We stayed at the boy's house, who introduced himself as Xiaoli. We also learned that the woman wasn't his mother but his aunt, and they weren't that close.

I slept roughly that night, tired and worn out from the fight.

"Zuko, we're leaving today," I said in the morning.

"Yeah, I was going to suggest that too," Zuko agreed.

"Can I suggest something?" Xiaoli said.

"Yeah," I nodded, leaning back on my chair.

"Can I come with you guys? Only if you want, though. I can help you guys since I'm an earthbender and I'm actually from around here. Only if you want, though," he repeated. He looked at his hands, avoiding our eyes.

I looked at Zuko who set his jaw. I nodded and Zuko rubbed his face. I shrugged and he rolled his eyes. Then I raised my hands and he finally nodded against his will.

I didn't make him do it, I swear.

"Yes, Li," I said.

He looked up, absolutely happy. "My mother used to call me Li," he said sadly.

"What happened to your parents?" I asked.

"The Fire Nation took them from me."

Zuko looked so uncomfortable I felt bad for him. Xiaoli actually looked as if he didn't know who Zuko was.

"Xiaoli, do you know his name?" I asked, nodding towards Zuko.

"I actually don't..." Li trailed off. "That's weird."

Zuko looked as if he wanted to hide under the table. I gave him a reassuring smile.

"His name is Zuko," I said.

Xiaoli dropped the berry he was eating and gripped the edge of his chair.

"Prince Zuko?" Li repeated.

"Yes. But he's different now, I can assure you," I said, touching Li's shoulder.

"I know," Li smiled. "I trust you, Prince Zuko."

"You dont have to say 'prince'," I mumbled.

Xiaoli started laughing and Zuko let out a sigh, relieved.

Xiaoli didn't have to argue with his aunt to leave, she let him go as soon as he asked.

He packed as we waited for him outside.

"Do you want him to come?" I asked Zuko, watching him warily. The prince crossed his arms over his chest, exhaling.

"He seems like a nice guy."

I punched Zuko's arm. "Seriously? You're saying that?" I laughed.

I saw Li appearing from behind the house. He was holding the ropes of three large ostrich horses, leading them towards us. He jumped on the saddle of one, his bags tied to the sides.

I turned to Zuko. "See, I told you he would be helpful."

Zuko rolled his eyes and told me to get on one of the large birds.

"Thanks so much, Li!" I squealed, jumping onto one of their backs and grabbing into the reigns. "Um . . . Someone teach me to ride this thing."

Li slid off his ostrich and taught me to steer it as Zuko waited impatiently on his. Then Li handed me a straw hat similar to his and Zuko's and we set off.

🔥🔥🔥

"So you all are heading towards Ba Sing Se?" Li asked after about half an hour of riding.

"Yeah," Zuko and I said in unison.

"I have the map. We're going the right way but we have to try hard to get into Ba Sing Se," Li said, wiping his forehead with the back of his sleeve. The sun bore down on us and we were no longer in woods, but on dry, barren land.

"What do you mean?" I asked, coughing lightly.

"I don't really know," Li shrugged. "Hey I have another question. Are you the Avatar?"

I choked on my own cough and kept coughing until I almost fell off the ostrich horse.

"No," I sputtered. I am a normal girl."

"Then how can you bend fire and water?" Li asked.

"It's a long story," I said.

"And we have a long time so please, begin." Li smiled.

And so I began the story of my life which I think Zuko probably slept through.

🔥🔥🔥

We set out camp as the sun started to set. I set up a fire and Zuko looked in the bags for something to eat, and Li set up our tents. We ate and I was the first one to retire to my tent, resting my head on my arm as the shadows of the flames danced on my tent.

"So," I heard Li say casually outside, "You're a prince?"

"Yeah."

"How are you two traveling together?"

"I captured her."

I almost snorted at that one, covering my mouth.

"Huh?" Li asked, confused.

"I thought she was a threat so I captured her and then we got in a fight and we challenged eachother to an Agni Kai, and that's basically it." Zuko said without emotion.

"Okay," Li trailed off. "Interesting."

"Yeah."

"You don't talk much, do you?" Li grinned.

"Not to you maybe."

I sat up straighter and cleared my throat, and Zuko probably got it as a sign to 'shut up and be nice', and then I feigned a sneeze.

"How can your friend bend two elements if she's not the Avatar?" Xiaoli asked.

"Is Xiaoli your real name?" Zuko asked.

"No. How did you know?" Li asked.

"It doesn't fit you."

"It was my brother's name. He died fighting in the war against the Fire Nation."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

There was an awkward silence.

"My real name is Zian. It means self-peace."

"That's a cool name."

"Yours is cool too."

"Thanks."

The fire crackled and I saw Zian's shadow stand up. "I'd better get going then."

"Right."

"See you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

Then Zian's shadow disappeared into his tent. Zuko walked over to my tent and hissed through the flaps, "I don't have any medicine for allergies so keep them under control."

I opened the flaps and rolled my eyes. "Zian is a nice name," I whispered, low enough so that only Zuko could hear.

"Whatever."

"Mhm."

"Bye."

"Bye."

🔥🔥🔥

I woke up In the middle of the night, unable to sleep. Suddenly, I heard footsteps outside my tent. I sat up straight and peeked through the flaps to see Zuko pacing. I stumbled out and snuck up behind him.

"Hey. Why are you awake?"

"I should ask the same question," he said in his dry voice.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Neither could I." Zuko shrugged.

"I know it's more than that. It could be two things; either you miss Uncle or you have nightmares."

Zuko sighed and turned to me. "Am I a bad liar? Is it written on my face? Can you read minds?"

"Probably. Actually, you're a really good liar. I'm speaking from experience."

"Okay then. Both. I keep dreaming of my mother leaving me. I wonder if shes out there, still alive, caring about me. Seems like she's the only one who does." Zuko sat down and held his head in his hands. "I miss Uncle. I've been away too long. He's like my replacement father for as long as I'm away from home."

"He treats you as his own."

"His son died in the war," Zuko said.

"He had a son?" I asked.

Zuko nodded.

"Hey, I know what'll make you feel better." I said.

"What?"

"Let's name all the problems we have okay? You first."

"I miss Uncle."

"I need to find the Avatar."

"I hate these clothes."

I grinned. "That's funny."

"Yeah? Well you wanting to find the Avatar is funny. And this was your idea so, hah. Joke's on you."

"There was no point to that but okay."

"I really do hate these clothes."

"I do too."

"Should I continue?" Zuko asked.

"Yeah."

"I miss my mother."

"I miss my parents," I added.

"I want my honor back." Zuko muttered.

"I want my family back."

"I want everything to go back to normal."

"I wish this war never happened." I bit the inside of my cheek.

"I wish you'd calm down sometimes."

"I wish you'd talk more sometimes," I retorted.

"I wish you weren't so stubborn."

"I wish you were a better teacher."

"I wish you'd understand sometimes."

"I wish you would . . . smile sometimes," I said.

"I wish I had a normal sister."

"I wish I had a brother or sister."

"I wish I was back home with Mai and the others," Zuko finally ended.

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"They're my family."

"Why are you so ignorant?" I said, anger getting to me for some reason. "So Zian, your uncle, and I don't count as family? Family are people who care about you, not banish you for refusing to fight your own father. If Azula cared, she would've tried to persuade your father to bring you back. If Mai cared she would've come with you. If your father loved you," my voice slowly rose, "He wouldn't have burnt half his only son's face and would've let you come back by now. But of course, you want your honor back. But what you don't understand is that honor is not something that can be given; it's something that is earned. And no matter what you do, Zuko, and maybe after you join the Fire Nation and your father again, you'll never have the honor you deserve in front of me and in my heart, because what you're doing doesn't deserve it."

Zuko stood up, towering over me. His scar was intimidating and his eyes were taunting me.

"I wish you'd understand my position," he finally said.

"No. I wish you'd realize yours."

And then we walked away separately, into our tents.