Flame of the Heart - Book 1 // Zuko

Chapter 3

Zuko was out on a walk with his mother a few days later. He hadn't been able to sneak to Azula's room in a few days because Azula had gotten into trouble multiple times and had been sent to her room by their father as punishment. Zuko's mother had noticed that Zuko was acting down and had invited her son on a walk in the hopes of wiggling out of him what was troubling him.

In truth, Zuko felt both bad and disappointed. He felt back because he had failed to visit Shira in almost three days and even though he had snuck a note for her into her daily meal, he knew that during the time Azula was grounded to her room, Shira was probably living in hell. He felt disappointed as well because for the first two or three nights that he had visited Shira, he had grown to really enjoy her company and found himself loving seeing her bright smile whenever he appeared and untied her from the post.

A part of Zuko liked Shira for how pretty, graceful and sweet she was while another part of him practically adored how brave and patient the girl was and how she never complained even though she was living the life of a whipped dog. At the same time, a piece of Zuko couldn't help but want to hold the girl to him and never let Azula near her again. He wanted to protect her with his life and never let her know pain and suffering again.

"What troubles you Zuko," his mother inquired, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Zuko looked up at his mother with wide, worried amber eyes and seeing the smiling sweet face of his mother brought hope to Zuko's troubled mind.

"Mother.... If your heart was telling you that something was wrong, but everyone was doing it.... and you would be ridiculed and frowned upon if you did the right thing.... What would you do?"
The woman smiled down at her son and stopped her walking, turning to face her son and crouching in front of him to look him in the eye, "I would do what my heart tells me is right. If doing the right thing means pain and suffering for me and people turning against me, I would do it anyway because eventually, the good you do will turn around and come back to you. Life is not easy like that Zuko. When you're staring a choice in the eye, sometimes in the heat of the moment you choose to do the wrong thing because you do not wish to get hurt but.... You'll regret it later."
"So... always take your time in making a choice?" Zuko asked, "To make sure that it is the right thing?"
The woman nodded, "Right."
Zuko opened his mouth to ask another question when a familiar voice interrupted, "ZUKO! Come here! COME PLAY WITH US!"

Zuko sighed but his mother gave him a gentle shove to where his sister was playing with Ty Lee and Mae.

"What's going on?" Zuko asked, "I'm not in the mood to play."
Of course, as his sister dragged him over, he didn't notice Mae blush brightly and hide her face behind her long black hair.

"Okay, here's the game," Azula said, dragging Mae to her feet and planting her near the water fountain, putting an apple on her head, "You have to shoot the apple off her head."
With that, Azula threw a ball of fire at Mae. Zuko's eyes widened, knowing that the girl was going to get hit with the fire even if Azula's aim was perfect. Jumping forward, he grabbed Mae by the shoulders and pushed her out of the way. Mae fell onto the grass and rolled out of the way while Zuko tripped and went flailing back into the water.

While Ty Lee rushed over to help Mae up, Azula laughed at her brother who sat up, dripping wet with his hair plastered about his face and over his forehead. It obscured his vision so he couldn't see much other than his laughing sister. However, out of the corner of his ear he heard a faint gasp and something that sounded like a jar being set down on the ground before feeling someone approaching.

He heard feet stepping into the water next to him and turning, he found himself looking up into a pair of beautiful blue eyes that were laced with concern.

Zuko's amber eyes widened in surprise as Shira reached up with a pale gentle hand and brushed his wet locks out of his eyes, brushing them out of his face while she kept her other hand on his forearm.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly.

Zuko barely managed a nod, still staring at the girl who was kneeling in the knee-deep water. Her skirt was drenched but she didn't seem to care, and she looked hot and sweaty from work. Zuko realized that she probably wasn't used to hot climates.

"HEY!" Azula snapped, "SLAVE! Come here now!"
Zuko reached out and touched Shira's hand to stop her but the girl gently squeezed his hand and gave him a reassuring smile as if telling him to not cross Azula.

The boy watched helplessly and afraid as the girl rose to her feet and approached Azula respectfully, head bowed.

"Princess," The girl said softly.

Without warning, Azula's hand came across Shira's cheek and made Mae and Ty Lee gasp at the sound of the contact. Shira's head whipped to the side from the contact and for the split second that Zuko saw the corner of her eye, he saw a faint spark, but it disappeared, and the girl turned to face Azula again, head still bowed.

"I told you to get water to my room for my bath and that was it! Get out of here! I'll deal with you later!" the girl snapped.

Shira bowed low before walking back to her pitcher that she had set down and slowly began to walk back towards Azula's room. Zuko was still sitting in the water, watching the girl. As the girl turned the corner out of sight, she paused a moment to look at the boy and gave him a soft smile before disappearing.

**********

"MOTHER!" Zuko cried, rushing into his parent's bedroom. He made sure to check with his uncle to ensure that his father was not in the bedroom before he burst in.

Ursa looked up in surprise when her son came rushing into the bedroom, panting, dripping wet and crying? Zuko was crying? The last time she had seen Zuko actually emotionally cry like that was when a puppy that Zuko found injured died three years ago. Since then, the boy had cried less tears but only got sensitive and emotional when Azula mistreated him but even then, it wasn't tears.... Not like this.

"Mother.... What do I do?" He cried, wrapping his arms around his mother's waist and burying his face in her waist, "Azula's going to hurt her."
"Who Zuko?" Ursa asked, "What is wrong dear?"
"Shira," Zuko confessed, not caring anymore if his mother got angry with him when she found out what he had been doing, "She tried to help me when I fell in the water and Azula smacked her! She threatened to deal with her later! Mother, Azula ties Shira to her bed post and doesn't let her sleep! She barely gets any food and she whips her!"
Ursa's eyes widened at this revelation before they softened, "And how do you know this son?"
"I..." Zuko whispered, "I snuck into Azula's room a few days ago.... To visit Shira...."
Ursa smiled. Zuko never played with kids his age and most certainly never spoke to or of Ty Lee or Mae unless asked.

"I understand Zuko and I am proud of you," she whispered, stroking the boy's hair.

Zuko looked up at her, his eyes rimmed with tears, "You are?"
Ursa nodded, "You are being kind and thoughtful to the girl. You want to protect her. That is the boy I raised to be a gentleman."
Zuko buried his face in his mother's waist, "Mother.... I want to see Shira tonight.... But I can't...."
"I'll help you," Ursa told him, "I'll call Azula here and insist that she sleep in the same rom as Ty Lee as punishment for almost hurting Mae. That will give you plenty of time to see Shira."
Zuko looked up at her and smiled. Azula hated sleeping with Ty Lee because the girl sleep danced and most of the time, ended up on top of the other person.

"Thank you, mother."
Ursa smiled and slicked his hair back, "Go get ready, I'll call Azula when it's time for bed."
Zuko nodded and after kissing his mother on the cheek, rushed out of the room with a huge smile on his face.