┊𝑰𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆┊

chapter 18

"He can stay in my room with me."

"But he's a firebender, Lady Katara."

"He's still just a kid and he needs our help. His town was just burnt down."

"Then he is your responsibility."

The king turned and left, leaving the group to talk things over. Alec sat nervously on the edge of Aang's bed. Katara sat next to him, an arm wrapped protectively around his shoulders.

"What did the firebender look like?"

Alec fidgeted with his fingers for a second before replying. "Well, he was wearing dark clothes from what I could see, probably red, and he had a ponytail, but some of it was down. He was kind of thin too."

Katara's eyes widened as he described the man. She searched Aang's room for a pen and paper and started drawing, something she hadn't done since she was locked away on Zuko's ship. When she was finished, she held it up for the boy. "Is this what he looked like?"

"Yes, that's him!"

Sokka looked at the picture and shook his head. "No, that looks like Haru."

"Remember the guy from the island that Toph left buried against the tree? This is him, his name is Kiatoh."

"How did he get off the island?"

"Duh, he's with the pirates!"

"But why are they on land?"

"I guess we're going to find out, huh? Well, if they can make it through the walls of the city."

Zuko stood up and knelt in front of Alec. "Where are you from?" he asked softly, surprising everyone in the room.

The younger boy looked up to meet the equally golden eyes of the scarred man. He felt a little more relaxed somehow. "My mom asked me not to tell anyone where we're from."

"Is your mom a firebender too?"

"No, she doesn't bend. She said my daddy was though, but I never met him."

"Are you from the Fire Nation?"

Alec looked to Katara for help and she nodded. "It's okay, watch."

He looked back as Zuko lit a flame in his hand. "It's supposed to be a secret, but I'm from the Fire Nation too. Are you?"

"Y-yes. My daddy got sent to the war before I was born, then my mom moved us out here. She said it was where she grew up."

Zuko glanced up at Katara, the returned his eyes back to Alec. "Your mom is from the Earth Kingdom and your dad is from the Fire Nation?"

Alec nodded. Katara smiled at Zuko. "Love knows no bounds, not even those of war."

"My mom said that before," he said, smiling up at Katara.

"Your mom is a wise woman. Where is she?"

"I told her to hide and wait for me until I got back. When will I get to see her again?"