While Aang continued training with his teachers, Sokka and Chiara would spend some days hunting with Katara and Toph who would take turns joining them when they were not with Aang.
After a week of training with Zuko, Aang took a day off from firebending by working on earthbending with Toph. Zuko chose to spend his time with Chiara and they went out hunting together. They had walked through the woods for hours, and finding nothing worth catching, they decided to head to the river to take a break. Approaching the bank, Chiara put her hand out stopping him, and she pointed towards the river. His eyes grew wide.
"Muskrat deer," he whispered, pulling out an arrow.
"Wait 'til it's on shore."
He nodded as he took aim. As soon as the creature reached the bank, he let the arrow fly.
"He's really big," she said as they walked over to their future dinner. "I'll be able to make jerky."
"There won't be enough with Sokka's appetite." He pulled out his knife to start gutting it.
"Be careful of the scent glands," she warned as she watched him work.
He stopped and looked at her. "Where are they?"
She knelt down beside him, and after pulling out her knife, she skinned part of the lower section revealing two glands that she carefully removed.
"How did you know about them?" he asked her.
"Ozen showed me."
He could hear the sadness in her voice and knew she was wondering if his crew survived the Siege. It was a thought that had gone through his own mind more often than he would admit.
He finished removing the organs, and then he carried it back to the air temple.
"That looks delicious!" exclaimed Sokka whose wide eyes were fixed on the carcass Zuko was laying down near the fire pit. "All those times we were wondering where we were going to find food, and you guys were eating like kings."
Zuko had flashbacks of near-starvation in the Earth Kingdom. He pulled out his knife. "Can I gut him too?" he said to Chiara.
"Not yet," she giggled.
He started skinning the muskrat deer while Chiara used sticks and twine to build a stand to dry some of the meat.
"Whoa!" yelled The Duke excitedly as he ran up to them. "What are you going to do with the antlers?"
"Give them to you if you want them," said Zuko.
"Great! I can make knives out of them."
When Chiara finished making the stand, Zuko cut strips of meat for her which she salted before placing them on the stand to dry.
"Are you making jerky?" asked Sokka.
"Yes," she answered.
"Have you ever made blubbered seal jerky?"
"No, but I've had some at the North Pole," she said. "My cousin's wife made it."
"Don't leave any of this lying around," he said leaning in close to her. "If Aang sees it, he'll use it as kindling."
She wondered why Aang would use jerky for kindling and if it might have something to do with him being a vegetarian. "I bet it smelled good."
"It did," sighed Sokka.
Soon the muskrat deer was roasting over a fire ironically filling the air temple, once full of vegetarians, with the aroma of cooking meat.
--------------------
That evening after dinner, Zuko took Chiara to the river where they relaxed in the water beneath the waning crescent moon. She was sitting on a rock behind him giving him a deep water massage. With the tension in his muscles melting away beneath her glowing water, his mind relaxed as well, and it was nearly in a meditative state when he caught her humming a familiar Fire Nation song.
"I miss your singing," he said. "I loved it when you and Uncle used to sing at the campfire every night."
She stopped humming. "But you used to complain about it."
He shrugged. "I only complained because I didn't want Uncle to try and coerce me into singing. But I loved listening to you."
She ruffled his hair with her wet hands making him chuckle. He took her right hand in his, and pulling it over his shoulder, he kissed it.
"Let's trade places," he said. "I want to try something."
She stood up and sat in front of him while he sat on the rock where she had been sitting. He scooped up her hair and slowly moved it over her left shoulder allowing the current to pull it in front of her.
"Lean forward," he directed her.
He placed his hands on her shoulders and started rubbing them, and as he did, he concentrated on producing just enough heat to penetrate her muscles.
"That...that feels...wonderful," she sighed.
He slowly moved his hands down her back.
"I didn't know you could do this." She could feel the soothing warmth fill her body beneath his hands.
He smiled. "I didn't know I could either until today."
"What made you try it?"
"I hurt my shoulder when I moved the muskrat deer..."
Her back immediately straightened as she tensed up. "You hurt yourself?" she asked worriedly. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Relax." He gently forced her to lean forward. "It wasn't that bad. It was just a little sore, so when I put my hand on it, I added heat and directed it into the muscle."
"This feels great," she said as he continued moving his hands slowly down her back on each side of her spine. "I can feel the heat moving through the entire muscle."
"Ever since we met the dragons I've seen firebending differently. It's not just something I can do, but it's an extension of myself, just like fighting with swords. Before, I would aim and send out fire, but this...this is different. I can direct it to go where I want, even heat."
"It feels so good."
He smiled enjoying that he could do something to make her feel good as she had so often done for him. Finishing her lower back, he worked on her neck again.
"Ooh, don't ever stop doing it," she moaned.
"Well, I wish I was deaf now," said Toph as she and Katara walked towards the bank.
Zuko and Chiara started softly laughing at her comment.
"At least you can't see them," said Katara blandly.
"And thanks to the river I can't feel them either."
"It's not what you think, Earthbender," said Zuko with a smile.
"Could you two at least get dressed before we walk out there?" she asked.
He rolled his eyes. "What does it matter if you can't see us?"
"Just knowing is disturbing enough."
"Then you'll have to give us a few minutes to finish," he said as they were laughing to themselves.
He stopped rubbing Chiara's neck and pulled her back until she relaxed against him and rested her head on his shoulder.
Katara started walking into the river heading to the rock farthest from them. Toph stepped in the water moving towards the rock closest to the shore where Zuko and Chiara were sitting. She stood there waiting.
Zuko looked at her. "Oh, you want us to move?"
"You are on my rock."
"Huh, I didn't realize you owned it," he said indifferently. "We're finished now. I guess you can have it back."
Toph's rigid form slouched a bit in disgust. "Nevermind. I'll take the other rock." She walked by them.
"And we never got dressed," he whispered to her when she sat between them and Katara.
Chiara was softly laughing at Zuko teasing Toph but they both found it even funnier when Toph splashed them with water.
Chiara was wiping the water out of her eyes. "If I wasn't so relaxed I might've stopped that."
"You two've been gone most of the day," said Toph. "That's a lot of private time together."
"Can you blame us? We've been babysitting you guys since we got here," said Zuko lightly. "It's nice to find some quiet time with my wife...explore some uncharted Water Tribe territory," he added tightening his hold on Chiara.
Katara grimaced at his words. "Ugh, that's really offensive."
Zuko, feeling he would never win Katara's approval, softly laughed at her taking offense.
"Whoa...young ears here," said Toph.
"Hey, you're the one who assumed an innocent massage was something...not so innocent," he said.
"Well, if you're giving out innocent massages, then my feet are really interested...and, you know, it might help make up for you burning them."
"Seriously?" he playfully groaned. "You're still going on about that?"
"Yep." She turned towards him and held her foot up. "And it's I get a foot rub or your new nickname is Sparkles."
He sighed a fake sigh. "Fine." The annoyance in his voice sounded forced making Chiara giggle at his playfulness with the young earthbender.
Toph started laughing. "You're all right, Sparky."
Chiara sat up so he could face Toph, and taking her right foot in his warm hands he started his heat massage. She seemed to melt at his touch.
"Is...is this s-something that...all firebenders can do?" she asked.
"I don't know. I just found out I could do it. It wasn't in any of Sozin's approved techniques for firebending," he said with a hint of derision.
Katara glanced at them. To see Zuko willingly rubbing the feet of a twelve year old girl troubled her. He was the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, the same angry prince that followed them from pole to pole trying to capture the Avatar, and now he was performing some menial, servile task for a young girl he had only known for a short time. He was the one in whom she put her trust in Ba Sing Se and who betrayed them all, attacked them, and watched as his sister nearly killed Aang, her Aang. She imagined how different everything might be if he had joined them then, if he had fought with them instead of against them. Their failure on the day of the eclipse might have been a success, her father not a prisoner of war, the war ended, her family reunited....
"Now I see what Chiara meant," said Toph when he finished. "Don't stop." She held up her left foot. "I think I discovered your new destiny."
Zuko smiled shaking his head as he took her other foot.
"I can see why you married him, Princess," she said making Chiara laugh.
The thin crescent moon moved across the sky from one side of the river to the other before they returned to the temple together.
=========================
A few days later Sokka walked out to the balcony where Zuko was warming up getting ready to work with Aang.
"Hey, Zuko, up for a little swordbending?"
"I'm supposed to be teaching Aang. And don't call it 'swordbending,'" said Zuko, not amused. "That's not even a real word."
"Aang's busy with Toph," said Sokka undeterred. "Besides, it's about time we had a duel. We're the only swordbenders here, except Chiara, and she's off with Katara playing with their magic water."
"I think I'm a little past your level, Sokka. Why don't you practice with The Duke or something."
"The Duke? But he's like eight years old."
"He should be a good match for you then."
"All right, Zuko. You leave me no choice." Sokka drew out his sword and pointed it at him. "I challenge you to a swordbending kai! You know, like an Agni Kai, only with swords instead of fire..."
"Yeah, I get it!" said Zuko, annoyed. "But there is no such thing as a 'swordbending kai.'" He crossed his arms.
Sokka stared at him with big seal puppy eyes. Zuko's shoulders sagged at the guilt trip, and he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"But honor demands that I accept your challenge," he said with little fervor.
"Woo!" yelled Sokka excitedly, throwing his hands up in the air.
He quickly ran off to gather the others.
"You guys got to come to the balcony!" he yelled. "I challenged Zuko to a swordbending kai!"
Chiara, who was waterbending with Katara, immediately dropped her water as she looked at him. "A what?"
"Swordbending Kai," he repeated.
"Oh, is that a thing now?" she asked.
"Where's Aang and Toph?"
"They're in the garden," said Katara.
Sokka ran off to find them, and then he found Haru, Teo, and The Duke, and everyone gathered on the balcony.
Zuko stopped Chiara as she walked by. "Fight the winner?" he asked.
She smirked at him. "I can't wait."
She sat down next to Toph and watched The Duke drawing a crude picture of Zuko. Sokka and Zuko stood facing each other inside a large circle traced on the ground while Aang stood between them to referee.
"Finally," said The Duke when he saw them getting ready to fight. "Some action around here."
Zuko pulled out his dao swords. "Don't get your hopes up, Sokka. I started training with Master Piandao when I was just a kid, so I think I can take a beginner like you."
"All right, you guys," said Aang. "I want this to be a good, clean swordbending match!"
"There's no such thing!" said Zuko angrily, agitated by the made-up word.
As soon as Aang whistled, Zuko and Sokka charged each other.
"So you think you're hot stuff, huh?" asked Sokka.
"Go, Water Tribe!" called Katara holding up a sign with a sword beneath the symbol for waterbending.
Toph held up her sign with Zuko's picture which was upside down until The Duke fixed it for her.
Sokka brought his sword down towards Zuko who caught it between his broadswords.
"Lemme show you how we do things down south!" Sokka drew back to strike again.
Zuko moved as the Water Tribesman lunged towards him.
"Like I said...," started Zuko as he swung his sword causing Sokka to lose his balance...
"Whoa!" He fell backwards.
"...Don't get your hopes up," finished the prince.
Katara was looking annoyed that Sokka lost.
"Way to go, Sparky!" yelled Toph holding her picture up excitedly.
Chiara was laughing at Toph's reaction, but she never doubted that Zuko would be victorious.
"Rematch," said a disgruntled Sokka. "Now."
The two swordsmen stood facing each other again, but Zuko easily beat him again kicking him back knocking him off his feet.
"Another loss for Sokka," announced Aang.
After another match, Zuko quickly forced Sokka face down on the ground.
"Ouch," winced Katara covering her eyes.
Even Toph and Chiara felt bad for him.
"This is ridiculous," said Zuko pointing one of his swords at Sokka. "I'm obviously better than you. Why don't you just give up?"
Sokka got to his knees and brushed himself off. "This from the guy who unsuccessfully hunted Aang for years?"
"That was totally different!" yelled Zuko defensively.
"Sure...'cause it'll only take me three minutes to beat you." Sokka immediately jumped up and attacked him.
Zuko quickly knocked his space sword out of his hands.
"You were saying?" he said.
Sokka pulled out his boomerang throwing it at Zuko who ducked.
"Hey! No boomerangs in swordbending!" he yelled. His eyes grew wide when he realized he inadvertently used Sokka's made up word. "Wait...I mean..."
Sokka's eyes lit up at Zuko's slip.
As the boomerang returned, Chiara quickly jumped up while pulling out her sword taking the flying weapon out of the air before it hit Zuko from behind.
"That's cheating!" she said.
"Chiara's right, you know," said Aang to Sokka. "You did cheat, so Zuko still wins the match."
"I may have lost the battles of swords, young Avatar," said Sokka. "But I won the war of words."
Zuko rolled his eyes at Sokka before turning to Chiara. "I'm ready for a real challenge."
"Whooo, go Water Tribe!" yelled Sokka loudly making Zuko and Chiara startle.
"What's going on?" asked Toph.
"Water Tribe versus Fire Nation," answered Haru.
"Isn't that what just happened?"
"It's Water Tribe Chiara now," said The Duke.
She held out her picture of Zuko to him. "Ooh, I need a picture of Princess Chiara."
"I think everyone's on your side," said Zuko to Chiara as they watched them.
"Of course we are," said Sokka. "Who would actually cheer for the Fire Nation?"
Chiara looked up at Zuko. "I'm on your side," she said. "But that doesn't mean I'll go easy on you."
He smirked at her before looking back at Toph. "Hey, don't forget my new destiny," he called out to her.
Toph looked in his direction remembering the incredible foot rub he gave her. She grabbed the picture of Zuko back from The Duke and held it up, upside down again. "Go Sparky!!"
Zuko and Chiara were laughing.
"Sorry, Princess," said Toph in a loud whisper.
"Just so you know, that doesn't look anything like me," called Zuko.
"You're right. It's not scowling enough," said Sokka. "You better not go easy on him," he added to Chiara before walking off to sit with the others. "For the good of all the Water Tribes you must defeat him."
"Nothing like putting a lot of pressure on me, Sokka."
She and Zuko faced each other.
"Okay, I want a good, clean swordbending match," said Aang.
"Stop calling it that," sighed the prince. "And I've been dancing with my wife since I was five, so we know how to do this."
"Whatever you say, Hotman."
Zuko growled at the ancient slang which made Chiara giggle, but then he quickly made the first move attacking her. She defended herself gracefully, but Zuko was on a roll after defeating Sokka and he fought more aggressively against his more challenging opponent.
The group was cheering for their favorites—Chiara's cheers being louder as she had the two Water Tribe siblings, Haru, Teo, and The Duke yelling for her victory while only Toph called out for Zuko. Aang, still playing referee and ever the pacifist, remained neutral.
The battle continued far longer than the combined competitions between Zuko and Sokka as neither Zuko nor Chiara would go down so easily. Chiara stepped towards him and lunged, but he caught her sword between his and redirected it. He swung one of his swords, but she blocked it with her own, and while he was bringing his other sword around towards her neck, she caught his wrist with her free hand and pushed it up. She quickly ducked under his arm.
"Go Chiara!!" yelled Sokka.
She stood up and threw back her sword arm to strike at the back of his neck at the same time that he had turned and brought both of his swords towards hers.
"It's a draw!" yelled Aang excitedly as they held their swords at each other's throats, both breathing heavily.
"They both lost," moaned The Duke.
"Or both won," said Teo seeing it more optimistically.
Of course Sokka opted for a darker point of view. "That depends on whether they finish each other off or not," he threw out nonchalantly.
As they withdrew their swords everyone relaxed and started talking about the fight, but then Zuko took a swing at Chiara. It was unexpected, but she was not unprepared as she raised her sword and blocked him. A new battle ensued catching everyone's attention, and Zuko fought even more aggressively determined to beat her this time. After another lengthy fight, he finally shoved her with his shoulder trying to knock her off balance, and even though she maintained her footing, it was enough time to bring one of his swords to her throat.
"Zuko wins!" yelled Aang.
"Yay, Sparky won!!" yelled Toph rejoicing over his victory. "I knew I voted for the right one."
"That's not fair!" yelled Katara angrily pointing at Zuko. "He pushed her."
"Clearly she let him win," said Sokka.
Zuko and Chiara sheathed their swords and bowed to one another.
"You guys were great," said Aang.
"Tell me you let him win," said Sokka walking up to them.
Chiara gently laughed as she shook her head. "He's a master swordbender."
Zuko sighed. "Really? You too?"
She softly giggled and rubbed his back before walking off.
"She let you win you know," said Sokka before he walked away.
Zuko was shaking his head as he turned away to hide his smile.
===========================
After another intense week of training for Aang, the Gaang decided to take a break, and after packing lunch, they all went to the river to relax. Katara and Chiara were practicing waterbending while the others sat in the grass underneath the trees talking. Zuko was sitting against a tree by himself quietly admiring Chiara. To him she looked like a goddess as he watched the sunlight reflecting and sparkling in the water which would surround her when she moved it in the air. As her dark curls flowed around her they also caught rays of sunlight while she moved gracefully like she was dancing, and he felt so in love with her that he wanted to join her, but he remained sitting and continued gazing at her nearly in a trance.
"Hey, Hotman." Aang sat down next to him.
Zuko did not respond.
"You can sit with us you know," he persisted. "You don't have to sit here by yourself."
Zuko was so lost in his thoughts of Chiara, he barely heard anything Aang was saying.
"Zuko," said Aang realizing his attention was elsewhere. "Hey, are you awake?" He waved his hand in front of his sifu's face. "Zuko..."
Zuko glanced at him for a second. "What?" he asked. His eyes were drawn back to his wife.
"What are you looking at?"
He continued staring at Chiara. "The most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he said softly, sounding like he was in a daze.
Aang started to look in the same direction as Zuko, but his eyes stopped at Katara. He watched her waterbend, and he felt entranced as well. "She is," he said dreamily.
Zuko suddenly snapped out of his daze and turned towards the Avatar. "What? Are you looking at my wife?" he asked deeply, disturbed by Aang's dreamy tone.
"Uh, no, no," said Aang nervously holding his hands up defensively. "I-I wasn't talking about her. I...uh...was...uh...speaking about someone else." His eyes drifted back to Katara.
Zuko looked back at the river and realized he was referring to the other waterbender.
"Oh," he said more calmly. He crossed his arms and went back to staring at Chiara.
"How-how did you know that Chiara loved you?" asked Aang, his voice timid.
Zuko contemplated an answer to the boy's question. "In a way, I-I guess I always knew. She always took care of me, in the Fire Nation, on the ship, in the Earth Kingdom."
Aang thought about the way Katara always took care of him.
"Did she ever tell you how she felt?" he asked Zuko.
"Yes."
Aang looked down feeling sad that Katara never told him she loved him. "You two must've been really happy then," he said softly.
"We weren't," said Zuko sadly as he remembered when she had first admitted her feelings to him. "We were stuck in the Earth Kingdom as fugitives, and I decided to leave her and Uncle and go off on my own."
Aang raised his wide eyes to stare at him. "After she told you she loved you?"
"I had already decided to leave them. I...I wasn't myself." He still felt ashamed of his behavior towards her. "Before I left I thought she was going to try to talk me out of going, but she said she just wanted me to know that if I ever felt alone there was someone somewhere who loved me and was thinking about me." His heart stirred thinking about her words to him.
Aang was sure that if Katara said something similar to him, he would never leave her.
"She also said had she been worthy, she would consider it an honor to be my wife," added Zuko.
"Worthy?" asked Aang.
"I didn't know at the time she was Water Tribe. She just always told me she would bring me dishonor if she married me."
"You talked about marriage before that?" Aang was surprised but also hopeful.
"Yes. Before I was banished I told her she would be my wife."
"But...before you were banished...weren't you just kids?"
"Yes, but I was also the Crown Prince destined to become Fire Lord. It was expected that I would eventually marry and have an heir to the throne. Chiara was the one I loved." His eyes were still fixed on her. "Even when I found out she was a waterbender, I still loved her and wanted her to be my wife. I made her my destiny, and I wouldn't change it for all the power in the Fire Nation or all the power on earth."
He stood up, and immediately ran towards Chiara while throwing fire in her direction. Seeing his attack, she quickly dodged them and threw water against his incoming blasts. He sent another barrage of fire bursts which dissolved on the ice wall she quickly drew up from the river. After dropping the wall, she immediately launched water missiles towards him.
Interrupting Katara's concentration, the water she had been guiding dropped down around her. "Zuko, what are you doing?!" she yelled.
He did not reply as he continued battling against Chiara.
"What's going on?" asked Toph.
"Zuko's attacking Chiara," said Sokka as if it were perfectly normal.
"Really?" she asked.
"I don't think he's really attacking her," said Aang.
"Ohhh, I get it," said Toph.
"Chiara's attacking back," said Sokka.
"Who's winning?" asked Toph.
Zuko persistently threw fire at her until she finally raised a tidal wave of water and brought it down on him.
"Chiara," answered Aang and Sokka together as Zuko stood completely drenched.
Toph started laughing.
Zuko immediately grabbed Chiara in his arms and kissed her.
"Make that Zuko," said Sokka.
"Yeah," said Aang dreamily. He imagined how Katara might act if he playfully attacked her, though maybe with water instead of fire, and ended their playful battle with a kiss. He was not sure she would be as receptive, but he enjoyed imagining it.
Releasing her, Zuko took her hand and pulled her deeper into the river.
"I'm borrowing my wife, Katara," he called out as they started swimming together.
Jumping up, Aang ran to the river opting for playful swimming around Katara rather than playful fighting. Zuko and Chiara swam for a while, and after swimming to the other side, they sat in the shallow water not far from shore. He had his arm around her, and she was resting her head on his shoulder as the current drew her hair around him.
"I really miss our days at the river," he said.
"I do too."
"You looked like a goddess when you were waterbending. You're so beautiful."
"You're so sweet."
They were watching the others across the river playing around in the water.
"I think Aang's in love with Katara," he said.
"I know."
"You do? How?"
"I can tell by the way he looks at her," she said. "I saw it back when I traveled with them."
"When we were younger, could you tell I was in love with you by the way I looked at you?"
She softly giggled. "I never thought it was possible that the Prince of the Fire Nation could fall in love with me."
"Really?"
"I understand my place. I'm a peasant; how could a handsome prince ever consider me anything more than a servant?"
He was stunned, and he felt guilty for making her feel that way. "Oh, Chiara, I'm so sorry. I-I never should've called you that..."
She sat up and looked at him. "Don't ever apologize for speaking the truth..."
"But it's not true..."
"It is true," she softly laughed. "I'm a peasant from the Water Tribe. It's not an insult. It-it's just life. Not everybody can be a leader or a king or a prince...or a general, otherwise who would serve?"
He knew she made a valid point, but he still felt guilty. "I still shouldn't have called you that though."
She tenderly caressed his face. "I'm not hurt by it. And the way I felt didn't have anything to do with what you said. Even if you had been the sweetest chieftain of the Water Tribe or the King of the Earth Kingdom, I would've felt the same way."
He felt a bit comforted by her words, and he wrapped his arm around her pulling her close until she rested her head against him again.
"We're not much different then," he said. "The true duty of the Fire Lord or a king is to serve his people. Unfortunately, Ozai doesn't see it that way."
"You really are the leader your people need."
"I told Uncle I'd help Aang, and then I'm done with the Fire Nation. I don't want to be Fire Lord, especially if I can't have you. I can't imagine my life without you." He caressed her head. "Every day when I wake up, I can't wait to see you, and every night when I go to bed, my thoughts are of you."
"Aww," she smiled.
"When we were taken to the Fire Nation, I was practically imprisoned in the palace, and I couldn't sleep not knowing where you were or what was happening to you. It was just like those days when you were with the Avatar. Both times I tried everything to find out where you were. When Azula said that you were dead I didn't believe her. It wasn't until Uncle told me that I believed it, and it felt like my own life ended at that moment. I thought I would never get to be with you in the river like this again, or feel your hair surround my body, or spar with you. Nothing mattered to me anymore, not the war, not the Fire Nation, not my own life."
"I felt exactly the same way when Azula told me you were dead."
He held out his left hand. "This was all I had left of you," he said referring to his wedding ring. She tenderly touched it with her left hand as she remembered staring at her own through her tears in the prison. He took her hand in his, kissed it, and held it over his heart. "I guess Uncle knew what I was feeling because he told me not to let your death be in vain, so I decided to go on just to defeat Ozai and Azula, but I felt empty."
She sat up and tenderly caressed his face. "I love you, my Prince."
He leaned towards her and gently kissed her lips before she rested against him again, and they continued watching the others.
"Aang was asking me about...about us," he said. "It's like he was trying to ask my advice about love."
She giggled.
"I can answer questions about firebending, but...how am I supposed to give the Avatar advice on his love-life?"
"You don't consider yourself a lovebender?"
She felt him tense up. "Do not let Sokka hear you say that," he said making her laugh. He dropped his head. "Lovebender," he repeated softly, shaking his head.
"I think it's adorable that Aang thought he could talk to you about that."
"Ughh," he groaned. "I did not sign up for that. I told Uncle I'd help the Avatar fight my...fight Ozai. I didn't agree to...to..."
"Be his friend?" she asked. "It doesn't have to be a business relationship. You are free to be friends with the Avatar."
"Being friends is one thing, but talking to him about...girls?"
"Considering you're one of the oldest here, and the only one who's married, that makes you the most experienced."
He sighed. "Okay. I see your point."
They watched Aang and Katara waterbending together.
"Do you think Katara feels the same way about him?" he asked.
"I do."
They relaxed for a while longer before deciding to return to the other side.
"Race ya," he said as he quickly dove into the water to get a head start.
She soon overtook him, but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her back. They were laughing as he started swimming ahead of her again, so she ran on top of the water and passed him. When he made it to the shore he ran after her and tackled her in the grass. He sat on her stomach and pinned her to the ground, water from his hair and clothes dripping down on her.
"You cheated," he said.
"I got a little help from nature," she smirked.
He laughed. "You're lucky. There's no playing with fire."
"I've been playing with fire since I met you."
His heart was racing at her words, and he could not resist pressing his lips against hers. After pulling himself away from her, he stood up helping her up as well. They joined the others under the tree.
"You two sounded like you were having a lot of fun," said Toph.
"We haven't had that much fun since we were hiding in the Earth Kingdom," said Chiara offering Zuko a kiwi plum.
"Remember the first time we went to the market?" he asked her as he took the fruit.
She giggled.
"What happened?" asked Toph.
"We had just escaped from the Fire Nation with Uncle," said Zuko, "and we needed to get a few supplies from the market. I was going to wear a cloak to hide the scar, but Chiara suggested I cover my eyes and go blind." She softly giggled. "So she's leading me through the market having me feel different fruit."
The others were laughing trying to imagine the Fire Prince blindly fondling market produce.
"I remember when she put the first fruit in my hand," he said. "All I felt were her hands on mine. I don't even remember how the fruit felt, just her hands."
"But you said the fruit felt good," said Chiara.
"It was you that felt good."
"Aww," she said. "I didn't know that."
"You were busy having fun with Uncle."
She chuckled. "The goat gorilla."
"There was a goat gorilla at a market?" asked Sokka.
"My uncle was telling the merchant that a goat gorilla ripped my eye out," said Zuko.
"Poor Prince Zuko just sighed," said Chiara. "So I said to the General, 'Now, Father, you know how sensitive he is about that.'"
The others laughed.
"They were enjoying it too much," said Zuko. "Especially since that was the second goat gorilla attack I suffered."
Chiara laughed. "That...that first attack..." She shook her head as she continued giggling.
"It was far worse," he said.
Their eyes grew wide.
"You were really attacked by a goat gorilla?" asked Sokka who was surprised Chiara was still laughing about it.
"The first time we were fugitives in the Earth Kingdom, we were invited to dinner," he explained. "We had fake names and I said that Chiara was my wife. This was before we were married, and Uncle didn't appreciate it. When we were asked if we had children, I said we were working on it."
"I think the General's eyes nearly burst out of his skull," said Chiara as the others laughed. "They went back and forth trying to outshock each other."
"Finally, Uncle mentioned a goat gorilla attack that...well...that made it impossible to have kids."
They all burst out laughing again.
"I'll never look at goat gorillas the same way again," said Zuko.
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The next day, while Zuko and Aang were training, Sokka, Katara, and Chiara wandered through the forest outside the temple scouting for dinner. They had been unsuccessful in their hunting trip, and they were now quite a distance from the temple complex when Chiara started feeling unnerved.
"It's really quiet out here," she said. "I don't think I've ever heard it this silent."
Even the small tree-dwelling animals seemed to be hiding.
Sokka paused. "You know, you're right. It is unusually quiet." The odd silence was making him feel uneasy too. "I'm not sure we're going to find anything to eat today," he said, sounding disappointed. "We should go back."
"We can always go fishing," said Katara.
Just as they turned around to trek back through the woods, a stream of fire crashed into the forest floor near them.
"Hey, jerkbender!" yelled Sokka as he turned around annoyed by Zuko's playful attack on Chiara. "That was way too close..."
Looking back expecting to see Zuko, he instead saw a squad of Fire Nation soldiers coming towards them.
"Run!" he yelled to the girls.
All three started running towards the river, but they were blocked by more soldiers. Chiara dropped her bow and pulled out her sword, as did Sokka, when they faced their enemies. They were quickly surrounded when more soldiers arrived and attacked them. Sokka realized that most of the men were focusing on the two girls, especially Katara who had pulled water from her pouch and started waterbending which drew the attention of the soldiers. Chiara struck her opponent's spear with her sword cutting off the end of it, and while kicking him away she cut the spear of another soldier charging her before dropping him and hitting him in the head with her sword handle. Sokka's space sword easily cut through the wooden spears as he disarmed his enemies and continued battling them until he was able to defeat them both. When a firebender sent a blast of fire towards Katara, Chiara quickly stepped in front of it blocking it with her sword allowing Katara to focus on the soldiers she was disarming with her water whip. Two more foot soldiers with spears charged Chiara, and after destroying one's weapon, she kicked him back in front of Katara and into the path of a fire blast from the firebender. The soldier took the hit to his arm and shoulder. She took hold of the broken end of her other opponent's spear and forced him back against a tree. Pulling out one of her arrows she grabbed the loose material over his upper arm and forced the arrow through it into the trunk. She grabbed his other arm, swiftly pulled it around the tree, and pinned it with another arrow. She quickly moved on to fight the firebender who had been attacking Katara. Katara froze his hands with water, and before he could heat them enough to thaw them out, Chiara hit him in the back of the head knocking him out.
Just when they thought they could make a run for it, another squad came running towards them. The three of them worked again on disarming and disabling the enemy. Chiara blocked the blasts from the firebenders while Katara froze their feet and hands. Running out of arrows, Chiara pulled out her shurikens and used them to pin two of the firebenders to the trees. It did not restrain them long, but long enough for the others to disarm a few more soldiers. Soon the girls were overwhelmed as they were being targeted, and Katara was now defenseless having run out of water. The captain grew irritated at the fight the three were putting up, and as soon as Katara was restrained he stepped over to her and held his sword up to her throat.
"Put the weapons down or else!" he yelled.
When Sokka and Chiara saw the threat made against Katara, they stopped fighting their opponents. Suspecting what lay ahead for her if they found out who she was, Chiara was willing to go down fighting, but she was not willing to risk her friends' lives. They both laid their swords on the ground, and the soldiers immediately moved to restrain them.
"What do you want with us," demanded Sokka.
"With you, nothing," said the captain.
All three were now worried about the Avatar.
"We're here for the wife of the traitor Prince Zuko."
Chiara was surprised to learn she was the target, but she refused to allow them to harm the other two. "I..."
"Why are you looking for her here?" asked Sokka just as she started speaking. "Wouldn't she be with Prince Jerk in the Fire Nation?"
A brief look of bemusement fell over the captain's face at Sokka's insulting remark before he regained his glare. "The traitors escaped. You two are free to go, but we're taking the waterbender," he said referring to Katara.
"But...but she's not Zuko's wife," said Sokka. "She's my sister."
"We know he married a waterbender, and she's a waterbender."
"I wouldn't let my sister marry some jerk from the Fire Nation," snapped Sokka. He noticed that many of the soldiers became visibly tense. "Uh...not that...uh...everyone from the Fire Nation's a jerk...but...uh...you know...Prince Jerk..."
"Let her go," said Chiara.
"We were sent here to retrieve his wife, and we know she's a waterbender," the captain insisted.
"I'll go with you if you let them go."
"No...!" started Katara as she tried to take a step forward.
A soldier held her back, and the captain put his sword back up to her neck.
"It's the waterbender we're after," he said.
"She can't be Prince Zuko's wife," argued Chiara. "She's not married; there's no ring on her finger."
The captain hesitated and then he looked at Katara's hand. He said nothing, but it was obvious he was concerned that they might have the wrong person.
"So let us go," said Sokka.
One of the soldiers spotted Chiara's ring with the flame-shaped gem.
"Captain, this one's married to someone from the Fire Nation."
The captain walked towards Chiara.
"Wait!" yelled Sokka struggling to break free. "That-that's my wife. Let go of her!"
The captain frowned at him. "Check him," he ordered his soldiers.
They checked his hand and then held it up, but there was nothing.
"Your wife?" said the captain.
"So I'm not wearing my ring today. Big deal."
"You're not even Fire Nation."
"Let her go!" demanded Sokka. "She-she's not a waterbender."
"Did anyone see her waterbend?" asked the captain.
The soldiers were shaking their heads.
"See?" said Sokka. "You've got the wrong girl."
"Then we'll take them both," said the captain.
"No! Let her go," demanded Chiara. "I'm the wife of Prince Zuko and the daughter of the Dragon of the West."
Her words brought a sinister smile to his face as he was now sure he caught the right person. "Take her," he ordered.
"No," said Katara and Sokka in unison, still restrained.
The captain sneered at Chiara. "We have a special cell waiting for you."
She had flashbacks of the hidden cell in the Prison Tower as they were putting shackles on her wrists.
"No!" yelled Sokka struggling against the soldiers. "Don't...!"
Sokka went down when one of the soldiers nearby by struck him on the head. Katara was also trying to fight against the soldiers restraining her, but when Chiara saw Sokka drop, she was worried they would hurt his sister too.
"No," she said to her not wanting Katara to resist. "Remember these words: true destiny and I love you."
Katara stopped struggling, but before releasing her, they hit her on the head and she collapsed to the ground. Chiara tried to move towards her, but the soldier holding her arm yanked her back.
"If you keep fighting us, we will dispatch both of them," threatened the captain deeply.
Worried over his warning, she stopped trying to pull from the soldier, but she kept her eyes on the two siblings lying unconscious until the soldier pulled her away in the opposite direction while others followed carrying their unconscious comrades.
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A/N: The swordbending scene with Zuko and Sokka is nearly word for word from the comic "Swordbending" from The Lost Adventures altered to include my OC and with a slight change to the ending. And I, of course, own nothing of the world of Avatar.