The Apprentice's Choice (an Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfiction Zuko X OC)

Chapter 32: The Wind from the East

The stranger released her elbow and stepped back, bowing deeply. "Greetings, Lady Chiyo. It's an honor to be in your presence. I go by the name of Kaze."

As he bowed, his long, black hair spilled from his shoulders like a dark waterfall. His attire was a white and green hanfu painted with long stalks of bamboo groves and grass, on his belt was a flute made of precious white jade.

"Are you a performer?"

The man named Kaze straightened up and smiled. "Yes, my Lady. I am one of the performers for the banquet."

"Hm." Chiyo excused herself and returned to her aides, having them fix her hair while she was deep in thought regarding Zuko's demand.

"You didn't answer my question."

Chiyo's eyes snapped open and she glared at Kaze through the mirror, annoyance growing for every second that passes. "I don't feel any obligation to."

He turned to the aides at her sides and gave them a most alluring grin. "May you beautiful women excuse this lady and I?"

Stuttering out their replies, giggling and nearly tripping over themselves, they left Chiyo unattended and frustrated. "What do you want?!" She was already furious on top of everything else, gripping the armrests of her seat.

"I just asked a question and I'm merely awaiting an answer." Unfazed by the daggers shooting out of her eyes, he had taken her hair and started braiding it with adept hands. "I am such a huge fan of yours, my Lady." He sighed happily, fastening the braid with ruby-headed pins. "So beautiful..."

"Do you want an autograph, then?!"

As Chiyo was thinking of ways on how to murder him, a detail she had missed caught her attention. His gaze wasn't directed at her hair which he was fixing, he was staring intently at her through the mirror.

With the same eyes as hers. Deep, red amber.

He must have noticed her shock and flashed an all-knowing grin.

She stood up abruptly and faced the man, lowering her voice so the rest of the performers in the room wouldn't hear. "Who are you?"

"I told you, my Lady. My name is Kaze—"

"Why do you have the same eye color as I do?!"

Chiyo's confusion only grew when he barked out a rich, deep laughter. The sound garnered the attention of the other ladies and they inched closer to hear more of the delightful sound. Kaze bent his figure down so that they were eye-level, faces merely inches apart, a haughty smile playing on his lips. "I was born with these eyes, my Lady! Are you saying I'm not allowed to have them?"

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He had purposely asked in a louder voice so everyone else could hear him. They started whispering among themselves of the entertainer causing quite a scandal. "Y-you--!"

An attendant informed them of the start of the banquet, and they were instructed to finish up their preparations. Determined not to let it affect her, she slumped back in her seat and decided to dismiss her anger. "Don't you have somewhere else to be, sir?"

Kaze tilted his head innocently. "Nope! But I do have a proposal for you, Lady Chiyo."

"I'm not interested."

"Oh?" He shook his head in mock disappointment, clicking his tongue. "I see." He turned to leave.

Chiyo had never given much thought to her origin before. She had quickly accepted the fact that she was an orphan raised by Lady Suiren, born from parents; one of which had died, and another lost to insanity and never to be found. Her red eyes had been quite the distinction because of their uniqueness.