Hiii Guys! Sorry I haven't updated in so long 😭 acads have been drowning me. But we're going to have our sem break soon, so hopefully I'll update more!
So for now, hope you enjoy this chap!
~ MC
I jolted up, my breathing was heavy. Everything was blurry, and dark? I couldn't even comprehend where I was, plus the ache in my head only makes it worse.
"Aang?" My voice was hoarse, it's like I've been screaming for hours. I tried standing up only to fall back down.
"Katara?" The throbbing ache in my head just kept getting worse and worse.
"Sokka?" Water, there was water beneath me.
It was rising, I tried to catch a breathe but the water kept pushing me back. Then someone grabbed me, carrying me, "Who are you?" The person turned their head to look at me, the last thing I saw was the glistening of two golden eyes meeting my gray ones.
I groaned as I stirred awake. There was throbbing pain at my head. I sat up and felt the ground, it was soft? I looked down and realized, I was on a bed. Looking around I saw that the room was tainted with red. I looked to my side and my breathe hitched. A fire nation symbol.
There was a knock on the door, as it opened General Iroh came in with a teapot and teacups. "Good morning, I made tea I figured you would need it."He set it down beside the bed.
"Thank you." I mumbled and he gave me a smile as he walked out of the door. Folding the blanket, I put it aside as I drank the tea. "This is actually really good."
I finished up the tea and stretched. "Well I got to find out where exactly I am." I opened the door the hallways were the same color as the room was. I heard a sound coming from my right I decided to follow it. It was like humming, I followed until I reached a room. The door was slightly open, inside was General Iroh. I knocked on the door and he saw me outside.
He gave me a small smile. "Come in, it's good to see you're ok."
"Thank you for the tea, it was great." I told him as I closed the door.
"Thank you." He gestured towards the table with a Pai Sho game readied. "Care for a game of Pai Sho?"
"Sure but I'm not that good at it though." I said as I sat down across from. "Last time I played was so long ago."
"And how long was that?"
"Give or take 100 years."
He looked at me and chuckled. "I never thought I would meet someone older than me."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah."
"You first Miss?"
"Alara." I told him as I moved a tile. "And just Alara please, you don't have to call me Miss."
"Alright Alara."
We continued to play for an hour. Ultimately I lost, which I wasn't even surprised about. General Iroh grinned, "That was one of the best games of Pai Sho I had in a long time."
"Well I'm surprised I even lasted that long."
He chuckled again. I smiled, never thought I would actually be playing Pai Sho with a Fire Nation General. There was a question that has been running on my mind since I got here. "General Iroh?"
"Just call me Iroh, Alara." He smiled.
I returned it. "Um, Iroh, how did I end up here?"
"Well when we saw you crash into the water, my nephew went after you. He dove into the water and got you out but you were unconscious. We couldn't just leave you there, so my nephew carried you back to our ship and that's how you ended up in that room."
I blinked, I couldn't quite comprehend what he was saying. "Zuko sa-saved me?"
He nodded, "My nephew isn't that bad of a person as you think." And with that he yawned, "I don't know about you but I need a nap." He stood up and headed to the door. "Feel free to roam around, make yourself home."
I didn't say anything, I was still shocked at what Iroh told me. "Why would he save me?" Sighing, I stood up and explored the rest of the ship. I reached the deck and I stared at the ocean. "I hope you're ok Aang."
I leaned on the rails just watching the waves pass by. "Who let you out?!" A voice yelled behind me.
I turned to see Prince Zuko scowling. "Iroh did."
He grunted in anger. "Uncle why did you" He mumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Where is the Avatar going next?"
"Like I know." I faced the ocean again.
He grabbed my shoulder and made me face him. "Tell me where he's going."
I rolled my eyes. "Listen Hothead, even if I knew where my brother was going, I'm not going to tell you."
He yelled in frustration and walked off. Shaking my head, I returned back to watching the waves, wishing I was back with Aang, Sokka and Katara. "Why would he save me?"
Few hours later, I was getting tired of staying in my so called room, but I didn't want to run into Zuko. "Prince Hothead would just ask me where Aang is again."
I walked passed the halls hoping to find Iroh, I wouldn't mind another game of Pai Sho. I peeked in room to room but he wasn't there. Finally I was at the deck, he was sitting on a chair fanning himself but he wasn't alone. Zuko was there training with a guard. I felt a blush coming to my cheeks, Zuko was shirtless.
I shook my head and walked to Iroh. He smiled as he saw me and waved. "Alara nice of you to join us!"
Zuko turned to glare at me and I just ignored him focusing on Iroh. "I was getting tired of being stuck in a room."
"You're not even supposed to be out!" Zuko yelled.
I rolled my eyes at him. "Well I am now."
Zuko glared at me and went back to his training. As for me, I went back talking to Iroh. "You want another game of Pai Sho?"
"I thought you would never ask." He smiled.
***
I was eating dinner with Iroh, it turns out we actually got a long pretty well. He was a really kind person and he had some pretty good proverbs as well. The door opened revealing Prince Zuko, he glared at me as he sat down. "Why is she here?"
"Prince Zuko! That is not a way to treat a guest." Iroh told him.
"She is not our guest. She's just here because she knows where the Avatar is going next!" Zuko argued back.
"Well then why won't you just throw me overboard, since like I said before I have no idea where he is!" I yelled.
"I think we are all tired, why won't we call it a night?" Iroh suggested.
I looked away, I didn't mean to yell at him like that, but all the "Avatar this, and avatar that" it's getting pretty annoying. Zuko stood up and got his plate. "I'm eating in my room."
"I apologize for my nephew, he's-" Iroh struggled to find the words.
"It's fine Iroh, I get it, he's Zuko." I sighed.
"When you've been with my nephew long enough, you get used to it." He cracked a smile, and I couldn't help but laugh.
"You mind if I take a walk?"
"Not at all, go ahead my dear."
I gratefully nod and went out. Once again I arrived at the deck of the ship watching the waves as they pass by. I started humming a tune, but I felt someone go beside me. "That tune, where did you learn it?"
I turned and I saw those golden eyes, "Back in the Northern Air Temple, one of the Monks, Monk Pan, would used to hum it as he meditated. I guess I eventually caught on to it."
"My mother used to sing the same thing." He mumbled as he stared back to the ocean.
"I know I should've said this earlier, but thank you, you know for saving me." I whispered, and he just nodded back. I didn't know whether it's the cold breeze of the night, or the gentle sounds of the seas. It actually felt nice to be here.
I started to hum the tune again, just loud enough for him to hear. Faintly, just faintly I can hear him humming the tune with me. I smiled, "I really don't get you Prince Zuko."