Reborn as Katara (OC)

11. Meeting Captain Zhao

Much like myself, but even though my honor rests on capturing the Avatar and bringing him back to my father I will not do that at the expense of you getting hurt.

Sincerely, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation

~End of Letter~

"Ugh, I sound so annoying," Zuko muttered to himself when he reread the letter.

"Prince Zuko we have arrived at the docks," Iroh said knocking on his nephew's door and cracking it open just a little to peek his head inside.

"Thank you, Uncle. I'll be right out." Zuko told his uncle as he folded the letter neatly before placing it in an envelope and putting it in his desk drawer.

"Mmm, maybe she will be good for him. She's already making him more polite." Iroh mumbled to himself as he closed Zuko's door and started walking above deck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What is the full diagnosis of the ship?" Zuko asked his soldiers once he finally came above deck.

"We need to have some repairs made because of that iceberg that we scraped on the side of the ship." his helmsman said.

"Why was my ship close enough to an iceberg that it scraped it?" Zuko questioned with an unimpressed look on his face.

"...That would be might fault Prince Zuko. My arm got hurt fighting the water tribe girl and I couldn't steer the ship away in time." one of his soldiers said after a tense silence.

Zuko gave his arm a once over and he could tell that it was indeed hurt especially by the way he was cradling it.

"Make the repairs quick, I don't want to be on these docks for long. And Soldier Lin Yee make sure you get seen by a healer then take the rest of the day off." Zuko ordered then he and his uncle walked off the ship onto the docks.

His ship crew looked at each other surprised that Zuko even suggested Lin Yee get medical help and they were practically flabbergasted at the fact that he gave him the rest of the day off.

Usually, when this happened he would just tell them to hurry up but for some reason, he seems nicer.

"I don't want to risk losing her- uh I mean his trail," Zuko said stuttering over his words when he accidentally said her referring to the blue-eyed beauty that caught his eye.

"You mean the Avatar or-" Iroh started saying before getting cut off by his nephew.

"Shh don't mention his name on these docks. Once word gets out that he's alive, every Fire bender will be hunting him down. And I don't want anyone getting in the way." Zuko whispered.

"Getting in the way of what Prince Zuko?" a new voice asked.

"Captain Zhao." Zuko greeted with an unimpressed look.

"It's Commander now. And General Iroh. Great Hero of our Nation." Zhao greeted back bowing to Iroh with a condescending smile.

"Retired General." Iroh reminded as he bowed back.

"The Fire Lord's brother and son are welcomed guests anytime. What brings you to my harbor?" Zhao asked.

"Our ship is being repaired," Iroh explained gesturing to their ship behind them where you could see some damage done to the hull.

"That's quite a bit of damage," Zhao said with a suspicious tone.

"Yes... you wouldn't believe what happened." Zuko started off but then quickly realized that he didn't have a lie on the spot.