Chapter 11- Amiya

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Nico, had changed into some clothing that the trio had stolen, when Zuko had appeared

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Nico, had changed into some clothing that the trio had stolen, when Zuko had appeared.

"I didn't find anything to eat. I can't live like this." He complained. "I wasn't meant to be a fugitive. This is impossible!"

Nico watched as Zuko ranted.

Zuko finally realized Iroh wasn't replying and faced his uncle. "Uncle..what are you doing?"

Nico then turned her head to Iroh as he was still staring at that flower. Looked poisonous to her.

"You're looking at the rare white dragon bush. It's leaves make a tea so delicious it's heartbreaking. That, or it's the white jade bush, which is poisonous."

"Poisonous." Nico called out.

"We need food, not tea. I'm going fishing." Zuko angrily stormed off, but softened his gaze when he saw Nico. "Wanna come with?" He asked.

Nico nodded her head as Zuko helped her up from the rock she was sitting on.

Before leaving Nico yelled at Iroh. "Don't you dare touch that!"

❆ ❆ ❆

After coming back to the camp with a tiny fish on a stick, Zuko and Nico, stood a few inches behind Iroh, as he started to talk.

"Uh, Nico, remember that plant I thought might be tea?"

"Yeahhh," Nico angrily said.

"You didn't." Zuko said horrified.

"I did." Iroh turned around and faced the two. "And it wasn't."

Nico flinched into Zuko as they both almost tumbled to the ground.

"When the rash spreads to my throat, I will stop breathing." Iroh said, scratching his body. "But look what I found!" He said, showing Zuko and Nico a stick full of berries. "These are bacui berries. Known to cure the poison of the white jade plant! That, or maka'ole berries that cause blindness."

Zuko snatched the berries from Iroh. "We're not taking any more chances with these plants!" And threw them into a bush.

"We need to get help." Nico suggests.

"But where are we going to go?" Iroh asked, scratching himself in weird positions. "We're enemies of the Earth Kingdom, and fugitives from the Fire Nation."

"If the Earth Kingdom discover us, they'll have us killed."

"But if the Fire Nation discovers us, we'll get turned over to Azula." Iroh adds.

The trio all stared at each other and nodded. "Earth Kingdom it is."

❆ ❆ ❆

They traveled to the Earth Kingdom village as they found a near by town.

Zuko and Nico sat on the bench as Nico watched the teen girl soothingly spread cream all over Iroh's spots.

"You guys must not be from around here." The teen said. "We know better than to touch the white jade." She laughed. "Much less make it into tea and drink it."

"I tried to warn him," Nico groaned.

"Ha ha ha, oops!" Iroh said.

"So, where are you traveling from?" The girl asked.

Zuko defensively stood up. "Yes, we're travelers."

Nico coughed. "Dork."

Zuko pushed her off the bench.

"Owe." She winced.

"Do you have names?" The girl asked.

"Names?" Zuko said, walking up to her and Iroh. "Of course we have names. I'm...Lee. And this is my Uncle... Uh, Mushi."

Iroh shoots Zuko an annoyed glare as Nico stood up from the floor laughing to herself.

"Yes," Iroh says. "My nephew was named after his father, so we just call him Junior."

"Ppftt," Nico laughed as Zuko once again pushed her to the ground.

"Hey!"

"Mushi and Junior, huh?" The girl said, turning to Zuko and Nico, she then looked at Nico who was still on the floor. "What about your girlfriend?"

Zuko blushed. "Uh,uh..no she's not my girlfriend.. she's my uh,"

Nico rolled her eyes at Zuko's constant stuttering. "I'm his friend," Nico smiled and thought of her name for a second. "Amiya."

Nico smiled as the name rolled off her tongue. That was her mother's name.

The girl smiled. "My name is Song. You guys look like you could use a good meal." Song slapped Iroh as he scratched his rash.

"Why don't you stay for dinner." Song suggested.

"Sorry, but we need to be moving on." Zuko states.

"That's too bad." Song says. "My mom always makes too much crab and roast duck."

"Where do you live exactly?!" Iroh and Nico both asked.

❆ ❆ ❆

During dinner, Song tells the trio that during a raid on her village, the Fire Nation captured her father, whom she has not seen since.

When she asks Zuko if his father is fighting in the Hundred Year War, Zuko affirms this, but does not disclose his father's identity as the Fire Lord.

Nico slurped her noodles as she worriedly looked at Zuko, as he stood up from the dinner table, Song soonly following after him.

Nico rolled her eyes at the two but continued to slurp her noodles.

❆ ❆ ❆

"Thank you for the duck," Iroh thanks. "It was excellent."

"And the crab was delicious," Nico adds.

"You're welcome." Song's mother says. "It brings me joy to see someone eat my cooking with such gusto," she handed Iroh a small package of the leftovers.

"Much practice." Iroh patted his stomach.

"And you," the mother pointed at Nico. "Have such a big appetite for such a slim girl."

Nico blushed as she bowed to the women.

"Junior," Iroh called out to Zuko as he started walking away. "Where are your manners? You need to thank these nice people."

Zuko stopped in his tracks and turned around to bow. "Thank you."

"I know you don't think there any hope left in the world, but there is hope."Song says. "The Avatar has returned."

"I know." Zuko responds as Iroh and Nico followed after him.

As they passed the courtyard gate, Zuko stopped and grabbed their ostrich horse.

"What are you doing?!" Nico angrily whispers.

"These people just showed you great kindness." Iroh scolds.

"They're about to show us a little more kindness." Zuko said, holding out his hand for Nico to climb on.

Zuko looked down at Iroh. "Well?"

Iroh looks down, but eventually, climbs in back off Nico on the horse as they walk away into the night.

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕕𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕒𝕝'𝕤 𝔻𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕖𝕣: ℤ𝕦𝕜𝕠 𝕩 𝕆𝕔Where stories live. Discover now