The Commander's Daughter (Zuko X OC)

Chapter 9 ~ Bending

I still hadn't spoken to Zuko since Kyoshi. 

He had been in his quarters for hours, not even coming out for dinner, I could tell that Iroh was worried but he didn't say anything. He simply made Zuko up a plate and told one of the guards to give it to him.  I couldn't help but wonder if my ignoring him had caused this, but in reality I knew that it was because the Avatar had escaped and another chance of Zuko having his honour restored has slipped through his fingers. 

The cool breeze blew through my hair as i rested my head on the wall behind me. The moon shone brightly illuminating the bow of the ship just enough that I could see a dark figure walk towards me. 

"Can you bend?" I looked up from my seated position on the floor to see that it was Zuko walking towards me. His eyes focused on me as I blinked dumbly up at him.

"W-what?" A small growl escaped his throat as he stretched out a hand for me to take insinuating that he wanted me to stand. I took it and felt him pull me up to my feet. I was confused as to why he was asking,  I was confused as to why this was the first thing he had said to me since Kyoshi. 

" Can. You. Bend?" Sullenly I shook my head, the ability to bend was something beautiful it came naturally with such grace. It was a talent I had longed for as a child but been denied,it seemed that whatever talents i would have would have to lie elsewhere. For a moment I was worried that Zuko would kick me off for being a non-bender. My father had never been pleased with the fact I couldn't bend and I had always assumed that non-benders where frowned upon by the rest of the Fire Nation. 

Zuko folded his arms eyes still trained on me. 

"Have you ever tried to bend?" I nodded silently, preparing myself for his anger, his hate at my useless  nature.

With a sigh he turned  away, leaving me on the ship alone once again.

***

Zuko moved hastily away from the girl that had become familiar to him. The fact that she could not bend both puzzled and worried him. It meant that General Zhoa a prestigious bender had produced a non-bending daughter. But worst of all it meant that those marks where not training accidents.

Zhao would pay for what he had done.

Before entering the ship Zuko allowed himself to look at the girl one more time. He couldn't stop thinking about her arms around him. Part of him wanted to return to her side and pull her body to him and feel her arms again, but, he wouldn't. The scarred prince couldn't remember that last time somebody had hugged him, he didn't let his uncle and before that he supposed his mother would be the last person who had. A sense of pain over came him and he swiftly entered the ship and began to march towards his quarters. 

He had let the Avatar evade him again today, pushing the possibility of him ever returning home further and further away. Yet, all he could think about was the small girl huddled on the bow of the ship with scars riddled over her body. Forcing open his door he guided himself wearily to his bed wincing at the sudden weight on his shoulder. Karina's face flashed through his thoughts, her green eyes looking tiredly up at him. He growled and pushed her out of his head. He had to catch the Avatar, he had to return home, he had to be at his fathers side and he had to do it soon.

He didn't have time for her distractions.