"Uncle?! (Y/n)?!" Zuko called from a distance, "Where are you? It's time to leave! Where are you? Uncle Iroh?! (Y/n) (L/n)?"
"Over here," Iroh said, no doubt relaxed in the hot spring next to (y/n). (Y/n) dove deeper, letting the heat relax her but keeping her ears above water so she could hear Zuko and Iroh's conversation.
"Uncle? We need to move on. We're closing in on the Avatar's trail, and I don't want to lose him," Zuko explained. Always that damn Avatar, (y/n) groaned. Couldn't they take just one relaxing day?
"You look tired, Prince Zuko," Iroh noted, "Why don't you join me in these hot springs? And soak away your troubles?"
"You should take your teacher's advice and relax a little!" (y/n) agreed.
"The temperature's just right," Iroh added as Zuko stepped to (y/n). "Heated it myself!"
"Out," Zuko ordered hands on his hips. (Y/n) sighed, stepping out and wringing out her hair.
When she looked over at him, he was blushing deeply and his eyes drifted to her midriff. "What?" (y/n) asked.
His eyes snapped back to hers, "Get dressed," he breathed, stepping away. (Y/n) smiled, following his orders.
"Enough. We need to leave. Now!" Zuko ordered Iroh, "Get out of the water." (Y/n) began making her way to them.
"Very well," Iroh breathed. A hand was smacked over her eyes. (Y/n) tried to protest but Zuko held on tight.
"On second thought, why don't you take another few minutes?" Zuko wondered, "But be back at the ship in half an hour, or I'm leaving without you." Zuko pulled her along as Iroh sighed.
Zuko finally pulled away his hand, "Stay here and watch Iroh," Zuko said, holding her arms softly, "I'm worried he'll doze off and miss the ship. We won't leave until you and he returns."
(Y/n) nodded, smiling, "You really care about him, don't you?" she teased.
He blushed again, "What- No- no... I don't," Zuko stuttered.
(Y/n) smiled even wider, humming, "See you soon, Fire Lord." He tried to argue further but (y/n) just pushed him forward and he stepped back into the bamboo forest.
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Zuko had been right. Iroh had dozed off. But so had (y/n). She awoke with a start as Iroh called, "Who's there?"
She pushed herself up, watching Iroh from her hiding spot. "A meadow vole!" Iroh breathed, "I should have known... You startled me, little one." Iroh sighed and leaned back into the hot spring, "Seems I dozed off and missed my nephew's deadline, but it was a very sweet nap."
The meadow vole squeaked, jumping up and down.
The ground rumbled beneath (y/n) when suddenly, rock trapped Iroh in the hot spring. "He's a Fire Nation soldier," someone said. (Y/n) looked over to see Earth Kingdom Soldiers holding Iroh's clothing.
"He's no ordinary soldier," another Earth Kingdom Soldier noted. "This is the Fire Lord's brother. The dragon of the West- the one great General Iroh. But now, he's our prisoner."
Iroh glared at them as the soldiers locked chains around Iroh's wrists and ankles. They loaded him on an ostrich horse and set off. (Y/n) followed them, hiding in the trees.
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Darkness had fallen and they were still moving along the path. Iroh had caught (y/n)'s eye every time she had to dart between trees. He had ushered her to go away. Do anything but follow them but (y/n) had not listened, she needed to know where they were taking him before she reported back to Zuko.
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The Shadow in the Alleyway
Fanfiction(Y/N) was born into the water nation but when her parents found out she could bend fire, she was sent to the fire nation. She met a figure in the alleyway, who takes her to his father's palace. But before she can fully get to know the Prince, the Fi...
