fire in your eyes • zuko

iii

In the days that followed, Zuko's relationship with his crewmen go exponentially better. There were no arguments over petty things and everything else seemed to be going smoother.

Nava was atop her usual perch when she spotted something approaching them on the horizon. It looked like a ship, and a large one at that. She could narrowly make out a Fire Nation flag on top of one of the smokestacks.

"There's a Fire Nation ship approaching," she called down to Zuko.

The Prince looked into his telescope at the oncoming ship and signalled to the helmsman.

"Slow down!" he called, then turned to Nava. "Draw your bow and keep an eye out for any funny business on the other ship. Do not fire unless I give you the command."

Nava got up and pressed herself against the side of the pillar that was behind her. She aimed her bow at the approaching ship as it drifted to a stop beside them and lowered its boarding plank. She could see men moving about on the ship and none of them looked like they were itching for a fight. A man dressed in regal-looking clothes crossed the plank and stopped in front of Zuko. Nava could see a small roll of parchment in the man's hands.

"The search for the Avatar has been given the upmost importance," the man announced, unrolling the scroll to reveal a wanted poster of the Avatar. "Any and all information regarding his whereabouts must be reported to Admiral Zhao."

At the Admiral's name, Nava's blood went cold.

She was fourteen and had plotted her first escape from the Yuyan camp after her advisors had announced that some of the captains and generals from the army would be making an appearance to scout for future prospects for their infantries. They would be throwing a banquet in which the students would show off their sharpshooting skills with a series of drills and routines. It was then that Nava decided she would escape.

She slipped away right before they were set to perform, and ducked into a supply closet, where she feverishly wiped off the red face paint across her face - trainees painted their faces before they were awarded their tattoos after graduating. She waited until the hallway was empty and then she made her way back to her bunk. She grabbed her bag and was outside in minutes. Before she could get out of the grounds, someone spotted her and called out.

Nava had no choice but to stop. The person had seen her face and they'd drawn attention. She turned towards the person, expecting to see one of her superiors, but was surprised to see someone completely different. He was a middle-aged man with greying hair and a severe look in his eye. He caught up with her and she could see a smirk playing on his lips.

"Shouldn't you be on your way to the banquet?" he asked her.

"I've been sent on a mission for medicine, some of the other trainees have fallen ill." Nava said quickly, staring at her feet.

The man hummed. "Perhaps you and I should go and see your advisor for confirmation? Not that I don't believe you, but I would assume that your infirmary has the necessary supplies."

"They don't, which is why I'm going to get some."

"I don't quite like your tone, girl. You better come with me willingly or will I have to alarm someone?"

Nava knew she had been beat. She dropped her shoulders and followed the man back towards the building, and to the headmaster's office.

Headmaster Xia was not a kind woman. Nava was convinced she became a headmaster solely because she hated children and wanted to see them suffer. It wasn't unusual to see students leave her office with tears in their eyes and a bright red handprint on their cheek. Nava had never been on Xia's bad side and she hoped in blissful naiveté that would make her punishment less severe.