Sunburn

10

She greeted the bird, gave it a treat and took the message.

Her eyes rapidly took in her brother's words. His message. She scrolled each sentence faster and faster. Her lips parting. Mouth going dry. Heart beating fast. Her back began knotting with anxiety.

She flipped the note and found no other trace of the message. She clutched the letter close to her chest and painfully swallowed the sobs that had began to escape from her trembling lips. Waterfalls of tears slipped down her eyes as her knees gave. The tears just wouldn't stop pouring.

She didn't know how long she sat by the Resort's hawkery. What was she supposed to do now? To say? She couldn't go back home- what was she to do?

It was a little before the sunset when she gathered the strength to rise. She walked towards the beach that was in front of the resort house they three of them were sharing where Tsai had her own bedroom and Zuko and his uncle shared another one. She sat on the sand hunched over hugging her knees, head buried into them. She closed her eyes and let the sound of the sea shore waves lull her.

"Rough day," She heard a familiar voice say next to her. It was more a statement than a question.

Her head hurt, remaining in that position she turned her head to see the prince taking seat next to her in the darkness of the beach. The air was much colder now. It was dark with the exception of the full moon above reflecting just enough moonlight. It was peaceful. Her eyes were swollen from crying so much and her makeup had been smudged around her eyes. She remained silent and turned forward her eyes getting lost in the dark sea before them. Feeling self conscious she lowered her arms and straightened out her back just like she had been taught to her entire life. She took a deep breath of fresh air. Zuko was unsure of what to say. His Uncle had been worried when she had been absent for so long, and then he had been very worried when she missed dinner. Tsai never missed dinner.

"Was it something I said?" Zuko's first instinct was to blame himself. Maybe he had looked at her the wrong way? Made a snide comment? Afterall it wasn't his day either. However, Iroh knew these things. "I think it's beyond us," he commented. His wise eyes fixed on the girl sitting alone at the beach.

He took in a deep breath. Unsure of what to say what to do. What would a normal person do? 

"You know... Three years ago today, I was banished," he began in a solemn tone. "I lost it all. I want it back. I want the Avatar, I want my honor, my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless," He fisted palmfuls of sand between angrily sand slipping through his fingers.

Normally Tsai would've been more empathetic. Instead her eyes remained fixed on the nothingness before. Hearing a crumbled up noise it was then that he realized she had been clutching something tightly to her chest. She removed the parchment paper and simply handed it to him, her cold eyes not facing him. He uncrumpled it and read:

'Tsai,

You have to make me a promise. No matter what happens. You will not look for me. You will not come home.

You will not respond to this letter.

You will not return home.

You will not seek me out.

I'm afraid I do not write to you with good news. Word of your betrayal to our nation has reached Yu Dao and you have been identified. Mother is beyond reason and absolutely inconsolable. You have broken the heart of our nation.
Fire Lord Ozai suspects that our family is planning a coup de'etat against the crown and an uprising against the nation in Yu Dao. Officials have been sniffing around and poking holes in our lives. There are spies everywhere and nobody is safe.