Just a bit of fun before College...

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Book One: Water

Winter, 99 AG, Year of the Goat

~ The Waterbending Scroll (Part 1) ~

Third person POV

When he had first caught her, Ryuu had fought tooth-and-nail to get away. That was then. Now, two months later, she had given up. She had resigned to her fate. The fate of all resistance to the Fire Nations tyranny: prison. Or worse, death.

In fact, death would've been better than any Fire Nation prison.

As she sat on the gang-plank to his wreck of a boat, as far as she could go being tethered to the mast. Ryuu decided to try to escape one last time. The chains wrapped around her ankle had caused blisters. It hurt the most -so it was the first to come off. Ryuu wriggled and tugged. Squeezing her blistered ankle out while biting her lips to prevent a cry escaping them.

He would be back soon.

He who had attempted to remove her identity. Cut her hair back to its roots, forced her to wear only her undergarments and a blanket. Chained her here... made her sleep tied to the mast. Ryuu shook herself out of self-pity. Looking up from her work, she hissed audibly.

She was cursed. A Fire Navy ship pulled into dock beside the bounty hunters dingy, making it buck in the swell. If the soldiers saw her escaping... she was as good as dead. Off came the chain. Now to her neck. A large splinter of wood from the plank would have to make do as a lock-pick. Next to her, the Fire Navy were trooping off of the ship. The ship, which looked remarkably small for Fire Nation, had small dents in its hull.

Ryuus attention was snapped back to the lock as it clicked and her neck maniacal fell off, into her lap. Just her waist and wrists left bound. As she set to work, a portly man followed by a small platoon of soldiers marched past in a messy formation, again odd for the Fire Nation. The leader - the old, rather round man -glanced at Ryuu and briefly met eyes with her. She whimpered in fear.

Then he was gone. Gone into the market.

At her waist, the lock clicked. Finally, to rid herself of the troublesome handcuffs. She twisted her right hand out, but her left was more tightly locked. Using the large splinter, she worked to unlock the handcuff.

"Gee," Ryuu murmured, "he sure hates me..."

Then she saw him.

Not her captor but someone else. He was impatient looking (handsome, but impatient), dressed in ill fitting armour, shaved head - save for a ponytail. He tapped his foot angrily, obviously waiting for the older man. Ryuu sighed and returned to working on the handcuff. It was stubborn in its duty - the only thing preventing her escape - chaining her to the boat.

"Move!" She yelled, a bit to loudly.

The boy had heard her, he looked up and stared harshly. Ryuu popped her mouth open and closed. There was no excuse for this. Holding a big splinter to a handcuff did look awfully suspicious. She couldn't run away without her walking stick (she could hop away but it would take to long and he would easily identify a hopping convict) and the handcuff was still locked. Cursing loud enough for him to hear, only him to hear, Ryuu tugged at the cuff viciously. The boy was now stomping towards her.

"And what do you think you're doing!?"

He stood at the end of the gang plank. The scar over his left eye set Ryuu on edge. It reminded her too much of her leg when first amputated. It was a sickening memory. She found herself staring, wondering what happened to him. Ryuu was drawn back to reality as could feel him stamping up the thin wooden plank.

"Well! Answer me!"

"Listen-" Ryuu gasped, holding her right hand up, "There's this bounty hunter. He imprisoned me. I cannot run away as he burnt my stick... help me."

The man smirked, "Got what you deserve."

"Oh, really, Mr Ponytail?"

He stepped backwards, looking genuinely offended, "Do you know who I am?!"

Ryuu snarled. She twisted her hand in a last-ditch attempt at getting free, although it didn't work. The boy crossed his arms and smirked. Ryuu growled in response to him and struck the handcuff against the plank. She screamed in frustration.

"I'm Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, hier to the throne."

With a look of disgust up at Zuko, Ryuu smacked the handcuff again. He crouched down and leaned closer to the imprisoned girls face. Hooking one finger under her chin, he lifted her face up, so she met his eyes. Ryuu studied his eyes - his golden eyes. She scolded herself for that. He was Fire Nation Scum.

They sat there for a moment; the tension was palpable. Then, Ryuu went to smack Zuko with her free hand, but was intercepted by the Prince's gauntlet. He forced her back onto the boat before turning to leave.

Indignantly and forcefully, Ryuu kicked the gang plank. She managed to dislodge it from the boat and sent Zuko tumbling into the water. That made, at first, it made her laugh, but it soon turned to panic. She scrambled to the edge of the boat to see if he was okay. Even though he was scum, she still felt guilty.

"Prince? Prince-ess?"

To her relief Zuko resurfaced. He spat out water and coughed. The Prince splashed about but seemingly couldn't get onto the peir.

"Here, Princess, " Ryuu lowered a length of her chain.

Zuko, despite being offered the help, swam the other way, mumbling under his breath. Raising her brow, Ryuu sighed and slowly rained the chain in. Zuko changed his mind. He tapped the side of the boat and she lowered the chain again. Ryuu pulled him up. The prince hauled himself onto the shabby little boat but was still furious, visibly steaming.

"Th-thanks. But you still deserve-"

"Oh, shut it Princess! I'm sorry... okay? I'm sorry."

On the peir the other man was returning. His soldiers were carrying all sorts of things; from trinkets to tsungi horns. Zuko huffed and went to leap off of the boat. He glanced back at Ryuu, feeling ever so slightly empathetic. Setting his jaw, he lit a flame on his fingers.

Then he cut the chain.

"Well? Are you coming or not...?"

She was shocked, but mostly, overwhelmingly relieved. Zuko put his arm out to support her as she stumbled up. She collapsed towards him and he scooped her into a bridal carry, then he leapt off of the boat. When the landed on the peir (collapsed really, as Ryuu fell then tripped Zuko up - so they landed in a heap of limbs - Zuko on Ryuu), the older man smiled mischievously.

"Had fun, Prince Zuko?"

"Don't say anything."

The prince shot to his feet. Ryuu was still laying on the floor, just relieved to be off the boat. Zuko was dripping wet but he tried to look composed.

"Who is this?" The older man asked, pointing to Ryuu.

"Ryuu, sir," She grinned sheepishly up at him.

"You look as if you need a good meal," He scanned her quickly, "And some new clothes. And a walking stick."

He stroked his beard, contemplating her lack of lower left leg.

Zuko gasped, "But Uncle-"

His uncle cut him off with a finger and pointed towards another ship. Zuko ran his hand over his face, making Ryuu giggle - she was still on the floor. She rolled onto her back and folded her hands behind her head. She was only in her undergarments, but Ryuu didn't care.

"At least tell me if you have the lotus tile!"

The older man shook his head, "None in the entire peir!"

"What!?" Zuko roared.

Ryuu laughed louder. The man instructed Zuko to help Ryuu up, much to the younger man's protest.

"Come now, we can also get some woodwinds."

Zuko's face became clouded with anger, "Why do we need wood-"

"Music night on the ship!"

Leaning on Zuko, Ryuu beamed, "I play flute... or at least, used to..."

"Hah, Prince Zuko, let's keep her!"

The prince swung his free arm up, "What?! She's a criminal! Leave her here!"

"Well..." His uncle raised an eyebrow, "she could help on the ship. We do need an assistant. And a flautist... Private Xie isn't all he thinks."

Zuko blinked and groaned, "Gah! Fine."

As his uncle went off towards the dodgy looking ship, Zuko called one of his men over to escort their new 'assistant' to the ship. Ryuu flinched at the soldier's touch, but let him help her. She wanted to be away from the bounty hunter. She didn't care if it meant going against all of her natural instincts.

Screwing her eyes shut, she stepped onto the ship. It felt wrong. But at least she was away from him. From under her eyelashes she saw Zuko shuffle off with his uncle. She had a feeling that under his angry exterior, he was kind. He vanished as she passed into the shadow of the steel hulk.