Bad Moon Rising | Book 4

13: Stay

Art: Artist Not Found

They had started this journey two weeks ago, and while they had managed to find one princess, the other had taken a page out of her mother's book and disappeared without a trace. Zuko's deal with Kida had ended, and she needed to get back to the palace, not to mention that the Fire Lord was also needed to govern.

It was quickly decided that Ursa, Noren, and Kiyi would also be coming with them. It would be easier to reintroduce Ursa and her new family to the royal palace than attempt to explain to the residences of Hira'a where Noriko had gone and why Noren was now married to Ursa.

With so many extra people and a fair amount of luggage, Zuko decided to send for a ship to bring them back to the Capital City and give Appa a break.

Ursa and Noren had been timid boarding the ship—one returning to a place of much anguish and the other leaving the only place they knew as home. Their daughter, on the other hand, was beyond excited with the prospect of moving. Kiyi had run onto the boat with such speed that she'd nearly slipped in a puddle, causing Ursa to panic. This didn't go over well when Kiyi snapped at Ursa for acting like her mother when she didn't look like her.

"How about we take a tour of the ship?" Kida had suggested as Ursa shrunk back from her daughter's scolding.

Kiyi brightened up. "Yes! Yes!"

Kida turned to Ursa and Noren. "If that's okay with you, of course," she said to the pair.

Ursa held her hands close to her chest, staring at the ground but nodding. Noren spoke for her, offering a grateful smile, "Yes, that would be great."

Kida reached out a hand towards Kiyi, who happily took it. "Can Zuzu come?"

Zuko froze, staring down at the child. "Since when do you call me that?"

Kiyi shrugged. "That's what our other sister called you." While Kiyi was having trouble with her mother's face changing, she had been beyond accepting of having two new siblings—even with one being Azula.

Zuko looked a bit uncomfortable but ultimately went along with it. "Yeah, alright, I'll come," he agreed.

The little girl stretched out a hand towards Zuko, and soon she was trotting along between the pair. Kida and Zuko brought Kiyi all around the ship, including up to the helm where the captain let her steer the boat—or rather hold onto the wheel while the captain kept a guiding hand on the top.

"When I get older, I want to be a captain too," Kiyi declared as they left the helm.

"The Fire Nation navy will be lucky to have you," said Zuko.

"I think you should become a general then you can boss your brother around," Kida teased.

"Oooh yeah, I wanna do that!" Kiyi exclaimed happily.

Zuko gave Kida a dirty look. "Thanks for giving her that idea," he grumbled. Suddenly her words dawned on him. "And the generals don't boss me around!"

Kida scoffed. "Sure."

"The only person who bosses me around is you," he said.

She considered this with a growing smile before nodding. "Okay, good point, but don't act as though you don't like it."

A smile twisted the man's lips no matter how hard he tried to fight it. "I have no idea what you're talking about."