𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙁𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 ⚠ slow updates ⚠ *editing*

Fire Warms Us Up

*Edited 7/31/22*

Never in her life had she been so scared—er, well, anxious. She had met the Fire Lord. The one person who ruled over the Fire Nation with an iron fist. He who could command an army of a thousand fire-benders. He was an old man with hair like white silk, his skin had gone loose, and his eyes had sunken in. He looked pretty scary on his throne of fire...

...and yet he wasn't as mean as she thought he'd be. Not all at menacing as his second born, Prince Ozai. 

"You must be Hestia," he had said with a tone she couldn't identify.

"I-I am...Y-Your Majesty." Her face had gotten so red from her stuttering, that she thought Fire Lord Azulon was going to burn her into an ash pile.

"How do you like the palace?"

"I-it's big."

"I suppose it is to a little girl such as yourself."

Ugh! Hestia ducked her head into her knees out of embarrassment. She wouldn't be surprised if the Fire Lord kicked her back into the streets. She had tried to be her best, but it was hard. Her mother had always encouraged her to speak her mind, even if others continuously shut her down.

She watched as the turtle-ducklings paddle behind their mother, their tiny bodies causing little ripples through the pond water. Something wet touched her face. She reached up and wiped her cheek, liquid smeared on the back of her hand. It took her only a few seconds to realize she was crying. When did she...? Why would she be crying? The shock of losing her parents dawned on her. Before she could even begin to stop her ongoing tears, a hiccup erupted from her throat, and she cried into the sleeves and skirt of her dress. The fabric muffled her cries of loneliness and anguish. She wanted her mother and father to be alive, with her. She wanted to make Water Tribe seaweed stew with her papa and munch on fire flakes with her mama. This war...is pointless! How could it still be going on?! It had taken so many lives!

"...okay?" Hestia hadn't heard anyone approach her, but she heard a voice.

She reluctantly looked up, her blue eyes made contact with a pair of beautiful golden ones. The young Prince Zuko stood, no, crouched in front of her with a look worry twisted into his youthful, childish features.

"What?" Her voice was no louder than a low murmur.

"Are you okay?" He repeated his question.

"It's...just that...I miss my parents. They were all I had." Hestia had fresh tears streaming down her flushed cheeks as her lips quivered.

"Hey, don't cry, it'll be okay!" The prince's words only made her stuff her face back into her knees. "Hestia, was it?"

She lifted her head again, a little curious as to what the boy was getting at. She opened her mouth to say something, but he grinned, "Hestia is a mouthful." What? Was he trying to make conversation or insult her?

"It is...?" She trailed off in confusion.

"Tia," he grinned. "I think I'll call you Tia. It suits you."

"Huh?" Did...did the prince really just did her nickname? And why had her heart fluttered that way? Was something wrong with it? Her eyes widened as the boy reached his hand out for her.

"Let's be friends! That way, you won't ever be lonely again." His face turned pink, and his grin broadened.

She had suddenly felt lighter, as if she were an air-bender. Her sadness forgotten; a smile tugged at her lips. "Okay!"

Her hand took hold of his. It was warm. Like, really warm.

"But do you really want to be friends with a commoner, Prince Zuko?" Hestia was lifted to her feet by Zuko.

"We're friends now! You don't need to use formalities with me, Tia." Zuko scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Sorry," she apologized and wiped her face dry. "Do...do I get to give you a nickname?"

"Like what?"

"Zuzu," Hestia giggled when she saw Zuko's dismay.

"Anything but that! Azula gives me a hard about that name."

She giggled again. She thought he would've been like his sister, but he was far from it, he was friendly and nice. She hadn't known him but a few hours, and she felt like she knew him her whole life. He has this air about him that made her feel as whole as she did with her mother and father.

"I guess I'll figure one out."

From afar...

Lady Ursa watched Hestia and Zuko interact with one another. Her son, from the beginning, was smitten. She could it when he first laid eyes on Hestia. She is a very cute girl and although her distant demeanor was a little overbearing, maybe, perhaps it would change with Zuko. The older woman shook her head lightly. They were just children, she told herself. She shouldn't be pairing them. Seeing them together made her wish it was so. They were awfully adorable together.

"I do hope they grow into a closer relationship," her lips dropped into a depressed frown. "It's shame I won't be here to see them grow."

Ursa turned to walk back into the corridor, leaving the children to play outside.