The next night, Zuko's ship is docked in a port. Members of the crew have gathered for music night on the ship. Lieutenant Jee plays a lute as Iroh sings. Several other crew members play instruments or dance.
"Winter, spring ... Summer, and fall ... Winter, spring ... Summer, and fall ... Four seasons ... four loves ... Four seasons ... for love." Iroh and I sang together as I danced around with the crew. I giggled and spun around lifting up the edges of my skirt.
"Princess." Zhao's voice halted everything. I looked at him as the music came to an abrupt end. Zuko who was standing at the hallway entrance stepped into view.
"Admiral Zhao." I greeted.
"I'm taking your crew."
"What?!" Zuko fumes.
"I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole."
"Uncle, is that true?"
"I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone ..." Iroh said, his arm over his face in woe. "even the cook."
"Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar. But I can't have you getting in my way again."
"No!" I gripped Zuko's arm and kept him from charging Zhao.
"Princess Hai, General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands ... if you change your mind." I frowned and looked down at the scroll in my hand.
*short skip*
"Pack everything, Hai." I nodded and shoved what I could in a bag.
"Zuko." I said as Iroh took the bag from my hand. "Why are you sending me with him?"
"Something's not right." Was all he said. "You'll be safer with a full crew."
"What about you?"
"I'll join you."
"Admiral Zhao?" I called reaching the deck where he stood. "May I ask for your assistance in carrying my belongings?" He smirked and nodded as both Zuko and Iroh carried my bags up. I turned to Zuko as Zhao and a soldier grabbed my items.
"Go." Zuko said. I frowned and moved closer to him. I leaned up and kissed his cheek softly.
"Be safe, Prince Zuko."
"Come on, Princess." I followed the Admiral off as soldiers stood at both sides. When we got further away I noticed Iroh had also joined me. I smiled softly at him just as a loud explosion rang behind us.
The ship explodes. Zuko still inside. A choking sob left my body before I was able to stop it. I ran towards it only to be caught at the waist by soldiers.
"Zuko!" I yelled. I watched in horror as the soldiers carried me away.
*short skip*
"Princess, I was ordered to bring you food." A voice said as the tears soak into the blanket beneath me.
"I'll give it to her." Iroh said outside the door dismissing the soldier. I didn't move as the door opened and not one but two sets of foot prints entered the room.
"Hai, you can't cry."
"Zuko?" I whispered sitting up. The door shut behind Iroh as he left the tray on the table. I jumped up and jumped into his arms as he dropped the helmet onto the bed.
"I'm okay." He said tightening his arms around my waist. "The people weren't very quiet and gave me enough time to make it off of the ship." I pulled away slightly.
"Your face." I whispered as I examined him. He looked at me and rolled his eyes.
"It's been scarred for years now."
"That's not what I'm talking about." I said. He gently released me and moved to sit on my bed. I rolled my eyes and locked my door before grabbing the food. It looked to be fish and noodles with tea. "Here." I said setting it in front of him.
"You need to eat as well." I shrugged. He sighed and picked up the chopsticks. He scooped out some noodles and held them up in my direction.
"Zuko-" He shoved the noodles in my mouth and gestured me to eat. I felt my face heat up in embarrassment and ate the noodles.
"We'll share it." He said. "Especially since I know you don't like fish unless it's cooked a certain way." I took the chopsticks from him and rolled my eyes.
"You didn't have to shove it in my mouth though." He smirked and I leaned down and took a few more bites of the noodles. "You eat the rest. When you finish I'll take this up and you can hide in here."
"You mean you'll find sweets." I nodded and smiled.
Moments later, as he finished eating. I noticed the foot steps approaching my door. I gave him his helmet and quietly picked up the tray. I went to the door and watched as he hid behind it as I opened it with one hand.
"I was just coming to check on you Princess." Jaron said. I frowned and handed him the tray.
"It'd be greatly appreciated if you could possibly find me anything sweet."
"Yes Princess."
"Make it fast, sweets always make me feel better."
"Yes Princess." He walked away and I shut the door locking it once more. I noticed Zuko's look before rolling my eyes.
"Jealous?" I questioned.
"No need to be. I can have you at anytime. If he tried, he'd lose his life. That's a fight I wouldn't hold back in." He said. I sighed and untied my hanfu. My simple dressing underneath it became shown and he looked away.
"It's just a dress." He looked at me to see it was a dress roughly an inch past my knees. I moved to put my hanfu in the corner of the room by my closet.
"Hai." He mumbled. I smiled then listened to the footsteps approaching. Three knocks on my door.
"Princess I brought you the only thing I could find." I opened the door and looked at the tray, a sweet bun looking back at me. I nodded and grabbed the bun.
"Thank you. I'd like to be left alone the rest of the night." I shut and locked the door and sat on my bed eating the bun. Zuko joined me, leaving his helmet at the other end of the bed.
"I'm going to try capturing the avatar. I know you won't help me but I just want to let you know before we get wherever."
"I wont be on the journey. I'm to be getting a ship and crew to keep me out of harms way. Iroh requested it. Zhao only agreed because I said I wouldn't fight."
"I'll join your crew once I get the Avatar."
"If you do." I sighed finishing the bun. "Lay with me?" He nodded removing the armor before moving to lay beside me.
"You used to climb into my bed every night to get my attention."
"You make me sound like a floozy." I said laying beside him, my head resting on his outstretched arm. He snickered and turned to face me, leaving the arm under my head.
"You know that's not what I mean." I smiled slightly at him and moved my hand to his face I gently cupped the cheek under his bruised eye and sighed.
"If I was a water bender I could heal you."
"If you were a water bender you'd be dead."
"True." I mumbled. I gently brushed my thumb across his cheek before pulling my hand away and resting it on his chest. The tousled shirt looking a bit baggy.
We lay there in silence for a moment before I finally looked up. His face so close to mine. His arm moved from under my head as he flipped us over so he was atop me. He put a hand on my hip and the other held him up so he wasn't crushing me. I blushed as he used his knee to separate my thighs.
"I love you Hai." He mumbled, I felt his lips gently graze mine.
"I love you Zuko." I replied just as quietly. His lips met mine in a rough kiss that made my entire body shiver in delight. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him close as he now gripped my hip.
I could feel the heat in the room rising as his hand moved to my bare thigh. He looked down at me as if asking permission. My eyes left his as his hand stopped moving in my mid thigh area. My knee propped up causing the dress to fall and show my undergarments.
"Don't stop." I mumbled. He immediately sat up and pulled his shirt off, leaning down he pressed his body against mine, kissing me once more. He gently ran his tongue along my bottom lip. I ignored his request to invade my mouth with his tongue, which caused him to squeeze my bum.
I opened my mouth in surprise, giving him the perfect opportunity to explore my mouth. I quickly regained control and flipped us over, straddling his lap and deepening the kiss. I could feel how hard he was and knew he was holding himself back.
"Princess." I quickly separated my lips from Zuko's at the sound of Iroh's voice. I pushed Zuko back and he took that as an invitation to get comfy on my bed with a smirk.
"I asked to not be disturbed." I said, slightly out of breathe.
"Princess, I just came to check on you. You haven't stepped foot outside since the accident." I closed my eyes and sighed I moved slightly causing Zuko to grip my thighs. I blushed and bit my lip.
"I'll be out when I feel like it. Please leave me alone."
"Yes Princess."
"You have a umm..." I finally met his gaze and noticed his eyes were glazed over in an emotion I haven't seen before.
"Yeah, don't move." He said his eyes traveling down my small frame.
"I'm sorry." I whispered. He looked at me in slight amusement before tapping my thigh.
"It's not the first time you've caused it. It's the first time like this but you cause a lot of awakenings." He said closing his eyes.
I don't know what possessed me to do what I did next, but I wanted more. I moved my hips slowly causing him to flip us back over rather quickly. I looked at him and noticed his entire body was tense.
"No. Not like this. You deserve more. You deserve better." He leaned down and kissed me softly. "Let's go to bed."
"I'm sorry." I mumbled. He grunted and laid down beside me. I turned away and felt him pull me against him. I smiled as the candle went out and we drifted off to sleep.