Sing Se.
Yue blinked. “Ba Sing Se?” She asked.
Yes, Tui responded, Ba Sing Se. You must visit someone there as part of your spiritual journey.
“Who?”
I will tell you when you meet them.
“… Seriously?” Yue sighed. “I’m sorry.”
It’s all right, Tui chuckled. This is much for your young shoulders.

///

Land. Zuko saw land. He abruptly tried to stand up to see better, and then immediately fell over into the water. The kayak nearly capsized as well, but Zuko managed to hold it fast so that it couldn’t spill out his last bits of food and water. Hopefully, there would be fresh water on the land. A spring, perhaps. A hot springs would be ideal. Anything would be better than the salt water Zuko was treading water in. Grumbling, Zuko started to swim towards shore, dragging the kayak behind him.

Reaching land, Zuko hauled the kayak above the high tide line in the sand and then collapsed on his back, closing his eyes and letting the sun rays soak into his skin. He had been miserably cold the last few days, and was rather done with the sensation. Normally overheating, the hot-headed prince didn’t do well in a cooler environment.

Zuko nearly fell asleep, but would not allow himself to do so. He needed to get back on track to capturing the Avatar. Zuko would barge in somewhere, demand supplies as Prince of the Fire Nation, and set off on his journey. His uncle briefly crossed his mind, and Zuko wondered where he was, but was certain he was alright. The old fart had to be. Zuko couldn’t waste any time finding him.

Groaning, Zuko sat up. Rubbing his eyes, he slowly stood up. The sun was nearly directly overhead, having already partially dried Zuko’s clothes. With several hours of daylight left, he could make some decent travel time. Zuko had a decent idea of where he could be, but not exactly. There weren’t any topographical markers to help him narrow down where he was. There were some mountains that he could use to ensure his path was straight, and he could use the stars at night to guide him if he travelled under the cover of darkness through Earth Kingdom territory. First, he had to find people. Fire Nation people. Zuko grabbed his bag of food and water and set off towards the middle of a gulley between two mountains, where hopefully he would find some water.

His first objective was to find water, and hopefully some edible fruits and berries, before returning to his kayak. Zuko was sick of paddling, but it was a much faster method of travel. He would travel along the shoreline, hopefully coming across a port or small fishing village. Zuko knew that despite the mountains of the Northern Air Temple being the closest land to the Northern Water Tribe, Zuko had passed them. The currents would have been pulling him west, closer to the channel that ran between the temple and Fire Nation land. Having visited both areas before, he recognized the land as mostly Fire Nation, with some pockets of Earth Benders who would not be happy to see him. It wasn’t mountainous enough to be by the Northern Air Temple. Zuko would head west then, finding a way before heading down the channel betwen Fire Nation and uninhabitated Air Temple land. That’s where the Avatar would most likely be. He had to master Earth Bending next, so he would head to the Earth Kingdom. At least in the Earth Kingdom he would have less water to splash at him.

///

Azula tapped her sharp fingernails on the railing of the ship. It was going too slow. Azula considered throwing the captain overboard again. She was the Princess of the Fire Nation, after all. She deserved a decent ship with a decent crew. If there was one thing Azula couldn’t stand, it was mediocrity. It seemed everyone but her and her father was mediocre, even her brother, Zuko, was mediocre. Zuko… at last, father had seen the light, sending Azula to bring him home to the Fire Nation, alive, but not free. Poor little Zuzu, he had no idea what was coming.

Chapter Text

Yue’s hair was back in its elaborate contortion act. White strands braided and pinned with ivory hair pieces. Not a single lock out of place. Rouge on her cheeks made from berries native to the Earth Kingdom. Imported for the princess of the Water Tribe. Yue raised her head. She had a mission.

Tui had told her to go to Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom. For a pilgrimage, Tui had said, one of five. Yue had never been to Ba Sing Se, due to fears for her safety. As her father’s only heir, she was more important than mere familial attachment would call for. Her husband would be the future of the tribe. As Tui, Yue didn’t fully comprehend how big her role would need to be, she didn’t want to. Yue had simple responsibilities before. Important ones, to be sure. Ones that had to be completed just so, but they were still simple. Be sweet, get married, produce an heir. That was it. Yue had always sought for more, and had been stopped enough that she stopped trying sometime long ago. Now that she had more, Yue panicked. She didn’t know what to do. Yue felt ungrateful for the life that she had been allowed to keep, rather than dying a martyr. She would have been better off as a martyr. That was the easy way out, Yue felt, before chastising herself for those thoughts.

How to get to Ba Sing Se? Yue could always steal another kayak. Surely she couldn’t drown at sea, as a spirit closely connected to the moon, one with water? Men would be sent after her. Her father wouldn’t tolerate Yue straying so far, no matter what respect he held for the spirits. Yue could tell him the truth, what Tui had told her. Perhaps open with wanting to go to the Earth Kingdom in order to strengthen bonds with the Earth King? The Earth King didn’t travel himself, seemingly staying cloistered in his palace for safety. As ruler of Ba Sing Se, a safe haven, trust in the city would shatter if anything happened to him. Yue could present it as both a mission from Tui and as an opportunity to bond with the Earth Kingdom. With the recent attack fresh in the people’s memories, they might be more open to change, seeing the need for it. They were the nation of change, after all. The war had ruined that. It wasn’t their natural state.

///

Azula, princess of the Fire Nation, stood at the helm of her ship, eyes fixed on the horizon. Her destination was Zuko, who was surely somewhere in the Earth Kingdom by now. She just had to find him, and bring him home. In what condition, it didn’t matter.

///

The kayak’s shallow bottom scraped along the sand as Zuko leapt out with frantic fervour. Land. He was never so happy to see land. The last sip of water had been staring at him from out of his canteen as he debated whether or not to drink it. His survival training had been lacking as it was assumed that he would always be taken care of as crown prince, but he swore he could still hear Iroh’s advice ringing in his ears nonetheless. It was better to drink water as you needed it. Once you were horribly thirsty your mind would be next and there was no coming back from that. Water sloshed in Zuko’s boots as he pulled the kayak ashore, taking out his things and hiding the kayak itself in some bushes.

Whose territory he was in, Zuko didn’t know. It was either Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom. Spying first was necessary to find if he needed to steal some clothes in order to fit in. Satisfying his thirst was important but he would most definitely be killed if he was found by the Earth Kingdom. He could go a little longer without water. Luckily, finding water and finding people was synonymous.

He walked a few meters back into the treeline. Anyone else would be walking on the open shore, presuming they were meant to be there, and if they were Earth Kingdom and saw Zuko’s odd mixture of grey and Fire Nation red and Water Tribe blue, might just attack first and ask questions later. Streams of fresh water from the mountains would go down into the ocean, so he had the best chance of finding it if he continued walking parallel to the shoreline.

The sun still managed to beat down on him from through the trees. He loved the heat, he was from the Fire Nation, after all, but he still needed water. He had drunk the last sip and now was taunted by the massive body of water to his right. Stupid salt water. Brush crashed around Zuko. He might as well walk on the beach if he was going to make so much noise. In a slight delirium after hours of walking and finding no water or even dew drops, Zuko did walk out onto the beach while rounding a turn.

The sand was hot under his feet but he could trudge forward without any stupid branches obstructing his path. His vision still got blurrier and his shoulders slumped as his limbs grew into lead weights. He was just so tired…

Zuko didn’t hear the people up ahead. He didn’t hear the chattering voices out for a stroll. He did see the group of people suddenly appear in front of him. He did hear the voice of his uncle, asking him what he was doing. Zuko blearily looked into Iroh’s worried face and frowned. What was he doing?….

The world went black.

///

“I need to go to Ba Sing Se.” Yue looked into her father’s eyes, holding his gaze. “I can strengthen our connection to the Earth Kingdom, which is something that we will need to do as we can’t survive another attack from the Fire Nation, especially without the Avatar near… and I need to go as Tui needs to.”
The Chief sighed. He gazed out the window for a long time, observing the hustle and bustle of the city below, still working on repairing the damage from the Fire Nation’s attack. Most of the physical harm had been repaired. The true wounds would be forever carried by the people and the generations to come.

He did not want to let his daughter go. He had once thought he had lost her and had been devastated. How could he willingly let her travel to another land, one which he had not been in in decades? Perhaps it had changed. Perhaps Ba Sing Se was no longer the impenetrable fortress it used to be. Stone always crumbled, after all. As a member of the Water Tribe, he held little faith in the earth. It was not what made the foundation of his home. No, water was much more resilient. Part of the resilience, the Chief thought, was due to their spiritual connections. Tui and La… Yue, and La. It was always her destiny, wasn’t it? To leave? Her spiritually ordained future was to leave, at least for now, and he had to step out of the way.

“You’ll need a guard.” He swallowed, still watching the workers repairing the damage to the city.
“What?” Yue blinked. Then it hit her. “Oh! Thank you, thank you, father! Thank you so much.” Yue cried, embracing her father. His arms wrapped around her and held her tight.

Chapter Text

Zuko’s mouth was still dry. His eyes were glued together by a gummy paste. He brought a hand up to rub against his eye, his muscles groaning in protest. He felt tired to his bones. He had seen Iroh, Iroh! He had seen Iroh and had felt safe for the first time since leaving the North Pole. It had been too much for him and he collapsed. His uncle must have carried him here, whever here was, after he collapsed. Zuko blinked his eyes open. 

A quiet room. Relaxing shades of red were built into the room. So, it’s Fire Nation territory. He hadn’t landed in the Earth Kingdom after all. Iroh was resting on a chair in the corner, eyes closed. The old man was dressed in loose robes. With a grimace, Zuko hoped that the robes weren’t too loose. Iroh had no sense of propriety sometimes.  

“Uncle,” he said, voice raspy. “Uncle, I’m sorry.” It had overtaken him the need to apologize. He was torn on whether or not he wanted his uncle to hear him. Iroh’s head snapped up once he heard his nephew. 
“Zuko!” He cried as he rose from his chair and rushed directly to Zuko’s side. “You’re finally awake.” 
“How long was I out?” 
“Just a day. You were very tired, it seems.” 
“I had to kayak from the North Pole. I ran out of water.” 
Iroh smacked Zuko upside the head. “Ow! What was that for?!” 
“How do you run out of water?! You were on the OCEAN, did you not pay attention to my survival wisdoms?” 
“It’s salt water, uncle! I can’t drink that!” He rasped. 
Iroh sighed a long-suffering sigh. “That is why you distill it with your fire by boiling it and collecting the steam.” 
“Oh.” Zuko had completely forgotten about that. 
Iroh shook his head. “It doesn’t matter now. All that matters is that you are here and that you are safe.” 

/// 

“You’re going to the Earth Kingdom?!” Hahn shrieked. Yue’s forehead creased as she cracked an eye open. She was meditating. Peacefully. In the spirit pond. “And what exactly are you doing in the spirit water? You’ll dirty it!” 
Yue pressed her lips together, but then thought better of it. “Yes, I am going to the Earth Kingdom. For my spiritual journey.” She added. Curt, yet polite. 
“And you didn’t consult me?” 
“I consulted the Chief, who has given me his blessing.” 
“He also gave me his blessing to marry you.” 
“Just because we are engaged, does not mean that you can control where I go.” Yue narrowed her eyes. 
“It means I get a say!” 
Yue sighed quietly. “I was going to tell you.” After she was gone, she would have sent a letter telling him what she had done. That still counted, right? 
“When?” Hahn demanded. 
“Hahn.” 
“What?” 
“I was meditating.” She redirected the conversation like a true waterbender. 
“And now you’re not. I have decided. I will allow you to go to the Earth Kingdom, but I will accompany you. For your protection. You clearly cannot be trusted close to the Fire Nation, after all. Or royalty.” 
Yue thought for a moment. “Are you not still injured, you know, from when you were thrown overboard during the invasion?” Yue kept her face carefully blank. She was never so bold before. She didn’t know what had gotten into her, what had started this rebellious streak. 
“I’m fine.” Hahn snapped, turning on his heel. “I’m leaving now.” 
Yue held her tongue to avoid sounding too happy about Hahn leaving. 

He ultimately did not tell on Yue for harboring Zuko, due to his need for power. This troubled Yue. He had seen her in the middle of committing grave treason, at least, that is what it would have looked like to him, and had done nothing other than be angry and Yue for supposedly betraying their bethrothal. It wasn’t even a romantic bethrothal! Yue did not want to know what Hahn would do for power. This time, it had worked in her favour… but ultimately? Who knew. As a boy, Hahn had seemed sweet as any other. Who knew what had happened to him over the years. 

/// 

Azula knew where her beloved Zuzu was and all that was left to do was for her battleship to reach him… she had already ensured that the prison hold was cold and bare.  The urge to torture your sibing was perfectly normal, after all. 

/// 

It was a letter… from Azula. From his sister, his family. Dad had a change of heart. He… wants Zuko. He wants Zuko home. 

Iroh held his breath. 

A grin tugged on Zuko’s features. He was going home. Zuko was quick to write a response to his sister. He was going home. He wouldn’t have any chance of giving that letter from Yue to that water tribe boy, anyways. Sokka, his name was. 

“Aren’t you excited, Uncle!” Zuko exclaimed, packing his few belongings into his satchel from Yue. He kept the letter from her to Sokka with him. “I get to go home. Finally.” 

Iroh carefully eyed the waterbender insignia on the side of the scroll Zuko had. 

Clearing his throat, Iroh spoke, “It is unbelievable. I have never known my brother to regret anything.” 

“Did you even read the letter from Azula? He’s… realized how important family is. He cares about me.” 

“I care about you. And if Ozai wants you back… well, I think it may not be for the reasons you imagine.” 

“You don’t know anything about how he feels about me. He cares. He has to.” 

Iroh gently placed a hand on Zuko’s shoulder. “Zuko, I only meant that in our family things are not always what they seem.” Iroh did not know exactly what he expected from Azula and Ozai, but he knew better than to expect something good. 

Zuko snarled. “I think you exactly what you seem: a lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who has always been jealous of his brother!” Zuko hadn’t been angry since losing the avatar at the North Pole. He had been oddly peaceful, but now all of his anger came full force at his uncle. Taking a breath, Zuko stalked away from his uncle. Azula said that the ship would be leaving that evening. Despite his words, he hoped to see his uncle boarding that ship with him. 

He wanted his family together again. 

///

“Your fiancé seemed surprised earlier,” the chief said. Fiancé, he said, as a way of reminding Yue their supposed bond. 
“He is often surprised,” Yue spoke. “Even during battle.” She added. 
“Yue!” Her mother reprimanded her, nearly raising her voice. Yue almost wanted her to. She clenched her hands under the table. Her bowl of steamed seaweed laid in front of her. Specks of spices sprinkled on top. Yue liked to mix them all up before eating it, but she hadn’t yet. She wasn’t supposed to anyways, it made it not look as pretty. 
“You agreed to this arrangement. Let me remind you of what you get in return.” 
“Regardless, the situation has changed. The battle has changed all of us, myself included. Very much myself included.”  
The moment hung in the air. 
“Let me remind you that you, the princess, are going to Ba Sing Se. With your fiancé.” Remember that I’m letting you go, and that you better not disappoint me or let something happen to you. Yue stopped herself from sighing. She wondered what Zuko was doing. Despite his state as royalty, he seemed not to be keen on diplomacies. 

/// 

Zuko greeted his sister warmly. Feeling vaguely sick at seeing the splatch of red that was a fire nation ship, but determined to make the best of it. He was heading home, and Iroh had come running down the hill to join him. Something about the whole thing felt off. He couldn’t tell what it was. He hadn’t heard from his gut in a long time, not truly, so he ignored it. He ignored it until the helmsman made that fateful decision. 

Load the prisoners. 

So he fought against Azula, again. Red hot rage and a bit of internal defeat as he ran with Iroh. Fugitives. No one but each other. No destiny. Lost. 

He just wanted his family together again. 

Chapter Text

The Earth Kingdom was HOT. So hot. How did people stand it? How did Sokka stand travelling here from the South Pole? Yue didn’t want to think about how hot the Fire Nation must be. Zuko had mentioned how the heat radiated from the mountains, many of which were active volcanoes. Yue shuddered. The heat radiating from the sun was enough for her. 

They had arrived on Earth Kingdom shores two days prior. The stones under her moccasins stabbed at her feet in a way that snow and ice never did. She wore her lightest moccasins — abandoning her fur-lined mukluks a few days prior as they sailed into warmer waters — and she was still sweating more in them than she ever had before. She eyed the airy “sandals” that some of the crew had from a previous rare trip to the Earth Kingdom. They had an extra protective layer on the bottom. Yue would have to get a pair for herself as well as some for the crew that lacked them. 

In the North Pole, nearly every building was made from snow and ice. Here, they had passed buildings of earth and wood. She waited eagerly for the chance to examine one up close, as opposed to being stuck on the ship under the watch of Hahn. While even the air was drier in the Earth Kingdom, there was water still. In the streams running down the mountains, in the bountiful plants and trees, underneath the ground even. Yue could feel the currents running above and below the ground. 

Yue placed a protective hand over the waterskin strapped to her waist that held water from the spirit pond. It soothed Tui. Tui hadn’t been exactly upfront about her purpose in the Earth Kingdom, but logically speaking, it was something Yue should already know. Spirits. Tui was Yue and Yue, Tui. They were one and the same. Supposedly. This lack of understanding only escalating Yue’s frustration. Suppressing the urge to sigh, Yue let her gaze sweep across the ship over to Doraq, who was helping lift the anchor so that they could be off. 

Doraq had come along with her, mainly using his waterbending to help propel the ship through the waters. He would be remaining with her and the party going to Ba Sing Se. Yue appreciated it immensely. She hadn’t seen him much over the previous weeks due to the… circumstances. She figured he appreciated the break anyway.

The small pouch that lay next to her spirit waterskin contained a lovely blueberry bannock. Yue recalled Mrs Huemodo’s words as she bid her farewell. The Water Tribe will always be with you, wherever you go. From missing her daily canoe ride through the city to altogether leaving her people? It had seemed the best choice for Yue at the time but now she had ended up in this position she had never intended. But she had bannock and spirit water at her side so she would be okay. For backup, she had a knife attached to her belt along her waist on her other side, and a waterskin with regular water for drinking. She had copied Katara’s method, hoping it would make her feel safer. Perhaps she would see Katara again in the Earth Kingdom… and Sokka. And of course the Avatar. He was going to learn earth next, after all. Maybe Yue was supposed to reunite with them there. 

Or maybe she had a different purpose. Learning how to be a spirit and a human while the Avatar learnt how to bridge the two worlds. Maybe she had to discover something about earth from someone in Ba Sing Se, forge an alliance with the Earth King, or find an Earth spirit who was connected to Tui and La. 

///

Zuko had worn his hair the same way for as long as he could remember. His mother had cut it for him in the style when he was a small child, and he had never wanted to change it.

It was a symbol of royalty, of honour. 

He gazed at his broken reflection in the swift stream, thinking of Yue. Her hair had been done up in tight, flowing braids and loops surely done by numerous servants. But over the first few weeks, they had come undone. Her moon-white hair had grown longer, freer. He had seen her caress it with curiosity as if discovering it for the first time. Then she had left. When she returned, her hair had more braids than ever. It looked like a cage, trapping a secret inside. 

Zuko wanted his cage back. The cage-like feeling that the royal palace had at times could be familiar, comforting. Manicured lawns with blissful quacking turtleducks in the pond. He wanted an 8-year-old Azula back. Not the 16-year-old that wanted to lock him up. Not the one that would hurt Uncle Iroh. Force him to hack off his royal bun.

The knife was heavy in his hand.

The stream was running. Birds kept chirping. The leaves would continue to rustle.

Nothing in the universe changed to mark when Prince Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, became a fugitive.

Dark strands of hair fell into the water, covering his face. 

Matching grey locks met it.

A warm hand on Zuko’s shoulder.

The knife was heavy in his hand.

///

Yue’s locks flowed long down her back, held in a simple half-up style. It was practical and easy to manage in the humid air. She didn’t have to meet any diplomats yet. She was travelling with a small, but highly trained procession that hoped to avoid attention on their journey. If only Hahn would stop acting so pompous and act normally — like Yue was trying to do. 

She felt Tui’s excitement humming inside her as they ventured deeper into the Earth Kingdom. 

They were still travelling on the water, on a large riverboat that they had bought, leaving their obviously Water Tribe ship behind. But Yue had managed to slip away to scour the land a little. She saw some vendors at the local market selling “exotic curios” and other interesting things but Doraq hurried her along. A water tribe woman with such odd white hair was bound to draw attention. She had noticed an odd man with a lizard-parrot staring at her from the corner of her eye. They didn’t know how well the people of the Earth Kingdom would recognize the white-haired princess of the north. She would have to ask Doraq to buy her a cap or something to wrap her hair in so that it wasn’t so visible. Then she could buy those “sandals” herself. 

She walked back to the ship, twiddling her thumbs. She ignored Hahn’s attempt to take her elbow and guide her, pretending like her little walk around the market was his idea. Yue moved the water around in her waterskin as a calming gesture. She was safe as long as she had water. You are water, Tui whispered in her mind. Yue looked down at the river below the boat, and then at her hand. One and the same. Yue wondered what exactly that meant. She looked at the water again. Freshwater. She’d never seen so much of it. Doraq joined her at the railing, glancing past her. A habit — he was ensuring Hahn wasn’t within sight. 

“Captain says one more day on the water and then we have to switch to land.”

“Is the plan still to buy some wagons and… ostrich-horses?”

“Yes, Princess. I am looking forward to the ostrich-horses. I’ve read about them, and seen some drawings, but never a real one. I’ve been searching when we dock at ports but no luck so far.”  

Yue laughed. Doraq was made for an actual adventure. She was glad that she had recommended him to come.

“How do you feel about leaving the water, though?”

Doraq hesitated. “I’m not sure. I’ve never left the water before. I think I’ll buy a waterskin to keep some with me at all times, like you. Maybe I’ll suggest it to the captain for all the waterbenders so that we can be prepared.”

“That’s a smart idea, Doraq.” Yue complimented him. “Good thinking.”

“Thank you, but you should take half of the credit at least.”

“Not at all, I got the idea from the waterbender from the south. Katara.”

“Maybe you both deserve credit then?”

“Maybe.” Yue smiled at Doraq.

Hahn sidled over and charged at Doraq. Drat. “What are you doing here, not working? Leave me with my fiancée immediately.”

Doraq turned pale and was quick to bow and hurry away.

‘Hahn…” Yue protested as he left.

“What?” Hahn snapped. “He should be working, not talking to you. Who knows what his intentions are?”

“He’s a friend. Do you know what those are?”

“Royalty don’t need friends, and I don’t appreciate your tone.” Hahn rolled his eyes.

“You’re not royalty, Hahn, I am.” Yue pointed out mildly.

“You’re my fiancée. Everything you have is mine!”

“Being royalty is a duty, not a prize.”

Hahn scoffed. “Sure.”

If Hahn slipped on some ice on his way down to his quarters Yue certainly didn’t know anything about it.

///

Zuko had a strange craving for blueberry bannock. He was hungry for many things. His stomach had been growling since yesterday. But the blueberry bannock was different. He needed food. He wanted blueberry bannock.

“What are you thinking of, Zuko?” His uncle asked. Zuko looked away, idly scratching his head. His hair was still in the stubbly phase.

“Nothing.”

“Hmm.” Iroh sighed, stretching his back. “Be sure to have your mind clear when you disappear tonight. Again.”

“Do you want food to eat or not?” Zuko snapped.

“Of course, but I don’t need such fancy things.”

“Would you prefer me to steal from the poor?”

Iroh paused. “No, but I want you to be careful. You learned to fight with honour. Not everyone does.”

“I can handle myself, uncle.”

“I know, but I worry.”

Zuko groaned and pinched his brow.

Night fell soon enough and he slipped away. Iroh pretending to sleep and Zuko pretending not to notice. He would let his uncle sleep in tomorrow.

The cool air brushed his face through the eye holes of his mask. The fallen prince carefully tied the ribbon in the back. He had taken it — stolen it — from a market. It spoke to him — the blue spirit. 

His target was a fancy mansion on the hill. He’d He would get some food, some tea, some fresh fruit. It had been a while. Maybe he would find some meat too. Maybe some kind of pastry to go with the tea. Uncle would like that. And soap. Uncle needed that. Badly.

The best thing about robbing rich people’s houses was the silence. Everything was well-oiled. The abundance of furs and thick luxurious fabrics muffled any sound. Zuko was careful anyway. He reached a window through the gardens. He peered inside quietly to scan the interior. Was it a bedroom? A library? An office? Today it was the last one. Sliding open the drawers in the desk, he found a cashbox. No key. He briefly searched for the key. He noticed that people often wore their keys on a hook inside their robes in the Earth Kingdom. The key was probably not in the room. Zuko moved on. He went down the hallways, sneaking behind some guards and above others. He found the kitchen.

Food. Tea sandwiches with hardboiled platypus bear eggs. Dragonfruit. Loose-leaf tea. Blueberries. Scones. Blueberries. Wait. Blueberries?

Zuko stopped.

He grabbed the blueberries.

Slipped out the door. 

Vanished into the night.

///

Yue popped another blueberry into her mouth. Her tongue was blue. There were so many blueberries in the Earth Kingdom! Of course, she knew that as it was where the Water Tribe imported them from on the rare occasion she got blueberries but she never expected this many. And they were so good. So fresh. She’d never had blueberries off of the plant before. It was amazing. Little explosions of flavour in her mouth.

They were stopped at the next port. Half the men were retrieving wagons and ostrich-horses and looking for someone to safeguard their ship until they returned.

Other than them, Hahn was busy attempting to order people around. The problem was that he knew nothing of the Earth Kingdom. Granted, not many in the Northern Water Tribe did. Contact was rare and expensive. It was limited even for the princess.

Yue was leaning against the railing as usual. Hair tied back with a wrap on. Some was still visible, but she was on the ship away from most bystanders.

“Hey there!” Doraq shouted. Yue turned her eyes to find him. He used such informal greeting as it was decided that it would not be wise to address her as “princess” or even “Yue” when in port. And Hahn wasn’t near at the moment. He was currently nursing his pride. His little stumble and fall down the stairs had several witnesses. Doraq was approaching the ship on an… odd creature. The ostrich-horse! Yue clasped her hands to her mouth. It looked just like the illustrations. Amazing. Doraq was clearly elated to be on one. Grinning from ear to ear. He looked like a true adventurer.

Yue hurried down the gangplank to greet Doraq and the rest of the crew.

“How did it go? Do they have names?”

A stickler for tradition, the captain would not do without a slight bow. Something to show his deference to the young woman. “It went well, p-.” He stopped himself. “I do not know if they have names.”

“I asked, they don’t have names,” Doraq told her, the only one astride.

“Well, I’m sure we can remedy that. We’ll be in each other's company a good while, after all.”

Yue reached out a hand, tentatively. The ostrich horse reached out its nose and sniffed her, giving her an odd look. Yue tilted her head to the side ever so slightly. Odd. The animals reacted to her differently, she had been finding. More… placid and deferential, but in a friendly manner. There was recognition.

///

Zuko’s hair was finally starting to grow out. Having a hacked-off ponytail was embarrassing, even if he was just in the woods with his uncle and no one else around. Now he just had an odd long spot on the top of his head. Zuko sighed. He would have to steal some shears or something so that he could even out his hair. Then he would let it grow out.

Reluctantly, he got out of bed. His uncle was in annoyingly good spirits in the mornings. Zuko had no idea why. He had nothing to look forward to. Nothing to accomplish. Zuko would ask him but he didn’t want to hear whatever sappy answer Iroh was sure to have. It was practically pathological. His happiness.

He had nothing to do until nightfall, really. Stealing in daylight was possible, but more risky. Easier to be identified if his mask fell off. Presently, the blue spirit mask was carefully tucked away in his bag next to that letter from Yue for that boy. Whatever.

“Look, Prince Zuko! It’s the rare white jade plant! It makes a most delicious tea.” Iroh had initially stopped calling Zuko “Prince” but seemed to have changed his mind. Zuko had no idea why. It’s not like he was a prince anymore. He hadn’t been, really, since he was banished. Azula was always his father's favourite. That was fine with Zuko — until his mother left. Why was he thinking of such things? It made no sense. His uncle was jabbering on about this plant. Zuko had gotten him tea, why bother with strange plants in the woods? Iroh stroked his chin. “Or perhaps it's a deadly form of nightshade. They are nearly identical.” He leaned in. “Delectable tea? Or deadly poison?”

Zuko stared at him, then sighed.  

“Well, what do you think, Prince Zuko?”

“That I want to get out of here.”

“I meant about the tea, dear nephew. Though I understand your frustration with these woods and their lack of comfort.”

“It’s not the wood's fault.” Zuko bit out. Unsure of who to blame instead. Himself, probably.

Iroh thought for a moment longer. Contemplating the plant in front of him.

///

A band of shadows followed the strange group of water tribesmen to a ship where they met the strange water tribe girl with moon-like hair.

Watching.

Lurking.

Waiting.  

Chapter Text

It was hot and dry and Zuko should have been glad for it but he wasn’t. It just reminded him of home. Or what used to be his home. Then “home” became his ship and his quarters there. Dull, gray metal walls. Then the cabin with Yue. The blue light illuminating the air at night. Dried seal jerky. Blueberry bannock. Zuko shifted in the ostrich-horse’s saddle. Lee had declared his name was Feathers. Original. Feathers sighed periodically as he plodded along. Zuko swallowed. Dry. 

He didn’t want to stop in the next town but he had to. No other water source was anywhere near him on the map besides Tu Zin. With his luck it’d be abandoned, like him. Hah. Except I was the one who left Uncle behind. After Iroh had poisoned himself and Zuko had stolen the ostrich-horse from their saviours — Song and her family — Zuko couldn’t look his uncle in the eye. He just couldn’t. 

The way that Lee looked at him after finding out he was the Fire Prince? Zuko would never forget that look. 

It had never occured to Zuko that being the Fire Prince was a bad thing. Something to loathe and fear. It was as if a wall had separated Zuko and Lee as soon as he had revealed himself. Suddenly he wasn’t Zuko anymore he was just the Fire Prince of the foreign nation invading Lee’s home, taking his brother from him. Well, maybe that made more sense now. Nevermind. Zuko was banished and would probably end up being killed by Azula, the prodigal daughter. He was no threat to the Earth Kingdom anymore. Lee had had nothing to fear. 

But Lee didn’t know that. 

Zuko’s head hung low. 

The ostrich-horse plodded along. 

His name was Feathers, Lee had said. 

/// 

Yue was being watched. She could feel it like a hot brand on the back of her neck. 
“What is it, Hahn?” She glanced behind her. 
“How — you should not ride astride.” 
“Why, for spirits sake, not?” 
“It does not befit your station, or mine.” 
“I am just a simple traveller and this is how I sit.” 
“As your husband — “ 
“Fiancé.” Yue corrected. 
“Whatever. I do not allow this. It is indecent of a lady.” 
“Your opinion is noted. And I am not to give the appearance of a lady right now.” 
Hahn nearly growled, turning red. At the end of the day, he could not command the warriors to make Yue do anything. Yue outranked him at the moment and… the warriors just didn’t like Hahn. Some had in the beginning, when they had just known of his ranking and parentage, but that had failed to uphold the sheer travesty of his personality. 

She didn’t know when she had become so openly critical of Hahn, and that scared her. She was changing so fast. She had rarely stood up for herself, only her people, before. Yue sighed. They were a couple weeks out from Ba Sing Se. Now that they were travelling on land and sleeping in tents, Yue was unable to connect with Tui through her usual method of meditation. Their relationship had turned more into something of a conversation at times. Tui being a thought in her mind, a presence not entirely separate from herself, but bigger. 

/// 

Iroh wandered a day behind Zuko, keeping a respectful eye on the young man on his journey. He would respect Zuko’s wish to be alone, as much as it grated against his instincts to protect the boy from everything that his father had not. That Ozai had thrown Zuko into. But he would not leave him entirely defenseless should something happen. He had heard rumours of a metal landship that smelt of ash coursing through the land on some kind of mission. Zuko would do well to not run into the Fire Nation, even if they weren’t actively after him. 

Iroh sighed. Time alone was often necessary for personal growth, with the urge to change from grief and anger a brutal catalyst. He had had personal experience with that sort of thing on his own spiritual journey. 

He walked after his angry young nephew and tried to pick up the pieces. 

/// 

Zuko shouldn’t have ran towards the sounds of fighting. He really shouldn’t have. What fight did he have any business getting in the middle of? Everyone hated him after the last one. But something in his gut told him to go. So he did. He tied Feathers to a sorry looking tree and *carefully* ran towards the fighting. Wanting to see who it was before jumping in the fray. See, uncle, I’m being careful. His dao swords strapped to his back, ready to be used. Fire, itching at his fingertips. 

He was in a forest, which made it easy to sneak closer, even in the daylight. Zuko had been travelling largely off of the main road but from the sounds of it, the fighting was on the arterial road. 

Peering through some bushes, Zuko saw the fighters. 

And he froze. 

Princess Yue. 

She had been knocked off of her ostrich-horse and was running straight at him. Remaining hidden in the bushes, Zuko let her run past. Several pirates tried to follow her — clearly she was their prize. But Zuko burst out of the foliage and cut them down with ease. Pirates. He didn’t have a great look at them but they looked like the same pirates that he had run into… the ones who had tried to blow him up. He ran after Yue. 

Later, he would wonder why. 

But now, he was sprinting after the white hair flashing through the trees. 

/// 

Yue ran. She had never been attacked before. Tui had come alive inside her and urged her to waterbend. To protect. But Yue knew that they were after her, and saw this as an opportunity to escape and protect her men from more injury as the battle went sideways and not in their favour. Perhaps I should have escaped a week ago, once we docked. She would regret the worry this would cause the crew, excluding Hahn, and her parents, but her parents knew she was part spirit and could not truly be defeated by a rogue band of pirates. They must have seen her hair or overheard Hahn’s boasting. Perhaps they would take Hahn hostage if they couldn’t have her. She just had to outrun them… 

A hand clapped over her mouth and an arm around her waist snatched her to the side. Yue yelped, the sound muffled, as she tried to fight back. 
“Shhhhhhh.” A familiar rasp told her. “Be quiet. I’ll save you from the pirates.”
Yue gasped. And she allowed herself to be guided back down, into a grove of mulberries. Her back pressed firmly against Zuko’s. She hadn’t expected to ever see him again, as much as he crossed her mind at times. 

A few long seconds that felt like minutes passed and footsteps hurried past, swearing like sailors — or pirates. Zuko carefully lowered his hand from her mouth, but keeping his arm cinched against her. A few more minutes and the pirates returned, walking slower now, grumbling unhappily having not caught Yue. Once they were well and truly past, Zuko released her waist and Yue shifted so that she could face him. 

“Zuko!” She whispered. “What are you —?” 
He shrugged. 
Yue hugged him. 
He froze. 
“Thank you.” She said, with utmost sincerity. Zuko awkwardly wrapped his arms around her for a moment before thinking better of it. Yue released him. 
“You’re welcome, I guess.” Zuko scratched his neck. 
“What are you doing here?” Yue asked. He looked different. More tan. His scalp wasn’t shaved down with the phoenix tail on top anymore. Seeing as the prince clearly wasn’t travelling with his own ship and men anymore — Yue didn’t mention it. She vaguely remembered something about royal hairstyles denoting rank. 
“Travelling.” 
“Is the Avatar nearby then?” 
“… I don’t know. I’m not…” 
And Yue went quiet. She didn’t know why he would stop after chasing the boy all the way from the South Pole. 
“Are you alright? How are your wounds?” 
“They’re all healed, thank you.” 
“You’re welcome.” 

Cue the awkward silence. 

“So, uh, do you need any help finding your way back to the other Water Tribesmen?” Zuko asked. 
Yue’s eyes widened. “No!” She took a breath. “I’m not going back. I need to do some things on my own.” 
Zuko gave her a strange look at that. “… okay. You just ran off though, do you have what you need?” 
“What do I need?” 
“Money, food, water, and a change of clothes at least.” 
“Then I don’t have anything I need.” 
A beat. 
“I could —” 
“You don’t need to help me this is more than enough —!” 
“— help you.” 

Zuko didn’t want to help the princess, but she had saved him. He was in her debt. And he understood something about needing to do things on his own. 

“I’m helping you.” 
“… okay.” 

Chapter Text

“That white-haired @#($%) of a #$@#*%((%) Water Tribe girl. What is it with Water Tribe women?” 

Iroh paused in the middle of bringing his cup of jasmine tea to his lips, suddenly glad to have chosen this particular bar.

“And that one fighter. Didn’t seem to be with the Water Tribe warriors.” 

“He seemed like some kind of body guard or something. Or maybe he was trying to steal her too! Ha.” 

“Don’t laugh. Kinruh’s chest is practically in ribbons because of that guy. And we don’t get anything for our trouble either. You jokers couldn’t even catch a little girl.” 

Iroh was careful to not turn and let them see his face. They might remember him. The pirates. 

He had wished he had seen the last of them — but this news of a white-haired woman… 

Iroh had heard rumours of the white-haired princess of the Northern Water Tribe. Whispers. The Water Tribe was secretive, after all. 

The lion-turtle said that he would meet a white-haired woman. The spirits had not brought Iroh and this mysterious woman together yet, but she was clearly laid in his path. Iroh would take the hint. 

He raised the cup of jasmine to his lips and took a slow sip. 

WHAT THE @#($)*#@%) — he spat it out. It was atrocious tea. It seemed the Earth Kingdom didn’t know how to brew proper jasmine. He would have to rectify that… someday. 

Until then, he would have to locate that bounty hunter Zuko had found. Perhaps she could help him find this woman. 

/// 

“So what are you doing here?” Zuko asked, returning Yue’s earlier question.

“Oh, um, I’m supposed to be on a diplomatic mission to the Earth Kingdom.” 

“Mm.” Zuko paused. “Supposed to?” 

“Well, I guess I’m not doing that anymore. It’s not my main goal right now. My main goal would be…” Yue trailed off. She really wasn’t sure. Just what she knew from Tui, which wasn’t much. Just that she should keep travelling in the vague direction she was heading. 

“Yeah.” Zuko said. He didn’t know what else to say. 

“Yes.” Yue said. She didn’t know what else to say. 

They walked in silence. 

Feathers plodded alongside them. 

“You look good!” Yue told him, a while later. “Really… healthy.” 

“Uh, thanks?” Zuko looked down. “You too.” 

Yue flushed. Why had she said that? He did look good. And healthy. Most of the time she’d spent around him was when he was bleeding out from his severe injuries. But it was odd to say that, wasn’t it? 

And so the exiled Fire Nation prince and the runaway Water Tribe princess walked on. 

///

“Where are you going, anyways?” Zuko asked on a brief break from trekking up the mountain the road they were on had turned up into. 

“Not sure.” Yue hummed. “Where are you going?” 

“Nowhere.” Drifting… 

“Ah.” 

“You should ride Feathers.” Zuko blurted out. 

“What?! No, no he is your ostrich-horse. I couldn’t.” 

Zuko scratched his neck, remembering how he came to be in possession of Feathers. “Well, how about we take turns?” He said lamely. 

“How about you go first?” Yue said. Zuko shrugged. Yue watched carefully how he got astride Feathers. She had no idea how commanding an ostrich-horse worked. She only knew how to be helped astride and then manage to keep from falling off.  

“Feathers is a girl, actually.” Zuko said after a beat, shifting in the saddle. 

“Oh.” 

Another thing that Yue didn’t know. 

///

“Hey! You guys picked a great campsite.” Toph wriggled her toes with delight. “The grass is so soft.” 

“That’s not grass.” Sokka pointed out. “Appa’s shedding.” 

“Oh, gross!” Katara picked up a foot, disgusted. A thick mat already laid around where the skybison had landed not but two minutes prior. 

Aang laughs. “That’s not gross. It’s just a part of spring! You know, rebirth, flowers blooming, and Appa gets a new coat! A bluebird perched on his head, twittering in answer. 

“Ah, the beauty of spring.” Katara remarked drily. Appa sneezed, and a thick layer of his coat flew off of him and covered Katara. “Stop! Appa, stop! Ugh.” She danced around, trying to get the fluffy white fur off of her. Coughing, she was pretty sure that some of it got in her lungs. Yuck. 

///

The thought crossed Zuko’s mind that Yue might not know how to ride an ostrich-horse. She was a princess of the Northern Water Tribe and it wasn’t like they had ostrich-horses up there. Zuko suspected that this was her first time ever leaving the North. They were an isolated people, like they thought the Fire Nation would forget about them if they just stayed hidden amongst the icebergs. No, the Fire Nation would never forget. The goal was total domination. So that they could share their greatness. They had come close at the siege, and if Zhao was just a bit luckier… a thread of doubt floated through Zuko’s mind. Things had felt so wrong when the moon had turned red. Despite the added power to his fireblasts, Zuko had felt off-kilter. 

The exiled prince ran a hand through his short, chopped hair. 

/// 

They came to a town soon, a tiny speck of a thing. Barely a single street with a bar and a general store. Hitching posts for the ostrich-horses. The essentials. 

Yue carefully tucked her hair under her hair wrap. The only thing left were her white eyebrows, but she figured as long as she kept her head down, no one would pay her too much mind. Her clothes were fine, yes, but after travelling in them for days were dirty and she was pretty sure she smelled worse than Feathers.

Zuko tied Feathers to a hitching post outside the bar. Before thinking, he extended his arms for Yue to hold onto while she dismounted. But Yue grabbed on like a proper princess and slid off of Feathers, stumbling a bit when she made contact with the ground but grasping Zuko’s arms helped steady her. She had done very little riding of any creature before, so it still took her by surprise how hard the ground was after a couple hours of riding. 

“How do I look?” Yue asked Zuko. 

Zuko blanked. Yue looked ethereal, as usual. Not that Zuko would admit that, but he was also pretty sure that she had some sort of spirit magic or something to explain the glowing thing she did and figured that that was related. 

“Good!” 

Yue flushed. “Do I look like I blend in?” 

“Close enough.” Zuko scratched his neck. “Maybe slouch a bit. But I have my dao swords if we have any trouble.” 

“Oh.” Yue tried slouching. 

“Maybe not that much.” 

Yue straightened up a bit. He gave a curt nod.

Zuko turned and walked up the stairs towards the bar. Yue followed. 

It was quiet in the dingy bar. Tired labourers drinking to forget the day, their life, and the war. More than a few glances were thrown in their direction. Newcomers didn’t come by often but as long as they had the gold to pay for their drinks, then they were welcome. Unless they had enough gold to justify stealing. But dao swords were enough to give anyone pause. 

The pair sat in a corner, backs to the walls, but the place was quiet enough to hear snippets of the casual conversations going on around them. Nothing of note, but Zuko had found out valuable information that way in the past. Mostly, who best to steal from. 

/// 

“We have to keep going! They’re going to catch up to us!” 

The Fire Princess had been relentlessly chasing them for almost three days. No one had any sleep and Appa just kept getting closer and closer to the ground. Even Momo had dark circles under his eyes. Not to mention that Aang hadn’t had any extra time to give Appa another bath so whenever the others went to climb back onto Appa’s saddle, they couldn’t grab onto any of his fur since it was just falling out in clumps. 

/// 

The Avatar was near. 

Zuko had overheard people whispering about the litle bald monk at the bar when he went to get a refill of water. 

He had stiffened. Maybe… the thought curled dangerously in his mind. He had to get Yue out of here before she heard the news. He knew that he shouldn’t have cared, but he didn’t want her to get in between him and the Avatar. 

He wasn’t sure what he’d do, after all. 

Zuko hurried Yue out of there, grumbling about the outrageous prices. 

/// 

They had finally figured it out. It was Appa’s shedding that was leading Azula right to them. 

Together, they washed and groomed Appa within an inch of his life. Gathering up the loose fur (they didn’t want it to look like they had groomed him) Aang set off to make a false trail. Sokka and Katara left with Appa in the other direction. Appa, still tired, grazed the top of the forest, breaking off a few crowns. 

/// 

Zuko managed to convince Yue to take an extra turn on Feathers. He felt… conflicted. His mind was astir with questions. The prince almost wished that he had never heard of the Avatar being near them. By a little town called Tu Zin. 

But Uncle always said that knowledge is power. Another proverb of his. 

Perhaps he would just go and see if the Avatar was actually around. If there were any truth to the rumours. That’s it. 

Then he just had to figure out how to convince Yue to go off on her own. She had come to the Earth Kingdom with a retinue. Perhaps they could conveniently run into them? Zuko would figure it out. 

“Zuko?” 

Zuko looked up at Yue. 

“Are you alright? You seem to be… disappearing a bit.” 

“I’m fine.” Zuko hedged. 

“Let’s switch. I can walk well enough.” 

Zuko doubted that. He had seen the way her shoes were practically disintigrating. He would have to steal her some new ones. 

“Over the next ridge.” 

“Okay,” Yue said softly. 

/// 

Princess Azula of the Fire Nation examined the scene before her. Clear trail of bison fur in one direction, and in the other, some tree crowns freshly knocked off. She could practically smell the bleeding sap. Perhaps that was just the direction that the bison was going when it took off, and then it turned around. It must have been so sleep-deprived by that point. 

But Azula didn’t believe in coincidences. Everyone did everything for a reason. And if they didn’t, they were clearly worthless. 

But this was the Avatar. Master of the elements. Or soon to be. 

Her mind was made up. Mai and Ty Lee would follow the direction of the broken tree tops, and Azula would follow the clear path of bison fur. 

Surely, Azula would find something or someone at the end. 

/// 

Yue examined the map that night. Zuko was heading towards a town called Rin Ma, and then Tu Zin if he kept on the road that they were on. Tui was pulling her towards Omashu. There was a cross road, if Yue went back half a day. Or perhaps she could travel cross country. 

Except they only had one map. And it wasn’t even “their” map. It was Zuko’s. 

She didn’t even have paper to make a tracing.

But she could memorize the map. She had a general sense of the Earth Kingdom layout already, from her tutoring as a princess of the Water Tribe. But no one could have ever imagined that she’d need to know any specifics about the tiny little out of the way villages and the roads between them. 

As the wife of a chieftain, her knowledge would have been useful. But she was not, and she doubted she ever would. 

Yue sighed. She would have to leave Zuko, which she was oddly reluctant to do. Not just for practical reasons, but she had grown used to his presence. Had begun to truly welcome it.

Perhaps he would go with her? Tui had had no objections to his presence. 

/// 

At last, Iroh had picked up on another thread of rumours. A pair of travellers. One who wore a head-covering, a young woman. And a young man with a horrible burn. They had travelled through the area, keeping to themselves, with small packs and an ostrich-horse. 

It had to be the white-haired woman he was supposed to be finding. And then the young man with a horrible burn? It was true, there were many Earth Kingdom citizens with burns from the Fire Nation, but rarely were they used as descriptors, due to their commonality. But Iroh knew that Zuko was heading this way — he was following him after all. Why the two would have paired up, Iroh didn’t know, but all would be revealed in time. It was certainly an auspicious pairing.