Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Chapter 30: Siege of the North Pole

Upon his orders, the Fire Nation Navy departed for the North Pole.

Chiara worked in the kitchen and scullery trying to keep her mind occupied. Every night she ate dinner with Iroh, though she missed her dinners with Zuko. She had not seen him since the night she and Iroh took him a uniform and food in the little cove where he hid after the assassination attempt. She knew he was on board the flagship, of course, but to meet with him even in passing might be too suspicious. But it did not stop her from wondering every time she saw a masked soldier on deck or passing her in the halls if it might be her prince in disguise.

Iroh occasionally met with Zuko in secret to check on him. There would be nothing suspicious about the general talking to a soldier if they were spotted. Many still admired the old prince and war hero; a few were even brave enough to approach him and ask if he remembered serving with their fathers or older siblings. Whenever he met with Zuko, Iroh would bring him a small dessert that Chiara made for him.

Zuko always appreciated her thoughtfulness, and he missed his time with her. Sometimes when he caught sight of her standing on the deck, he would watch her long locks as they would glide around her in the wind. He desperately wanted to stand next to her and talk to her and look into her beautiful green eyes again, but he knew he could not risk it. He was determined to capture the Avatar. He was sure that it would be the first step in returning their lives to normal. Once he accomplished his mission he would be able to return home with Chiara and his uncle.

They had been at sea for a few days. Chiara, taking a break from the scullery, stood on the main deck gazing out at the sea that seemed to go on forever. She wished it would. Maybe their ocean journey would never end and they would never reach the North Pole. There would be no siege, no war. She would be content to spend the rest of her life at sea eternally searching for the Northern Tribe if it meant the Fire Nation could never attack them. She even found such a fate far more desirable than marrying the admiral. Suddenly, a pod of octodolphins breached the calm surface of the ocean as well as the troubled thoughts in her mind. She could not help smiling as she watched their tentacles skim along the surface. She gripped the railing tempted to dive in and swim alongside them.

Zuko stood on the deck above watching her as she gazed out at the ocean. He spotted the octodolphins in the water, but his gaze quickly returned to Chiara. He admired the way her obsidian curls reflected the rays of the sun. He could almost feel the silky texture against his fingertips...

"She's really beautiful, isn't she?" came a voice next to him.

Zuko turned and saw another member of the crew staring at down at her.

"Usually we only get a chance to watch civilian girls at the port," said another young soldier. "This is a nice change."

"She's General Iroh's daughter," said a third soldier who had just walked up to them.

Zuko was feeling steamed. "Which means she's a member of the royal family and off limits," he said in a deep voice.

"Nothing wrong with looking though," grinned the first soldier.

Zuko was doing everything in his power to keep his temper under control.

"I heard she took the prince's death really hard," said one of them. "Not sure why though," he scoffed. "He was just a Fire Nation traitor from what I've heard."

It hurt Zuko to hear that. He loved his Nation, his people; he would never betray them. He spent years trying to get back there, trying to prove he was a good prince, a good son. He would prove it all as soon as they made it to the North Pole. He would find the Avatar and take him to his father who would be finally proud of him for his success.